Special Education
Resources for Parents
If you have a child with special needs, it’s
important that you be involved in the decisions about your child’s school
program—After all, you know your child better than anyone! The federal law known
as IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) makes it clear that
parents are equal members of the educational team that develops a child’s
special education plan. Keeping up with the complex laws and policies that
apply to children with special needs however, is an ongoing challenge for
parents and teachers alike.
PLACES TO CALL:
MCPS Parent Information and Training Center (PITC), 301-962-3818. Parent educators at the center can explain the basic laws and the MCPS processes and options for special education. In addition to phone consultation, staff conduct workshops on a number of topics.
Parents’ Place of Maryland, 410-859-5300, offers information and referral, a free newsletter,
workshops around the state, and a website: www.ppmd.org
where, among other things, you can download a booklet called Special
Education Rights … and Wrongs, published by the Maryland Disability Law
Center (also available in print form for free by calling MDLC at
1-800-233-7201).
Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education
(MCIE), 1-800-899-8837, offers
telephone counseling, training, and advocacy to help ensure that students with
special needs are educated in the "least restrictive environment."
The Arc of Montgomery County, 301-984-5792, offers information and referral as well as many
other services to families of children and adults with developmental
disabilities.
Montgomery County Special Needs Library - The Disabilities Resource Center at the Rockville Library, 240-777-0140, TTY: 240-777-0902, located in the Rockville Library, 99 Maryland Ave., has publications and resources of help to families of children with special needs. The center is open 9:30 to 8:30 Monday - Thursday, 10:00 to 5:00 Friday, 9:00 - 5:00 Saturday and closed on Sundays. Books and other items from the Special Needs Library can be requested for pickup at your nearest branch library.
WEB SITES TO VISIT:
Support Groups
around
www.mcps.k12.md.us –Montgomery
County Public Schools, the starting point for the MCPS Special Education Web
pages: Click on Curriculum, then scroll down the list and click on the
words Special Education to find program descriptions and more.
www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/specialed/infomsde.shtm - Resources for Special Education from Maryland State
Dept. of Education
www.ldamc.org —The
Learning Disabilities Association of
www.ldonline.org —LD
OnLine has resources on learning disabilities
www.chadd-mc.org – Children and Adults with
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Mont. Co.
www.arcmontmd.org – The Arc of Montgomery County
www.ppmd.org – Parents’ Place of Maryland
www.nichcy.org —The
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities has many
useful publications on special education and disabilities available to
download, or call them to receive a free catalog: 1-800-695-0285.
www.ideapractices.org – Information on IDEA (the federal special education
law) and strategies for students with special needs.
www.wrightslaw.com – Special education attorneys offer articles and tips
on advocating for children with special needs.
www.seriweb.com –
Special Education Resources on the Internet has links to many useful sites.
www.mont.lib.md.us – Montgomery County Public Library system has many
books and other resources on disabilities and special education.
www.cec.sped.org
- Council for Exceptional Children's website. They are the oldest special needs
association in the country and offer a variety of resources. They have helpful
publications.
www.disabilityresources.org/MARYLAND.html - Disability Resources for
groups.yahoo.com – An
e-mail discussion list called "MCneeds" exists for parents and other
interested people in
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