Mokena Resources
The official site of the Hearing Improvement Kids Endowment Fund, Inc. (HIKE). The purpose of the fund is to provide hearing devices for children with hearing losses between the ages of newborn and 20 years whose parents are unable to meet this special need financially.
Children are eligible to receive a grant providing the need is verified by a prescription from an audiologist or physician.
National Center for Learning Disabilities
The National Center for Learning Disabilities provides resources for parents and caregivers, educators, young adults and learning disability champions.
Learning Disabilities Association of America
The Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) provides tools, resources, and community. LDA’s mission is to create opportunities for success for all individuals affected by learning disabilities through support, education, and advocacy.
The U.S. Department of Education Department provides this transition guide to help students with disabilities and their families understand the years-long process and the options available to them as they prepare to leave public education.
The guide includes information on transition planning, transition services and requirements, education and employment options for students and youth with disabilities, and how to support the decisions made by students and youth with disabilities.
Tips for Helping Students With Hearing Loss in Virtual and In-Person Learning Settings
Teachers and administrators can take steps to meet the unique challenges that virtual and modified in-person learning environments will pose for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Both formats have challenges, but schools and teachers can help children be successful. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) provides these tips for virtual and in-person learning settings.
As families shelter in place due to COVID-19, children with hearing loss may need additional help. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) offers this guidance to parents, available in English and Spanish.
SPARK (Supporting Parents and Remote Kids) Parent Hub
The Learning Technology Center of Illinois’s SPARK (Supporting Parents and Remote Kids) Parent Hub provides training and resources for Illinois parents and caregivers as they support students with remote learning.
The Kinda Guide is designed to be a weekly survival guide for parents and families that will include expert tips on remote learning, parenting advice, virtual camp activities, simple meal and snack ideas and at-home family adventures.
Census Information Packet for People with Disabilities
Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition (Chicagoland DPOCC), the Institute on Disability and Human Development and Counting on Chicago Coalition came together to create a helpful tool for those who want to learn more about the 2020 U.S. Census and how it affects disability communities throughout the country, including people with disabilities who live in Chicago.
Census 101: #IAmCounted is a packet where you can find out what the census means, how the census can help communities (including the disability community), ways to complete the census and more.
If you would like to get the packet in a different language, email chicagolandpocc@gmail.com.
Wellness Visits and Routine Vaccinations During COVID-19
The Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP) encourages families to maintain routine pediatric appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic and reach out to pediatricians for questions and support during this difficult time. In-person, routine well-child visits are still recommended for all children at this time, especially children under two who need to maintain their vaccination schedules.
ICAAP provides this helpful infographic on well-visits and immunization for families.