Links

NOTE:  Many of these links are to documents in PDF format.  A free reader program can be downloaded from Adobe Systems. Information on the accessibility options for this program is available on their website.

REGIONAL/NEW YORK STATE RESOURCES

  • Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabiliation (ACCES-VR) (formerly VESID)--Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation ACCES-VR) offers access to a full range of employment and independent living services that may be needed by persons with disabilities through their lives.
  • Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in New York State--BOCES provides shared educational programs and services to school districts within New York State. BOCES partner with districts to provide a broad range of services that help meet the evolving educational needs of students.
  • Brain Injury Association of NYS--The Brain Injury Association of New York State provides support and services to brain injury survivors and their families and an array of resources and publications and publications, support groups, and so much more.
  • CNY ASA--The CNY ASA is committed to assisting families affected by autism, reaching out to the community to promote awareness, disseminate information and provide educational and recreational programming. The CNY ASA seeks to combine efforts with complementary organizations to positively impact the lives of individuals living with an autism spectrum disorder.
  • Down Syndrome Association of Central New York--The Down Syndrome Association of Central New York, Inc. is a group of parents, family, and friends of individuals with Down syndrome located in and around Syracuse, New York. Their membership extends into the surrounding counties such as Madison, Cortland, Cayuga, Oswego and Oneida. Their purpose is to support one another in the challenges faced; to educate the community both in its knowledge and perception of Down syndrome; to advocate for children and to be available to other parents.
  • Mid-State Early Childhood Direction Center--The Mid-State Early Childhood Direction Center (ECDC) provides information, referral and support to families and professionals working with children, both typically developing and those with special education needs, ages birth through five.
  • New York ACTS--An Initiative for Adults and Children on the Spectrum. This website has been developed by the New York State Interagency Task Force on Autism, a partnership of 11 State agencies, as a way to bring reliable, current information to the public about autism and to assist New York's families to easily find State services for their loved ones with ASD.
  • New York State Department of Education--Website for the NYS Department of Education
  • The New York State Dispute Resolution Association--Information on the use of special education mediation in New York State.
  • New York State Department of Education, Office of Special Education--The Office of Special Education works to promote educational equity and excellence for students with disabilities through its roles and responsibilities to oversee the implementation of federal and State laws and policy for students with disabilities; provide general supervision and monitoring of all public and private schools serving New York State preschool and school-age students with disabilities; establish a broad network of technical assistance centers and providers to work directly with parents and school districts to provide current information and high quality professional development and technical assistance to improve results for students with disabilities;ensure a system of due process, including special education mediation and impartial hearings; and meet with stakeholders through the Commissioner's Advisory Panel for Special Education Services.
  • New York State Parent Teacher Association (NYS PTA)--Making every child's potential a reality by establishing the New York State Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc. (NYS PTA) as the premier organization for parent involvement and advocacy for all children.
  • NYS Office of Mental Health--NYS OMH provides a strategic framework for providing mental health care to New Yorkers that embraces transformation, recovery and resilience.

