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Description: College accommodations are those supports and services provided at no cost to eligible students with disabilities to have equal access and opportunity to benefit from classes, programs, and activities. Common academic accommodations may include priority registration, note takers, extended time on tests, testing in a limited distractions room, accessible classrooms, interpreters, and textbooks in an alternate format. Using accommodations can make a big difference in student learning and grades...
Description: Advisory: This Fast Fact contains adult content and may not be suitable for all readers In today’s technological world, the Internet has become an important and growing source of information and connectedness. The Internet is useful for many reasons, whether it is being used to chat with old friends, find directions to a restaurant, or read a movie review. However, individuals with ASD and their families may face unique challenges when attempting to safely navigate the web. It is possible...
Description: The Healthy Bodies Toolkit contains a Parent's Guide on Puberty for Boys with Disabilities and a Parent's Guide for Girls with Disabilities. This publication was developed and written by Vanderbilt Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND). The appendix has storyboards and visuals that you can use in implementing the methods outlined in the toolkit. This file is not included in the printed manual. You may choose to print the entire appendix, or you may want to print a...
Description: The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) was signed into law on December 10, 2015. ESSA amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and replaces No Child Left Behind. The Board of Education approved its plan to implement ESSA at its July 2017 business meeting. The final version was approved by the U.S. Department of Education in May, 2018.
Description: Formative assessments are ongoing assessments, observations, summaries, and reviews that inform teacher instruction and provide students feedback on a daily basis (Fisher & Frey, 2007). While assessments are always crucial to the teaching and learning process, nowhere are they more important than in a differentiated classroom, where students of all levels of readiness sit side by side. Without the regular use of formative assessment, or checks for understanding, how are we to know what each...
Description: The organization of the document, as detailed in the Table of Contents, is as follows: Introduction: Establishes a common vocabulary, defines co-teaching, and describes the six co-teaching approaches; Guidelines for Administrators: Considerations for Beginning a District-Wide Co-Teach Program: Provides information for district-level administrators on setting up and implementing a co-teach program; Guidelines for Campus Administrators: Considerations for Beginning a Campus Co-Teach Program:...
Description: This series of webshops showcases the products created by real co-teachers of Virginia, select teams of middle and high school co-teachers participating in the Virginia Department of Education’s Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative. These co-teachers established demonstration sites and opened their doors to visitors wishing to observe quality co-teaching; they also developed co-taught lesson plans and videos to share through these webshops. In their videos, teachers model not only...
Description: PANDAS is short for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. A child may be diagnosed with PANDAS when: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or tic disorders suddenly appear following a strep infection (such as strep throat or scarlet fever); or The symptoms of OCD or tic symptoms suddenly become worse following a strep infection. The symptoms are usually dramatic, happen “overnight and out of the blue,” and can include motor and/or...
Description: This extensive resource page comes from the Military Parent Technical Assistance Center (MPTAC), also known as the Branch. The Branch is funded by OSEP to help Parent Centers increase their visibility with, and support for, military families within their communities. About the Resource Page and the Tools ListedIn this resource, the Branch has identified some cool tools for military children to help them grow essential self-advocacy skills. They’re aimed at children ages four through...
Description: Youth Resources - Working directly with young people is critical to understand how to best support them in their journey to become as independent as possible. PEATC coordinates a youth leadership team that meets regularly where you with disabilities voice their input and ideas, as well as assist with youth outreach and trainings. PEATC also conducts trainings for youth around topics related to transition, employment, and self-determination. PEATC values youth voices and creates...
Description: The Brain Injury Strategies App is intended to provide ideas for supporting an individual who is returning to learning. It addresses various areas of concern that can happen after a concussion, a type of traumatic brain injury. The end product is a summary of selected strategies that can be implemented by an educator for an individual student. (Note: To preview Brain Injury Strategies App, use 1234 as student ID.)
Description: Improving the Communication Abilities of all Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder We have developed Communication Guidelines and Resources to support educational team members in enhancing the communication abilities of students with ASD and to create lifelong learners. The Communication Guidelines and Resources are designed to: Enhance understanding of what communication is, Enhance understanding of why communication is important, and Advance expectations, knowledge, and skills related to...
Description: What does it feel like to learn and think differently? Use these simulations and videos to see the world through your child’s eyes. Experience firsthand how hard it is to complete a task when you have trouble focusing. Or how frustrating it is when your hand won’t write what your brain is telling it to write. You can also see kids of different ages talk about how it feels to learn and think differently — and what helps them thrive. This resource contains: Simulations...
Description: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center - Promoting the availability and accessibility of transportation options for older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and communities.
Description: All children are born with the need and desire to connect with those around them. Neuroscience tells us that brain development unfolds rapidly in the first three years of life, and that social and emotional development begins in the earliest days of life. When children feel secure in their relationships and have their needs met in responsive and consistent ways, they begin forming strong social and emotional foundations. They begin to learn to pay attention, regulate their emotions and behavior,...
Description: CommonLit is a nonprofit education technology organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, especially students in Title I schools, graduate with the reading, writing, communication, and problem-solving skills they need to be successful in college and beyond. CommonLit believes in providing teachers with all the resources they need to set their students up for success, while also encouraging best practices in the classroom. That’s why the CommonLit Literacy Model is built on a...
