How to Find Special Education Resources

If you have a child in special education, you already know how confusing it can be to sit in an Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting. Teachers and administrators often use foreign acronyms like BIP and LRE, when they speak. Furthermore, your child's test scores may be explained to you under the assumption that you have a master's degree in statistics and measurement. Therefore, you have to educate yourself about the process, which means you must seek out special education resources to help make the process more clear.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Contact the special education department in your child's school district and ask if they have any resources for parents. Some school districts maintain pamphlets for parents. The special education department may also be able to guide you to state and local resources.
2. Go to the website for the Department of Education. Click on "Parents." Then click on "My Child's Special Needs." Lastly, click on "Disability." From here you will find a wealth of resources on special education.
3. Check out the Wrightslaw website. This website is parent oriented, but is also used by professionals in special education. You will find information about special education law. They even post training sessions for parents around the country.
4. Talk to other parents with children in special education. You may even be able to form a study group or research group, to help educate each other about special education.
5. Contact a special education advocate. Advocates are generally familiar with the laws and terminology. While an advocate may charge for their time, it may be well worth your money if you need some assistance.
6. Go to your local university's special education department. Professors in the field of special education may be able to provide you with a list of resources or assist you with questions.