General Resource Guide
Parents

Disabled Parents, Prospective Parents, And Parents Of Children With Special Needs

Dreams for Kids, Inc.
http://www.dreamms.org
DREAMMS for Kids, Inc., is an assistive technology information clearinghouse located in New York. Founded by the parents of a child with Down syndrome, DREAMMS is committed to increasing the use of computers, high quality instructional technology, and assistive technologies for students with special needs in schools, homes and the workplace. Sign up for the newsletter, Directions, for technology news, training seminars and conferences, and support.

Exceptional Parent Magazine
http://www.eparent.com
EP's on-line resource. Continuing 33 award-winning years of providing information, support, ideas, encouragement & outreach for parents and families of children with disabilities, and the professionals who work with them
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Family Resource Center on Disabilities
http://www.ameritech.net/users/frcdptiil/index.html
Advocacy and resources for the entire family.

iTECH
http://www.php.com/include/programs/?PHPSESSID=cdc30604f28356d09afcf93d99d40867
The assistive technology project of Parents Helping Parents (PHP).

National Lekotek Center
http://www.lekotek.org
Learning through "play therapy" enriches the lives of children with disabilities and their families. The National Lekotek Center provides play facilities at 51 locations nationwide to facilitate the inclusion of children and families in a full range of fun activities. Lekotek also offers toy lending libraries for children from birth to eight years old, training seminars, helpful products, and publications.

Lekotek welcomes children with such disabilities as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, sight or hearing loss, mental retardation, or chronic medical conditions, including cancer, HIV/AIDS and epilepsy. Their doors are open to virtually any family coping with physical and mental handicaps.

Lekotek also has 21 Compuplay sites housing family computer resource centers and a lending software library. Lekotek sponsors a week-long conference called Compuplay: Facilitating Inclusion Through Technology, and invites special and early-childhood educators, therapists and social service professionals to attend and share their personal insights. Contact the National Lekotek Center, based in Evanston, IL: (847) 328-0001.

National Parent Information Network
http://www.npin.org
Search this Univ. of Illinois site using keywords "technology and disabilities."

National Parent Network on Disabilities
http://www.npnd.org
A national voice for parents of children, teens and adults with special needs. The goal is to help parents shape policy affecting people with disabilities.

National Respite Locator Service
http://www.chtop.com
Scroll down halfway for multiple respite resources and guidelines.

PACER Center
http://www.pacer.org
Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights, based in Minnesota.

Palaestra
http://www.palaestra.com
From Challenge Publications, a forum of sports, physical education and recreation for children and adults with physical disabilities

Parents Helping Parents
http://www.php.com
Parents interact to help meet kids' special needs. Includes support groups, assistive tech resources.

Parents with Disabilities Online (formerly Diana Michelle's Home Page)
http://www.disabledparents.net
Advocacy and resources for parents or prospective parents with disabilities. Many resources, including books, baby equipment, and periodicals.

Resource for Blind or Visually-impaired Shoppers
A UPC label identifier makes shopping easier or even possible for persons with vision loss. Weighing less than 2 pounds, the I.D. Mate II™ by En-Vision America, Inc. uses bar codes to locate and identify products at stores. It scans from any direction as the user rotates the item, and it comes with a very large database that can be expanded to your needs. Use the I.D. Mate II™ to record memos or read labels you create for items at home, work, or in the marketplace. Battery operated, approximately $1560.00. Whoever imagined bar codes would facilitate assistive technology? For complete product information, visit http://www.envisionamerica.com/idmateIILearn.htm

Through the Looking Glass
http://www.lookingglass.org
Through the Looking Glass has pioneered clinical and supportive services, training and research serving families in which one or more members-whether parent or child-has any type of disability or medical issue. TLG also has diverse publications on parenting-related topics you may order.