Practical applications of confidentiality rules to health care transition instruction

The increase in the number of students with disabilities and special health care needs and their need for health care transition (HCT) creates opportunity for education and health services professionals to work together. In response to this opportunity, the authors developed an HCT teaching module for 6th to 12th graders. A concern that surfaced during the project was the sharing of personal health information by students during health-related instructional activities. The authors' concern evolved into a review of the confidentiality guidelines found in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, Family Education Rights and Privacy Acts of 1974, and Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and their relationship to educational activities. This article describes what the authors discovered and its application to HCT instruction.