In the last DifferentDream.com post, you learned about Balanced Living All Year, Joan Celebi’s new book for parents of kids with special needs. In this post, you’ll hear about her favorite new IEP resources. IEP Phone App One of Joan’s picks is the IEP Phone App available at no charge, compliments of the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC). You can download the app...

Recently I sat by a little boy at our church potluck. He has some special needs, especially in the area of communication. For years, I wondered if he would ever overcome them. Our lunch together reminded me of a maxim I followed during my teaching years: Every child can learn, given enough time. EParent.com To read the whole story about what my potluck mate learned because someone gave him enough...

In the previous post, you met Jennifer Peter, an Iowa professional learning and leadership consultant. If her explanation of the difference between Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504b plans was helpful, you’ll also appreciate her answer to this question: What advice do you have for parents about how to maximize services for their children with special needs? Services for Preschoolers Jennifer...

In a recent interview with Iowa professional learning and leadership consultant, Jennifer Peter. She explained the difference between an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and a 504b plan. Her explanation was so elegant and clear-cut, you deserve to hear it, too. IEP Schools are required by federal law to create IEPs for any school-aged student who has been tested and identified as needing special education...

The saying, “once a teacher, always a teacher” certainly holds true for me. I left education in 2003 after twenty-five years in the classroom, but the mention of new and effective teaching tools still excites me. Speech-Language Pathology Sharing Recently I stumbled upon a blog where speech pathologists share methods, ideas, and technology. One of the blog entries is a nicely organized...

Being a teacher is hard work. Being a special education teacher is very hard work. I know. For twenty-five years I was an elementary teacher who integrated lots of special education students into my classroom. I also collaborated closely with their teachers and observed the challenges they faced. Fifty Best Special Education Blogs Therefore, I was tickled pink the other day when I found this website...

Before the holidays, a post on this blog featured toy guides geared for families with special needs kids. In a similar vein, today’s post puts the spotlight on a company designed to help parents and educators meet the needs of autistic children. Different Roads to Learning According to their website Different Roads to Learning was founded in 1995 by the mother of an autistic child. The company...