LEARNING HUB
The Texas Dyslexia Handbook
If you have a dyslexic child attending public school in Texas, you need a copy of the Texas Dyslexia Handbook. The handbook will help you understand the school’s approach to dyslexia services and to ask informed, effective questions when you have concerns. The handbook contains incredibly helpful information and will answer many of your questions! A “must” to navigate school meetings.
Printed copies of the new version are not yet available, but individuals are free to download and print it.
Websites
Shaping the world for difference.™ In the United States, 1 in 5 people have learning and thinking differences, like dyslexia and ADHD, and 1 in 4 adults have some type of disability. For many of these people, the world can feel like it’s built for a normal that doesn’t include them. Helpful resources and supportive communities can be hard to find, making everyday life even more difficult. We’re here to change that by connecting the people who face these challenges, and those who champion them, to resources, expertise, and communities that bolster confidence. Because with the right tools and support, people who learn and think differently will have a greater ability and opportunity to thrive… Read More
The International Dyslexia Associations’ mission is to create a future for all individuals who struggle with dyslexia and other related reading differences so that they may have richer, more robust lives and access to the tools and resources they need… Read More
The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity (YCDC) is the preeminent source of cutting-edge research, informed advocacy and trustworthy resources to help those with dyslexia reach their full potential. The Center’s tools and resources are used widely by parents, educators and those with dyslexia to advocate for greater recognition and support for dyslexic children and adults… Read More
At the Dyslexia Training Institute our mission is to provide education about dyslexia, interventions for dyslexia (Orton-Gillingham and Structured Word Inquiry) as well as how to navigate the educational system by understanding Special Education Law. Our courses were created for parents, teachers, educational professionals and anyone interested in the topic. We believe information about dyslexia should not be limited by geography and we have created an online space… Read More
Wrightslaw is an incredible resource of accurate, helpful information for your questions as you navigate dyslexia in public school. “Parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities... Read More
LD OnLine seeks to help children and adults reach their full potential by providing accurate and up-to-date information and advice about learning disabilities and ADHD. The site features hundreds of helpful articles, multimedia, monthly columns by noted experts, first person essays, children’s writing and artwork, a comprehensive resource guide, very active forums, and a Yellow Pages referral directory of professionals, schools, and products… Read More
Research. Advocacy. Action. We’re working to create a society in which every individual possesses the academic, social and emotional skills needed to succeed in school, at work and in life. One in five people have learning and attention issues, including specific learning disabilities like dyslexia and/or attention issues like ADHD.… Read More
Our goal is to help individuals with dyslexia, as well as parents, employers, and professionals of all kinds who have the privilege to work with dyslexics gain new understandings about dyslexia and language disability, including current research findings and how to design intervention contexts based on best practices… Read More
Dyslexic Advantage is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization whose mission is to promote positive dyslexic identity, community, and achievement, by better understanding and using the essential strengths of the dyslexic mind… Read More
Helping students with disabilities successfully transition to college... Read More
Video Resources
In 2010, a group of parents in a suburban school district near Columbus, Ohio discovered their children had something in common - they could not read... Read more or watch below.
Based on a true story of tenacity, a seven-year-old boy struggles to make sense of words on the page. But when Mike is diagnosed with dyslexia and the teachers continue to fail him, his mother takes matters into her own hands to help her son fulfill his true potential... Read more or watch below
In this HBO film, a dyslexic high school student pursues admission to a leading college – a challenge for a boy who didn’t learn to read until 4th grade. Additional accounts of the dyslexic experience from children, experts, and iconic leaders at the top of their fields, help us to understand that dyslexia, a persistent problem with learning to read, can be as great a gift as it sometimes is an obstacle.” The film was an official selection at the Sundance Film Festival and numerous independent film festivals as well. (Available on Amazon, iTunes, Netflix, and The Big Picture website) Read More
A video you won’t forget: “Despite the aging of this video, it has been the best source of understanding students and individuals with learning disabilities. Even college students with learning disabilities finally discover that they are "smart" but their learning styles don't always fit the "norm" as to how they learn. If you are a teacher, you should be watching this video. And if you are a good teacher, you will find ways for your students with learning disabilities to understand and provide alternative ways of learning for their success. Watch Here
Oscar-winning filmmakers Alan and Susan Raymond (HBO’s I Am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School) examine the complexities of the dyslexic brain, exploring realities and myths of the most common learning disability. Produced by HBO and available to stream online. Watch Trailer Here
A documentary film that will help educators and parents better understand dyslexia, explain why it is important for students struggling with reading, writing, and spelling to be screened for dyslexia as early as possible, and who how proper tutoring and classroom accommodations can give these students a chance at success, in the classroom and beyond. Watch on Amazon
Ask Questions & Find Answers
Texas public schools are divided into 20 regions that each have an Education Service Center that provides services to school districts in its area. Each service center provides general services plus has an area of specialization where it is a resource for the entire state. Highland Park ISD is located in Region 10, which is also the region tasked with supporting dyslexia in the state. Region 10 Dyslexia staff are available to support you, and you can call their Dyslexia Helpline directly with questions. Their website also has great information on accommodations and has the links to the Texas Dyslexia Handbook.
