Abilitations

This website contains great resources for children with special needs. You can request a free catalog and there is also an online catalog. It has just about any type of accommodation for a child with special needs you can think of.
http://store.schoolspecialty.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?minisite=10021

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning
This is a Vanderbilt university website. The site contains tons of information about social and emotional development and their relationship to successful early learning. It offers a lot of material that can be downloaded and some of this material is available EN ESPANOL. It also has a lot of videos that we can actually view FREE OF CHARGE. The site also has several chat rooms that one can join.
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/

Flaghouse Inc (Canada)
This is another website that has a lot of material and equipment for children with special needs.
http://www.flaghouse.ca/

Inclusion.com
Nice website about inclusion and what it really means. It has a lot of online resources and a lot of information about books, DVDs, videos and articles all about inclusion.
http://www.inclusion.com/

The Incredible Years
This website has lots of really cool resources for parents and especially for teachers. There are a lot of materials and resources and information that we can all use.
http://www.incredibleyears.com/

ODIN books
1110 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6H 1G5
Phone: (604) 739-8804 OR TOLL FREE 1-800-223-6346
Fax 604-739-8874
This local bookstore has an amazing collection of education, special education, psychology, child development and early childhood education resources. Their only problem is that their books and other materials are quite pricey.
http://www.odinbooks.ca/

Kaplan
This is a great website. It has a great catalog that you can order and have delivered to your door. It has lots of material and equipment and toys for just about any developmental area you can think of.
http://kaplanco.com/

National Early Childhood Transition Center
I believe this is an important website. Transition issues have often been reported by parents of children with special needs as a major hassle. This website provides a lot of tips and ideas and recommendations on how to make transitions easier on both parents and children. It also has a list of videos on school transitions. The only downside is that it might be more geared toward professionals than it is toward parents.
http://www.hdi.uky.edu/SF/NECTC/Home.aspx

Pocket Full of Therapy
This website also has great resources for toys and equipment. This site has a great bonus: you can actually send an email to a therapist, if you have a question, via their website, and a therapist will return your email as soon as possible.
http://pfot.com/

The Secret Life of the Brain
This is a nice website that describes how the brain develops, from pre-birth to the end of the early years. It is quite informative and a lot of fun to watch.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/

Sensory Overload Simulation
Did you ever wonder what it is like to experience sensory overload? Did you ever wonder why some children with autism and other disorders, do not like it when a noise is a bit too loud or a light a bit too bright? Watch this “simulation” video and you will understand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPDTEuotHe0

School Specialty Supplies
This website offers a lot of useful materials and equipment for all developmental areas.. They have several catalogs that show all their materials. Catalogs can be shipped to you for free.
http://store.schoolspecialty.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?minisite=10224

Superduper Publications
This website has a lot of really cute and nice toys and materials for all areas of development. They ship free to USA and Canada.
http://www.superduperinc.com/

Enabling Devices
This website offers some interesting toys that can foster children’s development
http://enablingdevices.com/catalog

Wintergreen Toys
This website has a wide variety of toys and materials that would be useful to all children
http://www.wintergreen.ca/

Literacy for the Early and Middle Years

ABC Teach: The Educator’s Online Resource
This great website contains tons of resources (downloadable and printable) that can be quite useful to both parents and teachers. It offers a lot of information about literacy, and provides great and practical examples about how we can turn any child into a lover of reading and writing.
http://abcteach.com/

Get Ready to Read
This is a website that allows you to check whether or not a child is ready to learn how to read and it also gives you plenty of ideas on how you can stimulate children in ways that will foster the development of skills that they will need, in order to learn how to read and write.
http://www.getreadytoread.org/

Get Ready to Read: Literacy Checklists
This is a great website that contains checklists that can be used to determine whether or not a child is ready to learn how to read. The checklists are available in both English and Spanish. It also connects you to other websites and resources that are about literacy and getting ready to read and write.
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Get_Ready_Read/

Kindergarten Readiness Indicators
This website allows you to check and see whether or not your child and/or student is ready for kindergarten. It also connects you to other websites that help children who are not yet ready for kindergarten, get ready for it.
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Readiness_Indicators/

