"Special
needs" has come to be a highly inclusive catch phrase. It
refers to kids with physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges that
make it difficult for them to get their needs properly met in a
mainstream education or caregiving situation. Special accommodations
are often required for these children in order to enhance the quality
of their lives, to aid them in developing their strengths, and to
help them minimize the impact of their developmental or physical challenges.
Insights into coping with ADD and ADHD.
Includes Stein's insights and wisdom as a mother of five (including
two ADD children) and her humor and advice as a teacher, workshop
leader, and advocate. A useful, if extensive, article that may help
comfort parents and orient teachers and caregivers regarding the
features of ADD. Information is also available on ordering her book
of the same title.
Deciding how to explain Down syndrome to young
children may challenge the beliefs and expectations of adults who
see more differences than similarities among children with Down
syndrome and their mainstream peers.
An excellent and extensive checklist of what
teachers [or advocates] can do to make improve the experience and
performance of the learning for the disabled child -- including classroom
environment, discipline policies, and methods of instruction.
A helpful article for anyone working with
children. Explains how to asses a child's socio-emotional development
to better understand the child's behaviors (and the forces behind
them), and how to decide when you need further assessment or assistance.
Recognizing early signs of autism helps families find resoures and
support for very young children with autism spectrum disorders. The
autism video glossary shows film clips of autism symptoms, helping
families reach professionals to find an earlier diagnosis and early
intervention options.
A good explanation of why we must be careful
when labeling or diagnosing children's behaviors. In short, "The
danger of using the labels is that the uniqueness of each particular
child is lost. Settling for the labels often becomes more confusing
than helpful."
Useful information on dealing with the
depression that sometimes afflicts parents whose children have been
diagnosed with disabilities. Includes an overview of the symptoms of
depression, advice on when (and when not) to seek medication for
depression and how to reinfuse your life with the ingredients that
nurture a sense of well-being.
A brief overview of the impact of physical
challenges on social-emotional development, plus concrete advice on
involving the special needs child in the classroom.
An explanation of the different reasons/source
for attention problems -- worries, fears, sensory overload,
difficulty with directions, visual-spatial processing problems, etc.
Advises parent/teacher on how to identify the specific problem areas
and to work from there. "While it's tempting to try to find a
single answer to a problem, deciding a child 'has ADHD' and needs to
be medicated can lead us to miss out on opportunities to strengthen
underlying capacities. "
This is a great resource for
both children and adults with autism. This comprehensive site
offers an "Action Plan for Parents of Newly Diagnosed Kids",
explanations of autism, a medical overview with links to additional
information on the web, nutritional information, recommended books, and
so much more.
Billed as "the interactive guide to
learning disabilities", this site features
excellent
articles on a variety of topics important to LD individuals
and those who interact with them. Official website of the Coordinated
Campaign for Learning Disabilities & the National Joint Committee
on Learning Disabilities
The National Clearinghouse for Professions in
Special Education Mainly useful for learning more about working in
special ed. Contains info about professional support networks,
outlines different specialties or career areas within the special
education field, and supports links to a recruiters network -- to
facilitate job placement.
This is an exceptional site, chock full of
useful information. Contains vast numbers of excellent high quality
publications and fact sheets (free for download and distribution),
news about current legislation & budget issues relevant to
persons with disabilities, plus conference information. While there,
check out their colorful mini posters -- download them, for free, and
print them out.
This site features on-line
resources, information, and support, plus book reviews for parents of
spirited children -- children who are simply MORE than other children
(more persistent, more energetic, more expressive, more emotional,
etc.). If intensity runs rampant in your household or classroom, you
may want to check this out, along with Mary Sheedy Kurcinka's
book on
the subject. A few states even have local support groups -- check
this site for details.
Sponsored by The Resource Foundation for
Children with Challenges (RFCC), this is an excellent online resource
for parents (and teachers) of developmentally challenged children.
Features an inspiring collection of success stories, information on
various disorders, a place to vent and share your horror stories, a
bulletin board for exchanging tips with other families, and help in
diagnosing a child's particular developmental disorder.
Excellent resources for families and teachers with special
needs children. Besides useful articles, there are
recommended books and videos, including picture books for children.
A support resource for South Bay/Santa Clara
parents of special needs children. Check out this site for a schedule
of support group meetings. (Formerly Parents In Partnership).
Kitty
Petty Institute
410 Sheridan Ave, Suite 339,
Palo Alto, CA 94306-2020
(650) 329-9443
The mission of the Kitty Petty ADD/LD institute
is to provide education resources and support to children, youth, and
adults with ADD/LD to become self-advocates and reach their true potential.
This site features blogs and websites by moms as
well as discussion groups on a variety of parenting topics, including
special needs issues.
Parenting
Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder ,
Autism Moms,
and
Special Education are just a few of the groups this site has
featured. You'll have to browse their groups folder to find
one for you-- or just start a new group focused on your particular
concern.
One of a number of discussion forums sponsored
by the Council For Exceptional Children. This is a place for
special ed. teachers to share their insights, tips, and inspirational
stories with each other. Surf the C.E.C. site for the latest policy
information, online courses, as well as leads on jobs in the special
ed. field.
