A Quick Access to Special Education

By

Ronald Hoyte

The White Paper

For EDU 560

It is an unfortunate occurrence, but some children do experience difficulty with learning. When this happens it becomes necessary for parents and teachers to interact with special education. This site is meant to be a reference for parents and teachers for all matters concerning special education. It is my hope that this site will provide you with quick access to information and answers to your questions.

Federal law guarantees that all children are entitled to a free, appropriate public education in surroundings as close to that of a standard classroom as possible. Though the law may provide for this it is up to parents, teachers and other professionals to make sure that this is indeed the case. The starting place is the law, the actual federal regulations that addresses education for the exceptional student. Individuals With Disabilities Educational Act or IDEA is the legislation that provides for this. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) is where you’ll find “A Guide to the Individualized Education Program” which explains IDEA in great detail. This is a site produced by the federal government, and therefore, provides the governments take on the special education process.

The federal government gives the states some leeway in the interpretation of

special education regulations. Thus one needs access to state resources to

determine how these laws are interpreted on a local level. The National

Information Center for Children and youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) is such

a resource. The State Resource Sheet provides access to resources and

services in all 50 states. Your local school system is required to conform to

whatever laws your state has set. NICHCY also operates a database with contributions

from over 1,000 organizations with information on a wide range of topics dealing with special education issues.

Moving away from government resources there is information that exist that is more user friendly. Again it is important that both parents and teachers understand both the special education process and special education services. Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education provides a way for testing your special education knowledge.

Myth Vs Fact the truth about special education is a site designed especially for parents. This site answers such questions as, is special education just a watered down regular education curriculum, does having a learning disability mean that my child can’t learn, and more. There is also section on special education law and written in language that is easy to understand. This section explores such topics as due process and who pays the legal bill. Last the section on coming to terms with your child’s disability provides support for parents of children with disabilities.

The Special education resources for K-12 and About The Human Internet (Special Education) provide a link to information on a variety of topics from learning disabilities to other physical disabilities. Some of the topics covered here include Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), blind resources, deaf and hearing impaired, along with learning disabilities. There is also information on inclusion and legal issues. It is my hope that those accessing this site will find the information contained here useful.