Privacy Protections

These days most families of young children with disabilities are using social media to connect with one another. It is important that family leaders and the professionals who provide services and supports to families have discussions about the pros and cons of social media. In fact, it is essential that technical assistance programs get involved in social media and provide families with assistance on how to protect their privacy.

FERPA

Every child who benefits from publicly-funded education services is covered by FERPA or the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act. FERPA limits who can share information and what information they can share about a child and/or family receiving services funded with federal education dollars. Thus children enrolled in early intervention or IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Part C or birth to three programs are covered by FERPA. Additionally, Parent Training and Information centers and Technical Assistance centers which receive funding under Part D of IDEA have to follow FERPA. 

What About Privacy Settings?

Every social media site, whether Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Vimeo or LinkedIn has its own privacy settings. These settings change over time too!  It is important to help families to figure out how to find and use the privacy controls on different sites.      Facebook, for instance, allows users to designate their Facebook "Friends" as close or acquaintances. In addition, users can decide whether to share their posts with only their friends, or to share posts publicly.  

What happens in Vegas, stays on Facebook, Flickr...

It is important to remind families that once they have shared something on a site, they no longer have control over who see's what they have shared or who can re-share their post, picture or video. Anyone can grab a screenshot, download or forward their information.  And in this day and age, most folks won't simply forward, but they may add their own comments or opinions.  

So, you want me to stay off the internet?

No!  Social media can be an incredible avenue for supporting and informing families with young children with disabilities. It can also create movements for system change.  However, it is important that families understand that they do have rights, and that there are ways to minimize what gets shared and with whom.  Finally, it is essential that we remind families that they are sharing on behalf of someone else.  A minor child.  As that child grows up it is important that families have regular check-ins with their child and discuss how much and with whom information is shared on the internet.  

Social Media Marketing

Let's take a step back.  We started this blog by asserting that web 2.0 could be used to support and inform families of young children with disabilities.  But you may be asking how do people do it?  How do you figure out which media to use? How will you navigate the privacy rights of families while still providing them with the information and support they are seeking?

Outcomes
I believe that the first step is to decide on outcomes.  Do you want to create a space where families can quickly find information about activities?  or applications?  Do you want to provide a place for families to share their questions and tips for one another?  Is your intention to broadcast or discuss?  Your outcomes may change over time, but it is a good idea to start with a few specific outcomes.

Focus
Once you have your outcomes, decide which mediums can help you to meet your outcomes.  If you want families to see how to do something, you might want to use a video sharing site or an image sharing site.  If you want families to share their tips and questions then social networking might be the way to go, or perhaps a wiki.

Outline
The next step is to develop an outline.  What information do you anticipate sharing?  How often will you share information?  Setting realistic expectations for your ability to update information or respond to questions and comments is important.  

Crossposting
To generate a following it is important that you also think about who you will interact with and where you can find more followers.  For example, as I write this blogposting my outline includes posting this to LinkedIn, tweeting it, and to my Facebook page.  My outline includes how I will post to each of these media and when.  It is important to strike a balance between over and underposting and to be mindful of how many of your fans follow you on all of those media.  

Assess
Like all things the outline is not set in stone.  It is something that you have to continually review and revise.  Pinterest wasn't even on my radar a few months ago.  Even once I started using it personally it took some time for me to figure out how best to use it for my purposes.  It is also important to decide when you will simply use the work of others.  The great thing about Web 2.0, is that you can create content simply by sharing the content of others--with attribution of course!

Social Media Can Support Families Enrolled in Early Intervention

Welcome!
If you have heard of social media, but haven't had the time to figure out how to use it to reach families of young children with disabilities, this is the blog for you! If you have a Facebook fanpage but you haven't figured out how to make the most of it, this is the place for you! The internet is exploding with new ways to find, share and inform families of young children with disabilities.  Many families of children with disabilities are comfortable with these platforms, but they continue to report that they are not finding the facts or support that they need from official channels. These new platforms can help you to build your brand, support your existing website and keep families and professionals informed.


We'll discuss how web 2.0 is a game-changer, what it means for families and providers, and more importantly, how to use different social media platforms to reach families and share information. We will discuss why it is important to create a social media plan, how Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and other social media platforms work and how to use them effectively. We'll also talk about how to inform and engage families and professionals without violating their privacy rights or spending 24/7 at your computer.