School Age & Beyond

Updated February 2, 2013

To more effectively address the needs children older that five years of age the Map Team has focused attention on identifying resources to support youth and young adults in their school, after school programs and community activities.

The following links may be of interest as you search the world wide web for information on inclusive child care and other related topics. Many of the sites listed below are good starting points for additional links. The descriptions come from the sites themselves and are not offered with any official Map to Inclusive Child Care or WestEd endorsement.*

Assistive Technology in Action. Meet Mason Content includes video External website will open in new window Published on Dec 7, 2012
The Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) and PACER Center are pleased to announce the release of our new assistive technology awareness series, AT in Action. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), this fully-captioned video series is designed to strengthen awareness of AT devices that help individuals with disabilities participate fully in school, at home, and in the community. In this third video, you'll meet Mason, a young boy with vision loss who, with the help of AT, is able to learn reading and writing in the same classroom as his sighted peers. We invite you to view and share this video with your colleagues and the families you serve.

Apostrophe Magazine External website will open in new window
Apostrophe, a quarterly magazine for people with disabilities who are overcoming apostrophes in their lives. Forget can't and don't. We can and do.

ATNetwork Assistive Technology Tools for Living External website will open in new window
AT Network is a project of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers External website will open in new window funded by the Department of Rehabilitation. The AT Network is dedicated to expanding the accessibility of tools, resources and technology that will help increase independence, improve personal productivity and enhance the quality of life for all Californians.

Bandaides and Blackboards External website will open in new window
The intent of the website is to sensitize people to what it's like to grow up with a medical problem. Too often, youngsters so affected must cope with stigma as well as with their medical conditions. Teasing often accompanies this stigma, and adds a layer of pain to their experience of childhood.

Best Buddies External website will open in new window
Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.

Bully Free World External website will open in new window
Special Needs Anti-Bullying Toolkit for parents, teachers and students dealing with bullying and children with special needs. This toolkit is a set of resources for people to confront bullying of children with special needs from all angles - from talking to your children to knowing your rights to teaching tolerance in schools. Start by reading the Top Ten Facts to know about bullying and children with special needs, and then learn about the unique challenges children with special needs face when encountering bullying.

Now you have the facts, but want to DO something to help create a bully free world? Getting started is as easy as writing a letter to your child's teacher, or asking your Principal to post your school's anti-bullying policy in public places around the school building. It could mean talking to your child about how he or she has experienced bullying, or reading about the roles of bullying and identifying your personal place in the cycle of bullying.

Bullying Prevention Project-Sacramento County External website will open in new window
The goal of the Bullying Prevention Project is to support Sacramento County districts and their demonstration school sites as they implement bullying prevention programs and strategies. This initial project of the countywide Student Mental Health and Wellness Plan will allow each district to focus on a school-based bullying prevention program, provide staff training, promote student mental health and provide early interventions for students and families who need them. Resources housed on this site include national research, professional development resources and evidence-based strategies to address bullying.

California AfterSchool Network External website will open in new window
The California AfterSchool Network provides leadership and links to state policy makers to support high-quality programs. It offers a collective voice to support policies, research, public awareness campaigns and innovative strategies. Networking partnerships are built to support opportunities for mutual learning so that California’s after-school programs can keep children safe, inspire learning, and help working families. Search on “disabilities” for resources.

California After School Resource Center External website will open in new window
The California After School Resource Center (CASRC, "cas-rac"), administered by the California Department of Education, provides access to a comprehensive set of reviewed materials, resources, trainings, tools, and supportive services for after school programs. Browse through the resources and register online to borrow materials from the library, with free delivery in California. Here are links to downloadable materials and resources for inclusion.

California Association for the Education of Young Children (CAEYC) External website will open in new window
The purpose of CAEYC is to serve and act on behalf of the needs and rights of young children with primary focus on the provision of educational services and resources to adults who work with and for children from birth through age eight.

CalSAC External website will open in new window
CalSAC works to support and advance afterschool programs and providers throughout California. They offer training, resources, advocacy, and information to help in the vital work with kids. They offer two training modules about children with disabilities and special needs.

CAST Universal Design for Learning External website will open in new window
A nonprofit leader in education, CAST works to improve learning opportunities and outcomes for all individuals thorough Universal Design for Learning. Explore this website to find out more about our research and development, innovative learning tools, and professional services.

Drawing Hope External website will open in new window
Drawing Hope logoShawn Van Daele takes drawings created by children either born or living with health conditions and turns them into magical photo artwork. Visit the gallery and click on a picture to read the story behind the art.