Launching Young Readers
This website is part of PBS’s literacy website. It provides a lot of useful information that parents and educators can use, in order to help children develop their literacy skills. The information provided can help children who are on their way to develop their literacy skills and those who are struggling with these skills.
http://www.pbs.org/launchingreaders/rootsofreading/

Reading and Writing: What Parents and Educators Should Know
This is an awesome website. It is part of the PBS literacy website and it describes the stages that children go through, in order to become fluent readers and writers. It shows the progression of the development of reading and writing skills, from babyhood, through grade 3. Highly recommended!
http://www.pbs.org/parents/readinglanguage/reading/main.html

Reading Development: One Child’s Journey to the World of Reading
This is a nice illustration of the process that most children go through, in order to become fluent readers.
http://www.pbs.org/parents/readinglanguage/reading/kindergarten.html

Reading Rockets
This website contains a lot of useful information about reading readiness. It gives parents and teachers advice as to how they can recognize whether or not a child is ready to learn how to read and offers advice as to how parents and teachers can help struggling readers. This website also connects the user to other websites and resources on the development of reading skills in children.
http://www.readingrockets.org/

Prevnet: Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence
This Canadian website provides a lot of useful information about bullying in Canada, and specifically in Canadian schools. It offers handouts to parents, parents, children who are being bullied, and even bullies. It also provides basic facts about bullying, including cyber bullying.
http://www.prevnet.ca/

Teacher Resources: Discovering Psychology
This is a great website for anyone interested in basic psychology. The website describes major topics in psychology (including developmental psychology) and hot topics in the field. The user has access to a number of free videos, that they can play on their computer.
http://www.learner.org/resources/series138.html?pop=yes&pid=1530#

Teaching Ideas
This UK-based website is an invaluable resource to anyone working with young children. It provides tons of practical and fun activities that anyone teaching young children can use. It has many sub-sections, such as literacy, writing, math and science. The activities provided can be performed with everyday materials. The website also provides printable worksheets. Highly recommended
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/english/contents_writingnonfiction.htm#

Traci’s List of Ten
This website provides great ideas for developing basic literacy skills in young children. It provides 10 practical and fun activities that anyone working with young children can use.
http://www.tengrrl.com/tens/017.shtml

Writing Development: One Child’s Journey from Scribbles to Stories
This is a wonderful website to visit. It is part of the PBS child development website. It follows a child, Toby, through his journey with literacy. It shows (by describing and showing examples) how he started with scribbling and ended up being quite a good writer! It links development and literacy, by giving nice examples. Highly recommended!
http://www.pbs.org/parents/readinglanguage/writing/main.html

Child Development: The Middle Childhood Years

Attachment Parenting – Canada (Child Development Milestones: The Middle Years)
This article presents a nice list of the skills and milestones that children need to reach or achieve, in the middle childhood years, in order to function well in school, and society in general.
http://www.attachmentparenting.ca/articles/articles7.htm

Child Development Tracker
This website allows you to check what developmental milestones a child needs to reach, in order to be developing typically. The website covers the age range of birth to 8 years.
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopment/

Developmental Milestones Chart
This chart does a great job of linking developmental milestones, from the early infancy years, through the adolescence years. It shows how children acquire skills that they will need both in the present and in the future, as many of these skills are foundations for later more complex skills.
http://uppua.org/pdfs/CW%20II%20Handouts/Effects%20of%20Abuse%20and%20Neglect%20on%20Child%20Development/Development_Chart_for_Booklet.pdf

Specific Disorders and Conditions

Angelman Syndrome

Angelman Syndrome Website
The official website of the Canadian Angelman syndrome society. Has a link to local chapters but the link is not yet functional.
http://www.angelmancanada.org/

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ADHD
This website has basic information about ADHD. It also connects the user to other useful websites.
http://www.adhd.ca/

The BC Ministry of Education’s Official ADHD Website
It includes information about definition and characteristics, gives examples of the characteristics and provides teachers with guidelines on managing children with ADHD in their classrooms. This website also has case studies and support plans for the children described in the case studies.
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/adhd/

Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance
This is a basic website for parents, educators and children who have ADHD. The child section is very nice and provides children and youth with basic information about ADHD (including what it is, the use of medication and how one can tell his/her friends that he/she has ADHD).
http://www.caddra.ca/cms4/

