MHS DSQIC

What's Hot - On-Line Communities

Welcome to our "What's Hot- On-Line Communities" ! In this section of the website our aim is to provide Internet connections that link the disabilities community. The following links are online communication outlets, including chat rooms, discussion boards, message boards etc. These outlets are a resource for local and national level organizations and individuals who work with or are a parent of a child with disabilities. We have carefully selected communities that may be useful for the MSHS communities, particularly the links in Spanish.

WAIT! Before you launch out and adventure through the various web sites, chat rooms etc., there are a few guidelines and tips that may make your online excursion more productive.

Guidelines and Tips

Legitimacy: make your selection of message boards, chat rooms and other on-line communities with careful scrutiny. Ensure that the board and groups affiliated are sponsored by legitimate and objective organizations. There are endless organizations and companies that disseminate disabilities information; their legitimacy can sometimes be questionable. For example; be cautious of communities or boards that are edited or slanted toward selling products.

Privacy: Use a lot of caution when communicating via the internet. Internet based information is accessible all over the world and often lingers online for years. Make sure that any information, particularly personal information, that you exchange online does not put you or your family at risk.

Judgment: Now is the time to really put on your thinking caps! Use common sense and corroborate the information you receive. Know who your sources are and if in doubt, post the information in question to a reliable and esteemed source. The internet is prone to hoaxes and misinformation, it never hurts to double check the information you are receiving.

Respect: While the Internet allows for anonymity, this does not impart permission to employ inappropriate behaviors. Always pay close attention to proper "netiquette." Engage in conversations as if you were having a face-to-face communication. By all means, report any questionable or inappropriate behaviors to the web host.

Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice (Emotional and behavioal problems and well being) - discussion groups. Here you will be able to participate in online discussions, seek advice or information from an online expert, sign their guest book, or find out about the Center's National Information Needs Sensing Survey.
http://cecp.air.org/interact/interact.html

EarlyChildhood.com Sharing boards The Professional Resource For Teachers And Parents. This sharing board covers a broad range of early childhood topics. Participants are parents, educators and other professionals. The opinions expressed in online discussion are not necessarily the opinions held by EarlyChildhood.com.
http://www.earlychildhood.com/MessageBoard/index.cfm?CFID=185321&CFTOKEN=2726140&CFApp=1&

Early Head Start, National Resource Center / Zero to Three Forums. The discussion areas are intended to provide a forum for sharing resources, posing questions, and generating discussion on issues of relevance for Early Head Start programs across the country. Although MHS/MSHS are not identified as EHS programs, information regarding infant and toddler care is invaluable for MHS/MSHS programs.
http://forums.ehsnrc.org/index.cfm?CFID=16457&CFTOKEN=53725658&CFApp=2&

Education World Message Boards. Education world online is a place where teachers can gather and share ideas. A complete online resource where educators can find lesson plans and research materials they. The message boards are an extension of this focus. Additionally, the web site includes, Wire Side Chats with the important names in education
http://boards.educationworld.com/boards.html

Family Village Post Office (online bulletin board). "If you are a parent of a child with a disability or an adult with a disability and would like to talk with someone else who has "been there" you can use their web boards to post a message." There are a variety of topics specific to children with disabilities. These discussions topics are participant created and change often.
http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/post.htm

Family Village Chat Room. The chat room replaced the old message board system and allows for online interactive discussions. There are various topics, many of which reflect the information found in the Family Village Post Office.
http://chronus.waisman.wisc.edu/fv/chat/enter.asp

Half the Planet; The Disability Resource Online Community Bulletin Board. HalfthePlanet Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the application of technology to promote the values of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-independent living, social inclusion, and equality of opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, and empowerment. http://www.halftheplanet.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi

Hanen Center - Parent Bulletin Board. "A recognized innovator in family-focused early language intervention programs and learning resources for parents and professionals around the world."
http://www.hanen.org/Hanen2002/netscapeFrames.htm

Hanen Center online newsletter subscription:
http://www.hanen.org/Hanen2002/netscapeFrames.htm

