Parent Resources
The following are some recommended web sites and resources.
Additional Referrals and LD Resources
Parent Education Network (PEN), PEN Speaker Series/Events 09-10
School Uniform Policy 2009-2010
Dyslexia-specific
Dyslexia: The Gift: Explores the positive talents that accompany dyslexia and shares knowledge about the best ways for dyslexic people to learn (www.dyslexia.com).
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA): A non-profit dedicated to helping individuals with dyslexia, their families, and the their communities (www.interdys.org).
The British Dyslexia Association: Offers advice, information and help to families, professionals and dyslexic individuals. Goal is to raise awareness and understanding of dyslexia, and to effect change (www.bdadyslexia.org.uk).
Other Learning Differences and Learning Differences in general
Schwab Foundation for Learning: Schwab Learning is a program of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation. It's dedicated to helping kids with learning differences to be successful (www.schwablearning.org).
The Levinson Medical Center for Learning Disabilities: Formerly DyslexiaOnline, this site is dedicated to resolving the traditional misconceptions of dyslexia and related attention deficit and anxiety disorders (www.dyslexiaonline.com/home.html).
Attention Deficit Disorder Association: Provides information, resources and networking opportunities to help adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder lead better lives. Also for parents of children with ADD (www.add.org).
All Kinds of Minds: Provides programs, tools and a common language for parents, educators, and clinicians to help students with learning differences achieve success in the classroom and in life (www.allkindsofminds.org).
Ed. Therapy: A resource for anyone involved with educational planning for students with and without learning disabilities (edtherapy.com).
Learning Disabilities Association of California (Kidsource): In-depth and timely education and healthcare information that will help make a difference (www.kidsource.com/LDA-CA).
National Center for Learning Disabilities: Strives to be an effective, easy-to-use resource for people seeking authoritative information about learning disabilities (www.ncld.org).
National Coalition on Auditory Processing Disorders (NCAPD): Assists families and individuals affected by auditory processing disorders through education, support and public awareness (www.ncapd.org).
LD Pride Online: If you have a reading disability, you can take a free Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligence Test. Inspired by Deaf Pride, this site has been developed as an interactive community resource for adults with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder
(www.ldpride.net).
Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA): Advances the education and general welfare of children and adults of normal or potentially normal intelligence who have disabilities of a perceptual, conceptual or coordinative nature (www.idanatl.org ).
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities: Provides information on disabilities in children and youth; 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 (www.nichcy.org).
NLDline: Nonverbal Learning Disability website with resources for parents and educators.( www.nldline.com).
NLD on the web: A series of articles describing the Nonverbal Learning Disability syndrome, grouped by level of reading difficulty (www.nldontheweb.org/about_nld.htm).
Nonverbal Learning Disorders Association (NLDA): An international non-profit corporation committed to facilitating education, research and advocacy for children and adults with nonverbal learning disorders (www.nlda.org).
Apraxia-kids: For parents or teachers of children recently diagnosed with apraxia or dyspraxia of speech, or for speech language pathologists who want to learn more about these conditions (www.apraxia-kids.org).
LD Online: Information about learning disabilities for parents, teachers and other professionals (www.ldonline.org).
Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation: The story of Bill Cosby's son Ennis, about the foundation established in his memory, and about learning and learning differences (www.hellofriend.org).
Parenting
Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center: Offers emotional support to parents, information on many topics about disabilities and related areas, referrals to appropriate services and training workshops to provide parents with the skills they need to build confidence and effectiveness in guiding their children (www.matrixparents.org).
Parent Soup: This site from iVillage has information on parenting at all levels of a child's development (www.parentsoup.com).
Parents helping parents:Devoted to meeting children's special needs through parents helping parents. A family resource center run for and by parents of children with special needs (www.php.com ).
ProActive Parent: Works to meet parents' and children's needs for reading education and other parenting resources. Offers links to many types of parenting resources(www.proactiveparent.com ).
The Children's Health Council: For parents concerned with children slow to develop language skills, displaying unusual emotions or behavior, having difficulties with stress and coping, and more (www.chconline.org).
General Reference Sites
Educator's reference desk: Offers education information through online lesson plans, a resource collection, a questions archive, and the ERIC database -- the world's largest source of education information (eduref.org).
Blue Web'n: An online library of outstanding Internet sites categorized by subject, grade level and format. Search by grade level, broad subject area, or specific sub-categories. Each week five new sites are added (www.bluewebn.com/wired/bluewebn).
Peterson's Guide to Private Schools: 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 (www.petersons.com/pschools ).
U.S. Department of Education: Offers hundreds of publications annually, administers programs and initiatives, and underwrites education research (www.ed.gov).
California Department of Education, Special Education Division: Provides assistance, oversight and resources (www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se).
Governmental information GPO access: A service of the U.S. Government Printing Office providing free electronic access to important informational products produced by the government (www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html).
National Center on Adult Literacy: A gateway to electronic resources and tools for the national and international adult literacy communities. Part of the U. of Pennsylvania School of Education (literacy.org/ncal.html ).
School Psychology Resources Online: Information about learning disabilities, ADHD, functional behavioral assessment, autism, adolescence, parenting, psychological assessment, special ed, mental retardation, mental health, and more (www.schoolpsychology.net ).
Literacy and Reading
Reading rockets: A national multimedia project teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle. Features children's book authors and reading experts(www.readingrockets.org).
Online children's bookstore: Hicklebee's is an award-winning bookstore known for its professional staff specializing in books for children and teens. Located in the Willow Glen section of San Jose (www.hicklebees.com/wtc.html).
IRA. The International Reading Association. www.reading.org
Recording for the blind and dyslexic: The nation's educational library for people who can't effectively read standard print because of visual impairment, dyslexia or other physical disability (www.rfbd.org).
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS): Administers a free library program of braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the U.S. by postage-free mail (www.lcweb.loc.gov/nls ).
Brain Functions
Brain connection. Provides high-quality information about how the brain works and how people learn (www.brainconnection.com).
Brain research: Practical classroom applications of current brain research (www.brains.org ).