Education, Educational Rights, and Advocacy Groups
Western Illinois University
32 Horrabin Hall, 1 University Circle
Macomb, Illinois 61455
Linda Robinson, Assistant Director
E-Mail: L-robinson1@wiu.edu
Phone: (309) 298-1634 ext. #250
Web Site: www.wiu.edu/thecenter
- The Center’s early childhood technology trainers provide presentations and hands-on workshops for teachers, educational support staff, administrators, and parents on selecting and using early childhood software, integrating technology into the preschool curriculum, choosing and using assistive technology, conducting a team-based technology assessment, and More.
2505 South Veterans Drive
Effingham, Illinois 62401
Phone: (866) 436-7842 or (217) 347-5428 Voice
Fax: (217) 347-5119
E-mail: info@fmptic.org
Web Site: www.fmptic.org
Vicky Henley, Trainer, FMPTIC Eastern/Central Regions
Phone: (217) 529-3009
Fax: (217) 529-2311
E-Mail: vichenly@warpnet.net
- Parent Training and Information Center
- Family Support Program
- Funded By ARC & US Department of Education
1590 S. Fairfield Ave
Lombard, Illinois 60148
Kathy Gould, Project Director
E-Mail: gouldkl@comcast.net
Kristin Nelson, Family Support Director
E-Mail: kristinnelson@yahoo.net
Michaelene Romano, Administrative Assistant
E-Mail: myki482002@yahoo.net
Phone: (630) 889-7398
Fax: (630) 620-9473
Web Site: www.illinoisautismproject.org
Local Contacts
Nikki Kempel – Education Facilitator
Phone: (309) 438-5291
E-Mail: nakemp@ilstu.edu
Jacquie Mace – Community Partner
Phone: (309) 824-4555
Email: j.mace@comcast.net
- Regional Resource Teams Including Students with Autism in their School Community.
- Regional Lending Library – ISU DeGarmo Hall Illustrates the value of inclusion and importance it plays for the future of all students.
- Parent Support and Education Conferences
- Focus Family Support Services
- 88% of annual funding for this project is from federal sources under a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education
Wilhelmina Gunther, Executive Director
1 West Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 100
Springfield, Illinois 62701
Phone: (217) 522-7985
Voice/TTY: (800) 852-5110 or TTY: (217) 522-9966
Fax: (217) 522-8067
Web Site: www.iltech.org Our services include: Assistive technology classified ads - buy, sell or donate equipment
- An assistive technology device loan program
- An assistive technology demonstration center
- Assistive technology evaluation and training
Chet Brandt, Project Director
830 S. Spring St.
Springfield, Illinois 62704
Phone: (800) 852-4302 or (217) 522-4655
Fax: (217) 522-4670
E-Mail: clearinghouse@eosinc.com
Web Site: eiclearinghouse.org
- Free lending library and informational services for Illinois residents
- Training videos available
- Free quarterly newsletter
Anne Robertson
Children’s Research Center
51 Gerty Drive
University of Illinois
Champaign, Illinois 61820
Phone: (217) 333-1386
Fax: (217) 244-7732
Toll: (877) 275-3227
- Provides a variety of resources for parents and professional who work with parents
- One of the largest sites for resources and information for parents
Anne Robertson
Children’s Research Center
51 Gerty Drive
University of Illinois
Champaign, Illinois 61820
Phone: (217) 333-1386
Fax: (217) 244-7732
Toll: (877) 275-3227
Web Site: npinil.crc.uiuc.edu
- Works in collaboration with a variety of other agencies and organizations within the state of Illinois
- Designed to be Illinois specific to serve Illinois parents
Dusty Turngren, Project Assistant
P.O. Box 381
Mahomet, Illinois 61853
Phone: (217) 586-7464 or (866) 936-7464
Fax (217) 586-7579
E-mail: dturngren@pepartnership.org
Web Site:www.pepartnership.org
- This 3-year initiative was modeled after the Ohio Parent Mentor Project, which has demonstrated success for ten years in providing support to parents of children with disabilities to build equal partnerships with the educators who serve their children. The primary goal of this initiative is to move families and educators from a relationship which has been traditionally adversarial to one that increases partnership to meet the needs of the children who are their common focus.
