Resources and Links
As a professional in the field of Special Education with formal and on the job training I have used this knowledge to compile a list of some excellent resources. As this list grows I’ll try to categorize and always detail why I believe it’s a quality resource. So many times we hear a diagnosis and immediately look to the “all knowing” internet for answers, sometimes coming short on quality and accurate information. So here’s my solution for parents looking for help and answers.
IDEA: Another government run website but it is full of information on the legal rights that people with disabilities have in education. States, districts and schools are supposed to abide by these laws, yet so often things are “tweaked” and manipulated to conform. This is what you need to know in order to get the help your student needs.
National Center for Special Education Research: As always government and research websites are often hard to navigate and difficult to understand. Please ask if you read something that is mind boggling, that’s what I’m hear for. That being said, this site has a great deal of current issues and research in this field. National policy changes and the like are very well documented.
What Works Clearinghouse: Amazing resource of curriculum and activities that are research based and proven. It is a little overwhelming because of the amount, but there is a descent Help page. This is put out by the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences.
Doing What Works: This is an off shoot to the WWC listed above. It is a little more practical, not as much of the research articles. There are plenty of articles and information, but I find this more user friendly.
National Center for Response to Intervention (RtI): Funded by U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) this is a site to give guidance to states as they implement RtI. For parents this is a great website to explore to know your rights in the RtI process as often I find parents are left out of this part of their child’s education.
More to come . . .
