Special Education Programs & Services

Office of Special Education Programs

• The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The programs and services provided through OSEP are authorized by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide education to children with special needs.

  U.S. Department of Education
  400 Maryland Ave. SW
  Washington, DC 20202
  800-872-5327
  ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/

Regional Resource Centers Program

• The Regional Resource Center Program is a federal initiative that funded 21 regional education centers to assist schools in meeting achievement goals and special education needs. The centers provide training for administrators, teachers and parents, and assistive technology for delivering curriculum and instruction. The program also includes a network for sharing information on special education law and policy.

  Regional Resource Center Program
  202-884-8215
  rrfcnetwork.org

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

• The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) offers information on IDEA, No Child Left Behind and its impact on special education, research about special education best practices and information about special needs. NICHCY offers resources and services in English and Spanish, and provides parents with links to special education services for infants and school-age children, as well as resources on dealing with special needs as a family, special education laws and state services. NICHCY provides information and services specifically for families, childcare providers, transportation providers, educators and others who might need information about special education and children with special needs.

  National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
  1825 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 700
  Washington, DC 20009
  800-695-0285
  nichcy.org

Families and Advocates Partnership for Education

• The Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE) provides parents with information about IDEA and resources for understanding the resources available to their child through special education. On their website, FAPE offers fact sheets about IDEA, information on No Child Left Behind, tips for getting access to needed special education services and current updates in special education.

  Families and Advocates Partnership for Education
  8161 Normandale Blvd.
  Minneapolis, MN 55437
  952-838-9000
  fape.org

National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

• The National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness provides technical assistance to help organizations meet the requirements of IDEA to provide equal educational opportunities to students who are deaf-blind. Technical assistance helps families and educators adapt special education to meet the needs of deaf-blind children, including the need for identification of deaf-blindness, increased educational achievement, participation of families in special education and evaluation of special education programs.

  National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness
  345 N. Monmouth Ave.
  Monmouth, OR 97361
  800-438-9376
  nationaldb.org

Identifying and Treating ADHD

• The U.S. Department of Education provides parents and teachers free access to a complete publication on identifying and treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at school and at home. The publication includes information on identifying ADHD, the various treatment options available and tips for helping children with ADHD perform well academically.