LibGuides: Special Education: Online Resources

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Online Resources

There's a wealth of information available for many different fields within Special Education. Check out this variety of resources below!

General Special Education Resources

See below for several resources that are helpful in classroom planning, information for parents and educators, and other helpful items.

All About Learning Disabilities and ADHD This national education service, in partnership with PBS in Washington, D.C., offers informational pages for several different topics relating to special education and learning disabilities.
CSEFEL "The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5. "
Do2Learn Started from a NIH funding grant in 1996, Do2Learn is a website established by teachers to support teachers of students with disabilities. This site offers several definition and disability resources as well as strategies for in the classroom.
Iris Center Vanderbilt University's Iris Center lists resources about topics such as accommodations, learning strategies and transition.
Lesson Plans This website links to a variety of sites that have lesson plans in special education.
NASET Resources from the National Association of Special Education Teachers
PBIS World Resources to guide implementation of PBIS.
TeacherVision - Special Education TeacherVision is a library of over 22,000 K-12 resources by teachers, for teachers. Their Special Education resources offer information on topics like IEPs, inclusivity, curriculum support, and more.

Evaluation and Assessment

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), before a student is eligible for special education services, they must be evaluated for disability eligibility. See the resources below to learn more about this process.

NASET - Introduction to Assessment NASET has outlined some introductory information relating to assessment, including legal definitions and their importance.
Parent Center Hub - Evaluating for Disability The Center of Parent Information & Resources offers a very in-depth look at the disability evaluation process for school-aged children.
The Roles and Responsibilities of the Special Educator - Assessment This chapter (part of an open textbook written and made available by Paula Lombardi) outlines the steps of assessment and how an educator's responsibility is intertwined in the evaluation process.

Individual Education Programs (IEP)

The following resources offer help for educators and parents relating to obtaining and preparing for an IEP.

NASET - IEP Development NASET outlines specifically how special educators can develop outcomes for a student's IEP as well as how to implement those outcomes through activity in the classroom.
Parent Center Hub - Developing an IEP Marketed to parents (via the Center for Parent Information & Resources), this site outlines several key elements of the IEP, the IEP meeting, and the documentation to help demystify any professional jargon.
TeacherVision - Special Education TeacherVision is a library of education resources by teachers, for teachers. Their list of IEP resources outline information on what's included in the IEP, how to prepare for the IEP meeting, who's involved in the process, and specific resources for individuals with ADHD.
U.S. Department of Education - Guide to IEP The DOE created this guidance for educators to be aware of how to develop an IEP step-by-step, and all of the necessary components.

Transition Planning

While a large focus of special education is on ensuring students are able to continue and excel in their program, there also need to be proper measures to transitioning those students out of education and into adulthood. See the resources below for relevant information on transition planning.

Disability Rights PA - Transition to Adulthood This informational guide is for families and individuals with disabilities to help familiarize with the necessary steps for transitioning out of school.
NASET - Transition Services NASET outlines several resources for parents and educators to prepare for students transitioning into adulthood.
Parent Center Hub - Transition Planning Provided through the Center for Parent Information & Resources, this helpful guide defines transition services and aligns definitions with the IDEA.

U.S. Government Entities

The two offices listed below offer resources relating to special education and oversee the provision of special education supports.

Laws and Current Legislation

See below for information relating to the major laws encompassing Special Education.

Americans with Disabilities Act
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
NASET - Special Education and the Law This website breaks down several of the laws relating to Special Education as well as other government resources and example court cases on this topic.
National Education Association - Current Special Education Bills See the NEA's website to keep updated on current bills in Congress. This link specifically outlines Special Education legislation, but you can also select other topics of interest.