Supporting development of youth with disabilities: A guide for families. From the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, this article is a great resource on the conflict between parents who want to protect their child with a disability and youth who want to be treated like adults.

Parenting a child with disabilities: It's difficult to describe this article other than that it is very good. It includes articles on responses when you learn your child has a disability, supporting the family, the impact on brothers and sisters

INVOLVEMENT WITH THE SCHOOLS

Engaging Parents in Education is an 80-page guide from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement. If you are like me, your first thought was, "Ha! More of the same old stuff. Parents don't come to school because they don't have Internet access and don't read your website, blah, blah." Imagine my surprise when they confronted the issues head on. Parents often don't come to school because they have had bad experiences at the school, they don't like schools and they distrust school staff. Here is a guide that addresses the real challenges facing schools on reservations and in other disadvantaged communities.

Parent Guidance Handbook from the Office of Indian Education Improvement - this manual is so full of recommendations for parent involvement with schools, school involvement with parents and school involvement with the community, that you are sure to find some ideas that will work for you. If, like me, you read a few pages and think, "That won't work here", just keep reading. I like their attitude - there is always something that will work if you just keep trying.

Developing your child's Individual Education Plan - good advice from the National Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities

Fact Sheet from the National Dissemination Center for parents on communication through letterwriting, includes sample letters.

Involvement of parents, an article by Spirit Lake Consulting .

Questions parents often ask about special education - click here for frequently asked questions and their answers.