Oh good grief Pemberley - I can't believe that this is happening - ugh! I was just thinking of you the other day and wondering how everything had gone this spring... I'm so sorry to find out that you've had this come up.
I don't have any experience with desensitization, but it seems to me that it would be difficult to do over the summer, and most likely runs a high risk of possibly causing undue anxiety rather than eliminating it in the fall. But that's just my mom's gut feeling, not based on any true knowledge. I also have a strong opinion about the whole color chart thing, and even *if* they must be used in a classroom, they don't have to be used for every single student - if a child has an IEP that says "no color chart" then, um, no color chart!
Anyway, fwiw, I agree with all that g2mom said, and also with mon that the work on anxiety and phobias needs to come from a trained professional who really understands it and has worked with children to help them overcome their phobias. I don't have confidence that you'll get that through the school district - and I wouldn't rely on it through the schools.
What does your advocate advise about whether or not to accept the district's proposal for desensitization? I can see accepting or declining - I do think that typically it's important to accept in good faith to show you're trying to work with the district (when you're headed to due process)... otoh... I also think you have enough valid evidence of anxiety backed up by professional evaluations that it wouldn't go against you to decline and file due process. Argh all around!
Let us know how everything goes,
polarbear
