Links and Resources…..
Please take the time to browse through these resources, you may find some vital support or information that will benefit both you and your child. Each line is a clickable link.
Worcester Public Schools
Worcester School Committee – files and agenda for the school committee can be located at the WPS site
The Federation for Children with Special needs - The Federation is a center for parents and parent organizations to work together on behalf of children with special needs and their families. Phone: (617) 236-7210
List of State Legislators by City & Town
Laws and Regulations
Massachusetts Education Laws & Regulations
IEP; Individualized Education Program, Team Meetings, and Changes to the IEP – Ed.gov IDEA 2004
IDEA 2004 – Building the Legacy Web Site http://idea.ed.gov/
General Laws of Massachusetts – Chapter 71 B Children with Special Needs
Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities – Ed.gov IDEA 2004
Mass DOE Advisories
Observation Law – Chapter 363 of the acts of 2008
OCR - Office for Civil Rights Complaint Process
OCR - Office For Civil Rights “OCR”
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (What is a 504?) Civil Rights
Section 504 Regulations Civil Rights
Autism - Chapter 57 Addressing Spec Ed Needs of Children w/Autism Spectrum Disorder
Highly Qualified Teachers – Ed.gov IDEA 2004
List of Schools that may or be required to offer school choice
DESE Administrative, Technical Advisories
Mass DESE Administrative & Technical Advisories
Autism Spectrum Disorder
IEP Process Guide
Mileage Reimbursement for Parents
Observation of Education Programs by Parents and Their Designees for Evaluation Purposes
Requirements for the Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS
Services for Young Children with Disabilities – Ages 5. 6 & PreK
Transition Planning to Begin at Age 14
Advocacy Information
Advocacy Information
Advocacy – Parents Become an Advocate
Advocacy – Guide to Selecting a Special Education Advocate in Massachusetts
Advocacy – How to select an Advocate
Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts
Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates
Disability Law Center of Massachusetts
Mass Advocates for Children
Mass Advocates for Children Autism Project
Mass Legal Services
PAL Parent/Professional Advocacy League
SPAN Special Needs Advocate listing
Special Needs Advocacy Network, Inc - information & resources to advocates, parents, and other professionals
Mass DESE - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Information
Mass DESE – Special Education Mediation / Appeals
Mass DESE Assessment and Accountability
Mass DESE BSEA – Bureau of Special Education Appeals
Mass DESE Decisions and Rulings
Mass DESE Due Process Hearings
Mass DESE Dropout Rate by District/Year
Mass DESE Enrollment Data Special Education
Mass DESE Graduation Rates Statewide Cohort 2008
Mass DESE Highly Qualified Teacher & Paraprofessional Requirements FAQs
Mass DESE IEPs – Individual Education Plans
Mass DESE Special Education Web Site
Mass DESE Student Records – FAQs about Student Record Regulations
Mass DESE Translated IEP Forms
SpedWatch.org – Special Education answers and activism (Ellen Chambers)
Wrightslaw - Parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities. http://www.wrightslaw.com/
Tip & Teaching Sites
Global List of IEP Goals
18 Tips on Filing Complaints
Autism – File Folder Games
Autism Games – this site is full of games
Autism – AngelfireTeaching information and links
Autism – Pg 1 School Handouts (logs & fill in sheets)
Autism – Pg 2 School handhouts (logs & fill in sheets)
The Childrens Society – entire site in picture format
Do 2 Learn – Free materials
E-Learning - Visuals
Functional Behavior Analysis and Positive Interventions
Graphic Organizers
Lindamood Bell Learning Process
Math Worksheet Site
Measuring Progress - Tests and Measurements
Emotions to Advocacy - The Special Education Survival Guide
Slater – Free Teaching materials and other stuff
Transition Planning Parent Brief
Transition - Countdown to Transition – 10 Tips for Parents from Parents
Group, Support & Information Links
ADD.org -- Attention Deficit Disorder Association
American Speech- Language-Hearing Association
Apraxia – Childhood Motor Speech Disorder
Asperger’s Association of New England
Assessments – LEAP program at Mass General Hospital (Mass Health accepted)
Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers
Auditory Processing Disorders in Children
Autism Consortium
Autism Resources - International Center for Autism Research and Development
Autism Resource Center (Central Mass)
Autism - Manitas Por Autismo
Autism – “Red Flags” or Signs a Child May be at Risk for Autism
Autism – TILL -- Toward Independent Living & Learning
Baby’s Breath Crisis Nursery - crisis intervention and physical shelter
Behavior Analyst Online
Best Buddies of Massachusetts
Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund
Center for Applied Special Technology
Center for Living and Working
Cerebral Palsy A Guide to Disability Rights Laws
Cerebral Palsy Information & Web Links
Cerebral Palsy of Massachusetts
Cerebral Palsy of MetroBoston
Center for Public Representation
CHADD Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Child Care Circuit
Child Care Connection
Child Care Resource & Referral Network Massachusetts
Children’s Neurobiological Solutions Foundation
Commission for the Blind Massachusetts
Community Gateway
Dyshphagia – Swallowing & Eating disorders
Down Syndrome Congress - Massachusetts
Down Syndrome Resource Group of Western Mass
Dysarthria – Motor Speech Disorder
Early Childhood Community – excellent resource for information
Early Intervention Services **EI – Ed.gov IDEA 2004
Easter Seals - Easter Seals provides services to ensure that children and adults with disabilities have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play.
Educational Options
Enchanted Learning Graphic Organizers
Epilepsy Foundation
Family Ties of Massachusetts
Hidden Disabilities - approximately six million children in special education programs in the United States, almost one-half, or 2.9 million, have learning disabilities.
LD Online - Web site on learning disabilities and ADHD
LD Worldwide – Learning Disabilities Worldwide
MAB Community
MAPVI – Massachusetts Association for Parents of the Visually Impaired
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Mass Family Voices – Family to Family Health Information Center
Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change
MassPAC – Massachusetts Association of Special Education Parent Advisory Councils
MassResources.org - wide range of assistance programs
National Alliance of Mental Illness Framingham
National Alliance of Mental Illness Massachusetts
National Down Syndrome Association
National Federation of the Blind
NICHCY - The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities – this group offers a wealth of information on a variety of disability subjects.
OSOP (Our Space Our Place) accessible and fun environment for elementary and high school students who are legally blind
Parents Place – Parent information and resource center
Perkins Behavioral Health Services/Evaluations in Lancaster, MA
Perkins School for the Blind
Premature Baby Premature Child
Rehabilitative Resources
Sensory Friendly Films in Framingham
Special Needs Mass – provides links to important resources
Special Olympics in Mass or call 978-774-1501
Sped Child and Teen Web site – Events listings
Teens Against Bullying
Transition Coalition at the University of Kansas (14-22) & Training
Tourette’s Syndrome Association of Massachusetts
Vision/Eye Exams for Special Needs Children – Vision Therapy in Worcester
Wrightslaw Yellow Pages for Kids
This is an informational page only. The Sped PAC does not endorse or favor any resource for your family as we do not know your family's needs. It is up to you to choose the best resources for your family. | 
