Links

The following is a list of Internet-based resources for parents, educators and others involved with special-needs children.

Abilities Action Team Disabilities Links - This page provides information to help ensure that people with disabilities have access to the online resource that can assist them in overcoming any challenges that they may face.

Ability Online Support Network - Connects young people with disabilities and chronic health conditions to disabled and nondisabled peers and mentors.

Access-Able - This site is designed for travelers with disabilities and the mature traveler. It was begun by the husband and wife team of Bill & Carol Randall. Carol has MS and uses a wheelchair and/or scooter.

American Association on Mental Retardation - Works to advance knowledge and skills of professionals in the field of Mental Retardation by supporting the exchange of information and ideas.

The Arc - Voluntary organization committed to the welfare of people with mental retardation and their families.

Arc of Virginia - Virginia chapter of The Arc with links to local chapters in the state.

ASPIRA Association, Inc. - Highlights its two national involvement programs ASPIRA Parents for Educational Excellence Program (APEX) and Teachers, Parents, and Organizations for Students Program (TOPS). Each program provides a Spanish/English curriculum that strives to empower Latino parents and families.

Assistive Technology Funding and Systems Change Project

Association for Children With Down Syndrome - Organization devoted to education, therapeutic, behavioral & health related services for people with Down Syndrome & their families.

Autism Society of America - This society & web site promotes opportunities for people with autism to be fully participating members of their communities.

Bazelon Center For Mental Health Law - Provides information about services and benefits available for children with disabilities.

The Beach Center on Families & Disability - The Beach Center on Families and Disability is a rehabilitation research and training center on public policy affecting families who have children with disabilities. Their work focuses on improving the quality of life for families. Their site provides archive copies of newsletters as well as research reports. Among items of interest are the information on:
Positive Behavioral Supports (http://www.lsi.ukans.edu/html/pbs.html) and
Dads & Disability (http://www.lsi.ukans.edu/beach/html/dads.htm).

Casey Family Programs National Center for Resource Family Support (CNC) - The Casey Family Programs National Center for Resource Family Support (CNC) addresses the development and support of a sufficient pool of competent resource families that can provide children and youths with safety, protection, stability and permanency and meet their physical, social, emotional, cultural/racial/ethnic and spiritual needs from infancy to adulthood to ensure they reach their full potential.  Of special note is an annotated list of family involvement information; the URL is: http://www.casey.org/cnc/support_retention/packet_family_involvement_in_education.htm. 

Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice - Improving Services to Children and Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. This organization supports children at risk of achieving dismal educational and social outcomes due to behavioral and/or emotional disorders. Among the documents on their website is one useful for many children being served in special education under all categories of disability. - An IEP Team's Introduction to Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plans (2^nd edition) found at http://www.air.org/cecp/resources/problembehavior/main.htm.

Circle of Inclusion - Information about current practices including children with disabilities in early childhood settings.

Commonwealth of Knowledge - First lady Roxanne Gilmore's site to assist the implementation of Virginia's Standards of Learning.

Consumer Information Center - Offers access to hundreds of the best consumer publications available.

Council For Exceptional Children - Professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities.

Evan Kemp Associates - Linking people with disabilities & chronic health conditions to resources, products & services that promote active, healthy, independent living.

HEAR NOW - National nonprofit organization which recycles used and broken hearing aids for low income, hard of hearing people. This organization also provides financial assistance for cochlear implants to people with limited resources.

ICON Employment Services - Dedicated to the development of employment opportunities for people with disabilities who have traditionally been excluded from the workforce.

Inclusion News - Resources for full inclusion in school, work & community.

Institute on Community Integration

Job Accommodation Network (JAN) - Information about job accommodations & employability of people with disabilities.

LD On-Line at WETA - Interactive guide to learning disabilities for parents, teachers & children.

National Clearinghouse on Rehabilitation Training Materials

National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE) - This site provides a catalog of resources available from all of its member organizations. NCPIE advocates the involvement of parents and families in their childrens' education and fosters relationships between homes, schools and communities.

National Council on DisAbility - Independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress on issues affecting Americans with disabilities.

National Down Syndrome Society - Addresses needs of families with children born with Down Syndrome.

National Information Center For Children and Youth With DisAbilities (NICHCY) - National information & referral center that provides information on disabilities. Includes information in Spanish.

National Institutes of Health - Gateway to health information with access to home pages of all 24 institutes and centers that make up NIH.

National Organization For Rare Disorders - Federation of more than 140 not-for-profit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders and disabilities.

National Parent Information Network - Co-sponsored by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education and Urban Education, this site includes extensive articles on parenting, listservs, and links to more than 100 sites on education, health and safety, family issues and interests, and parenting and development of children from infancy to adolescence.

National Parent Network on Disabilities - National voice for the full diversity of families and parent organizations advocating for children, youth and adults with special needs and disabilities.

National School-to-Work Learning and Information Center - This site, funded jointly by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor, provides information about the implementation of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, resource bulletins about school-to-work, and initiatives and fact sheets about individual states.

National Transition Alliance for Youth with Disabilities (NTA)

National Transition Network

International Dyslexia Society - International non-profit organization dedicated to the study & treatment of dyslexia.

Our-Kids - A "family" of parents, caregivers and others who are working with children with physical and/or mental disabilities and delays.

Our-Kids-Adults - A "family" of parents, caregivers and others who are working with adult, or nearing adulthood children with physical and/or mental disabilities and delays.

Prader-Willi Alliance for Research - P-WAR, an alliance of families, friends, and researchers, was founded with great optimism over the latest advances in the medical and scientific communities. We believe the rapid progress in biomedical research has set the stage for unprecedented research opportunities that may lead to effective treatments for this complex disorder. As active volunteers, our members work on a variety of projects which further our mission.

PACER Center - Minnesota-based organization with a national reach to improve and expand opportunities that enhance the quality of life for children & young adults with disabilities.

Parent Soup - This site includes an archive of answers to questions frequently asked of pediatricians and child development experts and advice about helping your children succeed in school.

Project Participate - This site contains success stories, inclusion strategies, adapted curricula, training handouts, and intervention planning forms. There is also a section on using technology to promote inclusion of students with disabilities in schools and a "gadgets and gizmos" section that contains products to help children with disabilities participate in school and play activities.

Project TechLink

Research and Training Center in Rehabilitation and Childhood Trauma - Working to increase knowledge about injuries to children and improve delivery of services and information to those children and their families.

School to Work Outreach Project

Social Security Administration (SSA) - Social Security Online is the official web site of the SSA and includes information in Spanish.

The Technical Assistance Collaborative - A national organization that works to achieve positive outcomes on behalf of people with disabilities or other special needs by providing state-of-the-art information, capacity building, and technical expertise to organizations and policymakers in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, human services, and affordable housing.  

U.S. Department of Education - Sets national priorities for education.

Virginia Department of Education - Look to this site for information about many topics including the Standards of Learning tests. The information at this site includes sample SOL test items for all subjects and all test grade levels, SOL test blueprints and press releases.

Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Substance Abuse Services - Information about quality of life issues for people with mental disabilities and substance abuse problems.

Virginia Public Education Network (PEN)

What Every Parent Needs to Know About Special Education - A publication that guides parents through, and navigate, the often-confusing special education path.