The Center for ADD/ADHD Advocacy, Canada
This website provides a lot of information about advocacy for children with ADD/ADHD and their families. It also connects you to many other useful websites.
http://www.caddac.ca/cms/page.php?2

Children and Adults with ADD, Vancouver Chapter
Phone: (604) 222-4043
There is a resource library that is open to all. Members can borrow books for free. Non members have to pay a 20 dollar annual fee for library privileges.
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/chaddvan/

Autism

ACT: Autism Community Training Society
The website has a lot of information about training and autism.
http://www.actcommunity.net/

The Association for Behavior Analysis International
This website provides basic information about ABA.
http://www.abainternational.org/

Autism Inspiration
Autism Inspiration is a website that has a lot of useful tips on how to handle different behaviors associated with autism. In order to access most of the tips and suggestions, you have to sign in as a member. When you do, you will be able to access all the material free of charge.
http://www.autisminspiration.com/public/main.cfm

Autism Society of BC
303-3701-East Hastings street, Burnaby, BC V5C 2H6
(604) 434-0880
This is a local BC website that contains basic information about autism.
http://www.autismbc.ca/

Autism Society Canada
This website offers links to a wide variety of services for children with Autism and their families. It also defines the disorder, lists its main characteristics and offers information on referral and diagnosis.
This website is available in both English and French.
http://www.autismsocietycanada.ca/

The Autism Website
This website provides parents of children with autism with tips on how to deal with their children’s teachers in order to get the best education possible for their children.
http://www.autism-pdd.net/autism-tips.html

BC Ministry of Education’s Autism Website
This website contains a lot of useful information about autism, as well as strategies that teachers can use, in the regular classroom, with children with ASD
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/awareness/27.htm

Kyle’s Tree House
This is a nice parent oriented website that introduces you to autism. It has discussion boards that one can join as well as information about support groups (unfortunately, the support groups are in the US).
http://www.kylestreehouse.org/

Picture Exchange Communication System: PECS
Official website for PECS and information on how to order the program.
http://www.autismnetwork.org/modules/comm/pecs/

Provincial Outreach Program/For Autism and Related Disorders
This website connects parents of children with autism to services that are available in the province of British Columbia. It also offers practical advice regarding the integration of children with autism into aspects of daily and school life.
http://www.autismoutreach.ca/

Brain Injuries

The Brain Injury Chat Room and Homepage
You may have to sign in to get access to the chat rooms. There are several. Many are for peer support.
http://www.tbihome.org/

Community Brain Injury Program For Children And Youth
2805 Kingsway, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5R 5H9
Phone: (604) 451-5511
Fax: (604) 451-5611
This site is part of the BC centre for ability program. It helps you connect with all sorts of services and websites that may be of use to you.
http://www.centreforability.bc.ca/

Fraser Valley Brain Injury Association
204 – 2890 Garden St, Abbotsford, BC, V2T 4W7
Phone: 604-557-1913
Fax: 604-850-2527
This website provides basic information about brain injuries and offers a variety of services to those who have suffered a brain injury or those whose child has suffered a brain injury.
http://www.fvbia.org/

Lower Mainland Brain Injury Association
209-88 10th street, New Westminster, BC, V3M 6H8
Phone: (604) 521-0833 OR TOLL FREE (800) 510-3221
Fax: (604) 521-9141
This is a basic brain injury website that cater to individuals with brain injury of all ages. This website gives you tips on how to manage your day, how to access information and resources and a lit of support groups that are available in your area.
http://www2.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca/DBs/Redbook/orgPgs/3/3185.html

Parents and Special Education
This website will connect you to many different websites about many different disabilities. However, the information about each disability is quite brief and short.
http://www.parentpals.com/

The TBI Chat Room and Homepage
Through this website, you can join a number of message boards and chat rooms.
http://www.tbichat.org/

Cerebral Palsy

BC Ministry of Education’s Cerebral Palsy Website
This website contains information about CP, its types and characteristics. It also offers practical information for teachers, regarding the accommodation of children with CP, in the regular classroom
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/awareness/31.htm

CP Association of BC
801-409 Granville street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1T2
(604) 408-9484 OR TOLL FREE (800) 663-0004
This is the basic website for cerebral palsy in BC
http://www.bccerebralpalsy.com/

