Helpful Resources – HIS PLACE for Help In School

Revised November 4, 2020

For a large volume of additional resources, see links at PortaPortal.com (log in as Guest using the name “LDTeacherRetired”)

We understand that some of these links may be broken. This happens frequently on the internet, and it’s impossible for us to keep up. However, even if a link is broken, you can usually find these “missing” articles by visiting http://www.archive.org and searching for the exact link below. Many web pages have been archived there and can still be read.

Books and Magazines

All God’s Children: Ministry to the Disabled — Gene Newman and Joni Eareckson Tada. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1981. A compassionate look at the needs of special children and adults. A gentle, Christ-centered view of the heart and mind of those with extra challenges. Decidedly Christ centered.

Answers to Questions Parents Ask Most About Home Schooling — Deborah MacIntire and Paul Windham. Creative Teaching Press, Cypress, CA. This book is especially helpful because of the useful forms and suggestions for time management and lesson planning. There are other helpful topics ranging from “balancing family time and education” to “legal concerns.”

Assessing Children for the Presence of a Disability — National Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities.

Assistive Technology Guide — Explains the ways different techologies can enable special needs children to “show what they know” in the best way possible. Free from Schwab Learning,1650 S. Amphlett Blvd., Suite 300, San Mateo, CA 94402-2516. 800-230-0988 http://www.Schwablearning.org

Bridges to Reading Kit: What To Do When You Suspect Your Child Has a Reading Problem — Free kit consisting of five separate booklets for parents to use. Additional reference guides are full of practical suggestions.. Order from Schwab Foundation for Learning. 800-230-0988.

Choosing and Using Curriculum: Your Guide to Home Education — Joyce Herzog. http://www.JoyceHerzog.com 2001. A good overview for helping parents understand the perspectives and choices for curriculum styles, selecting materials, and monitoring progress. Good lists of publishers and resources. Recently updated to include more resources.

Christian Home Educators’ Curriculum Manual: Elementary Grades (Grades K-6) and companion volume for Junior/Senior High — Cathy Duffy. Grove Publishing/Home Run Enterprises, 16172 Huxley Circle, Westminster CA 92683. 1997. Updated annually. A comprehensive presentation of goals, materials and methods organized by study area. Extensive references with lengthy annotations.

Helping Struggling Readers: Successful Reading Techniques — Susan Fondrk and Cheryl Frasca. Good Year Books, Parsippany, NJ 2001. This resource is packed with solid, research-backed techniques for helping early readers as well as older students who need material presented in different ways. Very well done.

Home Schooling Children with Special Needs — Sharon C. Hensley. Noble Publishing Associates, Gresham, OR. 1995. A practical and realistic manual for the parent of a special needs child.

How Do You Know They Know What They Know? — Teresa Moon. Grove Publishing, Westminster, CA. 1997. A practical guide to many forms of assessment. Not targeted for special needs, but the tips and principles apply to all students. There are many very useful scoring/grading checklists and forms to use. An important resource for documenting student progress for all students — but particularly for special needs students.

Learning In Spite of Labels — Joyce Herzog. Greenleaf Press, Lebanon, TN. 1994. A practical set of tips for teaching special children. Offers a Christian view of education and lots of encouragement for new home schooling families as they consider God’s word.

NATHHAN Resource Guide — P.O. Box 39, Porthill, ID 83853. 253-318-8824. Provides listings on teaching magazines, organizations and local support groups, testing and assessment information as well as listing of legal organizations and more.

Parental Rights — Available free as a download from the Virginia Department of Education website under Most Requested Sites: Special Education. Provides the full text of parental rights under the Virginia’s newest revision from February 2001. Useful for parents disengaging from the public school or seeking to use public schools for related services. http://www.pen.k12.va.us

Phonemic Awareness in Young Children — Marilyn Jager Adams, Barbara R. Foorman, Ingvar Lundberg, and Terri Beeler. Paul Brookes Publishing, Baltimore, MD. 1998. Not intended for home schooling parents, but a rich resource for parents of children suffering from dyslexia and other severe reading problems. The activities presented provide extra reinforcement for those areas of weakness affecting most dyslexic non-readers. Also, this book is a great help for parents who want to help young children beginning to learn about reading.

Solving the Puzzle of Your Hard to Raise Child — William G. Crook, M.D. and Laura Stevens. Random House, New York, NY. 1987. Dr. Crook exposes the intricate interactions among allergies, foods, and systemic yeast infections that can wreak havoc with a child’s ability to focus and learn. Children who have repeatedly suffered respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and allergic reactions may be suffering from the long-term after-effects of treatments for their illnesses. Dr. Crook suggests straightforward remedies and steps to bring dramatic improvement.

Special Education: A Biblical Approach — Dr. Joe P. Sutton, ed. Hidden Treasure Ministries, Greenville, NC. 1993. A thorough and Biblical exploration of principles for working with special needs children. Intended for all educators, the home schooling parent will find a great deal of wisdom and insight.

Special Parent: Special Child — Tom Sullivan. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam Books, New York, NY. 1995. An up-close exploration of the lives of six families with a special needs child. Provides some perspective and encouragement.

Strategies for Struggling Learners — Dr. Joe Sutton and Connie J. Sutton. Exceptional Diagnostics, Simpsonville, NC. 1995. This volume lays out many useful strategies for teaching the special needs child. Directed toward the home educator, Dr. Sutton takes the reader from the basics of diagnosis all the way through modifying learning materials and much more. A valuable resource.

The Attention-Deficit Child — Dr. Grant Martin. Cook Communications, Colorado Springs, CO. 1998. A Christian perspective on management of the behavior, learning, and relationships of the ADD child. Does not address home school, but there is a wealth of up-to-date information and ideas.

The Dyslexic Scholar: Helping Your Child Succeed in the School System — Kathleen Nosek. Taylor Publishing, Dallas, TX. 1995. Despite the title’s suggestion that this book is for public school children, this book focuses on the whole child with dyslexia. There are good sections on talking about their difficulties, finding support and planning beyond high school.

The Learning Disabled Child: Ways That Parents Can Help — Suzanne H. Stevens. John F. Blair, Winston-Salem, NC. 1980. While not the most recent work on LD, this volume is easy reading, and it has practical helps that are very parent centered. Helpful.

The Nontoxic Home and Office — Debra Lynn Dadd. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam Books, New York, NY. 1992. Ms. Dadd’s book does not directly focus on children with special needs, but she brings to light an important contributing factor to many children’s learning problems — environmental pollution and chemical sensitivity. Today’s modern homes are inundated with multitudes of chemicals and fumes that can create neurological damage in the unborn and very young. These changes in the neurological system affect children’s learning. This book is an eye-opener.

The Out-of-Sync Child. — Carol Stock Kranowitz. Skylight Press, Pedigree, New York, NY. 1998. A very helpful book explaining clearly why the collection of idiosyncrasies about a child is a problem that can be dealt with and helped. Sensory integrative disorder is not widely recognized, yet it affects many children’s learning and daily living. If there seems no explanation for those overly sensitive (or under sensitive) characteristics about your child, this is the place to seek answers.

