Self-Advocacy

As a child with a disability or a teacher who teaches children with disabilities, self-advocacy is very important to learn. When given the right tools, those children can become the best advocates for themselves and those with disabilities. Once the child makes the transition out of school and becomes an adult, those skills will be invaluable! Below you will find great resources on self-advocacy.

The website you can find by going to http://www.ldpride.net/selfadvocacy.htm is a great tool referencing learning disabilities and how to work with it. As a child with a disability, it’s key to know what he/she could do to stand up for him/herself and teach others about the world of disabilities. http://www.ldpride.net/chapter10.htm is the specific chapter on self-advocacy for people with learning disabilities. It’s easy to read and is easily understood by children too.

An online article that also hits on kids with learning disabilities and self-advocacy can be seen at http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/2522. It focuses on teenagers but it involves many areas such as communication, identifying support and tips on actively participating in being a self-advocate.

http://www.selfadvocacy.com/ is a website run by people with disabilities to support a nationwide movement in self-advocacy. It’s based out of Minnesota but it’s a place that wants to make a difference for people with disabilities and self-advocacy.

A useful self-advocacy tool can be found at http://www.postitt.org/activities/unit01/Section1.pdf . It’s made up of activities to help a child with a disability understand their disability and abilities, as well as their accommodations and means for becoming a self-advocate.

Some self-advocacy resources are listed at http://thechp.syr.edu/matonsa.htm. You can find other websites, articles and informational centers on self-advocacy that would be helpful for anyone wanting more.

Recreation and Leisure

People with disabilities are no exception to needing leisure activities or even a vacation! Just because some can’t tell you that they need a break from their routine in life (whether it’s going to school, transitioning out, or working), it doesn’t mean they don’t need that kind of outlet. Life can be stressful, especially when a person with a disability is transitioning in their life, leisure activities are just the solution. Sports, camps, social activities, and vacations should be a part of everyone’s lives, and the following links will help when looking for great ideas. The more active a person is and the happier they are, the longer they’ll live! So instead of dismissing any ideas of having your loved one with a disability not be a part of something fun and exciting, look into how you can easily create a great time with recreation.

http://www.blazesports.org/ This is a very interesting website where people with disabilities can get the same athletic and recreational opportunities as their peers. BlazeSports offers training, summer camps, and other recreational opportunities to individuals. Whether your child has cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, mental or physical disabilities, programs are there to include your child in the fun.

http://www.twp.south-brunswick.nj.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B48048983-074A-4A1D-9FC4-DDAEB2645BCA%7D&DE=%7BD3B57161-166C-479A-A41F-61D7E3FF19D8%7D Even though it’s located in New Jersey, this is a wonderful recreational program for adults with disabilities. It’s a great way to get people involved in activities while learning to socialize and work as a team. The greatest part about the program is that it offers weekly and monthly activities that promote support networks and friendship building.

http://www.ncpad.org/ This website is a great resource when looking for ways to promote leisure activities and recreation for people with disabilities. It not only has lists of camps, accessible places, and even stretches, but it has links to disability-specific activities and information. This site is a must-see!

The following site is useful when looking for ways to include your child with special needs with traveling and experiences. Go to http://www.makoa.org/travel.htm to see the interesting links to other resources and place to go, as well as to see useful books you can purchase.

Financial Information for your loved one

When your child is born with a disability, the financial aspect is probably not the first thought running through your mind. Having a child in general can be costly, but one with a disability needs that much more attention and health care. It's hard knowing where to turn or what is available to help you raise your child, but many resources exist. As the child makes the transition from high school to adulthood, you need to have as much in place financially as possible. The following websites could be very useful when needing to know everything there is to know financially for your child with special needs.

http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/topical/disabilities.html/ This first website is a great start when trying to find what funding is available for your loved one with special needs. It also gives information on other resources to delve into, as well as answers to many prevalent questions. It is a great tool to use to have the knowledge of what's there and how to get it.
http://www.kff.org/medicare/disabilities.cfm This website provides an overview of Medicaid and Medicare for people with disabilities. It has many other links to go to as well. This site is great for those looking for what is available financially for a person with a disability.
http://www.ucp.org/ucp_channeldoc.cfm/1/16/11431/11431-11431/4557 I found this website to be an easy but great one to get useful facts on each state's Medicaid system. People with disabilities are covered, but what if you're not completely aware of what you could get for your special child in one state from another. This site was very informative and direct... many families are already stressed just trying to get funding for their loved one, but this website is as straight-forward as it gets.
Another great resource can be found at http://www.disabledonline.com/link-directory/government/government-grants-funds-loans/ . This website is fantastic for people with disabilities or those who take care of them. It not only has grant information, but it is a comprehensive tool to gain all kinds of information. On this site, it leads you to many other sites, such as http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/ which is invaluable.
This last website, http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=164 , is a great motivator. It explains the benefits available, incentives to working and further income supports for people with disabilities.

Social Relationships

People with disabilities are not only hindered at times by their disabilities in general, but some lack in their social skill area as well. It’s always best when you start teaching social skills at the earliest age, but it’s never too late. The following links can be used to help develop lesson plans or even just give you tips and advice on what works.

