Special Education


Technical Assistance Resources

A variety of technical assistance and professional development resources are available from the New York State Education Department (NYSED), Office of Special Education for school districts, parents and others interested in the education of students with disabilities.

Additional resources and updates will be posted when available.  Should you have any questions regarding technical assistance, please contact the Special Education Quality Assurance Office in your area of the state.

 

Accessible or Alternative Format Materials - Braille and Large-Print Materials

  • Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) - IDEA requires school districts to provide accessible versions of instructional materials to students who are blind or otherwise unable to use printed materials. 

Autism

Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD)external link provides evidence-based training and support to families and professionals, and through ongoing research, contributes knowledge to the field of autism spectrum disorders.

 

Bilingual/English Language Learner (ELL)

  • Intensive Teacher Institute in Bilingual Special Education (ITI-BSE) was created to assist with the shortage of certified bilingual and English as a second language (ESL) special education teachers, bilingual teachers of the speech and hearing handicapped, and bilingual pupil personnel professionals. This State-funded program provides tuition assistance for fifteen credits of specialized coursework and facilitates the certification process for these professionals who are currently working in NYS public schools or approved preschools.

   

Mediation

Mediation Services for Special Education-  Special education mediation is a voluntary process in which parents of students with disabilities and school district personnel meet with a specially trained, impartial individual (i.e., a mediator) to work out differences in a collaborative way.

Response to Intervention

Response to Intervention (RtI)- Middle School Demonstration Project supports capacity-building efforts of NYS schools to implement proven and promising practices within a RtI model and provides indirect technical assistance and professional development to NYS schools on RtI-related topics.

Speech-Language

Speech-Language and Bilingual Speech-Language Personnel Development Technical Assistance Center (SLPD-TAC) provides online coursework and other supports needed to obtain initial or professional certification in teaching students with speech and language disabilities and licensure in Speech-Language Pathology for individuals who are committed to work in New York City Public Schools.

 

Visually Impaired

Intensive Teacher Institute for Teachers of the Blind and Visually Impaired (ITI-TVI) is designed to provide tuition assistance to students and teachers interested in becoming TVIs to address the shortage across the State.  Individuals who enroll in ITI-TVI must serve as TVIs in New York State for a minimum of two years following completion of the program.

For more information about the ITI-TVI, please contact the two colleges offering programs leading to certification as a TVI:

Technical Assistance Materials

 

Last Updated: August 3, 2022