The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook — Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore. Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN. 1994. A how-to-do-it book focusing on the practical aspects of being a family in the midst of being teaching parents. The Moores explain how to find effective solutions for making the home school a successful one. While the Moores do not focus on special needs, their flexible approach should give a peace to parents who are struggling.

The Teaching Home — http://www.teachinghome.com/ — This magazine is really good. I think it will help many home educators.

The Way Children Learn — Cynthia Ulrich Tobias. Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, IL. 1994. A helpful introduction to the concept of individual learning styles and the way they can be nurtured to help children learn.

Disability Web Sites

The following web sites provide information about major disability areas of special education. Some are directed to individual areas or disabilities, and others are general resources with a large group of related links. All links were working as of April 2002.

Advocacy

http://www.hslda.org/hs/specialneeds/default.asp — The Home School Legal Defense Association has a multi-page informational resource for parents whose child has special needs. This website also provides some solid advice for starting to home school your child in a way that is wise and most likely to avoid legal problems later. Many families have learned that their public school district is opposed to home schooling. It is in the very best interests of parents who are withdrawing a special needs child from public school, or home schooling a special needs child in any other situation, to be protected from school system interference.Join HSLDA — they can serve as your attorney if you encounter difficulties or harassment from your local school system.

http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/iep/ed449636.html — A rich site reaching all the way from the basics of LD and ADHD to articles and recommended books and links in more than two dozen categories. These include help for developing an IEP, legal issues, family relationships, and classroom management, to name just a few.

http://www.susanfoley.com — Susan Foley, parent of a child with learning disabilities, is a lawyer serving parents in the San Francisco Bay area. She can provide answers for your questions, as well as advocacy services with Due Process and Mediation. She works on a sliding scale to ensure that all who require help can receive it.

Asperger’s Syndrome & Autism

https://www.autonomy.works/ This company has promoted job opportunities and training for adults on the Autism Spectrum. Featured on CBS 80 Minutes show October 4,2020. The company links with many national companies seeking to utilize the unique skill sets of autistic adults. Very positive and helpful website to gather information, send in applications for employment, and explain the mission of the company.

https://www.reviews.com/home/security-systems/home-safety-children-autism/ Behavior-Friendly Home Safety for Children with Autism, includes strategies like:Using voice assistants for verbal cues to help children who have difficulty reading body language, Installing lighting in a sensory-friendly way so, in an emergency, an auditory sensitive child can find their way out safely and efficiently,Creating simple info cards so nonverbal children can communicate important messages to first responders

https://members.autismparentingmagazine.com/members-dashboard/ A rich source of articles on all aspects of ASD – helps with parenting, teaching, emotional and social concerns. Almost too much to take in! Certainly worth the subscription!

https://teach.com/online-ed/psychology-degrees/aba-digital-autism-resources/ This is an excellent resource to explain the benefits of AT for students on the Autism spectrum, as well as a sound introductions to links for teaching with technology and treatments using AT to help students on the spectrum. Take a look!

https://www.sleephelp.org/autism-asd/ This is a great resource that offers a full description of issues re: sleep that are challenges for students on the autism spectrum. Beyond the sleep related resources, the website provides excellent links to additional websites.

Educating Children with Autism — “outlines an interdisciplinary approach to education for children with autism. The committee explores what makes education effective for the child with autism and identifies specific characteristics of programs that work. Recommendations are offered for choosing educational content and strategies, introducing interaction with other children, and other key areas.” (site description) “…meant for a professional audience, however, for thoughtful readers who are concerned about the merits of a wide variety of treatments, this is an excellent compendium of the scientifically based knowledge in the field and is much more approachable than attempting to review this literature oneself.” (Metapsychology Online Review, June 2003)

http://www.teacch.com — Based at the University of North Carolina, the TEACCH site provides both in-depth background on several teaching approaches, a generous listing of resources and regional sites within NC, training for the TEACCH method, and publications. There is a great deal of helpful information here that is very user friendly and well organized.

— This is a great site to access printable, no cost record-keeping forms for a variety of structured teaching approaches, such as the use of discrete trials, counting, and functional behavior analysis. Check them out. There is much more at this well organized website.

http://www.asperger.net — Autism Asperger Publishing Company. They publish a regular e-mail alert for new resources that are very helpful to parents and families.

http://www.aspergersdigest.com — This site is loaded with resources and current information, but it is a paid subscription. Interested families may find it worth the cost.

http://www.autismtoday.com — This site almost has so much that a brief summary cannot do it justice. You can find education topics about autism (including opportunity for online classes), links to support organizations and services, treatments, personal stories, a library of information and so much more. If your child has autism, you need to spend some time exploring the vast resources available here.

http://www.autismasperger.net/links.htm — This bright and colorful site contains a limited, but highly focused, set of autism-related links to useful organizations, teaching approaches and contact information. Stephen Shore, the web site owner, offers professional presentations on a wide range of autism-related topics, including helping with music therapy, and helping older students adjust.

http://www.AutismParentingMagazine.com — Autism Parenting Magazine. The magazine continually provides expert advice from respected professionals about autism and offers solutions for families.

http://www.autism-resources.com — This site provides multiple places to check and links to visit. Within their FAQ links is one called Popular Attitudes and Entertainment – it contains many books and publication titles with articles and stories about autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Most have links to publishers to make it easy to order.

http://www.teacch.com — Working out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, this research center provides guidance and support for families of autistic individuals. Their programs have been developing appropriate assessments for testing autistic children. One little triangle shaped icon with a seated mother and child brings up a wonderfully thorough set of resources. It’s not labeled, so it would be easy to miss — but click and see what you find there!

http://www.autism-society.org — The Autism Society of America provides a site with links that direct readers to resources for education, advocacy and educational approaches and treatment options. A separate link is available for Spanish language resources. One helpful page provides guidance on preparation of an individualized educational plan (IEP) for the autistic child.

http://www.aspergersyndrome.org/ — The Autism-Asperger’s Syndrome source for links and help. Of particular interest is that they offer a chance to join a networking list subscription, to help parents find other nearby families who can provide understanding and support. The site also has a hot-linked USA map which brings up many professional and support groups for each state, with complete contact information — a very valuable resource.

http://www.fightautismnow.com/id12.html — Here is a site that looks closely at the possible connections between vaccines and autism. There are numerous practical pages and products that help, and a neat page that lets you type a question for a professional to respond to your e-mail.

https://productdiggers.com/autism-playroom Here is a site that gives a thoughtful and helpful set of suggestions and ideas to create a sensory safe and appropriate play space for your child on the autism spectrum. Practical, well laid out, and useful ideas.

https://abaprogramsonline.com/special-education-resources/ ABAPrograms online was created as a free resource to help students find information regarding master’s degrees in applied behavior analysis programs, with an emphasis on programs that are fully online. The site was created to offer a comprehensive resource for information to help students select programs and guide them through all the steps necessary to earn state licensure. The site includes many helpful websites with educational programs and links to activities appropriate to students on the autism spectrum.

