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Homeschooling: Special Needs
  
Your Child’s Challenge Can I Do It? Resources The Law FAQs
National Organizations|Testing

What Help is Available?

Parents of struggling learners or children who have special needs are often made to feel that they need to have their children taught by a professional in order for them to reach their potential. This opinion is often presented by very loving people. The parents can’t help but ask themselves, “Am I doing a disservice to my child by teaching him or her at home? Would he be making more progress if he were in a school setting, with the professionals?”

Homeschooling a special needs child is an individual decision, of course, but if you decide to homeschool such a child, we are here to help you be the best special education teacher you can be. Our finding is, that with the literature, teaching aids, and other resources now available, that any parent who desires to help their child learn can find that help, and eventually do a much better job with that child than any school could do.

At times there may be a need to enlist the help of some of these professionals in areas such as speech or physical therapy. However, the bulk of the teaching can be done by the parent, and is being done by parents across the nation very successfully!

Resources

HSLDA

Special needs coordinators: Where else can you talk to a professional about your child’s special needs in learning, just by picking up the phone? This is a very valuable service for HSLDA members. There are two special needs/struggling learner professionals available at HSLDA to answer your questions, and guide you on your way to make your child’s learning successful.

Legal advice: State-by-state laws, testing issues, progress expectations, and transferring IEP’s from the public school setting are just a few of the areas of legal advice that are available to HSLDA members, along with all the other general membership benefits.

Rental of skills tests to determine grade levels: HSLDA has copies of the Brigance Skills test available for you to rent to find the achievement levels of your child at home. Other informal tests are also available through your special needs/struggling learner coordinators.

Therapies

While the bulk of the child’s education occurs at home, outside interventions for a period of time can be very beneficial in helping a child overcome some larger obstacles. These therapies are offered by professionals in your community. Their services are paid for by the family of the child. Even though it can be a hardship financially, most places offer payment plans and reductions for certain situations. If the parents consider this something they want to do for their child, God always provides a way to help with the finances.

There are times when some of these services can be paid for by the family’s medical insurance. This is particularly the case if the service is recommended by the child’s pediatrician. Then a local hospital or clinic would provide the speech or occupational therapy or such, with the insurance company picking up the majority of the cost.

If the parent chooses to have his child's services provided by a regional center, or public school, then there is a chance that there could be some strings attached. For example, the professionals could decide that the child is not being served well in the homeschool setting, but would be better served in a government-sponsored program. This is not always the case, and varies from state to state. The best way to find out if your state is friendly to homeschoolers, is to check with HSLDA.

There are times when a child would benefit from therapy that is difficult to provide at home. An example of such therapies would be:

Speech Therapy

Hospital settings: Most children’s hospitals provide speech therapy services through the child’s insurance. This is weekly or biweekly one-on-one therapy or small group, and continues for a set number of weeks. This is generally done with a referral from the child’s physician.

Public school settings: If the child has been tested by the public school and determined to need speech therapy services, the child is brought to the school one day a week for about an hour for this service, usually in a small group setting. This method carries the most risk to parents, because of the involvement in a government program.

Private clinics:
  • There are many speech therapists who work privately with students. They will see a child once or twice a week, and always in a one-on-one setting. They regularly test to see if services are still required. Parents take the child to the setting, and are responsible for payment. Local homeschool support groups are the best source of information about good speech therapists in your area.
  • Scottish Rites Speech and Language Clinic offers free testing and language services to qualified applicants.
Home settings
  • The video tape and manual, Straight Talk by speech pathologist Marisa Lapish is available for homeschool families. (Availabe at www.nathhan.com.) It contains daily lessons that the parents can implement at home to help their child with speech issues in both articulation and speech delay.
  • The Listening Program, a home program designed to help children hear frequencies they did not hear before, improves both speech and auditory processing disorders. (Available at www.advancedbrain.com.)
  • Mouth Madness: Oral Motor Activities for Children by Aby Catherine Orr
  • Earobics is a computer-based program to improve auditory memory and sound discrimination and is very inexpensive.

Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy

Hospital settings: If your child’s physician is made aware of your child’s need for occupational therapy for gross or fine motor development or physical therapy, a referral can be made for this therapy to take place at your local hospital, if the services are available there. This is often paid for in part by your insurance company.

Public school setting: If you have had your child tested through the public school, then they will provide the services. These are generally provided only once a week, and you will need to bring your child to the school to receive the services. This is inexpensive, but does come with some risk of involvement with a government agency.

Private clinic: If you suspect that your child would benefit from occupational or physical therapy intervention (very common with autism, and very special needs), you can explore the services provided in your community by calling the clinics listed in the phone book, checking with your support group , or asking your child’s physician.