The best contacts for HPISD parents of dyslexic students are:
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Nancy Disterlic, Region 10 Dyslexia Consultant: 972-348-1454 or Nancy.Disterlic@region10.org
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Melanie Royal, Region 10 Dyslexia Consultant & Texas Dyslexia Helpline: 972-348-1410 or Melanie.Royal@region10.org
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Justin Porter, TEA Director of Special Education: 512-463-9414
PTI projects are funded by the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC. Their charge is to educate parents on the special education process. Partners Resource Network (PRN) is the non-profit agency that is funded to administer the three PTI Projects which cover the state of Texas. All of the projects share the common purpose of empowering parents of children and youth with disabilities in their roles as parents, decision makers, and advocates for their children. The best contact for HPISD families is Jim Wright, Partners Resource Network: 469-388-8662 or jwrightpath@gmail.com. Read More
Got questions about Special Education in Texas? SPEDTex can help! We provide information and resources that can help you understand your child’s disability, your rights and responsibilities under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and facilitate collaboration that supports the development and delivery of services to children with disabilities in our State…
Parents can contact the Special Education Information Center for answers to their special education and/or 504 questions. 855-773-3839 or inquire@spedtex.org. Read More
Our mission is to help people with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law, ensuring their full and equal participation in society. Our efforts to improve educational opportunities for students with disabilities include helping to create integrated classrooms where students with disabilities learn alongside students without disabilities…Call 1-800-252-9108 Read More
The mission of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is to lead the nation's efforts to improve outcomes for children with disabilities, birth through 21, and their families, ensuring access to fair, equitable, and high-quality education and services. Our vision is for a world in which individuals with disabilities have unlimited opportunities to learn and to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives. OSEP administers the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)...
Gregg Corr is the Director of Monitoring & State Improvement Planning: 202-245-7309 Read More
Local parent organizations can give you information and training about the way the special education process works. They are also excellent resources for providing opportunities to network with and gain information from other families and for support. Navigate Life Texas pprovides information about groups and events for families with children with disabilities. Find Groups and Events Here
Feel free to ask questions through the website. Often we will refer you back to the part of the website where you can find the information. The staff of Texas Project FIRST does NOT provide legal advice or respond for the Texas Education Agency. A project of the Family to Family Network committed to providing accurate and consistent information to parents and families of students with disabilities. They also provide a list of resources / organizations that parents can contact directly. Read More
Webinars and Podcasts
TiLT Parenting, with Debbie Reber, features transformational interviews and conversations with authors, parenting experts, educators, and other parents aimed at inspiring, informing, and supporting parents raising differently-wired kids (giftedness, ADHD, Asperger’s, 2e, learning differences, sensory processing issues, anxiety, and more). Launched in April 2016, the TiLT Parenting Podcast is a top podcast in Apple Podcast’s Kids & Family category, with more than 1.3 million downloads, and regularly features high-profile parenting experts and educators, as well as insightful conversations between Debbie and her 15-year-old son Asher. The website allows you to find podcast by topic. Listen Here
Our podcast / vodcast will help you be a better informed partner in education.
On our podcast / vodcast discuss dyslexia and other related disorders, research, interventions, special education policy. We also interview experts in the field. The best podcasts from Empower Dyslexia are live every Thursday at 11 am CST on FB live and YouTube. Listen Here
In this two hour webinar you will be introduced to the signs and symptoms of dyslexia and learn about many popular myths. You will be introduced to different approaches to help students with dyslexia improve their reading and spelling. We will also discuss current accommodations available to children and adults with dyslexia. ($25 fee) Read More
Topics range from communication, progress monitoring, anxiety, navigating school meetings, effective plans for students with dyslexia, decision making, transition planning, legislative updates, and much more. Register for upcoming webinars here or past webinars on the Youtube Chanel.
