Education Resources
Special Education and Inclusion in Early Care and Education
The Illinois Early Learning (IEL) Project provides this Special Education and Inclusion in Early Care and Education resource list for early childhood special education and inclusive childcare for children ages 3 to 5 years old. The resources include tip sheets on choosing child care for infants and toddlers, choosing a preschool, inclusion in preschool classrooms and special education assessment for preschool-aged children.
If you have questions, please contact IEL online or call (877) 275-3227. EIL will try to reply to inquiries within one week.
Special Education Assessment Tip Sheet and Resource List
Family members and early care and education providers are adults who notice when the children in their care may have disabilities or developmental delays and would benefit from special education services.
The Illinois Early Learning (IEL) Project’s Special Education Assessment tip sheet series is a helpful tool for learning more about the steps in that process. The IEL also provides an Assessment for Special Education resource list.
For questions, please contact IEL online or call (877) 275-3227.
Special Needs Resource Project
The Special Needs Resource Project provides information and ideas for parents of children with chronic health issues and disabilities. topics include education, housing design, accessibility and remodeling, ramps, transition to adulthood and more.
Storyline Online features famous people reading books aloud to kids – no login needed.
Suburban Access, Inc. is an independent service coordination and advocacy agency that links children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to life-enhancing services, programs, experiences and personal supports to empower them to live life without limits. Suburban Access offers a variety of programs to help people with intellectual disabilities overcome barriers and advance their independence, learning and community connections.
Suburban Access has locations in Homewood and Hillside. It serves south and west suburban Cook County. For more information, call (708) 799-9190.
SUPE: Substance Use Prevention Education
SUPE: Substance Use Prevention Education provides free resources to help individuals of all ages and backgrounds learn about the dangers of drugs and how to help those who may be affected by substance use. Educational materials are available in English and Spanish and include engaging videos targeting kids, teens, parents, teachers, employers and more.
SUPE offers up-to-date, easy-to-understand information on topics such as:
- Edibles and vaping education and prevention for kids
- Tips for talking to grandchildren about substance use
- The link between bullying and substance use
- Do’s and don’ts for teachers speaking to students about drugs
Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills Tip Sheet
This Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills tip sheet from the Illinois Early Learning Project provides strategies that are helpful to all children but are particularly helpful for those with limited verbal skills.
IEL offers a wide variety of one-page, easy-to-read tip sheets covering a wide range of topics for parents and teachers of young children.
All tipsheets are available in Spanish and English. Selected tipsheets are available in Polish, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and French.
Swann Special Care Center is a non-profit organization located in Champaign that offers residential and educational programs for people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. Its programs serve residents from throughout Illinois and include residential nursing care, adult day training and an accredited year-round school. Swann Special Care Center also offers:
- Restorative and long-term habilitation
- Palliative and end-of-life care
- Evaluation on an individual and ongoing basis
- Physical, occupational and speech therapies
For questions, please visit Swann Center’s Contact Us page online, or call (217) 356-5164.
Take N.O.T.E. of Learning Differences
Take N.O.T.E. is an initiative developed by Understood in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics. It aims to help parents identify the signs of learning or thinking differences in their children.
The Arc of Illinois Family-to-Family Health Information Center
The Arc of Illinois Family-to-Family Health Information Center works with families and professionals to address questions and concerns about the health of children and youth with special healthcare needs and disabilities under the age of 22. The center uses its team’s extensive parental and professional experience to help other families access resources, communicate with medical providers and raise children at home in their communities.
The center offers individual assistance for questions about Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, insurance, Medicaid waivers, disability programs, special education and more. The center also helps families connect with local, regional, statewide and national partners for support, information sharing and skill building.
For more information, call (815) 464-1832 ext. 1017, or (866) 931-1110. For information in Spanish, call (800) 588-7002