Home settings
  • It is possible that after watching several therapy sessions with your child, you may feel confident continuing these same activities at home, if your child is cooperative. Some parents also pay for the therapist to come into the home. For private therapists who are stay-at-home moms, working just a few extra hours a week, this works very well, and they will train you to work with your own child. You also can inquire at a private clinic, if an occupational assistant could come into your home and work with your child. That is generally less expensive.
  • Interactive Metronome has home programs that are similar to the ones used by occupational therapists used in clinical settings.

Vision Therapy

Private clinics: If you suspect that your child has a visual tracking problem, you can have your child screened by a developmental optometrist. If vision therapy is recommended, you can take them to the optometrist’s office for weekly or biweekly visits, and continue the exercises at home.

Home setting:
  • Some vision therapy offices will show the parents how to do the exercises at home, eliminating the need to come to the office for continued therapy. This is far less expensive. Other parents have found that if they do the exercises and retraining in brain integration therapy, there is much less need for vision therapy services.
  • HTS (Home Therapy Systems) is a computerized program that helps reduce symptoms of eyestrain. For those who don’t have the time or finances for in-office vision therapy.
  • PTS (Perceptual Therapy Systems), is a home-based computer therapy program to improve visual processing

Applied Behavioral Analysis Therapy

Public setting: In public schools and regional centers a specific method of modifying the difficult behaviors of children with autism, PDD, or other disabilities that affect behavior, is employed. ABA, as it is commonly called, is used with the children on a daily basis, in a special education, self-contained setting. This has the advantage of giving the parent some break time from the difficult behaviors, and allowing the child to be exposed to other authorities. The disadvantage is the risk it carries of having a government agency involved in our child’s life.

Private clinics: Local clinics often provide the intensive behavior modification program called the Lovaas method on a daily basis. A parent takes the child to the clinic each day. This is paid for by the parents, or possibly with some help from an insurance carrier.

Home setting: Some parents use the home consultation program that Lovaas offers. Therapists come into the home daily to train the parent to work with their own child. This can be very helpful for parents who need this type of intervention for their struggling children. Again, if the child’s physician sees the need, and makes a referral, the parent may receive some help in paying from an insurance carrier.

Neurodevelopment Therapy

  • The National Association for Child Development is one organization that employs this brain-based therapy, which can be done at home with the guidance of neurotherapists. It is quite expensive, but parents who do it report good results.
  • Brain integration therapy, can be done at home with your child, and the other children at home also. It is very inexpensive, but is an independent program, totally parent-led.
  • Brain Builder is a neurobic, computer-based training program designed to build memory and thinking skills

Specific Educational Therapy

  • Lindamood intensive phonics program is designed by speech/language specialists. This sequential system of teaching phonemes can be very effective for children struggling to learn to read. It is usually provided by local clinics, and is expensive.
  • PACE program (Processing And Cognitive Enhancement) is clinic-based, with additional exercises to be done at home. It is geared more towards visual processing deficits, but includes other areas also. It is usually proved by local clinics and is fairly expensive. Home programs are less expensive.
  • Learning Rx is a clinic-based program that uses exercises to stimulate better visual and auditory processing. It is an intensive program that is clinic based and expensive.
  • Brainworks (formerly SOI) is a clinic-based program aimed at helping a child with balance issues, visual issues, etc., through exercises. It is usually provided by local clinics and is fairly expensive.
  • Interactive Metronome is a clinic-based program that helps a child or adult gain better rhythm, timing, etc., to aid in reading and many life activities. It is fairly expensive. Home programs are less expensive.
  • Sylvan Learning, a tutoring clinic, is designed to help a child gain reading or math skills using regular curriculum and techniques. The centers help children who just need more exposure to systematic teaching in various subject areas. It does not correct processing skills (visual, auditory, visual/motor). It is expensive. Sylvan now offers online tutoring for home use.
  • Huntington Learning Centers have been helping children achieve their education goals for more than 30 years. There are currently more than 350 centers in 42 states. Programs are completely individualized and in many cases tutoring is actually one on one.
  • Brain integration therapy for children is a home program that can be used with all the children in a family, to make processing skills (visual, auditory, visual/motor…writing) easier. It is inexpensive.
  • Home Schooling Children with Special Needs—Turning Challenges into Opportunities! Written by Sharon Hensley, M. A. This book and other materials are available through Almaden Valley Christian School.

