Web ResourcesGeneral Special Education Resources:1) Federal Disability Web site A new Web site -- generated by the Bush administration -- which serves as a "one-stop source of government information relevant to people with disabilities," including information from several federal departments regarding housing, education, employment and transportation. 2) Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Provides current rules and regulations regarding special education in Illinois. Also includes links to special education statutes and the Illinois School Code, and other various resources for parents and educators. 3) National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities Provides national resources on disabilities and disability-related issues, including fact sheets on specific disabilities, referrals to disability organizations and links to other special education resource sites. Federal and State Special Education Legislation:1) Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) Lists current pending special education legislation in the Illinois house and senate. This also has links to the IASB newsletter, general special education publications and various other governmental relations and special education resources. 2) State of Illinois General Assembly Has search engine of any currently pending house or senate bill and resolution. This resource allows you to also review: house and senate sponsors, bill summary, full text of bill, any proposed changes to the bill and bill status. 3) Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) Includes information about OSERS and federal special education law. Provides a link to the 1997 IDEA regulations. Special Education Law Resources:1) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act The I.D.E.A. is the federal law that governs special education law in the U.S. This law allows for individual states to offer greater, but not lesser protections for qualified disabled individuals. I.D.E.A. remains the fundamental basis for special education law in all fifty states. 2) Illinois special education statute (school code) The state laws that implement I.D.E.A. and govern special education procedures in Illinois. These statutes are further delineated in Illinois' special education rules and regulations (see below). 3) Illinois special education rules and regulations Title 23, Part 226 of the Illinois Administrative Code further regulates and explains the duties and responsibilities of both parents and school districts in regards to special education children in Illinois. Information included in these regulations include: mandates for case study evaluations, mandates for IEP procedures, responsibilities of districts for children in private schools and regulations for due process. 4) Illinois Due Process Hearing Decisions Includes summaries of all Illinois due process hearing decisions rendered from July 1997 - present. To receive unabridged, redacted copies of specific hearing decisions, contact Bobbie Reguly in the Special Education Compliance Division of the Illinois State Board of Education at (217) 782-5589. 5) Edlaw, Inc. Includes a listing of special education attorneys and advocates throughout the country, as well as "briefing papers" on various topics. 6) Wrightslaw This is an excellent resource, especially for parents. Includes links to publications and current bulletins regarding lawsuits affecting special education, and the Wrights' book, From Emotions to Advocacy, is particularly helpful and is well worth the purchase price. Private and Public School ResourcesThis database includes all Illinois State Board of Education approved private special education facilities. These schools are sortable by: special education disability, day/residential, age and area. Information for each school includes school name, address, phone numbers, director, program categories and cost. 2) Illinois Local Education Agency Retrieval Network This database includes information for all school districts located within Illinois. Sortable by name, number or area, the information included for each district includes: district name, address, phone numbers, superintendent, revenues, expenditures, cost per student and tax information. 3) ISBE Special Education Profiles This Web site lists specific special education information about each school district located within Illinois, including the total number of special education children within the district, the number of children in each special education category, the percentage of special education children within each placement on the continuum, etc. This database includes information for all school districts located within Illinois and around the country. Sortable by name, city or county, the information included for each district includes: district name, address, phone numbers, student/staff ratios, and specific school contact information. Disability ResourcesGeneral 1) Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice 2) K-12 Academics Autism 3) Asperger Syndrome Resources Learning Disabilities 1) National Center for Learning Disabilities 2) LD Online 3) Learning Disabilities Association of America Emotional and Behavior Disorders 1) Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation 2)Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders 4) Disruptive Behavior Disorders Traumatic Brain Injury 1) Brain Injury Association, Inc. 2) Traumatic Brain Injury Manual Speech Language Disorder 1) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2) Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association Developmental Delay 1) Development Delay Resources 2) National Institute on Developmental Delays Medical Disabilities Bullying Resources Web sites: 1) Citizens against Bullying Association of Northern Alberta 3) Coalition for Children, Inc. 4) Educator's Guide to Bullying 5) Illinois Center for Violence Prevention 6) KidPower Teenpower Fullpower International 8) Maternal and Child Health Bureau 9) Mental Health Association of Illinois 10) National Youth Violence Prevention 11) New York Times article on Student Violence in America's Schools 14) The Newest Breed of Bully: The Cyberbully Research: This Western Pennsylvania District Court case also finds in favor of the school district and denies the Parents claim that the school district failed to protect their student from harassment by other children. The court finds that since the harassment was "not done by state actors" (a.k.a. school district employees), then the district is not liable for the psychological damages caused by the harassment. LegalBusiness and FinanceGovernmentGeneralNewsSearch Engines |
