Special Education Information Links

Special Education Sites

1. All States and D.C.'s Departments of Education, quick links, though some are no longer accurate
2. Most Used Acronyms in Special Education, short list from Dr. Sandy Enloe
3. Acronym Finder, searchable, but not category specific
4. Marc Sheehan's Site of many Special Education links
5. Tennessee Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities, compiled by Wrightslaw's From Emotions to Advocacy site
6. Report from the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education, includes 9 findings and 3 major recommendations (focus on results, emphasize early intervention over reacting to deficits, and consider special education as part of general education)
7. Special Education Resources on the Internet, also known as SERI
8. Internet Resources for Special Children has a lot of good links, especially to the more rare disabilities
9. Awesome Library, a searchable site on various Special Education topics
10. General Suggestions for Specific Disabilities (not just reading help)
11. ABCs of Special Education, with legal, ethical, and behavioral information
12. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, OSERS, U.S. Department of Education
13. Executive Summary of OSEP's 23rd annual report on IDEA, 2001
14. Tennessee Special Education Programs and Services, the 70-page PDF file of SpEd rules for the state
15. Special Education News, by topic or State
16. Yahoo's IEP, 504, IDEA, Transition, etc. links, a very thorough group of sites on many SpEd topics
17. National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities, for general information, especially on IDEA '97, and lots of great publications (in Spanish and English)
18. Federal Resource Center for Special Education, a national (U.S.) technical assistance network, especially for typically under-represented students
19. Council for Exceptional Children, CEC is mainly for Special Education teachers
20. National Center for Education Statistics, Education in the United States by the numbers
21. Parent Pals.Com, nice set of links; even the ads are special education related
22. Missouri Department of Education, a lot of good Special Education publications for downloading
23. Dr. Hannum's Links, one instructor's site of many Special Education links
24. Strategies to Assist Students with various kinds of special needs (from the University of Toronto)
25. Chronic Illness in the Classroom, information for kids, teens, and adults
26. Health Topics Information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine
27. Links to Many Medical Conditions, Diseases, and Disorders, nicely arranged by the Peoria Unified School District
28. Education News from Harbor House Law Press
29. The Obsessive-Complusive Foundation's thorough collection of links
30. Disability and Treatment Information from Frostburg State's Department of Psychology
31. Miscellaneous Disability Information, autism, traumatic brain injury, and others (characteristics and implications for teachers)
32. Autism, TBI, MS, etc., brief descriptions of certain disabilities
33. Autism, TBI, MS, etc. (outline), outline of the file directly above
34. Traumatic Brain Injury, a thorough collection of TBI sites
35. Executive Function, nice overview on neurocognitive processing from the Tourette's Syndrome site, which also has great education and advocacy links
36. National Association of State Directors of Special Education, NASDSE's homepage
37. Medication Procedures for students in Sevier County Schools
38. At risk, outlines students who may not graduate
39. A Fable on the differences in individual differences

Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder

1. AD(H)D: Identification, Treatment, and Interventions, includes good Q&A section
2. Short Summary of AD(H)D, with suggested classroom accommodations
3. Information on ADHD, from Counseling Credits Online
4. AD(H)D Outline for teachers
5. Identifying and Treating AD(H)D for school and home use
6. Ideas for Teaching Students with AD(H)D, includes annotated case studies
7. ADHD Online Book from a New York Pediatric Neurologist
8. Meeting the Needs of Students with Attention Disorders, a 94-page PDF booklet from Rhode Island's Department of Education.  Teachers especially should look at pages 16-19 for the 20 behaviors manifested under ADHD and classroom interventions for each.
9. Attention Deficit Referral Guidelines for the IEP team to consider
   1. the same guidelines as a PDF file
   2. the ADHD guidelines as an MS Works document
10. Attention Deficit-specific 504 Provisions, responsibilities and services
11. Born to Explore, an upbeat look at ADD
12. ADD Resources, articles, e-news, and advice from experts and those with attention deficits
13. CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorders

1. Autism Spectrum Defined, from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV)
2. Autism Outline, a quick summary for many of the detailed files below
3. Autism Spectrum Disorder Guide, a good, long summary of most assessments done, with a lot on autism treatment programs, too
4. Autism Interventions Comparison Chart, quick summary--by the Autism Society of America--of Lovaas, TEACCH, PECS, Floor Time, Inclusion, and Social Stories
5. Educational Aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorder, 54 packed pages from Washington State's Special Education Department
6. Autism Intervention Strategies, 103 pages from Wisconsin's Cooperative Education Service Agency #7
7. Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, at University of Miami, good newsletter, resources, and factsheets links
8. Autism/PDD Resources Network, thorough site with both school- and adult-related resources for those on the pervasive developmental disorder spectrum
9. Autism Awakening, good site for the Childhood Autism Rating Scale and the Autism Research Institute's "E-2" rating scale for autism
10. Autism Information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine
11. Autism, a teacher's collection of links on the topic
12. Autism Training from New York's Special Education office
13. Autism Information from the Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorders network
14. Autism Book Online, table of contents for the 300+ page book by National Academies Press, geared toward teachers
15. Autism Manual, a thorough technical resource, developed by Sevier County Special Education staff
16. Educating Children with Autism, 2001, the summary of findings from an Office of Special Education Programs Commission
17. NICHD on Autism, information to order or download from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
18. Autism Resources, John Wobus' site of many links
19. UNC's TEACCH Program, Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Handicapped Children
20. Strategies for Promoting Communication, an over-100 page PDF file
21. Indiana Resource Center for Autism's education links (inclusion and such)
22. Students with Autism, a guide for teachers
23. Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders from Vanderbilt University
24. Autism for General Education Teachers, a nice summary of what to try in class
25. 6 Articles on Autism by Susan Stokes, autism education consultant in Wisconsin
26. Behaviors in Autism, covers education, plus some social interaction

Eligibility for Special Education and Child Find Information

1. Student Needs, how to check whether Special Education is right for a student
2. Identifying Students who may need Special Education services
3. Determining Eligibility for Special Education
4. General Information about Special Education and Related Services in Sevier County
5. Qualifying for Special Education in Sevier County
6. Eligibility Categories, with the above file, more on the Special Education eligibility categories
7. Specific Learning Disabilities Eligibility Documentation, notice boxes 4a and 4b especially.  Sevier County's interpretation of an appropriate time period for an intervention is 6 to 12 weeks.
8. Eligibility Determination Process Flowchart, a visual for initial or reevaluation tracking (adapted from the Massachusetts Department of Education version)
9. Assessment in various subject and disability areas
10. Independent Educational Evaluations local guidelines for educational evaluations done outside the school system
11. Child Find in Sevier County
12. Early Childhood Research and Practice, an online journal with birth to 8 information for teachers and parents
13. Initial Placement, deciding the first placement into a Special Education program
14. Changing a Special Education Placement, for students already in Special Education
15. Related Services, descriptions of related services, with two-digit codes for all and examples for some
16. 10 Special Education Options, descriptions of contact hours, caseloads, and related services, with option number for each and examples for some. Here's the same file as an MS Word 6.0 document.
17. Calculating Options of Service in Sevier County, detailed directions from the SpEd Director
18. High School Programs for students not intending to go to college
19. Extended School Year Services for Sevier County
20. What Extended School Year Is and is not
21. Extended School Year Questions and Answers

Hearing Impairment

1. Central Auditory Processing Disorder, a 4-page summary of CAPD
2. Central Auditory Processing Disorder clinical issues
3. Central Auditory Processing Disorder assessment and management
4. Central Auditory Processing Disorder classroom management techniques
5. Central Auditory Processing Disorder Sites on the Web. This same list as a Word document.
6. Hearing Impairment, a definition and overview
7. MS Powerpoint Presentation on Hearing Impairment, also includes vision impairment and physical impairments
8. Hearing Exchange.com, information about improving hearing and working with those with hearing impairments
9. Deafblindness Course, an online offering for those studying deafness and blindness occurring together

Law

1. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Notice of Procedural Safeguards, dated February 2008, this 38 page document replaces the "Rights of Children with Disabilities and Parent Responsibilities" (July 2005) and the shorter ABCs rights brochure as the parental rights document to offer at least annually at IEP meetings
2. Step by Step Guide for Parents, a more thorough treatment than the link above
3. Teachers' Rights and Responsibilities for educating students with disabilities in general education environments
4. Derechos de los padres y los niños en relación con la educación especial, IDEA, Part B in Spanish, courtesy of the California Department of Education. This PDF file takes 7-10 minutes to download using a 56K modem.
5. State Board of Education Rules
6. Disability Legislation, a quick summary of IDEA, Section 504, and ADA
7. Legislation and Litigation, a good summary of major education laws and cases
8. Summary of Special Education Timelines for disciplinary and IEP development actions
9. Independent Educational Evaluations local guidelines for educational evaluations done outside the school system
10. Excellence in Special Education, Bush's October 2001 Executive Order
11. No Child Left Behind, breaking news on the U.S.'s Education initiative
12. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, covers the provisions of IDEA
13. IDEA Q&A, thorough one, from Alabama's Department of Education
14. Statewide Family Literacy Legislation, nicely done overview for 11 states, with some other good links as well
15. Implementing IDEA, outline of considerations
16. IDEA Practices, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act practices, especially for school administrators. Be sure to check IDEA Central for the latest monthly IDEA newsletter.
17. OSERS' IDEA '97 Site, U.S. Department of Education on the latest reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
18. Family Education Right to Privacy Amendment, Buckley's amendment explained
19. FERPA in Sevier County, guardians' rights concerning education records
20. The FERPA, another good summary of the Buckley Amendment
21. Wright's Law IEP Information, Wright's Law is geared to parent advocacy, but this is information special education teachers should know too