Assistive Technology and Apps

https://www.bitira.com/crypto-stem-for-kids-with-special-needs/ Helpful information on new learning about STEM resources for students with special needs. Developed after researching present available tools

Assistive Technology in Special Education: Resources to Support Literacy, Communication, and Learning Differences, by Joan Green! Check out this new very comprehensive book to learn about all the amazing and helpful ways technology resources can expand opportunities for a struggling learner. Check out options for funding as well as where to look for the hardware and software that can make a difference for your student!

https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/apps-teaching-phonemic-awareness/ A new and rich collection of apps/software to increase your struggling reader’s skills in phonemic awareness!

http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/cise/ose/resources/asst_tech.html — A link to specific assistive technology help.

http://c4lpt.co.uk/ — Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies (C4LPT) — Information on new learning trends, technologies and tools. The Directory of Learning & Performance Tools, which contains over 2,000 tools listed in 13 main categories. A range of Social Learning Resources. The Top 100 Tools for Learning 2014 list – the results of the 8th Annual Survey of Learning Tools, compiled from the votes of over 1,000 learning professionals from 61 countries worldwide. Daily links to interesting articles and blog posts from around the Web.

http://www.synapseadaptive.com — Looking for assistive technology aids for your child’s needs? There are products listed here for low vision, speech recognition, translators and more. Hardware and software products are clearly described, and pricing is explained with no fine print. If you are searching for information about assistive technology that may be available for your child’s special needs, this is a good place to start.

http://www.tutorsforkids.org/docs/RoleofEducationalTechnology.pdf — The U.S. Department of Education offers advice for parents on how educational technology can benefit students as a means of providing highly effective, free tutoring services to eligible low income students. Special needs students in an eligible Title I school may doubly benefit from the services available with the individualiziation of electronic tutoring and the additional time focused on skills to improve educational performance.

https://www.schoolhousetech.com — The Schoolhouse Tech company produces software for creating customized math and vocabulary worksheets, maps, and more. Software can be downloaded and tried for free in a “light” format. Fuller versions can be purchased at a reasonable cost. Worksheets produced can be customized for larger font, colors, and other qualities that render them highly suitable for special needs learners. Answer keys can be printed along with worksheets. A wonderful source of review and practice for all learners.

http://www.secondguessusa.com — This company has created a fantastic software package that just about does it all for students with special needs who use the computer. The product, called DyslexiWrite, is not just for students with dyslexia — in response to customer feedback, they’ll be changing the name soon! The product has text-to-speech capability that sounds almost like normal speech. Typed selections can be read as word by word, sentence by sentence, or as a whole paragraph or document. Spell Check is an integral part of the product, and it can be set for individual error types: vowel errors, phonetic spellers, visual characteristics such as “low-high-low” letters, and a custom setting.
Beyond that, the program has a word-prediction component, with a stand-alone word processor or integration with MS Word. Better yet, the product is reasonably priced, with free updates for the life of the product. Adjustable font size, changeable contrast, and background colors and more, make this a winner for student with dyslexia, visual handicaps, fine-motor struggles, and those who need to hear text aloud to understand it better. You need to look at this site and get a 60 day trial demo for free.

Asthma

http://www.medscape.com/resource/asthma — This link provides a central source for asthma related issues and your child’s health. You will find information about exercise, new treatments and research. The Medscape site which provides the primary link for this information requires you to register, but there is no cost. You can sign up to get regular e-mail newsletters as well. A very helpful site for parents of asthmatic children.

http://www.aaaai.org — American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology website with up-to-date links about medical research, practical help and pages with resources just for kids.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-center/common-topics.aspx — Includes links to medical information about Asthma and other conditions.

https://thedermreview.com/fragrance-sensitivity-symptoms-prevention-and-treatment — Fragrance sensitivity. It sounds fairly innocuous, but for those who experience the symptoms, it can be debilitating, life-changing, even life-threatening. Fragrances both natural and synthetic are everywhere in the modern world and can cause a plethora of health problems. In our context, it can explain behavioral issues and their effects on learning.

Attention Deficit & ADHD

http://www.addwarehouse.com — This company carries many informative materials and resources suited to supporting parents and families. They can also be reached by phone at 800-233-9273 (A.D.D. WARE).

http://www.chadd.org — National organization for Attention Deficit Disorder.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/medicating/ — This Public Broadcasting Site is a very public-service oriented page featuring a thoughtful look at medicating the ADD/ADHD child. It is worth skimming, just to become more informed about the nature of the debate and the facts vs. the fiction.

https://onlinedegrees.unr.edu/online-master-of-social-work/addadhd-mental-health-and-school — Here is an excellent list of resources and practical tips for parents whose children are struggling with a variety of ADD/ADHD issues.

Behavior Disorders

http://www.state.ky.us/agencies/behave/homepage.html — The University of Kentucky has developed this site to provide solid advice and information about current treatments for children with behavior and anger management issues. While not a Christ-centered view, there may be some very helpful practical suggestions to use.

Brain Injury

http://birthinjury.org/ — This is a resource hub providing support for those whose lives are touched by brachial plexus injury, brain injury or cerebral palsy. There are good links, resource contacts and help with understanding the issues and how to get help.

Congenital & Neurological Difficulties; Cerebral Palsy

www.cerebralpalsyguidance.com/cerebral-palsy/financial-assistance/special-education/ This helpful site aims to “cover cerebral palsy from all angles–from symptoms, causes, and treatment, to daily living information. And very importantly, all of our articles are reviewed and edited by pediatric doctors and nurses (as well as HONcode certified as trustworthy health information.”

https://cerebralpalsygroup.com/support/special-education Here is a good site to gather options for special education for students with cerebral palsy along with helpful information about legal rights under IDEA. Worth your visit!

https://cerebralpalsygroup.com/resources/ — A good site for general information about resources, services, conditions, treatments and support organizations. Be sure to view subpages for more detailed descriptions of available information on the site.

http://www.cerebralpalsyguide.com/ — Cerebral Palsy Guide provides free educational materials, financial options and emotional support for those affected by cerebral palsy. An easy-to-use, informative website that provides solutions for families of children with Cerebral Palsy. They publish a helpful guide for parents.

http://www.daniellesfoundation.org/ — Resource page for cerebral palsy.

http://www.pediatricneurology.com — Birth defects, genetic disorders.

http://www.ucpa.org — United Cerebral Palsy Association.

http://cerebralpalsy.org/resources/government-resources/p — Cerebral palsy — general information and resources.

cerebralpalsyguidance.com/about-us/jennifer-larocco/ Searching for practical, first-hand advice for helping your child with cerebral palsy.
“Jennifer is an adult living with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and has insight on what living with cerebral palsy is like, from childhood to adulthood. She advocates and supports others with disabilities, especially those with cerebral palsy, through public outreach and social media.”

