How to Find the Latest Research on Dyslexia

If your child is diagnosed with the reading disability called dyslexia you'll have lots of questions. What is it? What can you do to help your child succeed in school? What are your rights as a parent? There are plenty of techniques and research on how to deal with and overcome dyslexia. Now, where do you start?

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Local Phone Books
• Telephones
• Internet Access

1. Call your local school board. Chances are there is a learning disabilities department that deals with all of the special needs students in your school district. The department will also be able to provide you with numbers and addresses of agencies to provide you with more information on dyslexia and other reading disabilities.
2. Go to the library. Ask the librarian to help you research dyslexia on the library's central computer system. Be sure to check the date of the materials you find; some information may be outdated and not appropriate to your needs.
3. Log on. Do an Internet search. Simply type "dyslexia" or "reading disability" in the keyword search window and a whole host of sites will pull up. You will find sites with definitions, legal implications, and teaching and parenting ideas. You'll also find chat rooms where you can talk to other parents with your same concerns or ask questions of experts.
4. Research national organizations focusing specifically on the needs of students with reading disabilities, like the Internation Dyslexia Association (interdys.org). Some of the groups have enormous resources; their Web sites will have helpful links and information about federal studies.
5. Talk to your child's teacher. If your child is placed in a special education class, the teacher should have resources for you to use or be able to direct you in the right direction. If your child's teacher does not have information for you, request it as soon as possible. Make sure the person who is teaching your child is qualified to teach students with dyslexia.

Tips & Warnings

• Call the U.S. Department of Education at (800) USA-LEARN for information about recent federal studies.
• Ask your school board for information on parent support groups you can attend.
• Find information on how to effectively parent your learning disabled child if you experience extreme frustration dealing with him or her.