Learning Disabilities

1. Learning Disabilities, definitions and teaching strategies
2. LD Outline, a quick overview of learning disabilities
3. LD Background, a short history of learning disabilities
4. Nonverbal Learning Disorders, good summary of the traits and manifestations to watch for
5. LD for General Educators, good summary for teaching those with learning disabilities
6. Learning Disabilities Association of America has a lot of good information in clear categories
7. Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, United Kingdom-based LD info and advocacy site
8. Learning Difficulties, a general LD site that is a lot better than it looks
9. Suggestions from E-How.com for LD and dyslexia, mostly
10. Teaching LD has a lot of good resources, including a fine newsletter
11. Bipolar Disorder, childhood onset bipolar disorder information
12. Cooccurring Disorders, participant's manual for training on cooccurring disorders
13. Conduct Disorder, information on Conduct Disorder in general and Oppositional Defiant Disorder in particular
14. International Dyslexia Organization, Tennessee's link to the overall organization
15. 44 Characteristics Indicating Dyslexia, quick summary of reading, vision, and memory traits to watch for
16. Learning Principles for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia, from Audiblox
17. Dyslexia and Language Learning, good overview of the problem
18. LD/Dyslexic Teens, a site by and for them
19. Physical Disabilities, a summary, with a few suggested adaptations and modifications
20. Physical and Health-Related Disabilities, summary focusing on the needs of these students at school
21. National Fragile X Foundation, Good background and planning ideas for helping those with this genetic disorder
22. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, an outline summary of PTSD
23. Tourette's Syndrome, a general overview
24. Traumatic Brain Injury, an outline summary of TBI
25. Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities, lists many teaching and test preparation accommodations
26. Using Data-Based Instruction to Improve the Learning Outcomes of Students Who are Difficult to Teach
27. Quick Facts on Tourette's Syndrome, OCD, and AD(H)D, includes suggested classroom modifications

Mental Retardation

1. Mental Retardation, MS Powerpoint presentation (courtesy of Cindy Simpson)
2. Definitions of Mental Retardation, characteristics, causes, options
3. MR Options, more on characteristics, causes, and options
4. Teaching Students with Mental Retardation, short outline of how to adjust teaching strategies
5. Mild Mental Retardation, brief explanation of what is meant by "mild" and "educable" mental retardation

Occupational Therapy

1. Explanations and Suggestions for OT and PT
2. Bilateral Motor Coordination, great OT links from MySchool.Com
3. Providing OT and PT early in Special Education, a Missouri Department of Education technical assistance bulletin
4. Burkhart's Assistive Technology and Augmented Communication, nice introduction and set of links
5. Sensory Integration International, SII was started by OTs
6. Sensory Integration, diet and activity ideas for students with SI issues
7. Brushing/Joint Compression Techniques can be calming for some students
8. American Occupational Therapy Association, some good resources buried here

Physical Therapy

1. Explanations and Suggestions for OT and PT
2. Providing OT and PT early in Special Education, a Missouri Department of Education technical assistance bulletin
3. SETT Assistive Technology Questions to Consider. SETT stands for Student, Environment, Task, and Tools.
4. SETT Explained. (See link directly above.)
5. Assistive Technology Guide, nice 27-page PDF from Schwab Learning
6. Family Center on Technology and Disability, an easy-to-follow and thorough assistive technology site
7. American Physical Therapy Association, well laid out site, but the administrative stuff about outweighs the resources OTs would want to use
8. Assistive Technology Basics, geared toward helping K-8 students

 

Vision Impairment

1. Vision Impairment, a definition and overview
2. Framework for Independent Travel, an 85-page PDF from the British Columbia Ministry of Education; it has a lot of clear tables and checklists
3. MS Powerpoint Presentation on Vision Impairment, also includes hearing impairment and physical impairments
4. Blindness Links from the New York Institute for Special Education
5. The Visual-Spatial Learner, from Linda Silverman's work on giftedness
6. Recordings for the Blind or Dyslexic, the organization that has been into augmented communication technology since the 1940s and still is!
7. American Foundation for the Blind's Braille Bug Site, with info for parents and teachers and activities for kids
8. Deafblindness Course, an online offering for those studying deafness and blindness occurring together
9. Parent/Professional Vision Observations Checklist, a 3-page PDF used as part of the functional vision assessment