Organizations
The Dallas Dyslexia Information Group (DDIG) is a monthly dyslexia support group for the Dallas-Fort Worth community. Each month DDIG speakers and other LD professionals provide information and resources concerning learning differences to parents, educators, LD professionals, and others interested in learning more about dyslexia and related topics. DDIG provides encouragement and a venue to share information and resources to adults and older adolescents with learning differences.These presentations are free and open to the public. Read More
Decoding Dyslexia (national) is a network of parent-led grassroots movements across the country concerned with the limited access to educational interventions for dyslexia within the public education system. We aim to raise dyslexia awareness, empower families to support their children and inform policy-makers on best practices to identify, remediate and support students with dyslexia. Read More
The PCLDA provides support for children with learning differences, their parents, teachers and other professionals. PCLDA hosts regular parent support meetings and educational meetings. The group also supports HPISD by funding staff development requests. Encourage the teachers who support your dyselxic children to take advantage of this funding support for professional development, instructional materials, etc. Read More
The Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) shall (1) serve as a liaison between the HPISD and parents and students receiving special education services; (2) work with the HPISD as they develop policies and procedures that will foster the appropriate environment to educate students receiving special education services; (3) assist the HPISD with parent training in areas of particular interest to parents and students receiving special education services; (4) become knowledgeable about special education in the HPISD; and (5) be involved in community and HPISD events relating to the education of children receiving special education services.. Read More
The International Dyslexia Association has listed many of the best known and most respected organizations that are focused on reading on their website. Their list includes government, private, and partner organizations... Visit their Site
Books about Dyslexia
This book is the gold standard to grow in your understanding of dyslexia. “One in five American children has trouble reading. But they are not stupid or lazy. In Overcoming Dyslexia, Dr. Sally Shaywitz, co-director of the Yale Center for the Study of Learning and Attention and a leader in the new research into how the brain works, offers the latest information about reading problems and proven, practical techniques that, along with hard work and the right help, can enable anyone to overcome them. Here are the tools that parents and teachers need to help the dyslexic child, age by age, grade by grade, step by step... Purchase Book Here
This straightforward guide provides the essential information for parents and advocates to understand US law and get the right educational entitlements for a child with dyslexia. Using case studies and examples, this book demonstrates clearly how to apply the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to the unique requirements of a dyslexic child. It offers simple, intelligible help for parents on how to coordinate successfully with their child's school and achieve the right services and support for their dyslexic child; up to and beyond getting an effective Individual Education Plan (IEP). Dyslexia- Decoding the System is an invaluable tool for parents trying to negotiate a complex legal system in order to get the best outcome for their child. It is an essential guide for anyone who is considering acting as an advocate for a child with dyslexia... Purchase Book Here
If I were asked to choose just one book to help me learn advocacy skills, this is it!" - Support for Families of Children with Disabilities. "A superb reference, 'From Emotions To Advocacy' is highly recommended reading for parents of children in need of special education services ... it's filled with tips, techniques and a wealth of resources, from websites to worksheets, forms, and sample letters …" Midwest Book Review. “The critical skill of letter writing and documenting all conversations, agreements, and decisions with your school administrators is part of the strategy of writing calm, factual letters as if they will be read by a "Stranger". Lessons to bolster your self-confidence and achieve results in IEP meetings are carefully discussed. The sample letters in the appendices and the numerous strategy discussions layout how to avoid letting anger and other emotions interfere with keeping your focus on improving your child's education. Purchase Book Here
The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan: A Blueprint for Renewing Your Child's Confidence and Love of Learning
While other books tell you what dyslexia is, this book tells you what to do. Dyslexics’ innate skills, which may include verbal, social, spatial, kinesthetic, visual, mathematical, or musical abilities, are their unique key to acquiring knowledge. Figuring out where their individual strengths lie, and then harnessing these skills, offers an entrée into learning and excelling. And by keeping the focus on learning, not on standard reading the same way everyone else does, a child with dyslexia can and will develop the self-confidence to flourish in the classroom and beyond. This book is packed with practical ideas and strategies dyslexic children need for excelling in school and in life, this empowering guide provides the framework for charting a future for your child that is bright with hope and unlimited potential... Purchase Book Here
An innovative, comprehensive guide—the first of its kind—to help parents understand and accept learning disabilities in their children, offering tips and strategies for successfully advocating on their behalf and helping them become their own best advocates… Purchase Book Here
Human beings were never born to read," writes Tufts University cognitive neuroscientist and child development expert Maryanne Wolf. Reading is a human invention that reflects how the brain rearranges itself to learn something new. An excellent synthesis of brain science and the history of literacy, with a focus on dyslexia… Purchase Book Here