1500 S. Grace Street
Lombard, Illinois 60148
Phone: (630) 629-0551
Fax: (630) 620-9473
E-Mail: info@projectchoices.org
Web Site: www.projectchoices.org
- Children Have Opportunities in Inclusive Community Environments and Schools
- "Least restrictive environment"
- Project Choices has two grants; one is for Early Choices for pre-school ages 3-5, and Choices for school ages 6-21
- Project Choices can only come into a school setting by invitation of school personnel
Western Illinois University
32 Horrabin Hall, University Circle 1
Macomb, Illinois 61455
Dr. Patricia Hutinger, Project Director
Joyce Johanson, Associate Project Director
Phone: (800) 227-7537 or (309) 298-1634
Web Site: www.wiu.edu/starnet
Joan Leff, M.Ed., Project Coordinator
Phone: (800) 227-7537 ext. #286 or (815) 623-9259 (Roscoe)
E-Mail: j-leff@wiu.edu
Connie Shugart, Assistant Project Coordinator
Phone: (217) 243-8355
E-Mail: c-shugart@wiu.edu
Resource Specialists for Starnet Region III (Bloomington)
Sandy Ginther, Family/EC Resource Specialist
Phone: (309) 829-0968
E-Mail: se-ginther@wiu.edu
Maria Hadley, EC Resource Specialist
Phone: (309) 663-1240
E-Mail: ml-hadley@wiu.edu
Mary Smith, Family Resource Specialist
Phone: (217) 742-5252
E-Mail: mk-smith@wiu.edu
Carol Weisheit, EC Resource Specialist
Phone: (309) 268-9157
E-Mail: cj-weisheit@wiu.edu
- Operated under the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education through a grant awarded by the Illinois State Board of Education; 100% of annual funding is from federal sources.
- Provides regional workshops, technical assistance, on-site consultations, family support, APPLES Video Magazine, free resource library, fellowships, professional growth grants, and classroom minigrants.
- Newsletter three time per year on the first day of April, August, and December through U.S. mail. The same information and more may be obtained from website.
- Opportunities to register for trainings and/or request materials available on website.
Educational Rights and Advocacy Groups
Beth McQuade, M.S., School Administration,
Certified General and Special Education Teacher
Phone: (217) 483-7194
Mobile Phone: (217) 962-0211
E-Mail: bmcquade1748@insightbb.com
- Focus on understanding special education programs, participating in the IEP process, and partnering for student success
- Individual and group consultation
- Presentations Individual and group consultation
- Over 25 years of experience as a teacher and school administrator
Central Office
235 S. 5th Street
PO Box 276
Springfield, Illinois 62705
Phone: (800) 758-0464 or (217) 544-0464 Voice & TTY
E-Mail: contactus@equipforequality.org
Web Site: www.equipforequality.org
- By Illinois statue, Equip for Equality is the designated protection and advocacy agency in Illinois for people with physical and mental disabilities.
- To receive a Special Education reference handbook contact Equip for Equality in Chicago at (800) 537-2632
20 East Jackson Blvd., #300
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Phone: (312) 939-3513 or (800) 952-4199 (in Illinois)