HealthyPlace.com (Mental Health- main site is ADD focus)-Chat forums. The forums are divided into various communities representing major psychological interests. This site is representative of a community of people providing mental health information, sharing their insights, trials and tribulations, and offering support. The site and forums provide mental health information from experts, as well as everyday people who are dealing with psychological disorders.
http://chat.healthyplace.com:8080/eshare/server?action=4

Internet Resource for Special Children (IRSC) Special Education online community. "The IRSC web site is dedicated to children with disabilities and other health related disorders worldwide. The online communities provide a place where you can ask questions or connect with other people who may have the same questions, thoughts, and/or experiences."
http://www.irsc.org:8080/irsc/Special.nsf/DateAllthreadedweb?Openview&ExpandView

LDOnline - "Ask Dr. Silver -Online message board. The LD website is provides information for parents, teachers and professionals about learning disabilities. "Dr. Silver, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, is in private practice in the Washington, D.C. area. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center. He is active with the Learning Disabilities Association of America, currently serving as President of this organization."
http://www.ldonline.org/silver/index.html

LDOnline- Helping Helpers Bulletin Board. Volunteers helping children with LD and ADHD succeed.
http://www.ldonline.org/bulletin_boards/helping_helpers.html

LDOnline Bulletin Board- Realities of LD - "Misunderstood minds." LDOnline hosted a panel of experts who discussed how learning disabilities impact a child's development. From this they launched a" PBS program, Misunderstood Minds, a documentary that featured five families whose children have learning problems." In this bulletin board, "LD OnLine invites you to discuss the realities of learning disabilities in your home and local schools: What are the realities of learning disabilities?"
http://www.ldonline.org/bulletin_boards/realities.html

LDOnline for Parents- Bulletin boards

New Horizon Association/Asociación Nuevo Horizonte (Autism/Autismo)- Bulletin board/Tablón de Mensajes. This is a worldwide forum initiated by parents and educators concerned about various disabilities.
http://www.autismo.com/scripts/cartas/slista.idc?n=1

New Horizon Association/Asociación Nuevo Horizonte - Chat Room - Conferences/Charlas y Conferencias.
http://www.autismo.com/scripts/charla/charla.idc

Neurology Chat rooms at Massachusetts General Hospital (www.BrainChat.org)- A Free Public Service. The Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital has provided these chat rooms as a free public service. The topics cover a broad range of disabilities and disease.
http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/brainchat/

Positive approaches to challenging behavior discussion board. This discussion board is intended for "those concerned with serving the needs of children. We invite parents, early childhood professionals, researchers and others to post topics and replies on the public discussion board and to join us for scheduled chats in our chat room."
http://ici2.umn.edu/preschoolbehavior/discuss_chat/default.html

Reading Rockets Forums: "a national initiative that disseminates research-based information on how to help children learn to read why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help them. The web site and forums are meant to inform and include; parents, teachers, tutors, Head Start providers, school administrators, and everyone else who touches the life of a child. This is the goal of WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation's capital, which started Reading Rockets in 2000 to provide accurate, practical information to all who care about helping children learn to read."

Reading with your child
http://forums.readingrockets.org/list.php?f=4

Teaching Reading
http://forums.readingrockets.org/list.php?f=2

Research & Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health (Portland State University)- Forums. "The Center is dedicated to promoting effective community-based, culturally competent, family-centered services for families and their children who are, or may be affected by mental, emotional or behavioral disorders. This goal is accomplished through collaborative research partnerships with family members, service providers, policy makers, and other concerned persons. The online forums are an opportunity for you to express your own opinions, and to read the opinions of others, on topics related to family support and children's mental health."
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgForums.shtml

Special Child Bulletin Board. This website is an online publication dedicated to parents of children with special needs. Special Child is provided by The Resource Foundation for Children with Challenges (RFCC), a nonprofit charity organization.
http://www.specialchild.com/bulletin.html