Edutopia The George Lucas Education Foundation External website will open in new window
Our vision is of a new world of learning. A place where kids and parents, teachers and administrators, policy makers and the people they serve, all are empowered to change education for the better. A place where schools have access to the same invaluable technology as businesses and universities -- where innovation is the rule, not the exception. Edutopia.org contains a deep archive of continually updated best practices, from classroom tips to recommendations for districtwide change. Allied with a dedicated audience that actively contributes success stories from the field, our mission relies on input and participation from schools and communities.

Expectmorearizona.org External website will open in new window
Expectmorearizona.org is a public-private partnership dedicated to making education the top priority in the state of Arizona. Expect More Arizona unites individuals and organizations that believe expectations must be much higher and sharing our commitment in making Arizona's commitment, birth through career, the best in the nation. The path to higher expectations and educational excellence requires great teachers, motivated students, engaged parents, committed leaders and supportive communities – all working together to increase student academic achievement and ultimately their readiness to succeed in college and career.

The Family Center on Technology and Disability External website will open in new window
The FCTD web site is a source full of assitive/instructional technology resources of interest to families of children with disabilities. The website offers access to monthly newsletters, online discussions moderated by nationally recognized experts, a database of FCTD members which is comprised of more than 3,000 disability organizations, a resource review database with hundreds of reviews of AT resources and more. Through the site users can also access the FCTD AT Family Guides as well as resources in Spanish.

Find Youth Info External website will open in new window
FindYouthInfo.gov was created by the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP), which is composed of representatives from 12 federal departments and 5 federal agencies that support programs and services focusing on youth.

Foster Ed Connect External website will open in new window
FosterEdConnect.org is an online community connecting and supporting California's foster youth liaisons, foster youth advocates, and all professionals working to improve the educational outcomes of foster youth.

Glenda’s A.T. Information and More: Technology for Struggling Students External website will open in new window
Disability Awareness Resources

Harvard Family Research Project
Logo for Harvard Family Research Project Since 1983, we have helped stakeholders develop and evaluate strategies to promote the well being of children, youth, families, and their communities. We work primarily within three areas that support children's learning and development—early childhood education, out-of-school time programming, and family and community support in education. Underpinning all of our work is a commitment to evaluation for strategic decision making, learning, and accountability.


I'm Tyler External website will open in new window
Tyler is a typical high school student who happens to have cerebral palsy and some other challenges. He has taken on a mission to educate the world about Ability Awareness. He believes that what a person, any person, CAN do is much more important than what he/she can't. The people in Tyler's life who have seen this and practiced Ability Awareness have made all the difference in the world to him. Watch the video and be amazed!

IRIS Center for Training Enhancements External website will open in new window
The IRIS Center is a national center that aims to provide high-quality resources for college and university faculty and professional development providers about students with disabilities. IRIS seeks to obtain this goal by providing free, online, interactive training enhancements that translate research about the education of students with disabilities into practice. It is made possible through a grant between Vanderbilt University and the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education.

Kids Included Together (KIT) External website will open in new window
Kids Included Together (KIT) was founded in 1997. Its mission is to support recreational, child development, and youth development programs that include children with and without disabilities. KIT's goals are to enrich the lives of all who participate and to increase understanding and acceptance of disabilities as a natural part of life.

Now debuting free eLearning demos Inclusion is Belonging and Introduction to Inclusion! Click below to experience NTCI's self-paced eLearning. NTCI’s eLearning program will soon include ALL of the following self-paced modules:

Museum of Disability History External website will open in new window
Here you will find Disability History Lesson Plans for grades K-3. All documents are in PDF format and available for download.

My Own Book Shelf Content includes Video External website will open in new window
This video was presented at the 2009 CEC Convention. My Own Bookshelf SoftTouch External website will open in new window is a project designed to bring literacy into the lives of children with disabilities. The video shows volunteers scanning books, the children adding their voices to the stories, and the children with disabilities enjoying the stories by themselves and with other children using switches and sharing their books with others through the same access technology.This video illustrates the possibilities of using technology to integrate learning with all populations, and to create something entirely unique with relative ease.

National Afterschool Association External website will open in new window
The National AfterSchool Association, formerly the National School-Age Care Alliance, was founded in 1987. They are a professional association with a membership component. The membership includes more than 7,000 practitioners, policy makers, and administrators representing all public, private, and community-based sectors of after-school and out-of-school time programs, as well as school-age and after-school programs on military bases, both domestic and international. As the leading voice of the after-school profession, they are dedicated to the development, education, and care of children and youth during their out-of-school hours.

The National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE) External website will open in new window
National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special EducationThis site provides resources and strategies to support family involvement in education. The link takes you directly to resources for Working Together: Building Improved Communication. It includes handbooks and video instruction in both English and Spanish.

National Center on Response to Intervention External website will open in new window
This site, funded by the US Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, is the one place to find all you need to know about Response to Intervention. A graphic is used to help navigate through and learn about the Essential Components of RTI including screening, progress monitoring, multi-level prevention system and data-based decision-making.

