Links

US Department of Education

US Department of Education – http://www.ed.gov/index.html

504

OCR – Office for Civil Rights
Section 504 Online – lots of info on 504 plans
A Parent and Educators Guide to Section 504

IDEA

http://idea.ed.gov – This site was created by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and launched by the Office of Special Education Programs in August 2006 to provide a "one-stop shop" for resources related to IDEA and its implementing regulations. Includes searchable versions of the statute and regulations as well as access to cross-referenced content from other laws such as the No Child Left Behind Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It will also include timely topic briefs, links to OSEP Technical Assistance and Dissemination Network and other sources. It has a "Q and A corner" for questions to be submitted on line.
OSERS – Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
OSEP – Office of Special Education Programs
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) aligns IDEA closely to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), helping to ensure equity, accountability and excellence in education for children with disabilities.
IDEA Resources – A resource for news and information on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA).
IDEA Practices – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). On August 14, 2006, the official copy of the final Part B regulations of the IDEA was published in the Federal Register.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

ECS – Education Commission of the States No Child Left Behind
No Child Left Behind
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
American Institute for Research National High School Center. User-friendly materials and technical assistance to promote research-based programs for high schools to help all students learn.

US Department of Education Funded Projects

Academy for Educational Development
CADRE – Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education
NICHCY - Web site for information on disabilities also available in Spanish http://www.nichcy.org/spanish.htm
Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center
Federal Resource Center
WWRC - Western Regional Resource Center
The National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring

New Mexico Resources

New Mexico Protection and Advocacy
New Mexico Public Education Department
New Mexico Public Education Department Special Education
Special Olympics New Mexico
New Mexico State Legislature
New Mexico Department of Health - Early Intervention & Children's Services - Family Infant Toddler Program
New Mexico PTA - This organization works with parents, schools and communities to promote a quality education and nurturing environment for every child. This site includes links to National PTA and many organizations to promote parent and public involvement in policies to support programs that benefit our children and youth.
UNM Center for Development and Disability
The Arc of New Mexico
New Mexico Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities
Community Resource Guide
New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Office of Child Development: This is a great resource site for families, health educators and caregivers. Web site includes links to approved child care providers, NewMexi Kids Insurance, New Mexico Headstart, AIM HIGH programs, state care regulations publications, technical assistance and support networks.
New Mexico Early Childhood Resource Site — Resources, information sharing and networking opportunities for all those working to improve outcomes for New Mexico's young children and their families.

Advocacy

Wrightslaw – Special Education Law and Advocacy – A MUST SEE!!!!
Amicus for Children - has a key interest in assisting, educating, and providing resources to you so that you can be your children’s first and best advocates
FAPE – Families and Advocates for Education – helping parents and advocates improve educational outcomes for children with disabilities
Mothers from Hell – advocating for disability rights
Coping.org - Tools for Coping with Life's Stressors - Tools for Getting Parents Involved in the Exceptional Education Process
Special Education Law and Advocacy Strategies
The Parent Advocate Website (ADD, ADHD)
Technical Assistance Alliance for Parent Centers
PACER – Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights
National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems
ASCD Association for School Curriculum Development
Parents Reaching Out
Special Needs, Special Gifts
Working with Policy Makers
Communicating with Your Child's School Through Letter Writing
National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education
Federation of Children with Special Needs - a center for parents and parent organizations to work together on behalf of children with special needs and their families.
Every Single Student - A PEER Resource Manual on Standards-Based Education and Students with Disabilities
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates

Behavior

SchoolBehavior.com – Good Tips for Educators; lots of information at this site
Dr. Mac’s Amazing Behavior Management Advice Site – great resource for behavior issues!
Functional Behavioral Assessment
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
The ADHD Behavior Toolkit
Positive Behavior Supports in New Mexico - Find out how Positive Behavior Supports and school wide initiatives for proactive approaches to learning and discipline are making a positive difference in New Mexico Schools.
Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice - extensive collection of web links related to emotional and behavioral problems in such areas as education, families, mental health, juvenile justice, child welfare, early intervention, school safety, and legislation.
Intervention Central - offers free tools and resources to help school staff and parents to promote positive classroom behaviors and foster effective learning for all children and youth.

Health Care Access

Choosing an Insurance Plan
Health Care Insurance and Legal Issues
Medication/Diagnosis Resources Easy to read site that you can use to find information about medication, diagnosis, etc.
Medication - Click on a specific medication to get a detailed explanation and description
Health Care Insurance and Legal Issues
National Center for Family Support - Resources about best practices and policy regarding family support.