Dental Health and Disabilities

https://www.newmouth.com/oral-health/effects/physical-disabilities/ Check out this site for information on dental health issues related to a wide range of disabilities and how you can be aware of what to look for. Suggestions for proper care also can be found.

Developmental Disabilities

https://mailchi.mp/rempub/4-resources-to-teach-life-skills?e=d49896b698 Learning social skills, life skills, and communication skills topics explored here!

http://www.www.AttainmentFamily.com — Attainment Company provides award winning, research-based learning materials, software, assistive technology, life skills products and books to children and adults with moderate to severe developmental disabilities. Its software and DVDs are used by schools and clinics around the world.

Down’s Syndrome

https://mailchi.mp/rempub/4-resources-to-teach-life-skills?e=d49896b698 Visit Remedia Publications for some great resources on building life skills, communication, and social skills.

http://www.ndss.org — Here is the home page for the National Down’s Syndrome Society, with multiple links for learning about the syndrome, resources and more.

Gifted & Talented

http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/nrcgt/nrconlin.html — This website offers a wide range of research articles on teaching gifted and talented students available in text or pdf files.

http://http://www.usc.edu.au/explore/vision/learning-and-teaching/curriculum-and-teaching-support/using-blooms-taxonomy-in-the-classroom — An Australian website with practical ways of applying Bloom’s taxonomy in teaching. Parents of gifted students will find ample stimulation for improving instructional quality!

http://gtworld.org/gtwisc.htm — A website that connects parents of children who are Gifted and Talented with a variety of resources, including access to several listserv groups where parents can share experiences and needs. There is an individual list for children who are doubly special: GT and with disabilities.

http://www.geniusdenied.com — A gateway site for information about learning how to find out whether your child is gifted and/or talented. The site includes state by state links to gifted programs and state provisions (if you ever want to choose public schooling), and many other important resources.

http://uniquelygifted.org — This site provides support and information for parents whose children are gifted and have other exceptionalities such as LD, Asperger’s syndrome, or AD/HD. There are many articles for parents and teachers. Easily indexed articles organized by topics make it extra helpful.

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org — An in-depth site with plenty of links to testing resources for special topics of interest and sources to obtain them. Chat rooms, basic facts about giftedness and much more.

Hearing & Vision Impairments

http://deafness.about.com/library/deafness — Deafness, American Sign Language, hearing assistive technology and more.

http://www.rfbd.org — Recordings for Blind and Dyslexic. Learn how to get books on tape

http://www.vision3D.com — I like this site because of the wide range of vision-related information you can find here, including references for practicing vision-therapy doctors. There are also games for your child to try and useful links to other sites that relate vision difficulties to several other disabilities, such as ADD and traumatic brain injury to name just two. Fascinating and informative site.

http://www.children-special-needs.org/ — This site is similar to the one above — it contains many links to special education disabilities, but its primary emphasis is on vision-related difficulties and how to understand them. This site contains in-depth information about a much wider range of eye and vision problems, and the contents seem more oriented to a pediatrician’s and optometrist’s perspective.

General Resources for Special Needs

https://millionmilesecrets.com/guides/planning-a-trip-to-disney-for-a-child-with-disabilities-or-medical-needs/A free website helpful for families who have children with special needs and are planning a trip to Disney.

http://www.specialneedsfamilyfun.com — A site developed by the parents of a child born with multiple disabilities, this is a great collections of activities, links, parent information and so much more! Colorful and easy to navigate, the links are placed in A-B-C order and provide a rich collection of interesting and informative web pages that provide support and activities for families. Under the section of Resource Files you can navigate to many commercial websites grouped by topic or disability. This is a huge site. Some pop-ups and advertising can prove distracting, but this site is worth investigating.

http://r.webring.com/hub?ring=special — Here is how this collection of websites describe themselves: “A ring that networks together resources that cater to special needs children, or pages about or by special needs children.”… [Commercial sites are listed only when they are “beneficial to a wide audience, family friendly ….”]

http://www.pacer.org/parent/ — PACER Center – Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights. This page focuses on information for parents of special needs children. The home page (pacer.org) lists a variety of programs for children with disabilities and provides links to resources, publications, news, and events.

http://www.wm.edu/ttac/text/links.html — This is a Virginia state sponsored site primarily directed at supporting those who teach children with a wide range of special needs. This link takes you directly to a very rich library of on-line resources sorted by topics.

http://www.mooreexpressions.com/ — Moore Expressions is a source for Home Schooling parents to order supplies (new and used). They have great service and are very knowledgeable about starting home schooling. They can answer general questions about the textbooks they carry, and they can direct parents in the Tidewater VA area to support groups. Give them a try!

http://www.irsc.org:8080/irsc/irscmain.nsf — The main internet clearinghouse for links related to special needs children! Start your search here! Links to internet community chat groups.

http://www.cec.sped.org — Excellent broad range of authoritative information relating disabilities and education.

http://familyeducation.com — This one is a real winner! You can find parent-recommended reading materials for almost every major disability. Links take you right to the page where you can learn more about the materials. Just click on this link’s main page, and also try this subsidiary page.

http://www.vasc.org/erc — This NASA-funded Educator Resource Center offers free materials for anyone who works with children ages pre-K thru college. Contact by email at nvollett@vasc.org.

http://www.family.org — This is a link to Focus on the Family, and they have a link to a recent interview with Dr. Bill Bennett, founder of the K12 curriculum for home school children. I think his thoughts are worth sharing.

http://etv.jmu.edu/LearningToolbox/index.html — A site maintained by James Madison University, this site is for parents, teachers and students with learning difficulties. It is aimed obviously at older students, and it is a source of tools (as the name suggests) to make learning more effective and efficient. Worth a look.

http://www.christianity.com — This site contains some helpful articles for home schooling the LD child. One series has a five-part article. You can get there by typing in “LD + child” in the Search window, and the screen will load a list of those articles for you to click on.

http://www.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/ — This site is maintained by the U.S. Government, and it is a powerful search engine to help you find links to topics in education. It works well.

http://ericacve.org/index.asp — Here is the homepage for the powerful education database, ERIC. You use the search engine to pull up abstracts of almost any special education topic.

http://www.ctitapes.org/ — At this site you can order tapes from the 2001 Home Educators Association of Virginia State Convention in Richmond, VA. There is an entire strand of special education speakers you can find here.

http://www.helpinschool.net — Site focused on strengthening teaching skills for the parents of special needs parents. Practical how-to section on modifying curriculum materials and texts, research based information in reading, spelling and more. Formerly named HisHelpInSchool.com.

http://www.nathhan.com — Special needs organization: clearinghouse for a wide range of disabilities resources. Local representative is Deb Pegram in Richmond, 804-323-1726.

http://www.homeschoolcentral.com — Special education database loaded with many helpful resources.

http://www.nichcy.org — National Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities. Produces accurate fact sheets for most exceptionalities. Has a wide variety of free or low cost resources to download or order. Send for free resources. Especially helpful for learning about different areas of disabilities. At the subpage http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs1txt.htm is a “fact sheet” that is loaded with accurate, up-to-date information.