National Center on Universal Design for Learning External website will open in new window
From the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008….The term UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING means a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that:

  1. provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and
  2. reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) Children 3-22 External website will open in new window
The education of children with disabilities is a top national priority. Our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), sets high standards for their achievement and guides how special help and services are made available in schools to address their individual needs. More than 6 million children with disabilities receive special education and related services in our schools each year. To learn more about these vital services, explore the NICHCY website for children 3-22.

  • All About IEP External website will open in new window
    When a child receives special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), he or she must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This is a written document listing, among other things, the special educational services that the child will receive. The IEP is developed by a team that includes the child's parents and school staff.

    The IEP is an extremely important document in the educational lives of students with disabilities receiving special education under IDEA. The resources we've listed below will help you learn more about IEPs—what the law requires, what information a typical IEP contains, how IEPs are developed, and so on.

National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIout-of-school-time) External website will open in new window
Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College
106 Central St.
Wellesley, MA 02481
(781) 283-2547

National Institute on Recreation Inclusion External website will open in new window
This website provides the most current information on recreation inclusion. Sessions for professionals, educators, students, advocates, parents, therapists, and others seeking: basic knowledge about the inclusion process; in-depth knowledge about implementing inclusive recreation programs; knowledge about managing the inclusive recreation process; workshops and tours. Check out CICC’s Survey on the front page.

National PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships Implementation Guide External website will open in new window
The benefits of family-school-community partnerships are many: higher teacher morale, more parent involvement, and greater student success are only a few. That is why PTA developed the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships Implementation Guide, a tool for empowering people to work together with an end goal of building family-school partnerships and student success.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports External website will open in new window
The TA Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports has been established by the Office of Special Education Programs, US Department of Education, to give schools capacity-building information and technical assistance for identifying, adapting, and sustaining effective school-wide disciplinary practices.

School Age Notes External website will open in new window
School-Age Notes is a publisher and retailer of books, videos, DVDs, music CDs and other resources for after-school professionals and after-school programs and summer programs geared to school-age children. Science and math enrichment, literacy, curriculum planning, staff training, discipline, summer programs, arts and crafts, fitness, games, cooking, drama, multicultural activities and many more topics are covered in resources available for order from School-Age Notes.

Signed Stories External website will open in new window
Signed Stories has lots of great books to see in sign language and subtitles. Hearing family and friends can listen to the stories too. You can all watch together! Signed Stories has a very simple goal – to help improve the literacy of deaf children nationwide by allowing them to share in the joy of storytelling. It’s also designed to provide useful advice and guidance for the parents, cargivers and teachers of deaf children; and for the deaf parents of hearing children. Everyone – deaf or hearing – can use Signed Stories. Please keep coming back to see new books as they arrive, and please tell your friends and work colleagues about this free website.

Story Line On Line External website will open in new window
Stories read by members of the Screen Actors Guild

VSA arts of California External website will open in new window
The mission of VSA arts of California is to create, develop, and promote opportunities for artistic expression and education throughout the state that can be experienced by individuals of all abilities.

Washington Learning Systems External website will open in new window
Washington Learning Systems is offering free language and early literacy activities, developed by Angela Notari-Syverson and Judy Challoner, with illustrations by Don Syverson (available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Somali, Burmese and Russian). The materials include home and community activities for adults and young children (birth-5) that encourage early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with disabilities, as well as children who are developing typically. To download the materials go from the site, click on "Literacy Resources." You will need to create an account using your email address and a password.

The development of these materials was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs and by funding from Washington Learning Systems. They may be copied and distributed freely, as long as they are not sold.

  • On the Go Resources External website will open in new window - Available in English, Spanish, Somali, Russian, Vietnamese, Mandarin and Burmese
    The "On the Go" materials include 14 activities designed to be used outside the home: in the car, while walking, during bus rides, etc. The activities encourage early language and literacy development from birth through preschool. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically. The materials are designed to encourage parents to interact with their children while they are "On the Go" to facilitate language, early literacy, and positive parent-child interactions. The 14 activities are accompanied by hints for each of the activities about how to modify them to meet the specific developmental needs of the child. Each activity fits on a half-sheet of paper, so it can be easily provided to parents as a take-home.

Youth on the Move: A Road Map for Transition External website will open in new window
This website is designed to provide information, strategies, and resources to transition navigators—teachers, counselors, family members, and community providers—to guide youth on the move.

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* Map to Inclusive Child Care and WestEd do NOT endorse or assume any responsibility for information found on these sites. The following links are provided as a source of information and resources. Please e-mail us information about other sites that will add depth and knowledge to these listings.