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Special educational needs (SEN)

Useful links

General

• Living Our Lives [PDF file 2173KB]|
  Living Our Lives is a new practical guide for parents and carers of disabled children and young people in Calderdale.
• Teachernet SEN page|
  This site aims to provide a wide range of special education needs and disability advice and materials for teachers, parents and others working with children with SEN in England.
• Teachernet SEN Policies, Strategies and Publications|
  A list of useful publications available to order.
• Teachernet glossary of SEN terms|
  A comprehensive glossary which explains terms such as dyspraxia, multi-sensory impairment and Portage.
• Contact a family|
  Contact a Family is the only UK-wide charity providing advice, information and support to the parents of all disabled children. They also enable parents to get in contact with other families, both on a local and national basis.
• Association for Speech Impaired Children|
  A range of services and information that include a helpline, publications, support groups, online message boards and membership.
• Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus|
  This site provides information and advice about spina bifida and hydrocephalus to individuals, families and carers.
• International League Against Epilepsy|
  The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) work together to advance research and to improve the quality of life for those afflicted with epilepsy.
• National Association for Special Educational Needs|
  This site includes research, publications, events and courses, relevant links and contact information for those with special and additional support needs.
• National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries|
  This organisation produces a range of publications and training courses covering toy and leisure library practice, child development, learning through play, and special needs provision.
• Scope|
  The disability organisation in England and Wales for people with cerebral palsy.  The site includes leaflets for parents as well as fact sheets on therapies and other aspects of living with disability.
• Young Minds for Children's Mental Health|
  This charity is committed to improving the mental health of all children and young people.  Publications, resources and training courses are available.
• ACE Centre|
  Includes advice and training in the use of technology for young people with physical and communication difficulties.
• The Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology (INPP)|
  This site includes publications, training and events to help parents/carers of children with specific learning difficulties, co-ordination and behavioural problems.

Visual impairment web sites

• RNIB|
  National UK charity providing a good range of information for blind or partially sighted people.
• National Blind Children’s Society|
  This charity provides information, advice, support and services to blind and partially sighted children.  Help is also offered to families, carers and professionals.
• Sense |
  The UK's largest organisation for children and adults who are deafblind or have associated disabilities.
• Macular Disease Society |
  This site includes information, help, support and practical advice to people with Macular disease, health professionals and the general public.
• Visual Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research|
  This organisation carries out research, teaching and training, and also provides advice and resources in the area of visual impairment and education.
• Help and Support for Parents and their Visually Impaired Children|
  The web site for the National Federation of Families with Visually Impaired Children.
• New College Worcester|
  A residential school and college for young aged 11 to 19 who are blind or partially sighted.
• The Royal National College for the Blind|
  College of further education and training for people aged 16+ who are blind or partially sighted (based in Hereford).
• Queen Alexandra College for the Blind|
  This further education college, located in Birmingham, specialises in a wide range of vocational education for young people aged 16+ with visual impairment and other disabilities.
• Listening Books|
  This organisation provides a postal and internet based audiobook library service for people who cannot read in the usual way.
• Calibre Audio Library|
  This organisation offers a wide range of books on standard cassettes and MP3 disks, fiction and non fiction.  The service is free of charge.
• Voluntary Braille transcribers group|
  Transcribers can produce Braille from print, diskette and the internet.
• The British Computer Association of the Blind|
  A UK organisation of visually impaired people who use information and communications technology.
• British Blind Sport|
  This charity co-ordinates sport for the blind and partially sighted in the UK.
• Nystagmus Network|
  This self-help group provides support for adults and children with Nystagmus, their parents and teachers.
• Action for Blind People|
  This site includes practical support and advice on employment, legal and housing issues for blind and partially sighted people.

Hearing impairment web sites

• National Deaf Children’s Society|
  This site gives a wealth of information on all aspects of deafness, including family support groups, resources and publications.
• Royal National Institute for the Deaf|
  A wide range of information and resources for the deaf and hard of hearing, their families, friends and professionals.
• Royal Association for Deaf People|
  This organisation strives to meet the individual needs of deaf children, and works with the deaf community, deaf clubs, individuals and parents of deaf children.
• Sense |
  The UK's largest organisation for children and adults who are deafblind or have associated disabilities.
• British Deaf Association|
  A national organisation run by and for deaf people.
• Deafax - training and education through ICT|
  Deafax organises research, educational and training projects, using information technology to empower deaf people to lead fulfilling lives through the use of communications technology.
• Forest Books - an excellent resource for deaf related literature|
  Including books, videos, DVDs, CD-ROMs and software on sign language, deafness, deaf issues and baby signing.
• British Association of Teachers of the Deaf (BATD)|
  Includes details of training, and articles on audiology and education issues.
• Deaf Plus - Charity whose aim is to achieve equality and integration|
  This site includes information about personal support and development, IT training and internet access, and sign language interpreting support.
• Ear Foundation - Charity supporting Cochlear Implanted children|
  This charity supports and provides activities, courses and resources for deaf children, their families and supporting professionals.
• Deaf Education Through Listening and Talking|
  This charity supports deaf children, their families and practitioners who wish to follow an auditory oral route.
• Deafchild International - worldwide communication between deaf children
www.deafchild.org
  A safe environment for deaf and hearing children and schools to communicate, make new friends and have fun.
• Deafsign.com - resource for deafness and sign language|
  This site includes comprehensive, free, up-to-date information for those with hearing loss.
• See Hear - BBC programme on deaf issues|
  Includes a weekly list of BBC TV programmes with in-vision BSL signing.

Communication difficulties / autism web sites

• The Hanen Centre|
  Includes a wide range of resources for parents and professions in their efforts to help young children communicate effectively.
• Makaton Vocabulary Development Project|
  Makaton is a unique language programme using signs and symbols. This site includes information for parents/carers of children who have difficulties with understanding and speaking.
• National Autistic Society |
  This charitable organisation provides help, support and services to individuals with autism and their families.  The site also includes information about Asperger syndrome.
• Autism Independent UK|
  Training and information for people with moderate to profound autism.
• TreeHouse: The national charity for autism education|
  This site includes details of a national development team which promotes best practice in autism education.
• Action for ASD|
  A support and action group for people affected by autistic spectrum disorders.
• Autism Treatment Centre of America|
  This site provides information on the Son-Rise programme for children challenged by autism, autism spectrum disorders, pervasive development disorder, Asperger syndrome and other developmental difficulties.

Dyspraxia and dyslexia

• The British Dyslexia Association|
  Information and advice on dyslexia for dyslexic people and those who support them.
• Dyslexia Action|
  This site provides information about dyslexia associated training, teaching and publications.
• Dyspraxia Foundation|
  Support for individuals and families affected by dyspraxia.
• Better Books special needs publications|
  This site includes details of a range of books and software specifically for people with special learning difficulties, including dyslexia.
• Kickstart Publications|
  Kickstart produces a range of materials covering phonic skills, spelling, writing and number skills.
• Dyslexia Help|
  Information and useful links for teaching and understanding dyslexic children.
• Dyslexia Teacher|
  A web site for teachers of children with dyslexia.

Down's syndrome

• Down's Syndrome Association|
  This site provides information, counselling and support for people with Down's syndrome, their families and carers.
• Down Syndrome Online|
  This site offers online information and advice, books, teaching materials, articles and training courses for families, teachers, therapists and researchers.

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