The Advocacy Institute describes information about funding and how the ESSA affects students with disabilities.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Making effective communication, a human right, accessible and achievable for all. They provide a variety a wealthy of information, including videos in an interesting and understandable format.
Assistive Technology Industry Association information on products, equipment, systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for persons with disabilities. They provide links to other assistive technology organizations.
Attorney/Advocate Resource Page lists resources for assistance from around the country from Education-A-Must.
Center on Technology and Disability (CTD) a library of topics about disabilities and webinars.
Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) services for parents of children with disabilities.
Community Alliance for Special Education (CASE) protects IDEA and state special education law. Advocacy staff help families and school districts work together. They work towards helping students become productive members of their community.
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) lists approximately 100 organizations dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities.
Council for Exceptional Children advocates for governmental policies sets professional standards, provides professional development, supports individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice. CEC is an umbrella to the following professional groups:
- Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE)
- Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD)
- Division for Research (CEC-DR)
- CEC Pioneers Division (CEC-PD)
- Council for Educational Diagnostic Services (CEDS)
- Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD)
- Division for Communicative Disabilities and Deafness (DCDD)
- Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT)
- Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners (DDEL)
- Division for Early Childhood (DEC)
- Division of International Special Education and Services (DISES)
- Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD)
- Division for Physical, Health, and Multiple Disabilities (DPHMD)
- Division on Visual Impairments (DVI)
- The Association for the Gifted (TAG)
- Technology and Media Division (TAM)
- Teacher Education Division (TED)
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPPA) advocacy to protect and enforce the legal and civil rights of students with disabilities and their families.
Dads – Outside, Looking Inward a blog highlighting disabilities and real-life issues.
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) Check out what’s happening in the courts regarding disability rights.
Disability Scoop keeps up with the latest news, research, and resources surrounding disabilities.
DLD and Me address the difficulties children face living with developmental language disorders. Find articles that describe DLD and how to manage it.
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center from the Child Development Institute of North Carolina offers technical assistance activities and support to families. They help improve outcomes for children with disabilities.
Education-A-Must provides advocacy services for children and youth with physical, emotional, behavioral, and learning disabilities.
Family Voices healthcare services and policies for children. They strengthen family partnerships. Emphasize cultural, linguistic, and geographic diversity.
Federation for Children with Special Needs seeks to help families with health care needs for their children. Help children with disabilities to fully participate in community life. Provide information, support, and assistance. Include parents of children with disabilities and their professional partners and communities.
IDEA Money Watch tracks the use of federal dollars for special education services. This is a project of The Advocacy Institute.
Jobs and Education for People with Disabilities find employment resources, educational programs, finding a government job, practice for a job interview, employment laws, and how to file workplace harassment or discrimination complaints.
IRIS Center is brought to you by the Peabody College at Vanderbilt University; this site provides information, resources, and films about disability areas.
National Association of Parents with Children in Special Education (NAPCSE) information for various exceptional areas.
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) is dedicated to serving special education teachers. Provides information and has a career center for teachers.
National Collaborative on Workforce Disability information to help students with disabilities find their career paths.
National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) works towards winning civil rights and independence for individuals with disabilities worldwide. They influence national legislation and policymaking concerning disability and independent living issues.
Pacer Center resources for families navigating the education of their students or young adult with disabilities. They provide individual assistance, workshops, publications, and other resources to help families decide about education. PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center® also provides resources for all students, including those with disabilities.
Parent to Parent USA matches parents for help providing emotional and informational support for students with disabilities.
Technology and Media Division (TAM) of the Council for Exceptional Children works to assist students with disabilities through technology. The topics are relevant to tech use in today’s classrooms.
Understood provides news, resources, and the latest research about disabilities.
Wrightslaw provides legal information for parents, educators, and special education. Advocates for children with disabilities. They have links on many topics for children with disabilities…
States
Delaware
Exceptional Delaware is a website and blog with relevant information if you have a child with special needs and live in Delaware. This website provides political information that is also helpful to those who live outside Delaware.
Illinois
Family Resource Center provides parents with children with disabilities training and information in the Chicago metropolitan area. They will help parents make informed decisions about rights and responsibilities under IDEA, how to communicate with school professionals, make informed decisions about IEPs, connect with other parents who have the same concerns, learn about early intervention and transition services, and more.
Troy LaRaviere’s Blog great posts about CPS and reform. I especially appreciated “Like Thieves in the Night: Deceptive CPS Student Service Cuts Spark Principal Uprising” about the loss of real jobs and how such loss would affect students with special needs.
Indiana
IN*SOURCE: Special Education Parental Support began in 1975 to help Indiana families with various issues surrounding infants, toddlers, children, youth, and adults with disabilities. Volunteers are mostly parents of students with disabilities who assist others with educational programs and services.
Massachusetts
SPEDWatch is a Massachusetts grassroots organization that advocates for the special education rights of children in public schools. The group, founded by parent activist Ellen Chambers, seeks to maintain public school compliance with special education law.
Michigan
Marcie Lipsitt: Education Advocate is a blog and a place to go when you wonder how to navigate the rough waters of special education in Michigan and the federal government. Marcie provides help to parents and information on her website for special education news and views. This is a treasure for those concerned about the state of special education and students with disabilities. Marcie is also the founder and co-chair of a popular FB page called Michigan Alliance for Special Education.
New Jersey
Education Lessons From A Sparkly District is by Julie B. from New Jersey. She is a special education advocate. Her blog seems to have ended, but I am leaving her posts here because they are still important issues that are still relevant.
North Dakota
Family Voices of North Dakota is a national network that aims to achieve family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. They help families make informed decisions for improved public and private policies, builds partnerships among professionals and families.
Tennessee
Disability Law and Advocacy Center of Tennessee advocates for the rights of Tennesseans with disabilities. Their website provides information about the services they provide and additional resources.
Washington
Do-It Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology is a website through the University of Washington that provides various links related to assistive technology that may be worth exploring.
4 A Better Education is a Facebook page involving special education issues.
Life’s A Poodle is a whimsical Facebook page by two moms who write about learning differences and the arts. You can embrace diversity and find joy in the challenge. I like this website and the women who run it. It will make you smile.
Michigan Alliance for Special Education
Special Education Wall of Shame
Books
A Room with a Differentiated View: How to Serve ALL Children by Joanne Yatvin
The Complete IEP Guide: How to Advocate for Your Special Ed Child by Lawrence M. Siegel
Group Activities to Include Students With Special Needs by Julia Wilkins
The Illusion of Full Inclusion Edited by James M. Kauffman and Daniel P. Hallahan
Married with Special-Needs Children: A Couples’ Guide to Keeping Connected by Laura E. Marshak and Fran P. Prezant
Siblings
The Sibling Slam Book: What it’s Really Like to Have a Brother or Sister with Special Needs by Don Meyer and David Gallager
Views From Our Shoes: Growing Up With a Brother or Sister with Special Needs by Donald Joseph
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