E-Mail: See contact information on Web Site
Web Site: www.frcd.org
- Newsletter on Disability rights and benefits
- Information on your child’s educational rights
- Up-to-date information on Social Security Income
- How to write an appropriate IEPInformation on your child’s educational rights
- Great ResourceInformation on your child’s educational rights
Dr. Christopher Koch, Superintendent
100 N. First St.
Springfield, Illinois 62777-0001
James Gunnell, Division Administrator
Special Education Services Springfield Office
Phone: (217) 782-5589
Fax: (217) 782-0372
Beth Hanselman, Supervisor
Special Education Services Springfield Office
Phone: (217) 782-5589
Fax: (217) 782-0372
Administration:
Special Ed. Web Link:www.isbe.state.il.us/spec-ed/default.htm
Phone: (217) 782-4870 Springfield
Phone: (312) 814-5560 Chicago
Web Site: www.isbe.state.il.us
- ISBE Parents Rights Guide -- (217) 782-5589
- New Guide I.E.P. -- 877-4ED-PUBS (433-7827)
- Directory-ISBE Research Division -- (217) 782-5589
Sherry Colgrove, Coordinator
Illinois State Board of Education
Division of Special Education Services
100 N. First Street
Springfield, Illinois 62777
Phone: (217)782-5589
E-Mail: scolegrov@isbe.net
Web Site: www.isbe.net/spec-ed
2201 Eastland Drive, Suite #1
Bloomington, Illinois 61704
Phone: (888) 543-3245 or (309) 663-0054 (TTY)
Voice-Mail: (309) 663-5433
Fax: (309) 663-7024
E-mail: lifecil@lifecil.org
Web Site: www.lifecil.org
Vocational Programs
Sharon Full, Special Populations Coordinator
Illinois State Board of Education
100 N. First Street, C-418
Springfield, Illinois 62777-0001
Phone: (217) 782-3370
E-mail: sfull@isbe.net
Web Site: www.isbe.state.il.us
Carl Sutter, Director
Office of Rehabilitation Services
IL Dept. of Human Services
623 East Adams Street
Springfield, Illinois 62705
Phone: (217) 782-2093 or (800) 447-6404 TTY
Email: ilvr@rehabnetwork.org
Educational Advocates - Web Sites
Web Site:www.iep4u.com
- IEP 4U.COM has over 4000 free Goals and Objectives, each with changeable benchmarks.
- The Idea Statements are spread out over seven subjects (Domains) and four functional levels.
P.O. Box #1492
Washington, DC 20013-1492
Phone: (800) 695-0285
Fax: (202) 884-8441
E-mail: nichcy@aed.org
Web Site: www.nichcy.org/states.htm
- National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities.
- State resources, IEP
Web Site: specialed.freeyellow.com
- Links To many good Special Education Sites On The Net.
Web Site: www.iwu.edu/~swhite/edweb/special.htm
- Learn about LRE
- Technology Resources
- A Parents' Guide of the Educational Rights of Students with Disabilities
- Special Education laws and advocacy articles, newsletters, and other information.
Website: www.cesa7.k12.wi.us/sped/Parents/plainlanguageindex.htm
- Easy to understand and easy to search with the laws explained in simple language
- The Idea Statements are spread out over seven subjects (Domains) and four functional levels.
Nonpublic Special education facilities that provide educational, therapeutic and/or residential services to students identified as having either severe, profound or multiple disabilities.
The facilities listed are approved for reimbursement from the Illinois State Board of Education (this is only a sample of the facilities listed on the ISBE web site)
Craig Bogacki, Superintendent
1150 N River Rd
Des Plaines, Illinois 60016
Phone: (847) 391-8000
Phone: (847) 391-8001
- Residential Only
- Ages 5-21
Jill Hirsch, Principal
509 Oak St
De Kalb, Illinois 60115
Phone: (815) 787-4144
Fax: (815) 787-4145
- DeKalb Day School
- Ages 3- 21
Linda K Fox, Director
1204 N Division
Urbana, Illinois 61802
Phone: (217) 367-6923
Fax: (217) 337-9391
Web Site: www.cunninghamhome.org/programs.htm
- Day School
- Ages 5-21
Nicole Allgood, Program Director
8320 S Madison
Burr Ridge, Illinois 60527
Phone: (630) 455-5730
Fax: (630) 455-5731
Web Site: www.giantstepsillinois.org
- Autism Specific Programming
Dianne Schultz, Director
614 Oglesby Ave
Normal, Illinois 61761
Phone: (309) 452-1170
Fax: (309) 862-2902
Web Site: www.thebabyfold.org
- Hammitt Day School - Ages 3-15
- Hammitt High School - Ages 12-21
- Residential Only - Ages 3-13
Connie Hamann, Vice President
404 Ne Madison Ave
Peoria, Illinois 61603
Phone: (309) 687-7738
Fax: (309) 687-7799
- Madison Intensive /408
- Ages: 10 – 21
- Knoxville / 068 – Day School
- Ages 3 -18
- Knoxville / 416 - Residential Only
- Ages: 3 -18
- Ages: 3 -18