September 2010 | Links updated, May 2013According to CAST, universal design is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn. Designing instruction with UDL in mind involves three main principles:Providing multiple means of RepresentationProviding multiple means of Action and ExpressionProviding multiple means of Engagement (National UDL Center, 2010)UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional … [Read more...]
Print 
PDFAddressing the General Education Curriculum
September 2010 Links updated, May 2013IDEA requires that students with disabilities be involved in, and make progress in, the general education curriculum. This refers to the same subject matter and skills that children without disabilities are expected to learn: math, science, history, and so on. Moreover, most children with disabilities are educated in the general education classroom, alongside their peers who do not have disabilities.To read more … [Read more...]
Key Terms to Know in Special Education
October 2010 En español | In SpanishSpecial education is full of terms that people constantly use in writing and in conversation, and it's important to know what those terms mean. NICHCY is pleased to provide this handy reference to special education terminology, and hopes it helps our readers quickly connect with the meaning of pivotal words and phrases in the field.Quick-Jump Index to the TermsPoint of Reference: IDEAChild with a disabilityFAPE … [Read more...]
Who’s Who in Early Intervention
October 2010 Resources updated, August 2012 How long a list of "who's who" would you like? There are quite a few experts in the early intervention field! In the interests of efficiency, we will give you the semi-short but to-the-point list to get you started (we apologize to all those organizations we haven't listed here). This starter list will definitely lead you into the wider network and keep you informed in the ongoing work in early intervention. _______________________________________ National … [Read more...]
Behavior Expertise
Revised, December 2009 Links updated, May 2013 NICHCY is pleased to connect you with sources of information for helping children who have behavior challenges. This page in our Behavior Suite focuses on where to access Behavior Expertise. Find who's who in the behavior field and where to go for more information, reading, links, and assistance. The list below isn't intended to be exhaustive of the behavior resources and expertise available … [Read more...]
Paraprofessionals
Updated February 2013 My kids continued to grow and develop as learners in a happy and caring classroom community. I cannot however, take credit for all their success. I had a para educator who was in my classroom most of the day, specifically for 3 of my special needs kiddos. Her name is Mrs. M. (From A First Year Teacher Finds a Hero in Her Paraeducator) A special education paraprofessional, sometimes called a teacher's aide or assistant, can … [Read more...]
Effective Staff Development
October 2010 Resources updated, April 2013NICHCY is pleased to offer you this page of resources focused primarily upon staff development for teachers (both general and special educators) and the paraprofessionals who assist them in the classroom. Whether you're a school administrator responsible for the professional development of others, or a teacher or a paraprofessional looking after your own professional development, we hope you'll find information … [Read more...]
Starter Set of Resources on LRE
Updated, April 2013Looking for information, resources, and technical assistance (TA) to help you and others support children with disabilities in their least restrictive environment in school? Here’s a starter list of places to look online. These will surely lead you to more.The resources below are excepted from:Building the Capacity of Educators to Provide High Quality Services to Students with Disabilities in General Education Settings [1], with … [Read more...]
About the Dissemination Initiative
January 2011 Who We Are Why We've Created This Initiative Who Else Is Involved Specific Activities and Outcomes How You Can Get Involved Who We Are The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) serves the nation as a centralized source of information on children with disabilities from birth to age 22. We take pride in writing easy-to-read publications in English and Spanish on: disabilities, early … [Read more...]
Module 1: Top 10 Basics of Special Education
by Lisa Küpper, NICHCY July 2007 ** Este módulo está disponible en español: Los 10 Datos Principales Acerca de la Educación Especial Module 1 welcomes everyone to IDEA. With these training materials, you can learn about and give trainings that include: a quick overview to the 10 major steps in special education (three of which are evaluation, eligibility, and writing the IEP); and the top 5 acronyms used in special education (IDEA, … [Read more...]