Cleft Palate

Cleft Palate Foundation
This is a basic cleft palate website. It includes useful information like how to feed your baby and other useful tips.
http://www.cleftline.org/

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Provincial Health Services Authority – PHSA
BC Early Hearing Program
http://wwwhttp://www.phsa.ca/AgenciesAndServices/Services/BCEarlyHearing/default.htm

BC Family Hearing Resource Society
http://www.bcfamilyhearing.com/ (Book for Parents – “My turn to Learn”)

Children’s Hearing & Speech Centre of BC
http://childrenshearing.ca/

Deaf Children’s Society
http://deafchildren.bc.ca/

Well-being Program for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deafblind
http://www.reach.ca/shared_future/eng/chernoff.htm

Boys Town National Research Hospital
My Baby’s Hearing
http://www.babyhearing.org/index.asp

Cochlear Implant Services at BC Children’s Hospital
http://www.bcchildrens.ca/Services/ClinicalDiagnosticFamilyServices/Audiology/cochlear-implant-svs/default.htm

Deaf/Blind

A-Z to Deafblindness
This is a basic website that contains a lot of information about what it is like to be deafblind. It also connects you to different resources.
http://www.deafblind.com/

British Columbia Chapter: Canadian Deaf Blind Rubella Association
713 Columbia street, New Westminster, BC, V3M 1B2
Erin Jeffery: chapter contact: (604) 517-6174
Allison Mail: early intervention program contact: (604) 517-6175
This is a basic deaflblind website. It gives information about CDBRA.
http://www.cdbrabc.ca/

BC Provincial Outreach Program for Students with Deafblindness
This website provides information about services for those who are deafblind
10300 Seacote road, Richmond, BC, V7A 4B2
Phone:(604) 668-7810
Fax: (604) 668-7812
This website connects parents of children who are deafblind with resources that they may be eligible for, through the BC government.
http://public.sd38.bc.ca/DeafblindWeb/home%20page

Down Syndrome

BC Ministry of Education’s Down Syndrome Website
This website contains information about Down syndrome and its characteristics. It also offers practical information for teachers, regarding the accommodation of children with Down syndrome, in the regular classroom
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/awareness/43.htm

Down Syndrome Research Foundation
1409, sperling avenue, Burnaby, BC, V5B 4J8
(604) 444-3773 OR (888) 464 DSRF
This is a basic website that tells about current research projects on Down Syndrome.
http://www.dsrf.org/

Lower Mainland Down Syndrome Society
201-13281 72nd avenue, Surrey, BC, V3W 2N5
(604) 591-2722
This website has a list of support services for different areas in BC. The website has a list of resources and a library for parents of children with Down Syndrome. It also has a message board.
http://www.lmdss.com/index.php?id=22

Epilepsy

British Columbia Epilepsy Society
This is a basic epilepsy website. It gives information on epilepsy and has a list of resources available. It has a lending library, however if you are not a member, you must provide credit card information before you can borrow a book. This is just in case you lost a book. If this happens, the cost of the book will be charged to your credit card. You can also connect to other websites from this main site.
http://www.bcepilepsy.com/

BC Ministry of Education’s Epilepsy Website
This is the BC ministry of education’s main epilepsy website. It gives a lot of practical advice regarding how to handle a child with epilepsy in the regular classroom, including information regarding what to do in case a child has a seizure in the classroom.
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/awareness/51.htm

Epilepsy Canada
Phone: (514)845-7855
This website has basic information about epilepsy and its treatment
http://www.epilepsy.ca/eng/mainSet.html

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

The Asante Center for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
103 – 22356 McIntosh Avenue Maple Ridge, B.C. V2X 3C1
Phone: 604-467-7101 / Toll Free: 1-866-327-7101
The Asante Center offers a wide variety of services to children with FASD and their families. It is located in the Maple Ridge area of the Fraser Valley.
http://www.asantecentre.org/

BC Ministry of Education’s Main FASD Website
This website contains very useful information about FASD. In addition to defining the disorder, the website contains a lot of resources for those who are parents of or who work with children with FASD. It contains checklists that can be downloaded and used and offers guidelines as to how one can develop an IEP for a child with FASD.
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/fas/

