Accessibility

Information found here includes service providers and sites to have homes and public places made accessible including home modifications. 

Assistive Technology

Technology used by individuals with disabilities in order to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible. Assistive technology can include mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs, as well as hardware, software, and peripherals that assist people with disabilities in accessing computers or other information technologies.

Basic Rights

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires all states that accept IDEA funds to provide a free appropriate public education to all children with disabilities in the state. The special education provided to children with disabilities must be specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs resulting from the child’s disability and must enable the child to be involved and make progress in the general education curriculum.

Bullying

Bullying can take on many forms. As part of the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire, students are asked if they have been bullied in any of these nine ways:
1. Verbal bullying including derogatory comments and bad names
2. Bullying through social exclusion or isolation
3. Physical bullying such as hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting
4. Bullying through lies and false rumors
5. Having money or other things taken or damaged by students who bully
6. Being threatened or being forced to do things by students who bully
7. Racial bullying
8. Sexual bullying
9. Cyber bullying (via cell phone or Internet)

Communication

On this page you will find helpful resources that will enable you to communicate effectively when discussing your child’s needs in various meetings, i.e. IEP meetings.

Disability Resource Links

Here you can find a list of website links to various disability resources.

Early Intervention

Links to information and service providers for families who have infants and toddlers, birth to three, with diagnosed disabilities, developmental delays or substantial risk of significant delays.

Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ’04 uses the term emotional disturbance to describe students with emotional or behavioral disorders, which is the special education category under which students whose behavioral or emotional responses are not typical are served.

Financial Resources

Links to information on how to manage finances and other financial assistance.

Guardianship Resources

Guardianship, also, referred to as conservatorship, is a legal process, utilized when a person can no longer make or communicate safe or sound decisions about his/her person and/or property or has become susceptible to fraud or undue influence. Because establishing a guardianship may remove considerable rights from an individual, it should only be considered after alternatives to guardianship have proven ineffective or are unavailable.

IEP

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) describes the educational program that has been designed to meet that child’s unique needs.  Each child who receives special education and related services must have an IEP.  Each IEP must be designed for one student and must be a truly individualized document.  The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students (when age appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities. The IEP is the cornerstone of a quality education for each child with a disability.

Medical Needs

Here you will find information about service providers who assist family with various medical needs.

 

Parent Coalitions and Information Groups

A current Disability Parent Support Group Directory for Illinois.

Response to Intervention (RTI)

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a method of academic intervention designed to provide early, effective assistance to your children who are having difficulty learning.

Emergency Preparedness

People of every age and ability need a plan of action in case of an emergency. Planning ahead provides an opportunity to feel more confident about being ready for an emergency, whether it is a house fire, power outage, hurricane or attack on the community. On this page, you’ll find links to various resources that can help you be prepared in case of an emergency.

Transition for Youth with Disabilities

Transition refers to moving from the world of school to the adult world. It includes thinking about planning for the student’s future. Transition planning has to legally begin at age 14½ for students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The resources found on this page will help you better understand how to help families through this stage in their lives.

Translated Materials

Here you will find resources that have been translated into Spanish.  Aquí encontrará los recursos que han sido traducidos al español.