The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that states provide an appropriate public education for disabled children between ages 3-21. The IDEA also provides that states can offer services for children age 0-3, and Missouri does offer such services through its First Steps program.
The 1997 IDEA requires that the Individualized Education (IEP) Committee, in the case of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, consider the child's language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communication with peers and professional personnel in the child's language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language and communication mode.
Missouri's state plan for IDEA can be viewed at STATE PLAN
The "Missouri Parents Act" organization, "MPACT", offers statewide workshops for parents on IDEA.
An excellent book describing IDEA, especially as it relates to deaf children, is "IDEA Advocacy for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing" by Bonnie Poitras Tucker, J.D., published by Singular Publishing Group (800) 521-8545 - also available from A.G. Bell Association for the Deaf
No matter what methodology you prefer for your child, the book provides some suggestions you can use for trying to persuade your school that the methodology you suggest - whether oral, sign, cued speech, bi-bi, etc. -is appropriate.
Another guide is "The Complete IEP Guide: How to Advocate for Your Special Child" by Lawrence Seigel, also available from A.G.Bell.
Another resource for parents regarding IDEA is the e-mail newsletter sent out by Reed Martin, a nationally recognized expert on legal concerns about IDEA. He also offers periodic workshops that sometimes are held in Missouri. He has a website at:
He also has a regular, free e-mail newsletter on special education topics: Special Education Legal Rights Email News. Send an e-mail request to connie@westco.net to be put on the mailing list.
Another Missouri resource is:
Missouri Protection & Advocacy Services 925 South Country Club Drive Jefferson City, Mo 65109 1-800-392-8667
For the text of IDEA and additional information such as the regulations implementing IDEA see: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/IDEA/
The current "Procedural Safeguards for Parents and Children" Statement has been interpreted using American Sign Language, for use with Deaf parents, on video, and can be sent to school districts upon request by calling Division of Special Education, at 573-751-0602 or RELAY MISSOURI at 800-735-2966 (TDD).
Available from NAD is the book "Legal Rights - The Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People, 5th edition"