FAS Link Fetal Alcohol Disorders and Society
This is a great site as it shows a video that shows the startle reflex in an in utero alcohol-exposed baby. It also has a discussion form and information about parenting and educating children with FASD.
http://www.faslink.org/

FASD Resources
This website contains a list of resources about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
http://www.ades.bc.ca/resources/fasd.html

Ministry of Children and Family Development
This website contains general information about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and also tells you where to go for help, in the province of British Columbia.
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/fasd/

Provincial Outreach Program for Children with FASD
This website introduces the user to FASD. it defines and describes the disorders and offers information about successful school integration of children with FASD. It also offers an online course that introduces the user to FASD.
http://www.fasdoutreach.ca/

Public Health Agency of Canada
This website contains general information about FASD, what is it and what its characteristics are.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/dca-dea/prog-ini/fasd-etcaf/index-eng.php

Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X Foundation
This is a good website for parents of children with Fragile X syndrome. It gives them a lot of useful information about the disorder. It does not go into details, regarding intervention and treatment, but it does provide a general overview of the disorder, its characteristics and intervention options that are available for it.
http://www.fraxa.org/default.aspx?gclid=COqOycG4tpwCFSYoawodWw7-ng

Fragile X Research Foundation of Canada
This Canadian website introduces parents and professionals to Fragile X Syndrome. It states the characteristics of this disorder and also states treatment/intervention options that are available for this population.
http://www.fragilexcanada.ca/index.php?home&lng=en

The National Fragile X Foundation
This website introduces people to Fragile X Syndrome. It defines and describes the syndrome quite well. It also presents intervention options for children who have FXS, no matter what their age. This website also does a good job of explaining the genetics behind Fragile X syndrome, and what it means to be a carrier of FXS.
http://www.fragilex.org/html/what.htm

Gifted

The BC Ministry of Education’s Gifted Website
This is the BC ministry of education’s main gifted website. It offers teachers a lot of useful information about gifted children in the regular classroom. It also informs teachers about different educational programs designed specifically for those who are gifted.
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/gifted/

Gifted Canada
This website has a lot of useful information about what it is like to be gifted. It has a special section about young gifted children
http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/giftedcanada/

Gifted Children’s Association of B.C.
This website provides information about the B.C. organization. It also has links to a lot of different websites and resources.
http://www.gcabc.ca/

Hoagies Gifted Page
This is a major source of info on all aspects of gifted children. It also connects you to different interesting websites.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/

Teachers and Families
This website has lots of cool information about gifted children, their characteristics and how parents can help them at home.
http://www.teachersandfamilies.com/sped/gt/index.cfm

Hearing Impairments

BC Family Hearing Resource Centre
15220-92 Avenue, Surrey
(604) 584-2827
This website promotes different of communication, has useful website links and a resource library
http://www.bcfamilyhearing.com/

BC Ministry of Child and Family Development Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Phone: (604) 660-5507
This website provides information on services available for the hearing impaired
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/psdhh/services_for.htm

BC Ministry of Education Deaf and Hard of Hearing Website
This is the BC ministry of education’s main website regarding resources and information about hearing impairments
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/hearimpair/toc.htm

Deaf Children’s Society of BC
7355, Canada Way, Burnaby
Phone: (604) 525-6056
This website offers support to parents of children who are deaf. Has a library and a bookstore.
http://www.deafchildren.bc.ca/

Family Network for Deaf Children
Box: 50075, RPO, Burnaby
Phone: (604) 684-1860
This is a great resource for children, parents and teachers. It has a lot of information about and for the deaf community.
http://www.fndc.ca/

Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf
This website addresses issues that are important to the deaf community.
http://www.gvad.com/

Hand Speak
This nice website is actually an online dictionary of ASL.
http://www.handspeak.com/

Hard of Hearing Association BC Parents’ Branch
10150, Gillanders Road, Chilliwack
This is another great website for parents of children who are hard of hearing. It connects you to different sites and resources and offers a lot of information as well.
http://www.chhaparents.bc.ca/index.html

Hearing Loss in Children: Palo Alto Medical Foundation
The hearing loss section of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s website contains a lot of useful information about hearing loss in children. It clearly explains how we all hear and describes the different types of hearing loss that can occur in children. It also provides hearing checklists that both parents and service providers can use to screen for hearing loss in infants and children.
http://www.pamf.org/hearinghealth/facts/children.html#Infants