Helpful Parent Resources

ADD/ADHD

  • The Ritalin-Free Child: Managing Hyperactivity & Attention Deficits Without Drugs by Diana Hunter (ISBN 0962833681)
  • Stop A.D.D. Naturally: Cutting Edge Information on Amino Acids, Brain Function and A.D.D. Behavior by Billie Sahley, Ph.D., C.N.C. (ISBN 1889391247)
  • Helping Your ADD Child: Hundreds of Practical Solutions for Parents and Teachers of ADD Children and Teens (With or Without Hyperactivity) by John F. Taylor, Ph.D. (ISBN 0761527567)
  • The ADHD Book of Lists A Practical Guide for Helping Children and Teens with Attention Deficit Disorders by Sandra Rief (ISBN 078796591X)
  • Teaching Teens with ADD and ADHD A Quick Reference Guide for Teachers and Parents by Chris Zeigler Dendy, M.S. (ISBN 1890627208)
  • Carbohydrate Addicted Kids Help Your Child or Teen Break Free of Junk Food and Sugar Cravings--for Life! by Dr. Richard Heller and Dr. Rachel Heller (ISBN 0060187247)
  • The Sensory Connection An OT and SLP Team Approach by Nancy Kashman and Janet Mora (ISBN 1931615217)
  • How to Get Your Child off the Refrigerator and on to Learning by Carol Barnier (ISBN 1883002702)
  • No More Ritalin by Mary Ann Block, DO (ISBN 1575662396)
  • The ADHD Autism Connection: A Step Toward More Accurate Diagnosis And Effective Treatment by Diane Kennedy with Rebecca S. Banks Paul Elliott, M. D. & Carl Daisy, Contributors (ISBN 1578564980)
  • The Parent’s Guide to Attention Deficit Disorders by McCamey and Bauer (ISBN 1878372017)
  • Help For Your Hyperactive Child, by William Crook, MD (ISBN 0933478186)
  • Smart But Feeling Dumb by Harold Levinson, MD (ISBN 0446691178)
  • Audio tape, Is It Really ADD? by Dianne Craft
  • Teaching the Tiger:A Handbook for Individuals Involved in the Education of Students with Attention Deficit Disorders, Tourette Syndrome or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder by Marilyn Dornbush, Ph.D. and Sheryl Pruitt, M.Ed.(ISBN 1878267345)
  • Crazy Makers: Chapter 4 Feeding Your Child’s Brain, Carol Simontacchi, (ISBN 1585421049)
  • Sharper Brain computer program
  • Play Attention computer-based interactive program with the same technology as NASA uses for pilot training.
  • Homeschooling the Child with ADD or Other Special Needs, by Lenore Colacion Hayes (ISBN 0761535691)
  • Email support group: Homeschooling Spirited Kids at yahoo.com
  • Inside the Brain of the Hyperactive Homeschooler, by Israel Wayne
  • “Natural Remedies for ADD/ADHD,” by Dianne Craft
  • www.westfieldacademy.org/adhd Great practical teaching tips for highly distractible child
  • www.homeschoolcentral.com" Many resources in one site!
  • www.blockcenter.com Finding the cause of ADD/ADHD and treating it.

Apraxia

(see Speech Disorders)

Asperger Syndrome

  • www.gfcfdiet.com This largely biological disorder responds dramatically to diet and supplement implementation
  • Brain Integration Therapy by Dianne Craft (helps special-needs children use their right brain to see the big picture)
  • Sensory Integration and the Young Child, by Jean Ayres (ISBN 0874244374)
  • The Out-of-Sync Child, by Carol Kranowitz (sensory disorder is a big part of the picture)(ISBN 0399531653)
  • Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments, by Brenda Smith Miles & Jach Southwick (ISBN 1931282706)
  • Upsidedown Brilliance, by Linda Silverman, Ph.D. (ISBN 193218600X)
  • www.gifteddevelopment.com
  • Asperger Syndrome: A Guide For Educators and Parents, by Brenda Smith Miles & Richard Simpson (ISBN 0890797277)
  • www.wrightslaw.com Information for parents and resources
  • www.essentialguidetoaspergers.com Many questions answered

Autism (also PDD)

Auditory Processing Dysfunction

A Struggling Right Brain Learner

  • Teaching the Right Brain Child video tape by Dianne Craft, available at www.diannecraft.org
  • Right Brain Children in a Left Brain World, by Jeffrey Freed (ISBN 0684847930)
  • Understanding and Helping the Struggling Learner video by Dianne Craft, available at www.diannecraft.org

Down Syndrome

Dysgraphia (writing problems- penmanship and composition)

