Special Needs Resources

Like all children, children with special needs—whether their special needs are a result of developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, health conditions, or even giftedness—benefit from parent involvement in partnership with teachers, principals, and other school staff.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), provided groundbreaking protections for parents of children with disabilities, enabling them to be equal partners in the education of their children. Yet, more than 30 years later, parents of children with disabilities continue to face many barriers in accessing information and services for their children.

PTA recognizes that parents of children with special needs require some resources different from those used by parents of children without special learning needs. In an effort to assist parents of children with special needs, a growing number of Special Education PTAs (or SEPTAs) are being chartered in schools and school districts around the country. Parents of children with special needs are also engaging in existing PTAs and finding a place as a part of the total school community.

Learn how to get involved. Schools can’t do it alone and neither can parents. But together, everybody wins.

Special Needs Resources

Thanks to a number of organizations, both local and national, that are committed to supporting families of children with special needs, the journey is a little less confusing for parents, leading to better outcomes for their children. The following resources can assist parents of children with special needs in being involved in their children’s education:

Spanish to English Glossary for the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The right of parents to participate in educational decision-making regarding their child with a disability is an important underpinning of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). However, for many parents, lack of understanding of the education and legal terminology included in IDEA, may limit their ability to effectively accomplish this important role. This is an especially significant challenge for parents of children with disabilities who are not native English Speakers. The OSEP Spanish Glossary was developed by the Region 1 Parent Technical Assistance Center@SPAN to ensure that educational terms related to the implementation of IDEA used in documents to promote parents’ authentic participation are translated in a uniform and comprehensible way, across states, geographical regions and communities of Spanish speakers.

Council for Exceptional Children
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the educational success of individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. The target audience for this site is the education practitioner. However, the site also offers 1,000 articles that focus on the parent.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities is a major source of information on the following issues: disabilities in infants, toddlers, children, and youth; IDEA, which is the law funding special education; No Child Left Behind, as it relates to children with disabilities; and research-based information on effective educational practices. These resources have been developed for use by families, educators, administrators, and students. The site also provides state-specific information.

Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights
PACER (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) Center was created by parents of children and youth with disabilities to help other parents and families facing similar challenges. PACER is staffed primarily by parents of children with disabilities and works in coalition with 18 disability organizations.

U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education provides a list of resources on disability issues that are of interest to parents.

Gifted and Talented Resources

U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education provides a list of resources on gifted education for parents.

National Society for the Gifted & Talented
The National Society for the Gifted & Talented (NSGT) provides information on resources that support gifted and talented children and youth.

National Association for Gifted Children
The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is a membership organization that invests its resources to encourage parents, train teachers, and educate administrators and policy makers on how to develop and support gifted children and on what’s at stake if high-potential learners are not challenged and encouraged.