Description: Enforcement The Department's ADA enforcement efforts have helped to ensure that people with disabilities can access Web sites, electronic book readers, online courses, and point-of-sale devices. Technical Assistance and Guidance The Department has developed technical assistance and guidance to help covered entities understand their ADA obligations with regard to accessible technology. Other Federal Accessible Technology Resources and Initiatives
Description: Deciding what to do after high school can be a difficult process. This guide will help you and your family explore the various options available to you. The guide provides a closer look at four-year universities, community colleges, vocational/technical school, life skills programs and more. The information will help you find the program that is right for you. The Postsecondary Educational Opportunities Guide is broken up into the following sections: Introduction Preparing for Postsecondary...
Description: Who We Are - The National Federation of Families: Bringing Lived Experience to Family Support is a national family-run organization linking more than 120 chapters and state organizations focused on the issues of children and youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health needs and their families. It was conceived in Arlington, Virginia in February, 1989 by a group of 18 people determined to make a difference in the way the system works. Where We Come From Members of the National...
Description: From the time your child applies to college to the start of classes, she’ll have many new decisions to make. Choosing if, when and how to disclose her learning or attention issues will be one of the biggest. This article includes the pros and cons and things to know about disclosing during the application process, to disability services, to professors, and to friends and classmates.
Description: If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), IDEA guarantees your some important rights. The right to: Participate in IEP Meetings, An Independent Evaluation, Give (or Deny) Consent, Contest a School's Decision, and Private Education Paid by the Public School (in specific circumstances).
Description: The SAT and ACT both offer accommodations, but the process of applying for them is different. Kids who get testing accommodations through an IEP or a 504 plan can often get the same accommodations on the SAT or ACT. Your child’s high school can be helpful in the application process.
Description: Getting your child's backpack organized is a feat worth celebrating. But making sure he puts in everthing he needs for the trip to school and back can take some work. A luggage tag checklist is an easy way to help your child keep track, without it being obvious to other kids. All you have to do is buy an inexpensive clear luggage tag to attach to the backpack's zipper pull. Take out the address label and replace it with this printable checklist. Customize the "To School" and "To Home"...
Description: Wellness is a rapidly growing area of focus for people across the U.S. The popularity of health advice segments on TV news and talk shows, of high tech fitness tracking devices and apparel, and of stress management and meditation workshops are a few of the indicators of a growing interest in whole-person well-being. For individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the benefits of attending to wellness are at least as great as those experienced by the rest of the population. But...
Description: Helping Students Recover from a Concussion: Classroom Tips for Teachers - How can I help students who are recovering from a concussion? As a teacher, you play an important role in helping students recover from a concussion as they return to school. Making short-term changes to your students' school work load and schedule- and giving them time to help their brain heal- can help them get back to their regular school routine. As they begin to feel better, you can slowly remove these changes....
Description: ClassDojo's Mission: To bring communities together, and give their kids learning experiences they love. We think every kid on Earth should get an education they love. We don’t believe there is some “ideal” education, a one-size-fits-all model that all kids must fit. Instead, we believe every community of teachers, kids and families should be able to get the learning experiences that they want and love. And we believe the way to do that is from the ground up. This is...
Description: Meet Josh, a sixth-grader with executive functioning issues . This doesn’t mean he isn’t smart. It means his brain’s self-management system has trouble getting organized and getting things done. Executive functions are an important set of mental skills. To see how trouble with these skills affects kids in school and outside of it too, take a look at a typical day in Josh’s life.
Description: Subtitle VII-B of The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act authorizes the federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program and is the primary piece of federal legislation related to the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. It was reauthorized in December 2015 by Title IX, Part A, of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Description: AMC is proud to partner with the Autism Society to offer unique movie showings where we turn the lights up, and turn the sound down, so you can get up, dance, walk, shout or sing! Our Sensory Friendly Film program is available on the second and fourth Saturday (family-friendly) and Wednesday evenings (mature audiences) of every month. Please check your local theatre listings for specific showtimes, and don't forget to share your family fun with #AMCSensoryFriendly. AMC's partner for Sensory...
Description: The Virginia Family Special Education Connection Website provides Local Disability Services information for all of the Counties/Cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. These services include: Arc (The Arc) Autism Spectrum Disorder Resources Brain Injury Services Care Connection for Children (Health Department Program) Centers for Independent Living Child Development Services Program - Clinics Child Find Community Services Board (CSB) Department for Aging and...
Description: ATN/AIR-P Puberty and Adolescent Resource - Puberty can be a time of mixed feelings for parents and pre-teens. All parents eventually face the challenge of teaching their children about the natural changes of puberty. However, parents of pre-teens with autism may need the help of additional strategies to ease the transition. Our aim in developing this tool is to provide guidance on puberty that can be directly applied to pre-teens with autism. In doing so, we hope to increase families'...
Description: Traumatic Brain Injury - What College Disability Specialists and Educators Should Know about Executive Functions - DO YOU KNOW that deficits in executive functions, attention, and learning and memory are the most common cognitive problems after a traumatic brain injury (TBI)? In this document we explain what executive functions are, how they interfere with college life, and the supports students with TBI need to have equal access in college.