Help Kids Hear
This website helps parents find information about different kinds of resources. It also has discussion boards for parents and chat rooms for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. It also has interactive games for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
http://www.helpkidshear.org/

Provincial Health Services Authority Early Intervention Services: What To Expect
This website gives parents a general overview of the services that they may have available to them, should they have a young child with a hearing impairment. It connects them to a list of services and provides an “Early Intervention-What To Expect” fact sheet in several languages.
http://www.phsa.ca/AgenciesAndServices/Services/BCEarlyHearing/ForFamilies/Next-Steps/Early-Intervention-Services-Expect.htm

Provincial Health Services Authorities For Parents
This website gives parents a lot of information about health impairments in children. It lists the services that these children and their parents may be eligible for. It has a “Parents Talk” section that includes testimonies from parents of children with hearing impairments and a “For Parents of Older Children” section that specifically presents information for children who are in the middle childhood years.
http://www.phsa.ca/AgenciesAndServices/Services/BCEarlyHearing/ForFamilies/default.htm

The Itinerant Connection
This website has a lot of practical information on hearing impairments in the classroom. It also has a very useful IEP checklist that a teacher can use in her classroom. It also gives a lot of information regarding what might be hindering the child’s learning in the classroom. It actually offers quite a lot of practical advice to teachers. This website also has a lot of information about what it means to be deaf and hard of hearing and how parents can help their children.
http://www.theitinerantconnection.com/

Strategies for Teaching Students with Hearing Impairments
This website is for teachers. It gives a lot of effective and quite useful strategies for teaching children with hearing impairments in the regular classroom.
http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/hearing.html

Teachers and Families
This website provides a lot of useful information on hearing impairments. It also provides classroom strategies for teachers.
http://www.teachersandfamilies.com/sped/prof/deaf/strategies.html

Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children
3575, Kaslo street, Vancouver
Phone: (604) 437-0255
This website has a lot of information about the education of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. It has listings of schools that offer special services to those who are deaf.
http://www.oraldeafed.org/

Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
2125, West 7th Street, Vancouver
Phone: (604) 736-7391
Phone (TTY): (604) 736-2527
This website provides information about hearing impairments, speech and language milestones, the effects of hearing loss and also has an on line store.
http://www.widhh.com/

Language and Communication (Including Apraxia)

Apraxia and Dyspraxia
Great website for apraxia and dyspraxia. Includes sample IEPs and resource lists, as well definitions of terms
http://www.tayloredmktg.com/dyspraxia/index.shtml

Apraxia Kids
Apraxia kids is a good website for parents of and professionals who work with children with apraxia. It has separate links to a parent page and a professional’s page and also has a link to an apraxia library that contains all sorts of information about apraxia. (The library has an “En Espanol” section.
http://www.apraxia-kids.org/

The British Columbia Association for People Who Stutter (BCAPS)
This BC website tells you what stuttering is and gives you basic information about stuttering. It also gives you a list of clinics in BC and a list of support groups, also in BC. The BCAPS also has a lending library that provides a wide range of books on stuttering and what can be done about it (in early childhood settings, for teens and for adults). The books are available to borrow, free of charge.
http://www.bcaps.bc.ca/

Expressive Communication Help Organization
This is a basic website that includes definitions and general information about oral/motor disorders. It also includes information about support groups and whom to contact in your province
http://www.apraxia.ca/

Friends: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter
This website is geared towards young people who stutter. It has a teen list where teens can get connected with other teens and share information and feelings with them and a parent list where parents can get connected with other parents who have children who stutter. It also has letters from young people who stutter that are quite inspirational.
http://www.friendswhostutter.org/

National Stuttering Association
This is the official website of the American national stuttering association. It tells you what stuttering is. It also has information that is geared towards children, teens and adults. It also has information for clinicians and educators.
http://www.nsastutter.org/

Pediatric Voice Disorders
This is part of a larger website on voice disorders. This section highlights voice disorders in children and give general descriptions and red flag information about voice disorders in children
http://www.voicefoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102%3Apediatric-voice-disorders&catid=47%3Avoice-problems&Itemid=49

