Education Resources
Frequently Asked Questions About Adapted Physical Education
SHAPE America provides guidance to Frequently Asked Questions About Adapted Physical Education for students with disabilities. The document was developed as a resource for physical educators, adapted physical educators, school district administrators and parents as they work to provide consistent adapted physical education (APE) services for students with disabilities.
GiGi’s Playhouse: Down Syndrome Achievement Centers
GiGi’s Playhouse: Down Syndrome Achievement Centers provide free, nationwide on-site and virtual educational, therapeutic-based and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community. Programs are available for individuals of all ages focusing on speech and language, social skills, cooking and fitness.
GiGi’s Playhouse Illinois locations include:
- Chicago
- Deerfield
- Fox Valley
- Hoffman Estates
- McHenry County
- Quad Cities
- Rockford
- Tinley Park
GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse offers opportunities to build relationships and community connections and access free programming and resources tailored for individuals with Down syndrome. The playhouse serves individuals with Down syndrome of all ages, expecting moms and dads, caregivers, siblings, parents, grandparents, doctors, educators, volunteers and more.
GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse provides a variety of programs focused on therapeutic needs, educational needs, career development and global acceptance. You can log in to the virtual playhouse to access on-demand programs for all ages, resources for supporting a loved one with Down syndrome and communities of other parents, self-advocates and volunteers.
Hands & Voices Guides and Resources for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Plus
Hands & Voices provides a variety of resources specific to children who are deaf/hard of hearing plus – the combination of being deaf or hard of hearing and having additional medical complexities or other needs.
Information includes the “Connecting Families of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Plus (DHH Plus) with Resources and Support” guide, an Educational Plan Checklist for D/HH-Plus Students and presentations, articles and other guides for families of children who are D/HH plus.
Homework Tip Sheets for Families and School Staff
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has created a useful tip sheet with strategies to support parents and guardians who help children complete homework. The “Homework Help Strategies for Caregivers” tip sheet includes a link to a database of helpful homework support websites. It can be found under “Family and Community Resources” on ISBE’s Family and Community Engagement webpage.
School and district professionals as well as school board members can also find tip sheets on how they may help with best practice regarding homework.
How to Teach Children About Disabilities and Inclusion
Inclusion is the law, but it takes more than legal compliance to create an environment where all children feel included and valued. Educating children about disability and inclusion can protect vulnerable students from bullying and encourage empathy and kindness among students.
Baylor University’s “How to Teach Children About Disabilities and Inclusion” outlines age-appropriate ways to teach children about disabilities and strategies for fostering empathy and understanding in school or any social environment.
Understood.org gives parents step-by-step instructions for how to create an individualized education program (IEP) binder that sorts their child’s evaluation reports, IEP, report cards and other paperwork. The site includes an IEP binder checklist, school contact sheet, parent-school communication log and IEP goal tracker that parents can download and print.
Illinois Association of Education of Young Children (ILAEYC)
The Illinois Chapter of the Association of Education of Young Children (ILAEYC or Illinois AEYC) works to enrich the quality of care and education of the young child by:
- Increasing communication among parents, caregivers and professionals involved in the care and education of young children
- Providing in-service training for the early childhood community
- Hosting opportunities for community learning
ILAEYC has chapters and volunteers throughout the state.
Illinois Cares for Kids provides parents, caregivers, teachers and childcare providers a place to find information on statewide programs related to early learning and development, child care and family well-being in English and Spanish. The website includes information about:
- Child development and education for kids of all ages
- Healthcare coverage and emotional well-being
- Home visiting programs
- Child care subsidy programs
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- “Ready for K” (Ready4K), a statewide text messaging platform offering fun facts and tips on children’s learning and development in multiple languages
The Illinois Center for Autism (ICA) is a nonprofit, community-based mental health treatment and educational agency serving people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ICA offers a variety of programs designed to support families and help individuals from age 3 through adulthood achieve their highest level of independence at home, school and in the community.
ICA provides education, advocacy, social skills, life skills and vocational training and resources to children ages 3 to 22 in its Special Education Program, individuals 22 and older in its Adult Services Program, and their families in its Client Family Support Services Programs.
ICA serves about nine counties in southern Illinois on a regular basis. These counties include Madison, St. Clair, Bond, Clinton, Washington, Monroe, Fayette, Marion, and Macoupin. The center also provides services in other counties based on where students and families reside.