Special Education

Enjoy the collated resources in this Special Education. If you have suggestions, please submit suggestions using the form on the left.

  • Sanctuary Mental Health & Wellness has written one of the most comprehensive ADHD guides on the web today. This guide offers an abundance of information and resources for people affected by ADHD. This guide features:
     
    • Educational Materials
    • Skill-Building Strategies
    • Support Groups and Communities

Access:  ADHD Guide by Sanctuary Mental Health and Wellness

Through the years, ASK has taken on new community partners, projects and challenges. They continue to build on their early vision of being a one-stop-shop to provide information and resources to individuals with disabilities and their families.

Access: ASK Resource Center

 

This site at the Iowa Department of Education provides information on appropriate accommodations and the Iowa Alternate Assessment available to 1% of a district's special education population.

Access: Assessment and Testing

In this guide, you will find:

  • Job-Search 101 - All You Need to Know
  • Know Your Rights - All You Need to Know About ADA
  • 73+ Careers for People With Disabilities
  • Top 9 Job Sites for People With Disabilities
  • FAQ - Everything You Need to Know
  • Other Resources

Access:  Career Guide for People with Disabilities

This site provides multiple resources on special education.

Access: Cybrary Man's Page on Special Education

Check out these resources to help students with speech, interaction, participation, and communication, making for more integrated classrooms and innovative therapies that help these students learn.

Access: Digital Resources for Autism

Here are some great sites addressing dyslexia:

Dyslexia - Understood.org - "Do Dyslexia Fonts Help?"

Dyslexia - Gaab Lab - "Addressing Dyslexia Myths"

Dyslexia - University of Florida Literacy Institute- "Dyslexia Hub"

Dyslexia - Decoding Dyslexia Iowa

Each and Every Child newsletters were published monthly by the Iowa Department of Education and are archived at the State Library of Iowa. Search for Each and Every Child.

Access: Each and Every Child - State Library of Iowa

Resources for students with disabilities.

Access: EduBirdie

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can face many challenges. Among them is getting into a calm state so they can sleep and enjoy the proper amount of rest each night. Finding the right way to help them unwind and keep an appropriate schedule may be difficult, but it is vital for the child’s overall health.

This article offers some tips for parents and loved ones who want to help their children reduce frustrating experiences with sleep.

Access:  Establishing a Bedtime Routine for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Access: Family and Educator Partnerships (formerly Parent-Educator Connection)

This is an overview article on how modern assistive technologies can help students with learning disabilities in the educational process.

Access: The Future Is Here: Assistive Technology for Learning Disabilities

This is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation.

  • Part B of IDEA:  Children and youth (ages 3-21) receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.
  • Part C of IDEA:  Infants and toddlers with disabilities (birth-2) and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C.

Access: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

In Iowa, the Department of Education, Area Education Agencies, and local school districts partner and collaborate to ensure quality special education and early intervention services are provided to all eligible individuals, birth to 21, as outlined in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Special education and early intervention services, supports, and activities are provided at no cost to parents.

Access: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - Iowa Information

 

The i3 website is a one-stop-shop for procedures, guidance and resources on early intervention and special education for parents, families and educators.

Access:  Iowa IDEA Information (i3)

The Learning Disabilities Association of America believes that every person with learning disabilities can succeed in school, at work, in relationships, and within the community when provided the right supports and the right opportunities.

Access: Learning Disabilities Association of America

LD OnLine seeks to help children and adults reach their full potential by providing accurate and up-to-date information and advice about learning disabilities and ADHD. The site features hundreds of helpful articles, multimedia, monthly columns by noted experts, first person essays, children’s writing and artwork, a comprehensive resource guide, very active forums, and a Yellow Pages referral directory of professionals, schools, and products.

Access: Learning Disabilities OnLine

A place where parents of children in special education can find everything they need to know to be their child's best advocate.

Access: National Association of Parents with Children in Special Education

This is the only national membership organization dedicated solely to meeting the needs of special education teachers and those preparing for the field of special education teaching.

Access: National Association of Special Education Teachers

 

The mission of NCLD is to improve the lives of the one in five children and adults nationwide with learning and attention issues—by empowering parents and young adults, transforming schools and advocating for equal rights and opportunities.

Access:  National Center for Learning Disabilities

The guide provides a detailed walkthrough of discounts and special offers for those with disabilities. This guides offers "a ton of information on the different discount programs available to these individuals." (Kendra Healy)

Access:  Retail Savings Guide for People with Disabilities 

The DE provides special education information and resources around assessment, dispute resolution, individual Educational Program (IEP),  parent information, and state guidance and support for all children and youth.

Access:  Special Education – Iowa Department of Education

Study.com strives to promote inclusive learning for all students in their educational journeys. That's why they've recently developed several comprehensive guides to help provide resources to college students with disabilities. The following guides can help students with different types of disabilities research and understand the tools and resources available to them as they venture toward their academic goals.

For parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making sure they’re taking medication that keeps them healthy can be an especially difficult task. This guide will explain why children with aut

Access:  Teaching Kids with Autism to Take Medication

This site provides a succinct summary of frequently asked questions about special education. 

Access:  Teaching Strategies and Definitions - Frequently Asked Questions

Caregivers often bear the responsibility of providing transportation, with over 40 percent of older and disabled adults relying on family, friends, or neighbors for rides. A 2021 survey by the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC), administered by USAging and Easterseals, found that around three-quarters of caregivers list providing or arranging transport as one of their primary duties.

According to USAging, the national association for Area Agencies on Aging, approximately 600,000 older adults give up driving each year. This transition can create challenges for aging or ill loved ones, making it harder for them to attend medical appointments, shop for necessities, visit family, or participate in social events. Consequently, this increased isolation negatively impacts their health and well-being.

To address these challenges, it’s important to explore alternative transportation options. While available services vary by location, several programs and services are generally accessible across the country to help older and disabled individuals maintain their independence and social connections.

Access:  Transportation Resource Guide for Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities

This site provides a breakdown of the travel process including packing, pre-trip advice, and tips for the plane/car. It also includes a list of the most common obstacles families with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) face on trips.

Access:  Traveling with Children with Autism

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This page was last updated: 6/24/24