Speech and Language Pathologists: The Quick Screener
This website is about developmental phonological disorders. In addition to describing the disorder, this website contains a quick screening tool that anyone can use to screen for language delays in children.
http://speech-language-therapy.com/tx-a-quickscreener.html

Speech Sound Development Chart
This is a simple online chart that indicates at what age each of the typical speech sounds are developed.
http://isd742.org/ecassessment/assets/SpeechSoundDevelopmentChart.pdf

The Stuttering Foundation
This is a great website. It has all sorts of information about stuttering, why it happens and how one can help the person who stutters. It has a kid corner, a teen corner and a parent corner. It also connects to other useful resources.
http://www.stutteringhelp.org/

Typical Speech Development
This is a nice website that has a lot of information of how and when different facets of language develop. It offers developmental milestones and relate the development of language to the overall development of the child
http://members.tripod.com/Caroline_Bowen/acquisition.html

Learning Disabilities

The International Dyslexia Association
This website has a lot of information about dyslexia and also has a lot of resources that one can purchase (unlike the resources on other websites, these resources are actually quite reasonably priced!!!).
http://www.interdys.org/

International Dyslexia Association, BC Branch
4918, 55B street, Delta, BC V4K 3B9
(604) 940-0045
This is the basic dyslexia website for BC residents
http://www2.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca/DBs/RedBook/orgPgs/1/1131.html

LD Association of BC (Vancouver Chapter)
3292, East Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5M 1Z8
(604) 873-8139
This is a basic website for BC parents of children with learning disabilities.
http://www.ldav.ca/

The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada
This website is for parents and teachers of children with LD and for adults who have LD. It gives a lot of basic and useful information about LD and how it can best be managed at home and in school.
http://www.ldac-acta.ca/

Learning Disabilities Association/Fraser South Chapter
201-13766 72nd avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 2P4
(604) 591-5156
Basic information for the south Fraser area.
http://www.ldafs.org/

LD on Line
This site has a lot of information about learning disabilities, their definitions, types and characteristics. It also has a list of warning signs for all ages, up to and including adulthood. It has a parent and child section. The child section includes live testimonies from children all over the world. Quite cool.
http://www.ldonline.org/

Learning Disabilities Worldwide
This website has child, teen and parent sections. The child and teen sections are quite cool as they offer advice and support for children.
http://www.ldworldwide.org/?gclid=CLXdyMeT0I0CFSEhYQodflXGHA

National Centre for Learning Disabilities
This website has information and resources and parents can access discussion boards and chat rooms.
http://www.ncld.org/

Non Verbal Learning Disorders
This website contains basic information about non verbal learning disabilities. It also includes a list of books that can be purchased from amazon.com.
http://www.nldline.com/

Prematurity / Low Birthweight

About Kids Health: Premature Babies
This is a website for parents who have premature babies. It gives information regarding what it means to have a premature baby. It also gives parents advice as to how they can help their baby at home.
http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/PrematureBabies/Premature-Babies.aspx?articleID=7880&categoryID=PI

BC Health Guide: Premature Infant
This website contains a general introduction to the topic of premature birth. It has information about premature birth and what to expect if someone has a premature baby. It also provides information regarding the development of premature infants and where a family can go for additional resources.
http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kb/

Parent Books: Premature Baby/NICU
This website contains a list of books about premature babies and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
http://www.parentbooks.ca/Premature_Babies.html

Parents of Premature Babies, Inc.
This is a nice website for parents of premature babies. It connects the user to many resources, lists of conferences on premature babies and also has a “frequently asked questions” section. One especially interesting section is the “supporting siblings of premature babies” section, which addresses the issue of caring for your other children, while your baby is in the NICU.
http://www.preemie-l.org/

Premies.org
This website contains general information about premature babies. It also has a chat room where one can connect with parents of premature babies.
http://www.premies.org/

Premature Babies: Medline Plus
This is a comprehensive website that defines prematurity and then connects you to all kinds of information about premature babies. Information available includes caring for your baby at home and the growth and development of premature babies.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prematurebabies.html

Premature Baby-Premature Child
This website contains links to many topics related to prematurity, including a site that has a lot of testimonies from parents who have had a premature child. Another link within this website contains information about older premature children.
http://www.prematurity.org/