Description: Mommies and Daddies in Jail Children, who are victims of their parent's crimes, are often afraid and confused by the changes in their own lives. Their questions and deeply felt concerns are not always addressed. A 16 page booklet, MOMMIES AND DADDIES IN JAIL, clearly and concisely addresses this issue. A scenario about a child who witnesses the arrest of a parent is followed by questions that are asked by the child and answered throughout the process from arrest to incarceration. It is designed...
Description: Social Security Office Locator allows you to find the Social Security office located within your zip code. Social Security Online Services - Social Security is constantly expanding their online services to give you freedom and control when conducting business with Social Security. Today, you can apply for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits online, check the status of an application or appeal, request a replacement Social Security card (in most areas), print a benefit verification...
Description: Steps to Success: Communicating with Your Child's School - This brochure offers specific communication skills that may be helpful to parents as they develop and maintain partnerships with their child's school. It is available in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Marshallese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese (accessible pdfs).
Description: As a parent or caregiver, you have a key role in your child’s education—you can help bridge your child’s transition from home to school, and give him or her the best chance at success in learning and in life. While your child’s education begins at home, this tool provides you with a set of questions to ask, and important issues to consider when approaching your child’s teachers, principals and counselors about his or her development. As a parent or caregiver, it can...
Description: By reviewing research and identifying case examples of teachers who do an excellent job engaging families, Flamboyan Foundation has developed a rubric that can provide educators with a clear vision for family engagement, help teachers plan more effectively, assist with the development of effective teacher professional development, and serve as a tool for teachers to self-assess and reflect on their practice.
Description: For those facing physical, mental, emotional, or social challenges, rehabilitation counselors offer hope and empowerment. For individuals and their families, these counselors serve as a source of personal support and guidance thus enhancing their quality of life. Ranked 6th in the nation by U.S. News and World Report and accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), GW's Rehabilitation Counseling program prepares you to become a skillful...
Description: Both Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans can offer formal help for K–12 students with learning and attention issues. They’re similar in some ways but quite different in others. This resource compares them side-by-side to help you understand the differences.
Description: This article discusses the following: IEP stands for Individualized Education Program. The purpose of an IEP is to lay out the special education instruction, supports, and services a student needs to thrive in school. IEPs are part of PreK–12 public education.
Description: The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Justice (DOJ) are pleased to announce the completion of the English Learner (EL) Tool Kit to support states, districts and schools in meeting their legal obligations to EL students and ensuring access to a quality education. Topics included in the tool kit include: tools and resources for identifying ELs, providing ELs with high-quality EL programs, evaluating the effectiveness of EL programs, avoiding unnecessary segregation, providing qualified...
Description: People with Special Health Care Needs includes: Care Connection for Children Bleeding Disorders Program Child Development Services Sickle Cell Programs Metabolic Formula and Food Program
Description: NoRedInk simplifies the process of building strong writers and critical thinkers. Our free online writing curriculum facilitates effective instruction by helping teachers engage students through modeling, scaffolding, practice, and feedback.
Description: The Education Directory for Children With Special Needs provides military families who have children with special needs the resources they need to make informed assignment decisions and experience easier transitions.
Description: The School Community Network (SCN) provides resources, training, and tools to build strong school communities focused on student learning. SCN is sponsored by the Academic Development Institute (ADI), a not-for-profit organization located in Lincoln, Illinois. SCN's work draws from ADI's over 30 years of experience and extensive research in family and community engagement. What is a School Community? A school community consists of the people intimately attached to a school - students, their...
Description: The University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning (KUCRL) is a multidisciplinary research team whose overarching goal is Creating Solutions to Educational Challenges. KUCRL is dedicated to development and research of educational programs and practices that improve outcomes for all learners, including those with learning differences or disabilities. Our recent research and development focuses on online learning for students with disabilities, personalized learning in blended...
Description: This website sponsored by The Arc includes: Learn About Future Planning Planning ahead can help guide a person with an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD) to lead a good life as independently as possible. A plan is important throughout all stages of life and especially in the future after the parent or caregiver is no longer able to provide support. Build Your Future Plan To better serve families and individuals with I/DD in future planning, “Build Your Plan”™ is a...
Description: SLN is a national nonprofit whose mission is to provide siblings of individuals with disabilities the information, support and tools to advocate with their brothers and sisters and to promote the issues important to them and their entire families.
Description: AWAARE Collaboration is a working group of seven national non-profit autism organizations whose mission is to prevent autism-related wandering incidents and deaths. NAA (National Autism Association) has created three digital safety toolkits that can be downloaded: Caregiver Toolkit, First Responder Toolkit and Teacher Toolkit.
Description: Emergency chat can be used in any situation where speech is impossible but communication is still necessary. The splash screen has a base text that explains to the person you gave your phone to that you can't use speech and want to use this app to communicate. The default text is aimed at people experiencing an autistic meltdown, where their speech centres stay non-functional for a while even after they've recovered.Both the title and text can be adjusted in the settings to be whatever you want...