NATIONAL RESOURCES

  • The Alliance for Technology Access--The Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) is a growing national and international network of technology resource centers, community-based organizations, agencies, individuals, and companies. The mission of the ATA is to increase the use of technology by children and adults with disabilities and functional limitations. ATA encourages and facilitates the empowerment of people with disabilities to participate fully in their communities.
  • Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE)--CADRE, the National Center on Dispute Resolution, encourages the use of mediation and other collaborative strategies to resolve disagreements about special education and early intervention programs.
  • The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)--An international organization that is dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted.
  • Disability Rights, Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)--A national law and policy center dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities.
  • Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)--The ERIC Clearinghouse for Disabilities and Gifted Education (ERICEC) was disbanded by the US Government as of December 19, 2003. This is an archive of the material available on that site at that time created by Hoagies' Gifted Education Page for general use, updated with current links wherever possible.  Information gathered and disseminated professional literature, information, and resources on the education and development of individuals of all ages who have disabilities and/or who are gifted.
  • Family & Advocates Partnership for Education--The Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE) project is a partnership that aims to improve the educational outcomes for children with disabilities. It links families, advocates, and self-advocates to information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The project is designed to address the information needs of the 6 million families throughout the Country whose children with disabilities receive special education services.
  • The HEATH Resource Center--A national clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities.
  • LD Online--Learning Disabilities Information--LD OnLine is the leading website on learning disabilities, learning disorders and differences. Parents and teachers of learning disabled children will find authoritative guidance on attention deficit disorder, ADD / ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dysnomia, reading difficulties, speech and related disorders.
  • National Association for Gifted Children--The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is an organization of parents, teachers, educators, other professionals, and community leaders who unite to address the unique needs of children and youth with demonstrated gifts and talents as well as those children who may be able to develop their talent potential with appropriate educational experiences.
  • National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities--NICHCY provides information to the nation on disabilities in children and youth; programs and services for infants, children, and youth with disabilities; IDEA, the nation's special education law; No Child Left Behind, the nation's general education law; and research-based information on effective practices for children with disabilities.
  • National Down Syndrome Congress--The mission of the NDSC is to provide information, advocacy and support concerning all aspects of life for individuals with Down syndrome.
  • National Down Syndrome Society--The mission of the National Down Syndrome Society is to be the national advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. The National Down Syndrome Society envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations, and become valued members of welcoming communities.
  • Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)--Administering programs and projects relating to free appropriate public education of all children, youth and adults with disabilities, from birth through age 21.
  • OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports--The TA Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports has been established by the Office of Special Education Programs, US Department of Education to give schools capacity-building information and technical assistance for identifying, adapting, and sustaining effective school-wide disciplinary practices.
  • PACER Center--A nonprofit organization that provide workshops, individual assistance and disseminates materials to help parents become informed and effective representatives for their children with disabilities in early childhood, school-age and vocational settings. Excellent site for publications on support services.
  • Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic--RFB&D, a national nonprofit, volunteer organization, is the leading accessible audiobook library for students with disabilities such as visual impairment or dyslexia. With titles available in every subject area and grade level, RFB&D's digitally recorded audio textbooks help students challenged by the printed page.
  • Tourette Syndrome Plus--What started as a site for parents and educators on Tourette's Syndrome expanded over the years to include other conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, non-OCD anxiety disorders, Executive Dysfunction, depression, Bipolar Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, 'rage attacks' or 'storms,' sensory integration issues, and sleep disorders.
  • U.S. Office for Civil Rights (OCR)--The mission of the Office for Civil Rights is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights.
  • U.S. Dept of Education--Website for the U.S. Department of Education
  • Wrightslaw--This organization provides parents, educators, attorneys, and other helping professionals with the information they need to be effective advocates for special needs children. This site contains current articles, cases, and links relating to special education.

LAWS AND REGULATIONS--FEDERAL

LAWS AND REGULATIONS--STATE

PARENT GUIDES

  • Special Education in New York State for Children Ages 3-21 A Parent's Guide available as HTML or PDF (Please note: This document has not been revised to reflect the new requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as reauthorized in 2004. However the link to the Sample Request for Due Process Proceedings has been updated to the form effective July 1, 2005.) Spanish parents' guide: HTML or PDF
  • Educating our Children Together: A Sourcebook for Effective Family-School-Community Partnerships--This document provides practical information for parents and families, educators and administrators, and individuals involved in programs that support partnerships between families, schools and communities. It has been developed to support and promote creative solutions through the sharing of resources and information about family-school-community partnerships. PDF format.
  • Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Resource for School and Home--Defines Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), reviews legal requirements for identification of and educational services for children with ADHD, discusses treatment options and how ADHD may affect school performance and provides helpful tints and tips for both home and school.  PDF format.
  • No Child Left Behind: A Parent's Guide (available as HTML or PDF)--"This guide is meant to provide you with information about No Child Left Behind. It summarizes the main provisions of the law, answers common questions, and provides information on where you can find additional resources." Also available in Spanish (HTML or PDF)
  • SPECIAL EDUCATION IN PLAIN LANGUAGE 2011--A user friendly handbook on special education, law, policies and practices in NYS created and provided by the Special Education Task Force.  It provides information for parents and families about laws, regulations, and policies
    affecting special education programs and services.

STUDIES

  • The National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS)--NEILS is a longitudinal study that is following more than 3,338 children with disabilities or at risk for disabilities and their families through their experiences in early intervention and into early elementary school. The study will provide information about the characteristics of children and families, the services they receive, and the outcomes they experience.
  • The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2)--NLTS2 is a study begun in 2001 that is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Over the next several years, NLTS2 will document the experiences of a national sample of students as they move into adult roles. NLTS2 is focusing on a wide range of important topics, such as high school coursework, extracurricular activities, academic performance, postsecondary education and training, employment, independent living, and community participation.
  • The Special Elementary Educational Longitudinal Study (SEELS)--SEELS is a study of school-age students funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education and is part of the national assessment of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 97). From Year 2000 to 2006, SEELS is documenting the school experiences of a national sample of students as they move from elementary to middle school and from middle to high school.
 

Promoting meaningful parent involvement
in the education of children with disabilities.
The Mid-State Region Special Education Parent Center