http://www.specialednews.com — General information on a wide range of disabilities, current news and developments.

http://www.ldonline.org — This is one of my favorites. The information is typically written by expert professionals, and is highly readable and up-to-date. There are links to just about every topic in special education, so it is not limited to Learning Disabilities. While they do not appear to include specifics for home schooling children, their resources are generally both free and useful. You will want to bookmark this one! Despite confusion in typing its name (type the letter not the numeral in front of the “d”), this site has a rich source on most areas of special needs. Practical, parent-friendly, teaching and background information source.

http://homeschool.crosswalk.com — General, many sources.

http://www.cldinternational.org — This one is an international group for support of families with children who have learning disabilities.

http://www.didcoc.org — The Division for Learning Disabilities primarily promotes research toward finding effective ways to help those with LD.

http://www.specialed.about.com — General coverage in most special needs topics. If you have strong convictions against using any sites with secular advertising, this site is not for you. It has a wealth of information about different disabilities, resources and lesson planning materials. In addition, it contains information about current status of special education legislation, and a link for homeschool. While it may be “secular” in its advertising content, there is a great deal of useful and appropriate information that does not compromise Christian values and is of high professional quality. The primary negative feature about the site is the annoying frequency of pop-up ads of questionable taste that try to load as the first page opens up. I have found that if you know they are coming, you can readily switch them off before they fully load.

http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/cise/ose/resources/spedlists.html — A link to groups listed by specific disabilities.

http://www.mhnet.org — Mental Health (banner ads are an annoying problem, but the site is a very rich source of information).
Language Processing

http://www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&id=461&loc=27 — A discussion of central auditory processing problems in children: evaluation, and treatment.

Learning Disabilities & Dyslexia

http://dancingwithdyslexia.blogspot.com/2010/11/dysphonetic-or-dyseidetic.html — This wonderful blog site offers a rich describing several types of dyslexia that may not be so widely known. While some links are older, there are articles that can provide helpful insights.

http://www.headstrongnation.org — An online community for dyslexic adults and parents of students with dyslexia. Full of encouragement, facts, resources, links for accommodations (for school and work as well!) Easy to navigate and accessible for readers and non-readers alike.

http://www.dyslexicadvantage.org — A community of people who put the focus on what dyslexics can do – not what they cannot do! They focus on helping in understanding, building, and using the essential strengths of the dyslexic mind. Hear from adults with dyslexia who share their very personal struggles and successes. This site provides a beacon of hope for adults and students struggling to succeed in a world that emphasizes and requires mastery of the written word. One of the best sites I’ve seen in many years!

http://www.ncld.org — National Center for Learning Disabilities: online resources for parents, educators, and individuals with learning disabilities.

http://TeachingLD.org — Produced by the Division of Learning Disabilities fopr the Council for Exceptional Children, this site provides practical “How to’s” for working with the LD student, resources and information about learning disabilities. Numerous web based features are available to expand understanding of related topics. Rich in content.

http://www.ldanatl.org — Learning Disabilities Association & Dyslexia.

http://www.interdys.org — Dyslexia treasure chest for both parents and professionals. The International Dyslexia Association presents this very informative site with many interesting and useful pages. This organization has a wealth of affordable references and informative booklets. There is help in testing for dyslexia, tips for working with the children, and more. What I like most, besides the helpful information about what is dyslexia, is the list of inexpensive and very informative publications they offer. Their response time is usually less than a week after placing an internet order!

http://www.spalding.org — The name Spalding is intimately associated from the earliest periods of teaching dyslexic students to read. The organization can supply information and teaching materials for interested parents. 877-866-7451.

http://www.dyslexia-teacher.com — A very rich resourcewith material that is practical and easily used.

http://www.schwablearning.org — Learning disabilities is the primary focus, good resources at no cost. Look for booklet on Assistive Technology to get ideas for opening up more access to regular curriculum with use of technology.

http://www.dyslexia-test.com/ — This provides a very helpful link for ordering testing for parents or adults investigating whether they are dealing with learning difficulties caused by dyslexia. The fee schedule posted appears well within a reasonable range.

http://www.dyslexia-journal.com — This is a free on-line journal with current information about dyslexia.

http://www.worldofdyslexia.org — This site is a keeper! There are links for dyslexic adults as well as parents of children with dyslexia, resources to download and order, teaching resources and strategies, support groups, and more. A great starting place for learning more about dyslexia and how to help dyslexic children.

Legal Rights and Services

https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/evaluations/evaluation-basics/download-sample-letters-for-requesting-evaluations-and-reports This is a great site to download letters and requests for school evaluations (for students in public school). The form letters will satisfy the school requirements and are more likely to get you the services or testing you request.

http://www.thesimpledollar.com/navigating-learning-disabilities-and-the-cost-for-treatment — Here is a guide to provide you with information specific rights and services available for families of children with learning disabilities, (such as IDEA, IEP’s (Individual Education Plans), and 504 Plans.

http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/involve/suppservices/index.html — The No Child Left Behind law provides that certain students should have access to specific support, such as tutoring, to ensure that they can achieve adequate yearly progress. Check out the US Department of Education’s link to learn more.

http://www.reedmartin.com — Reed Martin is an attorney who specializes in special education law. His web site is full of free articles about special education law as well as a collections of expensive, but very valuable, booklets for sale on specific topics in the field. If you are a parent of a former public school special education student, this site is for you.

http://www.wrightslaw.com — Peter Wright is an adult-learning-disabled special education attorney. He has a heart for helping the families of children — usually in public schools — whose rights under IDEA and other laws may have been violated. Like the Reed Martin site, this site has an abundance of reading material available for downloading, along with items to purchase. See the subpage http://www.wrightslaw.com/links/free_pubs.htm. The site provides parents with accurate information about IEP’s, planning for transition to post-high school activity, reading, and many other “hot” topics of interest to parents of children with special needs. While much of Pete’s site does focus on helping public school parents, there is much about learning needs and teaching suggestions for these students that can help home educators. The site is divided into four sub-sets of links: * Learn about the Law and Legal Research * Learn about Special Education Law and Advocacy * Learn about the Disabilities * Learn about Education & Special Education

http://www.ideapractices.org — This site contains another rich resource of special education information, much of which is related to the Federal law, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, called IDEA. It is a development of cooperation with several organizations and the Council for Exceptional Children. You can find resources to learn more about the law, contacts for summer camps for the disabled, and much more.

http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/cise/ose/resources/legal.html

Mental Health and Wellness

http://www.thenadd.org — The mission of National Association for Dually Diagnosed is to “advance mental wellness for persons with developmental disabilities through the promotion of excellence in mental health care.” This site provides access to links, CD and taped conference transcripts on multiple disabilities, and many products for purchase as well as an organized set of links, organized by specific disabilities. Very helpful to those caring for children and adults with multiple disabilities.

http://www.thenadd.org — This is a site more suited for professionals who work in the field of mental health for the disabled. Access is provided to order publications and professional resosurces on a wide range of related topics.

http://www.thenadd.org — A parent-friendly site with links to articles on the full spectrum of childhood special educationa needs, including mental health topics. Links in Spanish as well. The York University School of Medicine maintains this site, and a link connects to information about their services.

Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

See also Asperger’s Syndrome & Autism

http://www.nldontheweb.org — A relatively new link for Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities. Helpful topics and clearly written text range from diagnosis, advocacy, intervention and more. Articles grouped on two levels: Introductory and Comprehensive. Wonderful resource.

http://www.nldontheweb.org/homeschooling.htm — Many useful articles, and some specifically address concerns that the parent of the Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities child may face.

http://room5ideas.com — “An autism information web page.” A warm and family friendly source of resource links and personal encouragement that can be sorely needed. Worth a visit.

http://www.mayer-johnson.com — Mayer and Johnson provide a rich set of offerings designed to improve communication for special needs learners. There are augmentative speech devices, materials to expand expressive language and much more. They sell a diverse collection of print resources and reference materials as well. This will be a treasure chest for teachers and parents of students with developmental delay, communication deficits or other special needs such as autism, aphasia, cerebral palsy, and traumatic brain injury, to name a few.

http://ldlink.coe.utk.edu — Excellent site with rich links for adults with LD and having literacy struggles. Particularly good page on accommodations and modifications for the workplace.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)

Prematurity

http://www.webguest.com/Health/Reproductive_Health/Pregnancy_and_Birth/Premature_Babies/Resources — Here is a collection of articles that range from care and support to complications and concerns. There are many rich and supportive websites for parents of children who come so early!

http://members.tripod.com/~Kevin_James/books.htm — It’s hard to find time to read a book when caring for a special needs baby, but you might want to look over this chart with resources for parents of preemies.

http://e.webring.com/hub?ring=cyberpreemie — Everything from clothes for your preemie to caring support group contacts.

http://www.prematurity.org/development.htm — A high-quality site where neonatologists, professionals, and parents discuss the development of children born premature. You can learn more about the issues in development, medical concerns and other issues that occur as your preemie grows up.

http://www.comeunity.com/premature/premiebooks.html — Look here to find reviews of many fine books on caring for your preemie. You’ll find out what to expect and how to stay informed.

Sensory Integration Dysfunction

http://www.incrediblehorizons.com/sensory-integration.htm — Here is a comprehensive discussion of the disorder called Sensory Integration Dysfunction. There is an easy to use chart of potential symptoms divided by modalities, such as motor, visual, tactile areas. There are other articles that delve into the distinctions between SI and ADD. If you really want to understand this disorder, visit this site! Includes information about dietary influences and nutritional supplements.

http://www.spdnetwork.org/library.html — A library of resources at the Sensory Processing Disorder Network. Online articles are clearly organized under a large number of categories.

http://www.sensoryintegrationhelp.com — A less formal website with more conversational tone. You may have to deal with some annoying pop-ups that detract from the information you are seeking. May be worth a look-see.

http://www.childrensdisabilities.info/sensory_integration/index.html — Another good place to check out information on Sensory Integration as well as numerous other areas of special needs for families. Articles are a good source of background information.

http://www.sensorysmarts.com — While this site is aimed at selling a book on Sensory Integration Disorder, you will find a wealth of helpful and informative links down the left side of the page. Plenty of material to help and encourage you.

Speech and Language Disorders

http://www.asha.org/default.htm — The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association maintains this site for professional and scientific members to stay up to date on the latest research, and to provide help for clients with disabilities. Their site is primarily for association members, but it also has a set of links for the general public, providing information about specific speech-language-hearing disabilities as well as contact information for helping-professionals. An espcially helpful link provides “questions to ask” when having a child evaluated. Look for the “public” tab at the top of the page to access this information. Free information packets for a wide range of disabilities are listed and may be ordered here.

http://www.superduperinc.com/links.htm — This is a commercial site for a company that sells many products to support education for children with speech and language delays as well as reading delays. Client feedback endorses the effectiveness of the Super Duper products and their appeal for children with speech/language delay. Their links page connects you to valuable websites that will send you on treasure hunts for useful and interesting information and resources.

Tourette’s Syndrome

Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc — 1301 K Street, Suite 500 East Tower, Washington, D.C. 20005. 202-408-3160. tsdc@tsa-usa.org

Traumatic Brain Injury

http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=fa/contact-sports — Learn more about traumatic brain injuries caused by sports. Sports injury to the head may result both in life threatening complications, but more typically, concussions generate longer term impacts upon learning.

http://www.tbiguide.com — Written by a Clinical Neuropsychologist, this is an in-depth look at what happens to the brain after a serious head injury. Dr. Glen Johnson has assembled very readable, non-technical information that addresses both practical aspects such as the effects on memory and learning, care giving, and return to job or school. The background information allows those whose lives are affected by Traumatic Brain Injury to make educated and thoughtful decisions. He asks honor-based donations for his work, as it is an “online book,” but if cost is a barrier, it is still available for free.

http://www.neuroskills.com/index.shtml — This fascinating site offers an overview of what happens to the brain during injuries of different types, and explains how those injuries affect the brain’s performance. There are several simple, yet very clear, flash videos that are quite helpful for understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries such as concussions. Use the drop-down menu on the left (choose Research) to tour all the facets of TBI, including cognitive impacts.

http://schwablearning.org/articles.asp?r=524&g=1

Education & Lesson Planning Web Sites

The following sites overflow with ideas for planning lessons for individualized instruction, units of special interest, and enrichment for the gifted. Most are free or very reasonable in cost considering the value. Content is not screened specifically for Christian values, but all these linked sites focus on filtering and selecting materials suitable for children. Parental wisdom is always required in selecting lesson material.

http://www.easyteacherworksheets.com Visit this treasure chest of FREE worksheets for every subject and free downloadable worksheets as well.

http://www.sitesforteachers.com — Here is the treasure chest of Sites for Teachers with resource ideas, lesson plans, materials and more. There are literally hundreds of sites. There is no apparent grouping of similar topics together, and that is a weakness on the site; but the links do have brief descriptions. It’s a bit like a treasure hunt — you never quite know what you might get, but it’s a fun spot to browse for ideas.

http://education-portal.com — Education Portal: A directory of colleges, career schools, and universities independently researched and categorized. The site is useful for prospective students who are trying to decide which school they should attend.

http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/centers/clic/instructional_strategies_resources.html — This is a wonderful site loaded with rich resources for those who teach. The site, published by the Curry School of Education in Virginia, has multiple links for writing instruction, reading instruction and teaching comprehension, graphic organizers, and so much more. The site is clearly organized and easy to use.

http://www.learnnc.org/lessons — Here is a collection of free lesson plans for grades K-12 from the University of North Carolina. Worth your time to carry out a treasure hunt!

http://www.writedesignonline.com — This is a site with many possible little treasures, but you will not be able to directly print the neat graphic organizers — so you may just want to copy or use their links to get back to original sites. There is a wealth of links connecting to arts, music and design that would be fun for students gifted in those areas.

