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This section provides Dialogue Guides based on resource documents important to the implementation of IDEA 2004 and published by researchers, technical assistance providers, and IDEA Partnership Partners.  Some of the important topics include family engagement, youth role, transition from school to post-school, high school redesign, dropout prevention, school-based mental health, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and recruitment and retention of qualified personnel.  The source documents for Dialogue Guides are selected by Partners.  Practitioners, families, and youth with disabilities across the country are writing dialogue guides to key documents for your use. Some Dialogue Guides are part of a larger Collection on the topiic; others are stand alone dialogue starters.

We invite you to read the Dialogue Guide Facilitator Handbook to gain a better understanding of the facilitator's roles and responsibilities in conducting dialogue.

We welcome your suggestions for resource documents. Click on Dialogue Guides suggestions to send them to us.  You can use the same link to share your stories and ideas about using Dialogue Guides in your community.

Please call the IDEA Partnership toll free line for help in thinking about ways to use dialogue guides within your community. Toll Free: 1-877-433-2463 (877-IDEA INFo)

Topical Dialogue Guides

IDEA 2004 requires people in different roles to work together.  It is easier to work together and more productive if you understand their stakeholder role and what the statute and regulations requires of them.  It is also important to understand their views or how they think and feel about these requirements.

  • Dialogue Guides are tools for community leaders to bridge the gap between what the law says we should do and how we actually do it in our community. Community stakeholders (families, practitioners, professional associations, higher education, policymakers, and legislators) all over the country can  interact in focused conversation
  • Dialogue Guides raise questions that encourage and support community stakeholder members in conversation.   Shared understanding and better implementation of IDEA 2004 is the goal, which ultimately results in improved outcomes for children and youth.

To gain a better understanding of the facilitator's roles and responsibilities in conduction dialogue, we invite you to read and download the Dialogue Guide Facilitator Handbook

We want to share your stories about creating dialogue and we look forward to working with you and receiving your Dialogue Guides suggestions.

You may call the IDEA Partnership toll free line for help in thinking about ways to use dialogue guides within your community.  Toll Free: 1-877-433-2463 (877-IDEA INFo)

To begin, select your dialogue guide from the list below:

Topical Guides

IDEA 2004