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Teaching Resources :
Special Education

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Reminder :
Many sites are not Australian. Therefore, scrutinise carefully to be certain they are of value in your Australian setting.

Because of diversity in special education, some sites are not ‘disability specific’ but act as portals for links to sites, providing, among other things specific resources, support groups, discussion forums, journals.

Resources for Special Education

  • Note : Individual resources are suitable for teacher use with all education levels unless specifically indicated otherwise.
  1. About the Resource Directory
    ‘The Closing The Gap Resource Directory is an extensive product guide to assist parents and professionals in selection of computer-related products and services for children and adults with special needs. Considered by many to be the major resource in the field of assistive technology.’ Online or print version which can be purchased. Updated yearly. US based, but still relevant for Australia.
    Teachers, Parents
  2. Access ebility
    ‘Easy access and links to information, resources, services, and products of interest to people with disability, their families and carers, as well as health professionals and other service providers in the disability sector.’
    Teachers, Parents
  3. Accessibility Help [Technology]
    Assistance from some major players in IT, beneficial in school & tertiary settings.
    Teachers, Parents
  4. Accessibility.com.au
    Australian site with information for people with disabilities and their carers & helpers. News, city guides, product directory, links, an ‘ask’ portal, Free newsletter, discussion database and feature articles & ideas.
    Teachers, Parents
  5. ADHD
    A Thinkquest site. ‘This is a site filled with information on ADHD, along with ways to help yourself or others. We have provided a glossary to help you understand some of the medical terms. We hope you enjoy our site !’
  6. Australian Sites :
    • Australian Communication Exchange
      News, events, research information, the Deafness Resources Australia [Presently suspended from operation. Check back soon.] site, online media, student resources, writing competitions, Australian Deafness Directory, information downloads, fact sheets, FAQs and more. Great site for those interested in, or needing help with, deafness assistance and education.
      Teachers, Parents
    • Click ‘n’ Colour
      ‘Introducing a new colouring concept directed at older children and adults. Users can colour ‘on screen’ or they can be printed out and hand coloured. These retro style designs challenge fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, patterning, colour schemes, brain gym, imagination and colouring is a calming activity. They can be reused as they download as a file [opened in the Paint program].’ Fee-based but very cheap.
    • EnableNet
      ‘EnableNet is being developed as a one stop site for information on disability and a meeting place for people interested in disability issues.’ ‘Disability Information’ page is in directories covering specific topics.
      Teachers, Parents
    • Inekards
      ‘The Perfect Resource for ABA or Speech Therapy. The Inekards flashcards range will enable you to teach your child effectively with visuals and encourage language development. The cards have been primarily designed to help children with Autism but can also be used as [a] stimulus in many other educational and therapy settings.’ These are Fee-based.
      Teachers, Parents, Primary
    • New South Wales Links :
    • Precision Academics©
      ‘A collection of over 400 Workbooks suitable for students with special learning needs. Resources are designed to cater for the needs of children of all ages, who attend mainstream, special schools as well as home school settings.’ While Fee-based, costs are well within the scope of schools and individual families. You can ‘download some Free samples to try with your students [or your children].’ No restrictions on usage once purchased.
      Teachers, Parents
    • Schonell Centre
      Australian special education centre in with more than 50 years history. Carries out research which can accessed here and also produces the International Journal of Disability, Development and Education.
    • Spastic Centre, The
      Information for teachers, parents, students and the media, breaking news and other general information.
      Teachers, Parents
    • Special Needs Education
      Links for special needs can be found by searching the catalogues using the appropriate terms.
    • Speech Language Pathology
      [Caroline Bowen PhD]
      ‘This site comprises over 200 web pages for families, Speech - Language Pathologists, professionals in related disciplines, and students of human communication disorders and sciences. The articles and links here reflect my … interests - also the important part that families can play in the assessment and management of communication impairments.’
