(815) 464-1832
Mon - Thurs: 9:00am - 5:00pm | Fri: 9:00am - 4:00pm
Illinois Life Span Program

Educational Information and Resources

Illinois-Specific

Advocacy and Legal

Other Resources

  • A Lesson From Forrest Gump Regarding Appropriate Expectations for Students with Cognitive Disabilities
    • From the Institute for Applied Psychometrics (IAP), Kevin S. McGrew, Ph.D.
  • Bookshare
    • Bookshare provides accessible books and periodicals for readers with print disabilities. Bookshare™ is free for all U.S. students with qualifying disabilities. Student memberships are currently funded by an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
  • BROADREACH Training & Resources – Norman Kunc & Emma Van Der Klift
    • The website of Norman Kunc & Emma Van der Klift – focusing on inclusion and other disability issues. Helping individuals with disabilities and their families live rich and meaningful lives in their communities.
  • Council for Exceptional Children
    • The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides continual professional development, advocates for newly and historically underserved individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.
  • Financial Aid & Scholarships – US Department of Education
    • Resources for financial aid and scholarships for students with disabilities.
  • Homeschool.com
    • Homeschool.com was created to empower parents to create the ideal school for their child at home! Homeschool.com’s founding principle is to consistently provide resources, information, and support to all homeschooling families.
  • ICDL – Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders
    • Founded by Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder, the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders has been a pioneer in its work to advance the identification, prevention, and treatment of developmental and learning disorders. Through its research, training and publications, ICDL has created a cadre of world class professionals across multiple areas of expertise who are extending the reach of the DIR®/Floortime Model.
  • K12 Academics
    • A National Education & Disability Resource website with a community based approach. We cover every county, city and town in the U.S. If you are looking for a web site or information on a school, organization, museum, consultant, library, camp, study abroad program or support in your area you can find it here. The site also serves as a great resource for Teachers, Parents, Students, Professionals & District Officials in the K-12 Education system with extensive information on various topics in education and disabilities.
  • Kids Together
    • “To promote inclusive communities where all people belong.” This site is designed to provide helpful information and resources to enhance the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities, and communities as a whole.
  • National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
    • The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance, and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities in order to create opportunities for youth to achieve successful futures. NCSET is headquartered at the Institute on Community Integration in the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development.
  • National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center
    • The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center ( NSTTAC ) is directed and staffed by the Special Education Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, in partnership with the Special Education Programs at Western Michigan University and Appalachian State University. In order to ensure full implementation of IDEA and help youth with disabilities and their families achieve desired post-school outcomes, NSTTAC will help states build capacity to support and improve transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities and disseminate information and provide technical assistance on scientifically-based research practices with an emphasis on building and sustaining state-level infrastructures of support and district-level demonstrations of effective transition methods for youth with disabilities.
  • PACER Center
    • The mission of PACER Center is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents. Through its ALLIANCE and other national projects, PACER, a national center, responds to thousands of parents and professionals each year. From California to Minnesota to New York, PACER resources make a difference in the lives of 6.5 million children with disabilities nationwide.
  • Paula Kluth’s Website
    • This website is dedicated to promoting inclusive schooling and exploring positive ways of supporting students with autism and other disabilities. Most of my work involves collaborating with schools to create environments, lessons, and experiences that are inclusive, respectful, and accessible for all learners.
  • PBIS – Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports – from OSEP
    • The TA Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports has been established by the Office of Special Education Programs, US Department of Education to give schools capacity-building information and technical assistance for identifying, adapting, and sustaining effective school-wide disciplinary practices.
  • StopBullying.gov
    • StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on how kids, teens, young adults, parents, educators and others in the community can prevent or stop bullying. If you or someone you know is being bullied, get help.
  • The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning
    • The Center is a not-for-profit corporation that provides a broad range of professional development services and instructional resources for school communities throughout Illinois and the nation. Its broad range of programs span from early education through adult learning. Presently The Center each year provides support, training and assistance to more than 25,000 teachers, administrators, parents and other educational stakeholders.
  • The IRIS Center
    • Visit the IRIS Center for Training Enhancements for free online interactive resources that translate research about the education of students with disabilities into practice. Our materials cover a wide variety of evidence-based topics, including behavior, RTI, learning strategies, and progress monitoring.
  • ThinkCollege.Net
    • Youth with intellectual disabilities have not had many chances to go to college. This is changing as individuals across the country begin to create opportunities for these youth to reap the benefits of postsecondary education. This website will provide information and links to anyone interested in finding out more about the possibilities.
  • Whole Schooling Consortium
    • The Whole Schooling Consortium is an international network of schools, teachers, parents, administrators, university faculty and community members. Our PURPOSE is to promote EXCELLENCE AND EQUITY in schools throughout the world to BUILD INCLUSIVE AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES.