We recently attended a useful session at the annual American Council for Rural Special Education (ACRES) conference. It was “Ideas that Work: Easy Access, Free of Charge Resources,” presented by David Emenheiser from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). David reviewed more than 25 online tools, training modules and resources from projects funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Every single one is free. Who knew we had so many national centers?
You can download the PowerPoint of “Ideas that Work: Easy Access, Free of Charge Resources” which has screen shots and more detail about what the different sites offer. Lots of clickable links.
All the resources are available online, with instant access and no fees. They can help improve your classroom and district practice as well as improve the quality of teacher training and professional development programs.
Among the 25 were many with connections to transition. We’ve listed them below. Some sites appear in two lists.
Online training
- IRIS Center (training modules) – modules, case studies, information briefs, course/PD activities
- Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) – course enhancement modules for professional development.
- National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) – national disability data, training module on accommodations. You have to set up a free account to use the module.
- Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules (AFIRM) – training modules for a long list of specific evidence based practices. You have to set up a free account to use them.
Disability-specific resources
- National Deaf Center (NDC) – transition resources, self-determination online game for students
- National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB) – recommendations to improve transition outcomes for students with deaf-blindness and additional disabilities
- Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules (AFIRM) – training modules for a long list of specific evidence based practices. You have to set up a free account to use them.
- Bookshare – customized reading experience with ebooks in audio, audio + highlighted text, braille, large font, and other formats
Accessibility
- Bookshare – customized reading experience with ebooks in audio, audio + highlighted text, braille, large font, and other formats
- National Center on Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) – resources to make sure materials you create are accessible
- Diagram Center – the cutting edge of making learning accessible: image description, 3D printing, tactiles, haptics, accessible math. Another project from the people behind Bookshare.
Other
- IRIS Center (fundamental skill sheets) – new product line from IRIS with detailed instructions and nifty video examples and non-examples on basic classroom management skills. Useful for parents too.
- Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) – resource collection on trauma-informed care
- National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) – many toolkits
- State Implementation and Scaling-up of Evidence-Based Practices Center (SISEP) – large-scale, sustainable, high-fidelity implementation of effective education practices
