Equity part of the Education Reform Network

Special Needs: SPED and Gifted and Talented

• Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
  CAST is a not-for-profit organization that uses technology to expand opportunities for all people, especially those with disabilities. Information about universal design and accessible curriculum.
• Center for Gifted Education Policy
  The Center for Gifted Education Policy is run by the American Psychological Association and conducts research and advocacy work to inform educational policy on Gifted and Talented youth. They also have a newsletter, a journal, and a listserv.
• Center for Talented Youth at John Hopkins University
  The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY) provides challenging educational programs for students scoring at 97% or above on national standardized tests. They also provide distance learning opportunities and conferences.
• Center of Minority Research in Special Education (COMRISE)
  COMRISE helps researchers from historically Black colleges and universities and other minority institutions of higher education focus on minority issues in Special Education. A free newsletter is available.
• Circle of Inclusion
  For families and early childhood educators with a great deal of information about effective and best practices of inclusion and accommodations for special needs children. Includes free materials to download and links to other resources.
• COMRISE: Center of Minority Research in Special Education
  COMRISE is designed to enhance the capacity of researchers in special education from historically Black colleges and universities and other minority institutions of higher education to build and pursue research agendas focused on minority issues in special education.
• Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders
  The Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders, the premiere organization to assist children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, has back issues of its journal, "Beyond Behavior", available free on its site at http://www.ccbd.net/beyondbehavior/.
• Department of Justice ADA Home Page
  The ADA Home Page provides access to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for businesses and governments, technical assistance materials, ADA Standards for Accessible Design, updates on new requirements, information about settlement agreements and enforcement activities and access to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) ADA material.
• IDEA Practices
  IDEA Practices is recommended by Special Education experts as a wealth of resources to help researchers and practitioners keep up-to-date with the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Of particularly usefulness is the ?IDEAS That Work? section that includes best practices for providing children with Special Needs access to the regular curriculum.
• Learning Disabilities Online
  Leading site recommended by experts for educators and parents on learning disabilities. One may ask questions about learning disabilities through the site and get an answer electronically from an LD expert.
• National Association for Gifted Children
  NAGC is an organization of parents, teachers, educators, community leaders and others who are concerned with providing the best educational and life experiences for children who are identified as Gifted and Talented. They have added a useful feature to their site: a "Parent Resource Specialist_ who will respond electronically to your questions and concerns about providing appropriate services to Gifted and Talented children.
• National Research Center on Gifted and Talented
  The National Research Center on Gifted and Talented, run by noted expert and author Joseph Renzulli (see his book on ?curriculum compacting,? among others) has a huge number of links and resources, including their newsletter. The ?Big Red Notebook? is a compilation of resource material on the full-range of issues for Gifted and Talented education and is available as a free download from the site.
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
  Part of the OSEP Technical Assistance Center is the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program. PBIS provides free resources, including a newsletter, to schools and individuals interested in best practices of school-wide discipline programs.
• The Association for the Severely Handicapped
  TASH is an international association of people with disabilities, their family members, other advocates, and professionals fighting for a society in which inclusion of all people in all aspects of society is the norm.? This site was recommended by Special Education experts for its Methods and Practices section. Information is available on its provocative newsletter, Connections, that consistently challenges any hesitancy about the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the classroom and in the greater society.
• Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative
  The Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative is a network of special education leaders from urban school districts. The site lists resources, conferences, newsletters, professional development training, and publications.