  • Teaching Your Special Needs Student: Strategies and Tools that Really Work YOU CAN DO THIS! by Judith Munday learn@helpinschool.net or 757-482-5709
  • THE STUDENT EDUCATION PLAN: A Preparation Guide, A GUIDE THAT LEADS YOU THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS by Judith Munday learn@helpinschool.net or 757-482-5709
  • Brain Integration Therapy Manual by Dianne Craft availabe at www.diannecraft.org
  • Handwriting Without Tears Manual by Jan Olsen, available at www.hwtears.com
  • Understanding and Helping the Struggling Learner video by Dianne Craft

Dyslexia

  • The Source for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia by Regina Richards (ISBN 0760603081) Lingui Systems Publishers (800) 776-4332
  • Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level by Sally Shaywitz, M.D. (ISBN 0375400125)
  • Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, M.D. (ISBN 0679781595)
  • Teaching Your Special Needs Student: Strategies and Tools that Really Work YOU CAN DO THIS! by Judith Munday learn@helpinschool.net or 757-482-5709
  • THE STUDENT EDUCATION PLAN: A Preparation Guide, A GUIDE THAT LEADS YOU THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS by Judith Munday learn@helpinschool.net or 757-482-5709
  • Homeschooling Children with Special Needs by Sharon Hensley (ISBN 1568570104)
  • Learning in Spite of Labels by Joyce Herzog (ISBN 1882514130)
  • The LCP Solution: The Remarkable Nutritional Treatment for ADHD, Dyslexia & Dyspraxia by Jacqueline Stordy, Ph.D (ISBN 0345438728)
  • Right Brain Phonics Practice Book (simplified color-coded phonics method) by Dianne Craft, available at www.diannecraft.org , inexpensive
  • Go Phonics Reading Program is a complete program that goes fairly quickly.
  • Merrill Readers is a complete program that moves very slowly with much success. It’s available at www.sra4kids.com, and www.wisdomseekersinc.com.
  • Right Brain Sight Word Cards (36 sight words made by a successful dyslexic child) by Breanna Gates and Dianne Craft available at www.diannecraft.com/
  • At Last! A reading Method for every Child by Mary Pecci, available at www.onlinereadingteacher.com (ISBN 0943220076)
  • Reading Mastery program by SRA, available at www.sra4kids.com
  • Primary Phonics Story books, available at www.dyslexiabooks.co.uk
  • Lindamood Home Phonemic Awareness program, intensive, and pricey, but very good. Available at www.ganderpublishing.com.
  • EPS reading program, available at www.learningabledkids.com
  • Online support groups for parents at Yahoo! Groups
  • Wilson Reading System
  • Fast Track Reading Program for older students who are two years behind.
  • REACH System for older dyslexic children.
  • Davis Dyslexia Association International includes many resources, including the book by Ron Davis, The Gift of Dyslexia.
  • www.schwablearning.org Stories and guidance
  • www.ldonline.org Many websites listed for help
  • www.homeschoolcentral.com Special Needs Resources for Homeschoolers

Gifted Children

Mental Retardation

  • Homeschooling Children with Special Needs by Sharon Hensley, available at www.almadenvalleychristianschool.com, an excellent resource (ISBN 1568570104)
  • When Slow Is Fast Enough by Joan Goodman (ISBN 0898624916)
  • God’s Special Child by Donna Adee (ISBN 096542720X)
  • Slow and Steady Get Me Ready by June Oberlander is a parent’s handbook of weekly developmental activities from birth to age 5. Available at the HSLDA Bookstore (ISBN 159160236X)
  • NATHHAN is a homeschool organization for special needs children.
  • LinguiSystems provides teaching tools for kids with special needs.
  • Kirkman sells nutritional supplements for special needs children.
  • www.ehow.com How to teach a child with mental retardation at home
  • heartkeepercommonroom.blogspot.com Online parent share group
  • www.iche.org Illinois website for homeschooling special needs children

Sensory Processing Dysfunction

  • The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz (ISBN 0399531653)
  • Sensory Integration and the Young Child by Jean Ayres (ISBN 0874244374)
  • Brain Integration Therapy Manual by Dianne Craft
  • Is Your Child’s Brain Starving? by Michael Lyon, MD (ISBN 0968516866)
  • Crazy Makers by Carol Simontacchi discusses how to feed your child’s nervous system. (ISBN 1585421049)
  • Homeschooling Children With Special Needs by Sharon Hensley, available at www.almadenvalleychristianschool.com is an excellent resource (ISBN 1568570104)
  • www.almadenvalleychristianschool.com
  • www.sensory-processing-disorder.com Many articles and resources in one spot.
  • www.sinetwork.org A good source of Health Professionals who work with children with Sensory Processing Dysfunction (this can look like focusing or behavior issues at home)

Speech Disorders

Vision Impaired

 

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