Many students will struggle in school at one point or another. However, school can be more than a struggle for special needs students.
Luckily, teachers and parents can find special education resources. The best resources will help students learn despite their disability.
What's more, you can find these resources from the comfort of your home.
Why Look for Special Education Resources Online
As the internet has become more popular, it has become a great place to find resources on various subjects. Whether you're a special education teacher or the parent of a special education student, you can find special education resources online.
If you look for resources online, you can search from anywhere. You don't have to worry about going to a library or multiple places to find what you need.
As a parent, you can then use those resources immediately with your child at home.
Teachers can save time and money by looking things up at home. The next time school rolls around, the teacher can use the resources they found.
No matter what special education resources you look for, make sure they suit your student's needs. Before you select the right resources for you and your child, consider their disability.
Then, you can choose materials that will help your student.
Where to Find Special Education Resources
Once you decide to look online for special education resources, you should determine where to look. The internet is huge, and most websites won't have what you need.
So you should narrow your search to websites and organizations that are relevant. If you have a student with a particular need, focus on that need.
For example, it doesn't make sense to find visual resources for a child who is blind.
You should also look for resources from reputable sources. Then, you'll know that you can trust the resources that you find.
If you're a teacher and need to find a variety of special education resources, you may need to check out multiple websites. However, you will be able to save those resources for when you need them in the future.
Colleges and Universities
Some colleges and universities publish lists of special education resources. Whether you did or do attend an institution with a list, you should look at a few.
You can start with your current or former school. However, you can also look at other schools that have specific pages on special education.
If you're looking for this type of resource, consider colleges with well-known special education programs. Odds are those schools will have a list of resources.
You can also contact your school's education department for recommendations on special education resources.
U.S. Department of Education
Another great place to look for special education resources is the U.S. Department of Education. They have a website with a list of excellent resources for parents of special needs students.
Their webpage includes resources on technical assistance, relevant publications and links to other resources.
The U.S. Department of Education also has a page where you can apply for a grant. When a relevant grant opens up, you can apply for funding to help your special needs students.
Special Needs Organizations
Not only are the general organizations for children with special needs, but there are organizations for individual needs.
The Federation for Children With Special Needs offers a variety of training options for teachers and parents. Topics cover special education law and partnerships between parents and teachers.
You can also find websites with toys, books and educational materials for special education students. Some companies offer special versions of toys and books for kids with different special needs.
When choosing resources and organizations, it's important to find relevant ones. Resources for your child's disability will help more than general special education resources.
Apps and Websites
When it comes to finding special education resources to help students, the internet is an excellent option. If you already have a computer, you won't need to get anything else.
You can go to the App Store or Google Play to find accessible apps for children. Search for educational apps or games.
If on Apple, the App Store has a list of apps for people with special needs. The list includes educational apps as well as apps to facilitate communication.
Apple devices also have built-in features to help students with special needs.
Downloadable Books
Parents and teachers can also use downloadable books to teach kids with special needs. Some of these books incorporate American Sign Language (ASL).
Other books combine words with pictures to help students learn the meanings of those words.
You can also find books that have digital interactive versions. Whatever type of book you choose, these books are a great special education resource.
Search Engines
If you can't seem to find what you're looking for, you can use Google or another search engine. Sometimes, it can be hard to find the right special education resources for your student.
In this case, you can type what you're looking for into Google. You can include the special need that you're looking for or the type of resource you need.
For example, you could search for "American Sign Language children's books" to find books for deaf children.
Consider searching for "touch math" for children who struggle with vision. Don't be afraid to experiment with a few phrases or words to find what you need.
Parent and/or Teacher Groups
Online, you can find many forums and groups for parents and teachers of special needs students. The groups or forums have posts from people in a similar situation.
You can ask questions or for suggested resources. Others can reply to your post with their answers or resources that they've used.
As you learn more, you can answer questions from other people, so you can also get a sense of community.
Finding the Right Special Education Resources
Whether you're a teacher or a parent, you want the best for your student. If they have a special need, you should look for special education resources.
The internet is a great place to start because it's relatively cheap, if not free.
Are you looking for special needs materials? Check out our selection of adapted books.