http://www.nwf.org/kids/kzPage.cfm?siteId=1&departmentId=161&articleId=387 — Free coloring pages from National Wildlife Federation. Other kid-friendly links to nature and conservation.

http://www.writedesignonline.com/organizers/index.html — Here is a compact set of graphic organizers that can be used to make information more “visible” and concrete to an LD student. The charts should be used to suit the purpose of the text. For example, to show an historical sequence, it is appropriate to use a flow-chart graphic organizer. You will enjoy these and so will your student.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers — Some free and some subscriber only printable links for graphic organizers. A good collection.

http://www.dailygrammar.com — A library of lesson plans for teaching grammar. Permission is given to teachers to copy. There are more than 400 English grammar lessons. This site is most suitable for students over third grade due to reading level. The layout is not the easiest to use for student work. Answers and explanations are provided.

http://bestwebquests.com — Guidelines for incorporating Webquests into individual and group projects and assignments. “A well-designed WebQuest uses the power of the Internet and a scaffolded learning process to turn research-based theories into dependable learning-centered practices.”

http://www.allkindsofminds.org — This site, referred to recently on a special education listserve, has high professional quality articles coupled with the strongly parent-friendly quality. There is a great deal of research-backed information about the nature of learning differences. The articles give solid advice on helping children deal with their disabilities. Parents who are interested in learning styles will find much here to complement that perspective. All Kinds of Minds provides programs, tools, and a common language for parents, educators, and clinicians to help students with differences in learning achieve success in the classroom and in life. The site is a resource and community for parents and educators who want to learn more about differences in learning. The monthly “In the Spotlight” topic highlights one area of importance to students with learning differences. The LearningBase provides a closer look at skills that must be mastered, the neurodevelopmental factors that may influence students’ success, and common obstacles that students may encounter on the road to mastery. The site also offers hints and suggested activities that may help students build their strengths and work on areas in need of improvement.

http://www.quia.com — This site is loaded with features that will be very helpful for parents who teach their children as well as for professional educators. There are wonderful “field-trip” links, on-line activities, information on all subjects through high school, foreign languages, and tools for making online quizzes. In addition, there is an option for teachers to make their own free web pages, administer quizzes and more. There is a great deal of excellent material free for a registered user, and there are premium options, such as copying sheets and activities for payment of a fee. The home page provides excellent directions and illustrated help for first time users.

http://www.schoolexpress.com — This site is one that appears to offer features similar to the QUIA.com site. There are lesson planning helps, online activities organized by subject areas, and worksheet printers and printable activities. Konos users might enjoy some of the Thematic Units. The content is not expressly Christian, but the site appears to have sound educational merit and there does not appear to be anything out of line. As with all sites, parental wisdom and discretion are the key to finding good material. There are some intriguing links to other teacher-friendly materials as well. There are a number of links to online stores (where surely they hope you will buy!).

http://specialchildren.about.com/parenting/specialchildren — This secular site has current links to almost every area of special needs except home schooling. There is a great deal of current research and educational helps here.

http://www.theeducatorsnetwork.com — Rich database of lesson planning, organized by grade and subject matter.

https://www.schoolhousetech.com — A very reasonably priced site for endless possibilities of teacher-customizable worksheets in math (including high school topics). Vocabulary and Maps are other products. There is a free trial period to experiment with the material before purchase.

http://www.bigchalk.com — A treasure chest of lessons and units in every topic and grade level. This site is a gold mine of lesson planning help, resources listed subject by subject, and some truly amazing links to virtual field trips. You need to “register” but it does not appear to be a pay-for-use site. It has safety controls for your child to control content and includes material that can help you meet state standards. Can be visited regularly or parents can get weekly notices of the best site finds. Publisher does not share e-mail addresses.

http://www.e-tutor.com/homeschool/index.htm — Here is another small goldmine of lesson planning tools, ways to link to multiple topics and resources. You have to explore to find how much there is for your specific concerns. It offers links to on-line magazines and other resources, and there is a special needs link that takes you to many valuable sources of information.

http://www.lone-eagles.com/projects.htm — Here’s a one-stop shop for multiple sites using the Internet to teach and provide learning activities. You will want to pre-screen each one.

http://www.funbrain.com/ — I have not tried most of the lessons offered. Most seem to be perky, and some may move too fast or be aimed above special needs students. Of course, parents should pre-screen any on-line activities before allowing their children to work on them. A good option for reluctant students who struggle with written work — they won’t mind the practice here.

http://www.mathfactcafe.com — Free printable math fact sheets for drill and practice are available at this site.

K12 Online Home Schools (http://www.k12.com) — Dr. William Bennett’s newest commercial program to promote values-friendly educational programs and curricula. Many materials recommended come from existing publications collected into grade levels.

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn — Another collection of unique and interesting lesson-related websites that are suitable for students. Interested parents can also subscribe (free) for weekly update newsletter. Publisher does not share e-mail addresses.

http://westcler.org/wv/geigerj — On this rather cute site, a young child will find many activities that foster learning the alphabet letters. Included here because of its special appeal. There are printable pages, songs associated with each letter and many ways to teach each one. It might be appropriate for older students (maybe age 10) who need more reinforcement to learn their letters with an infinitely patient tutor.

Methods

http://www.audiomemory.com — Learning material for students with special needs can often be enhanced with songs and tape-recorded lyrics. This commercial site sells a fairly wide range of products that couple subject matter content and music. Bible, geography, math, history, grammar and more are here. The prices are reasonable, and it is an easily navigated site. Worth a visit if your child loves music and wants to improve academic learning.

http://singnlearn.org — This home school website offers an abundance of resources for students who benefit particularly from listening. Auditory learners will find a vast library of audio books, music resources, materials that supplement study in regular subjects and much more. There are even materials to practice handwriting to music – callirobics. Prices appear to be very reasonable.

http://teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics — A site focusing on use and building of rubrics in teaching. This one is free and it has lots of options! Great!

Home School Organizations

Home Educators Association of Virginia — 19000 Byrd Ave. Suite 201, Richmond, VA 23230-0745. HEAV33@aol.com

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities — NICHCY, P.O. Box 1492, Washington DC 20013. 800-695-0285 (Voice/TTY). http://www.nichcy.org nichy@aed.org. This organization can provide many free documents relating to many areas of disability. Their resources are research based, current, helpful and FREE.

National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network (NATHHAN) — P.O. Box 39, Porthill ID, 83853. 253-318-8824. NATHHANEWS@aol.com http://www.NATHHAN.com

Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) — P.O. Box 3000, Purcellville VA 20134-9000. 540-338-5600. info@hslda.org http://www.HSLDA.org

Online Learning

Online Schools — The best accredited online schools of 2016. A massive and very impressive collection of online educational sites! http://www.onlineschools.org/

Varsity Tutors — The site not only allows you to individualize test study by creating practice tests and flashcards, it also allows you to monitor student progress. There is another resource within this group of tools: links to online tutors who live in your local area, including their credentials and academic degrees. The practice tests and flashcards are free, but the tutoring fees are available by clicking an info link and setting up an account. http://www.varsitytutors.com/classroom-assessment#

Publishers

Academic Therapy — 20 Commercial Boulevard, Novato CA 94949-6191. Great collection of materials for special students working below reading grade level Free resources for parents, and visual tracking practice books available. http://www.academictherapy.com

Educator’s Publishing Service — 75 Moulton Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138-1104; 800-225-5750. http://www.epsbooks.com

GlobeFearon / Pacemaker — Normally available through schools, but possibly available through bookstores or “umbrella” schools. Alternatives to regular academic texts that cover basics of upper grade subjects with lower readability and clean, user-friendly layout.

Lingui-Systerms, Inc. — 3100 4th Ave., East Moline, IL. 61244-9700. 800-776-4332. TDD: 800-933-8331. service@linguisystems. The “Exclusively LD” catalog is loaded with good activities, learning games, and informative books suitable for LD, Autism, pervasive developmental disorders, language and auditory processing delays, and much more. Background information books are sold covering a wide range of syndromes and disabilities.

Remedia Publications — 15887 N. 76th St. #120, Scottsdale, AZ. 800-826-4740. Superb collection of teacher-made materials for students at level of basic skills. Many materials don’t look too immature and thus are suitable for older students.

Steck-Vaughn Publishers — Great publisher for high-interest, lower reading vocabulary materials in the basic skills. Good workbooks and specific skill materials at reasonable costs. http://www.steck-vaughn.com customer service: mrivas@steckvaughn.com

Software for Teaching

http://www.fun.com/fun-brain-games-for-kids.html A collection of fun resources that make learning fun. Collected by students themselves as part of an education project. Focus is on teaching children to be good “Digital Citizens”. Thanks to the teacher V.S. for sharing!

http://www.AttainmentFamily.com — AttainmentFamily provides products for families supporting children and adults with special needs. Software and other digital products are licensed for use by single families. Literacy, language and reading activities, talking software, communication tools, social skills.

http://www.meritsoftware.com — Merit Software products provide individualized instructional programs for students, including several special needs products. They are available for schools or home use, and are priced accordingly. Home Editions can be purchased that permit use for two students. The writing software, especially “Paragraph Punch,” is motivating and encourages struggling writers. Ideally suited for low level readers and students with weak writing skills. Each program teaches and reinforces a limited number of skills, and provides rewards and corrective feedback so students understand the reasons for each correct choice. Best of all, programs feature a read-aloud feature that will read stories and questions aloud for the student who requires that level of extra support.

https://www.schoolhousetech.com — The Schoolhouse Tech company produces software to create customized math, vocabulary, maps, and more that can be downloaded and tried for free in a “light” format. Fuller versions can be purchased at a reasonable cost. Worksheets produced can be customized for larger font, colors, and other qualities that render them highly suitable for special needs learners. Answer keys can be printed along with worksheets. A wonderful source of review and practice for all learners.

Color Phonics — Eve Engelbrite Education. 1996. Available new through Alpha-Omega Publications, 300 N. Mckeny Ave, Chandler, AZ 852266-2618 and through http://www.Amazon.com. Current research led to this program, incorporating sound awareness and multi-sensory approaches. Motivation for learners up through grade six. Five CD’s track student progress, review content answered incorrectly, and print out progress charts. A very effective program with a good teacher center for tracking progress. Priced very reasonably. First CD may require parental assistance to explain some unusual vocabulary choices that illustrate new sounds.

Ultimate Phonics Reading Program: Words and Sentences — Spencer Learning, San Diego, CA. 2000. http://www.spencerlearning.com. This program is short on cute games or distracting graphics. It is exactly what it calls itself. A systematic introduction to the sounds of the written language taught in words that are phonetically consistent and then used in sentences. The child listens to the carefully pronounced sounds and then repeats what is heard. Great initial teaching or reinforcement.

Websites, General Educational

http://www.ozline.com — News-oriented website concerning web-based educational resources.

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn — Online library of internet sites categorized by subject, grade level, and format (tools, references, lessons, hotlists, resources, tutorials, activities, projects). You can search by grade level, broad subject area, or specific sub-categories.

Education in the Media

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/education/index.html — Articles from the New York Times on education topics are available free with this link. You may need to register to get regular access.

http://www.att.com/learningnetwork/ — As might be expected from AT&T, this site is strong on use of educational technology, including a virtual academy.

Educating Young Children

http://www.ozline.com — News-oriented website concerning web-based educational resources.

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn — “Online library of internet sites categorized by subject, grade level, and format (tools, references, lessons, hotlists, resources, tutorials, activities, projects). You can search by grade level, broad subject area, or specific sub-categories.”

http://westcler.org/wv/geigerj/ — On this rather cute site, a young child will find many activities that foster learning the alphabet letters. I include it just because of its special appeal. There are printable pages, songs associated with each letter and many ways to teach each one. It might be appropriate for older students (maybe age 10) who need more reinforcement to learn their letters with an infinitely patient tutor.

Math

http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/technology/babbitt_math_tips.html — “Tips to guide teachers and parents in selecting instructional math software. The focus here is on instructional software such as concept development, drill and practice, tutorial and simulation software rather than tool software such as spreadsheets or graphing software.”

http://www.mathfactcafe.com — Free printable math fact sheets for drill and practice are available at this site.

http://math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org/article_directory/Academic_Tests.html — Math and Reading Help for Kids is a directory of articles offering tips for homework help, improving test scores, developing positive study habits, and more.

http://www.k111.k12.il.us/departments/instructionalprograms/internetresources/math.aspx — This is a website managed by King Middle School (grades 4-6) with a multitude of on-line math activities you can have your child do or print them out for later use. In my years of teaching special needs students, I have frequently found that a reluctant learner can be more motivated to work simply by providing the assignments on a computer screen. This is a helpful site for that purpose.

Reading

http://www.middleweb.com/Reading.html#anchor5517892 — This link will take you to a sub-page of a council of folks seeking school reform. As a part of their program, they are making available a very important report on the national state of reading in our nation. While the statistics may not grab your attention, there is some very important information about phonics and “whole language” curricula that educators for all early readers should understand.

Testing Accommodations

The following are links to sites about making adaptations and accommodations for testing. The links are to national test publishers and should prove very helpful.

http://www.ldonline.org/article.php?id=0&loc=94— Here is a powerful library of ideas for teaching from LDOnline’s library of documents.

http://schwablearning.org/articles.asp?r=524&g=1

http://www.act.org/aap/disab/policy.html

http://www.ets.org/disabilities/— Resources for test takers with disabilities and health-related needs.

http://www.bjup.com/services/testing — A link for Bob Jones University testing services. A very helpful page with information that will help parents understand the terms used in test reports on their children. The site also provides useful suggestions for addressing skills found to be below average, with specific ideas for remedial actions.