With remote IEP meetings become more the norm than the exception, it is more important than ever to make sure that all documents are prepared and signed appropriately.
Here’s what the IDEA says about parent participation:
(c) Other methods to ensure parent participation. If neither parent can attend an IEP Team meeting, the public agency must use other methods to ensure parent participation, including individual or conference telephone calls, consistent with ยง300.328 (related to alternative means of meeting participation).
But how do you get virtual signatures on IEPs?
The programs below are great for capturing electronic signatures, but some may be more robust than others. Selecting the one with the features that your school or district needs can be a game-changer for all involved.
Getting Virtual Signatures on IEPs
Adobe Sign
Built into Adobe Acrobat is a premium Adobe Sign feature. It allows you to format and send documents via email to collect signatures. Recipients then sign electronically in the locations that have been formatted for their signatures.
Pros: Most schools already have Adobe Acrobat with the Adobe Sign feature so there is little extra cost.
Cons: It is very basic and can sometimes be challenging for some families who are not tech-savvy.
DocuSign
A cloud-based platform, DocuSign allows you to upload and format documents for electronic signing. It is relatively easy to use and can be used by parents even on their mobile devices.
Pros: Its cloud-based platform makes it more accessible to families without computers. It’s easy to format documents but can take a bit of time to upload everything. Signed documents are automatically sent to all parties.
Cons:ย For districts that are used to free methods, DocuSign’s monthly plans (ranging from $15-65) may be too pricy.
DocHub
Integrated with Google, DocHub is a cost-effective online platform that makes document formatting and signature acquiring easy. It also allows you to set up a multiple signers workflow so that the document gets sent to the various people it needs to go to for a signature.
Pros: DocHub allows you to see when a document has been opened, signed, and sent. You can edit the PDF directly on its platform as well.
Cons: It is not a free platform, but at less than five dollars a month it is an affordable alternative for many districts.
PandaDoc
Another electronic signature cloud-based company, PandaDoc is one of the few platforms that specializes in schools as well as businesses. They make it easy for schools to sent documents to families and capture electronic signatures on all types of documents.
Pros: They are familiar with the needs of schools and have more support for those types of needs.
Cons:ย Their pricing structure places them solidly between DocuHub and DocuSign in affordability.
Keep in mind that some districts may already have electronic signature capturing capabilities built into their special education software. Check with your school to see if there is a program that the district routinely uses before embarking on a journey to find a new program to support your needs.
To learn if a signature equals parental consent, continue learning here.
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