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/autism/resource/10154.html This website is a wonderful tool for you to use when wanting tips on teaching social skills. Children with autism are especially vulnerable to social skill deficits, which in turn hurts any relationship potential in that child’s life. The site has many different areas of lesson plans, activities, and ideas for helping kids with special needs.

The following link is another useful tool for teaching social skills to children with autism. Looking at the site, http://autismsocialskills.com/ , it not only has discs you can order and information on the autism spectrum disorders, but it contains a plethora of links which are extremely useful. It includes links on autism, social skills, the gluten/casein free diet, and applied behavior analysis. These areas are crucial in teaching social skills to children with autism.

The next link, http://home.att.net/~clnetwork/socialsk.htm , is one that is as straight-forward as it gets. It simply spells out the best approaches to teach social skills. At the bottom, it also has a few links to purchase useful books, and find more resources.

http://www.tinsnips.org/Pages/socialskills.html This website is great too when just looking for more tips. It approaches teaching the social skills in a fun, exciting way… which may just be right up your classroom’s alley!

Health and Safety

Young people with disabilities need to be prepared thoroughly in the areas of health and safety. When you are thinking about living out on your own after high school, you really need to know what you can do to remain healthy and safe. People with disabilities are often under-prepared, and many resources exist that they need to be directed to delve into. Whether in elementary, middle or high school, they all need to be given as much information as possible. The following websites are helpful when wanting to make sure you know all you can about your (or someone else’s) health and safety. Life after high school can be tough, but the area of personal health and safety will help you throughout your lifetime.

http://www.dralegal.org/downloads/pubs/know_your_rights.pdf
This is a great tool to know your rights as a person with disabilities when it comes to health and safety. It’s a guide to help you understand what your rights are and provides information for what to do in an emergency and how to stay safe.

http://www.qualitymall.org/directory/dept1.asp?deptid=44
This website is a great resource for finding information on the many areas of health and safety for people with disabilities. It lists many resources as well as gives abstracts of the different books, pamphlets and other resources. The site also gives links as to where to find them whether by electronic media or paper resources to buy. The greatest aspect of this website is that it encompasses a plethora of issues (from disasters to abuse).

http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/
This last website, although out of NY, is a great tool to use when wanting some basic health and safety tips. It also has many different areas of information such as things to look out for in the home, outside of the home, in the workplace and what you can do to be healthy in general.

Vocational Education and Training

People with disabilities need help transitioning out of high school. They need to be thoroughly informed of their choices in life, how to accomplish their goals, and know what support is available to them. Vocational education and training is a great option for those who need extra support who are not necessarily ready and able to get a job and initially succeed. These programs can provide specialized skill training or on-the-job training if needed. Everyone should be given the support needed to succeed in the workforce, and Voc. Rehab. is a great option as well! The websites below are all valuable when looking for what services are available for your child with a disability.

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/afi/afi360/455095_v1_-_Tab_3_VR_Fact_Sheet_Revised.html The website is a wonderful resource for people with disabilities transitioning out of high school. It covers the requirements of providing vocational rehabilitation to qualified individuals. When parents need to find more information on what’s available to their child, this website is a must-see. At the end of the page, it has a link to a state-by-state listing of VR agencies!

http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/adult_vocational_rehabilitation_services/about.htm This website offers some information on what services are out there to help young adults transition out of school and into vocational education and training. Even though it is out of New York, it can help parents realize that there are resources to help… it just takes a little research to find the available services where the person lives. It not only has links to further information on the subject, but it also includes links for the other aspects of transitioning out of high school, which is always helpful.

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/index.html This website involves the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). It gives information on grant programs available to people with disabilities who need the extra support with counseling, rehabilitation, etc. The more information you have, the better the chances your child will gain the supports and services they deserve!

http://www.rehabworks.org/
This website offers information on vocational rehabilitation services offered in Florida. It is comprehensive in showing what the Division of VR encompasses and is a great tool to refer to.

Postsecondary Education

Students with special needs may have a lot of hesitation when it comes to postsecondary education. You may have had problems in middle and high school, and might not believe you’re ready and able to attend higher education. The following links are very useful when knowing what’s available to you and your rights for pursuing higher education. The more information you and your family knows, the better prepared you are at being successful with postsecondary education!

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition.html is a site that is a great tool for further information on post secondary education. It is a part of the U.S. Department of Education page and its focus is Civil Rights with people with disabilities. It answers important questions that you may have regarding your rights with post secondary education. The site also has other useful links for more information with other topics as well.
Another useful website can be found at http://www.ncset.org/topics/sdpse/default.asp?topic=7. This site focuses on self-determination for students in post secondary education. It also provides answers for important questions regarding why transition planning needs to include a plethora of areas. Along with the self-determination page is also one on postsecondary supports and accommodations. As you look over the page, http://www.ncset.org/topics/psesupports/default.asp?topic=5 , you’ll see that it offers great insight on what you should know about getting the support that you need for furthering your education. You may know you can get support when you leave high school, but this site lays out the information for you to know how to accomplish getting what you deserve to be successful in postsecondary education.
I found another great website at http://www.wrightslaw.com/flyers/college.504.pdf that incorporates information on three areas of importance. It explains your rights, transition planning, and ideas for your success by giving you multiple other links to important sites you’ll benefit from reading.