ASSIGNMENT | Formal and informal supports for families of students with disabilities

What are the differences between formal and informal supports for families of students with disabilities? Provide examples in your explanation. Does one have more value than the other? Why or why not?

SAMPLE SOLUTION

Formal supports refer to the information services, planning and programs offered for all the students with disabilities and their families by government agencies and authorized private stakeholders. This kind of support strategy requires the students to undergo several procedures, some which are as outlined by the law. Such a support plan must be written and the students involved must be eligible for IEP (Individualized Educational Program) (Cortiella, & Horowitz, 2014). Further, formal supports are usually meant to be provided on a long-term basis. An example of formal support is where an organization plans to visit and support a family through the intervention of another organization. Such support must be approved and special permission given.
On the other hand, informal supports refer to the assistance, advice, information, opportunities and resources offered to the families of the students with disabilities by friends, acquaintances, neighbors or co-workers. This type of support plan does not observe any protocols or procedures. As such, special schools are not obliged to offer informal supports (Cortiella, & Horowitz, 2014). However, it is considered a…