      Teachers, Parents
    • Statewide Vision Resource Centre
      Part of the Department of Education and Training in Victoria. Annotated links covering from peculiarly Victorian information, resources, technology and more.
      Teachers, Parents
    • TAD - Technical Aid to the Disabled
      TAD ‘is a charity organisation that has the authority to fundraise. TAD uses volunteers dedicated to the design, construction and provision of aids for people with disabilities.’ TAD provides design, engineering, rehabilitation, computer, therapy and other professional and technical skills.
      Teachers, Parents
    • Technology and Resources
      Australian site listing sources to help in working with children with disability. From assessment checklists to Using the Computer for Mathematics. Not all links are to sites, nor Australian.
  7. Blindness Related Links
    While this is US based, there is still a range of links, many annotated, of use to those working or caring for visually handicapped people.
    Teachers, Parents
  8. Bob’s Place of Educational Links
    [Inclusive Education]
    Links under several headings such as ADD/ADHD, Autism, Hearing Impairment, Resources and Technology.
    Teachers, Parents
  9. Conductive Education Website, The
    ‘The world-wide community of those whose common aim is to make Conductive Education available for all. Conductive Education is a major breakthrough in the well-being of children and adults with motor disorders and their families.’ While UK based, material still has value.
    Teachers, Parents
  10. Disability Resources : DRM Webwatcher
    Slow to load but still worthwhile. Links to disability related items from ‘22q11 [Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome]’ through to ‘Xeroderma Pigmentousm’, including things such as web page design, vocational education and media. To find links to anything in the disability area, specific or cross-disability, this is one place to start.
    Teachers, Parents
  11. DMD Forum
    ‘For parents, friends, relatives and individuals whose lives are affected by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.’
    Teachers, Parents
  12. Education, General and Special
    From Disabilities Resource Directory. Provides a listing of sites related to educational software and hardware for those with disabilities of various kinds.
    Teachers, Parents
  13. Esmerel’s Collection of Disability Resources
    2 000+ resources linked through directories such as ‘Adaptive Technology’, ‘Blindness Related’, ‘List of Resources’, ‘Specific Disability Resources’, ‘One Handed Resources’ and others.
  14. IndependentLiving.org
    Swedish site with links to resources ‘Accessibility & Universal Design’ to ‘Women with Disabilities’. Opens on to the ‘Computers & WWW and Disability’ page but you access other pages from here. Annotated links provided.
    Teachers, Parents
  15. Internet Disability Resource Site
    Extensive, practical US site from the covering everything from information to technology and specific articles e.g. Teens and Disability.
    Teachers, Parents
  16. Internet Resources for the Blind
  17. LD Online
    ‘ABCs of LD/ADD’, ‘LD in Depth’, ‘For Teachers’, ‘Audio Clips’, news plus other sections of interest but not directly applicable in Australia.
    Primary, Secondary
  18. Learning - Special Education Products
    ‘Independent Living Technologies is dedicated to providing educational products that aid disabled children and adults with their daily lives. Our inventory of software, books, and videos covers everything from basic reading and writing to life skills development.’ US based, but a really good range.
  19. Mass Media & Disability Links
    Annotated links to book publishers, news, organisations, research groups, accessibility, films and broadcast and web publications. Includes Australian sites.
  20. SERI
    [Special Education Resources on the Internet]
    A portal to information of interest to all who are involved or interested in special needs education.
    Teachers, Parents
  21. Special Education Resources for K-12
    Links under specific headings. Includes ‘Developmental Disabilities’, ‘Assistive Technology’, ‘ADD’, ‘Blind & Visually Impaired’, ‘Deaf & Hearing Impaired’, ‘Learning Disabilities’ and ‘Individualised Plans’.
    Primary, Secondary
  22. Special Education Software [and Hardware]
    This incorporates commercial software. For Freeware, check the Educational Software page.
  23. Take a Look Through My Eyes
    A Thinkquest site. ‘We want to challenge you to see the world in a different way. To take a look through the eyes of someone who is mentally disabled. And then discover there are differences, but even more, there are a lot of similarities.’ A First Place Winner !
  24. Windows - Audio - Text to Speech
    Shareware programs converting text to speech. Useful for hearing impaired.
    Primary, Secondary

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