Severe and Multiple Disabilities

I Am The Child (from the “Angels with Special Needs” website)
This is a very moving poem about children with severe/multiple disabilities. It can be read to children in a home or school setting.
http://www.angelswithspecialneeds.org/poems/i-am-the-child/

Meeting the Needs of Students with Severe and/or Multiple Disabilities
This is a short document that briefly describes children with have severe and/or multiple disabilities and provides general guidelines as how they can be included in everyday activities.
http://www.angelswithspecialneeds.org/poems/i-am-the-child/

Provincial Integration Support Program
This is an excellent website which provides both parents and teachers with a lot of guidance and information, regarding the integration of children with severe/profound cognitive and multiple physical disabilities. It provides a lot of practical information that both parents and teachers are likely to find very useful.
http://www.popbc.ca/#page_2

Spina Bifida

BC Ministry of Education’s Spina Bifida Website
This website contains information about spina bifida and offer the user a lot of useful strategies for the successful inclusion of children with spina bifida, in the regular classroom
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/awareness/63.htm

Children with Spina Bifida Web Page: A Resource for Families and Providers
This is a basic website for spina bifida information. It includes definitions, treatment options and a list of resources. It also has a section that includes tips from parents regarding different issues that are usually encountered by parents of children with spina bifida.
http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/~rowley/sb-kids/index.html

Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Canada
This a general website for spina bifida.
http://www.sbhac.ca/beta/

Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of BC
4480, Oak street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3V4
Phone: (604) 878-7000, Fax (604) 677-6608
This is a basic website for information about spina bifida and hydrocephalus. It includes a resource list and links to other websites.
http://www.sbhabc.org/

Tourette Syndrome

Tourette Syndrome.com
This is a basic website that is mostly geared towards children and teens with Tourette syndrome and their families. It tells you about Tourette syndrome and allows to read stories written by children and teens, regarding their experiences with having Tourette syndrome. This site also has Tourette syndrome chat rooms.
http://www.tourette-syndrome.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi

Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada-Vancouver Chapter
P. O. Box: 53556, 984 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4M6
Phone/Fax: (604) 732-3594
This is a basic Tourette syndrome website that introduces you to the disorder. It has a number of books and videos on Tourette syndrome that you can order online.
http://www.tourette.ca/connect-chapters.php?entry_id=2990

Visual Impairments

BC Ministry of Education’s Main Website for Visual Impairments
This is a great website for teachers. It introduces to visual impairments and offers you a lot of practical advice regarding how to best serve a child with visual impairments in your classroom
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/visimpair/

Blind Beginnings
http://www.blindbeginnings.ca/programs.php

Canadian Blind Sports Association
325-5055 Joyce street, Vancouver, BC, V5R 6B2
Phone: (604) 419-0480, Fax: (604) 419-0481
http://www.canadianblindsports.ca/

Canadian Council of the Blind
This website has information about local chapters of the council as well as general information about being blind.
http://www.ccbnational.net/new/index.php

Canadian National Institute for the Blind
This website has a lot of information on resources for the blind. It offers suggestions about safe travel and Braille and other issues that are important to the blind population. It also has a library that contains many books in Braille, talking books and descriptive videos.
http://www.cnib.ca/en/

National Association for Parents of the Visually Impaired (NAPVI)
This site contains basic information for parents of children who are visually impaired. It also has a list of resources and a list of additional useful links. This page is available En Espanol.
http://www.spedex.com/napvi/

NAPVI Chat Rooms
This website gives you access to all sorts of chat rooms where you can connect with other parents, get advice from them and hear their stories.
http://www.spedex.com/napvi/links.html#Listserves

The Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired
This is a ministry of education program. It is hosted by the Vancouver school board and offers a variety of alternate forms of instructional materials and specialized equipment. Its library offers books about visual impairments and also sells books in formats that are “blind-friendly” at cost to those who are blind or visually impaired.
http://www.prcvi.org/default.aspx

VI Guide
This website is a guide to internet resources for parents of children who are blind or visually impaired.
http://www.viguide.com/

Visual Impairments “Simulations”
This is a great website for teachers. It shows, through pictures, what people with different types of visual impairments see, when they look at the world. It is a great description of visual impairments for anyone who wants to learn more about these conditions.
http://www.ohiolionseyeresearch.com/simulati.htm#Normal View