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Special Education

Report from the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education.

A project of the Center on Children, Families and the Law at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for families with children with special needs, including disabilities (such as physical, developmental or intellectual disabilities) and chronic illnesses of all types.

Information about assistive technology and the IEP from DakotaLink, the South Dakota program for Assistive Technology, through the Division of Rehabilitation Services, Department of Human Services.

Provides information on assistive technology applications that help students with disabilities (including physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities) learn in elementary classrooms.

Assistive Technology in K-12 Schools gives a range of information about integrating assistive technology into schools. Includes information on technologies that support children with ADD, autism and other developmental disabilities.

Guide from the U.S. Department of Education on ADHD, including diagnosis, treatment options, legal requirements and ways to improve life at school and home for children diagnosed with ADHD.

Information on autism from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Web site from the U.S. Department of Education offers resources and information regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a law which ensures services to children with disabilities throughout the nation.

Works to improve services to children and youth with emotional and behavioral problems.

CSEF addresses fiscal policy questions related to the delivery and support of special education services throughout the United States.

Offers demonstrations of and information about the effective practices of inclusive educational programs for children from birth through age eight.

A guide for volunteers, advocates, self-advocates, and professionals to promote the inclusion of people with cognitive, intellectual and developmental disabilities into the fabric and mainstream of community life.

Information about Department of Education grants and funding to improve elementary and secondary schools and meet the special needs of students.

Provides a wide array of support to parents and individuals, school districts and states in three main areas: special education, vocational rehabilitation and research in order to improve results and outcomes for people with disabilities (including physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities) of all ages.

DDRCs are located within research universities and/or are affiliated with major medical centers, and represent the world's largest concentration of scientific expertise in the fields of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Medicaid payments will no longer be available for administrative activities performed by school employees or contractors, or anyone under the control of a public or private educational institution, and for transportation from home to school. Document is in .pdf format.

Information on New Freedom Initiative efforts from the White House Web site.

U.S. Department of Defense's wide-ranging educational, medical and early intervention services to military family members with disabilities.

Executive Order establishing the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education.

Use the FCTD member database to find organizations and programs in your state that help families of children with disabilities understand and locate assistive technologies.

Assists educators, parents and state and local educational agencies in implementing the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding IEPs for children with disabilities.

Provides students with disabilities the opportunity to explore exciting careers in science, mathematics and technology.

Training manual for the High School/High Tech program, which provides careers in technology for youth with disabilities. Document is in .pdf format.

Developed by Gallaudet University, History Through Deaf Eyes is a traveling social history exhibition aligning nearly 200 years of United States history with the experiences of deaf people.

Information and resources about the IDEA from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY).

Information from the U.S. Department of Education regarding what families and schools need to know about modified academic achievement standards under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This information can be downloaded in .pdf form here.

List of resource links from the Department of Education for parents of children with disabilities, including physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Sampling of educational materials NASA has developed for those who teach students with disabilities.

Association dedicated to improving educational services and outcomes for our children and youth with disabilities and their families.

A central source for information on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) as it relates to children with disabilities and effective educational practices.

Answers to frequently asked questions that the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities receives, including information on rare disorders and how to implement an inclusion model into a classroom setting.

Promotes successful transitions between infant/toddler programs, preschool programs and public school programs for young children with disabilities and their families.

Contains a wealth of information about children with deaf-blindness.

Includes an easy-to-read review of educational research relating to effective practices in teaching children with disabilities, as well as connections to more detailed resources to assist in moving the research into practice.

Answers to frequently asked questions from OSERS.

Links to projects funded by OSEP of the U.S. Department of Education, including assistive technology, captioning and video description, educational reform and literacy programs.

The Centers serve the families of children and young adults from birth to age 22 with all disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and other developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Established by President George W. Bush in 2001, the Commission worked to collect information and study issues related to federal, state and local special education programs with the goal of recommending policies for improving the education performance of students with disabilities. The Commission delivered its report to President Bush on July 1, 2002 and ceased to exist 30 days thereafter.

Information from the Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act as funding sources or enforcement tools to ensure that children with disabilities get needed assistive technology.

Information that will help parents become active and informed participants in Individualized Educational Program (IEP) discussions and other decision-making meetings that support students with disabilities and their families.

Information for parents and educators on children with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, including cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorders.

Links to information on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the U.S. Department of Education's budget and strategic plan.

Publication from the New Jersey Protection and Advocacy Service answers common questions regarding special education and the rights of children with disabilties. Document is in .pdf format.

Background information and resources from the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) designed to facilitate the successful inclusion of students with disabilities in charter schools.

Guide from the Department of Defense (DoD) to help military families with special needs children navigate the maze of medical and special education services, community support and benefits and entitlements. The Toolkit is broken down into six colorful modules that can be easily downloaded and printed.

Provides technical assistance to Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Family Centers.

The national organization of and for people with mental and developmental disabilities and their families.

The latest news and updates from OSERS.

An international nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a society where people with disabilities (including physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities) can learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts.

Hundreds of articles, cases, newsletters and resources about special education law and advocacy.

InfoBrief from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability (NCWD)-Youth explores the role families and advocates play in helping youth understand the importance of appropriate disability disclosure.

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Empowering through the New Freedom Initiative
Information on New Freedom Initiative efforts from the White House Web site.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Guide
Guide from the U.S. Department of Education on ADHD, including diagnosis, treatment options, legal requirements and ways to improve life at school and home for children diagnosed with ADHD.
Office of Special Education & Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions from OSERS.
High School/High Tech
Provides students with disabilities the opportunity to explore exciting careers in science, mathematics and technology.
Answers4Families: Families with Special Needs Children
A project of the Center on Children, Families and the Law at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for families with children with special needs, including disabilities (such as physical, developmental or intellectual disabilities) and chronic illnesses of all types.