Best Resources for School Help & Accommodations
ADDitude editors pick the best tools — from books to websites — for getting the right accommodations for children with learning disabilities and ADHD.
Our five-step plan for securing the best ADHD school accommodations for your child.
Knowing the Law
LDOnline offers clear, easy-to-read explanations of the federal IDEA law, Section 504, and the role of individualized education programs (IEPs).
Arming Yourself with Information
WrightsLaw contains thousands of articles that focus on special-education law and advocating for children with disabilities. You can also purchase books, videos, and CD-ROMs, or enroll in training programs or online courses.
Finding Out What Works
Misunderstood Minds, a documentary that aired on PBS in 2002, follows five students and their families through their struggles with learning differences — and their roads to success in and out of the classroom. Purchase the video or explore additional resources at pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds.
Grasping the Teacher’s Perspective
Sandra F. Rief, a public-school teacher for 20 years, has written books and developed videos geared for teachers — and many parents have found her advice more helpful than that in parenting books. Find Rief’s book, How to Reach and Teach Children with ADD/ADHD, and other resources, at sandrarief.com.
Helping Teens Help Themselves
Written by Chris A. Zeigler Dendy and her son, Alex, A Bird’s-Eye View of Life with ADD and ADHD features 12 teens with learning difficulties, and shows how they solved some of their biggest school-day challenges, such as finishing homework and getting organized in the morning.
Setting a Course for College
The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities profiles more than 300 colleges for ADHD students and their parents to consider. Encourage your student to read Learning Outside the Lines, coauthored by ADDitude contributor Jonathan Mooney. Two Ivy League graduates, both of whom have ADHD, offer practical, inspiring tips for making college fun and rewarding.
