TASK specializes in special education support for people with disabilities from birth to age 26 and their families. We support all disabilities, including mental illness, chronic health and medical conditions, and emotional challenges due to abuse or environmental trauma. In the area of assistive technology (AT), we serve all ages, including adults, and help families explore ways to use AT to promote learning, communication, and independence. Our role is to provide emotional support and educate parents about special education systems and processes, so that they can be more effective participants in their child’s education. We help families understand their rights, the processes for requesting assessments, strategies for preparing for the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and transition planning, among other things. Because individuals with disabilities often deal with multiple challenges, we also refer families to other disability service providers, agencies and nonprofits to help meet their needs. TASK promotes positive cooperation between families and schools. We do not attend IEPs on parents’ behalf, but provide information, training and resources so that parents can better help themselves. TASK is the Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) for six Southern California counties including Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Ventura. PTIs are funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs to help families with special education needs.