Inclusion

Inclusion.com
Inclusion – Yours, Mine and Ours
TASH – Equity, Opportunity and Inclusion for people with Disabilities
Project Participate – strategies for active inclusion
Inclusive Education
Circle of Inclusion – Promotes inclusion for early childhood services
Project Participate

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Learning Disabilities

Schwab Learning – A Parent’s Guide to Helping Children with Learning Difficulties
LD Online – learning disabilities

Disability Information

Beach Center on Disability http://www.beachcenter.org/ – lots of information here – excellent resource
Bridges for Kids http://www.bridges4kids.org/ – A non-profit parent organization providing a comprehensive system of information and referral for parents of children from birth through transition to adult life.
CEC – Council for Exceptional Children
Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund – advocating for Disability civil rights
DMR Guide to Disability Resources on the Internet
Federation for Children with Special Needs
National Council on Disability - an independent federal agency that makes recommendations to the President and Congress on issues affecting Americans with disabilities.
Disability Definitions
Forever Families http://www.foreverfamilies.net – a site designed to help parents see the gifts that a child with a disability brings to a family
Disability is Natural — Refreshing website that offers good information about people first language. Kathie Snow has developed this website. She is the parent of a teenager who has cerebral palsy and has some wonderful articles about advocating for our children who have disabilities.

Scientific Research Based Practices (also see Reading links)

No Child Left Behind Act and many federal K-12 grant programs, call on educational practitioners to use "scientifically-based research" to guide their decisions about which interventions to implement to improve student achievement. IDEA 2004 also supports and reinforces the requirements for educators to use these practices.

The What Works Clearinghouse – A central, independent, and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education.
The Promising Practices Network – Highlights programs and practices that credible research indicates are effective in improving outcomes for children, youth, and families.
Blueprints for Violence Prevention – Identifies programs that are effective in reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression, delinquency, and substance abuse.
The International Campbell Collaboration – Reviews of evidence on the effects of interventions in the social, behavioral, and educational arenas.

Transition

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition – creating opportunities for youth with disabilities to achieve successful futures
Assessing Students with Disabilities: Transition Planning for the IEP
Transition Outcomes Project
Transition Coalition

Education Issues

What Works Clearinghouse – a trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education
Accommodations, Adaptations and Modifications
ECS - Education Commission of the States - http://www.ecs.org/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/issues.asp
Every Single Student - A PEER Resource Manual on Standards-Based Education and Students with Disabilities – Articles also in Spanish
National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education
The Partnership for Reading
PEER – Parents Engaged in Education Reform
EDLAW Inc - A nonprofit organization developing and sponsoring projects for systemic change
Achieve.org
The EDLAW Center - A nonprofit organization developing and sponsoring projects for systemic change
The CEC Online Journals - Archived TEACHING Exceptional Children
The CEC Online Journals 2
Education World School Issues Center
PACER Kids Against Bullying – Developed by the Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights. Children in second through sixth grades now have an entertaining, safe way to learn how to respond to bullying. Web site includes a cast of 12 animated characters, celebrity videos, kid videos, Webisodes, games, contests, stories, artwork, poems, information, and much more. The site is for all children.
The Promising Practices Network – Web site highlights programs and practices that credible research indicates are effective in improving outcomes for children, youth, and families.

Special Education

Reading

The Partnership For Reading
What Does Research Say about Reading
Reading Research
NICHD Reading Research: From Research to Practice
National Reading Panel – Great resource for scientific research based programs
Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) – Information about programs, materials and research on research based reading.
Oregon Reading First – Has information about specific comprehensive reading programs
Reading is FUNdamental – Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit children's literacy organization. Great site for families, educators and communities interested in building literacy skills for children of all ages. Information is available in English and Spanish.

Miscellaneous

ADA Homepage (Americans with Disabilities Act) – information and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act
Job Accommodation Network
Federal Interagency Coordinating Council – collaboratively serving young children and their families
Whole Schooling Consortium
Uniquely Gifted - Resources for Gifted Children with Special Needs
The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement
The Right Question Project
Resource links for Military Families

Specific Disabilities

Autism and PDD Support Network
Asperger Disorder
Bi-Polar Kids
Tourette Syndrome
SPD – Sensory Processing Disorder
Sensory Integration
Neurobehavioral Disorders
Asperger Syndrome (with humor)
Depression and Bi-Polar Support Alliance
Child and Adolescent Bi-Polar Foundation
NLD Online - Non-Verbal Learning Disorders
NAMI – National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
United Cerebral Palsy
The DRM Webwatcher - Lots of links here
Frequently Asked Questions about Mental Retardation
ADHD – Information and Support to Help Your Child
National Down Syndrome Society — The National Down Syndrome Society envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to realize their life aspirations. NDSS is committed to being the national leader in enhancing the quality of life, and realizing the potential of all people with Down syndrome.

Educators (but good for families to know what is being said)

Education World – a site for educators, but parents might find it interesting
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
Differentiated Instruction
CAST – Center for Applied Technology - CAST is a nonprofit organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through the research and development of innovative, technology-based educational resources and strategies.
National School Boards Association
National Association of School Psychologists