Schwab Learning.org "This online community offers the opportunity to lessen the isolation of parenting a child with LD. Participants inspire each other by sharing their success and offering encouragement when failure and frustration occurs. The purpose of this site is to transform personal connection and knowledge into support and action as parents encounter challenges and successes as thier children grow and learn.
http://www.schwablearning.org/message_boards/index.asp?r=281

Suite 101.com; People with disabilities-- Electronic discussion groups. "This is an online publishing community of writers, readers, and educators who have come together to share their passion. This popular website is a destination for millions of Internet users who want to learn, express themselves, and share ideas, interests, and expertise with other like-minded individuals. At the core of our website are 487 dedicated writers (Contributing Editors) who publish over 700 articles each month, adding to our existing catalogued archive of 25,441 articles."
http://www.suite101.com/subjectheadings/contents.cfm/15900

Suite 101.com: Accessible Web Design (Deaf-Blind) -- Electronic Discussion group
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/5053/36897

The Say What Chat room (Hearing Loss) SayWhatClub (SWC) is a non-profit internet based organization for people with hearing loss or interested in hearing loss issues
http://www.saywhatclub.com/chat.htm

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) chat room (tbichat.org). This site is provided by a nonprofit organization based in Michigan.
http://www.tbichat.org/chat/chatm2.htm

TBI Message Boards
http://www.tbichat.org/boards2.htm

New Links

Coping Connections: Dealing stress, trauma, violence, abuse

Healthonmind.com (Mental Health)
http://www.mentesana.com/english/default.html

Research & Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health (Portland State University, Portland, Oregon)
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/index.php

Bilingual and Language:

Dr. Jim Cummins ESL and Second Language Learning Web
http://www.iteachilearn.com/cummins/

National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE)
http://www.nabe.org/discussion.asp

Reading Rockets- Launching Young Readers. A service of WETA
http://www.readingrockets.org/

Autism/Asperger Syndrome:

New Horizon Association/Asociación Nuevo Horizonte (Autism/Autismo)- Eng/Span
http://www.autismo.com/default.htm

Behavior and Behavior Management:
OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
http://www.pbis.org/english/default.htm

Learning Disability:

SchwabLearning.org (English, for parents and educators)
http://www.schwablearning.org/index.asp

Disabilities Sites in Spanish:

Advocacy, Incorporated (Defendiendo los Derechos Legales de Personas con Impedimento Implementando el Programa de Asistencia al Clientes de Rehabilitación).
http://www.advocacyinc.org/spantoc.htm

El Centro de Capacitación e Investigación del Apoyo Familiar y la Salud Mental Infantil (Pórtland State University en Pórtland, Oregon)
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgSobreelCentro.shtml

El Circulo De Inclusion
http://www.circleofinclusion.org/spanish/index.html

FAPE- Linea Informativa de la Sociedad de Familias y abogados de la Educación
http://www.fape.org/newsline/spanish/newsline_sp.html

Iniciativa para La Excelencia En La Educación De Los Hispano-Americanos (No Child Left Behind/iVea de que se trata!)
http://www.yosipuedo.gov/

Intitutos Nacionales de la Salud (la audición de su niño)
http://salud.nih.gov/

Mentesana.com (Salud Mental)
http://www.mentesana.com/Spanish/default.htm

New Horizon Association/Asociación Nuevo Horizonte (Autism/Autismo)- Eng/Span
http://www.autismo.com/default.htm

NICHCY (Centro Nacional de Invormación para Niños y Jóvenes con Discapacidades)
http://www.nichcy.org/spanish.htm

OSEP Centro de Asistencia Tecnica en Conducta Positiva Intervenciones y Apoyos
http://www.pbis.org/spanish/default.htm

Spanish Psychological & Educational Resources (distribuye y vende materiales psicológicos y educativos en Puerto Rico y en los Estados Unidos).
http://www.speres.com/

SchwabLearning.org (Espanol, para los padres y los educadores. El objetivo es proporcionar información, apoyo y recursos relacionados con los problemas de aprendizaje).
http://www.schwablearning.org/main.asp?page=200.0

Children and Traumatic Stress
http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/copingtrauma.html

Child Language Research Center
http://www.childlanguage.org/htmpages/personnel.htm

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