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NC SIP – Reading Resources for Families of Children with Disabilities

Reading for All: Family Resources to Support Diverse Learners

Welcome to the North Carolina State Improvement Project (NC SIP) reading resource page!  Reading is a powerful tool that helps children grow, learn, and explore the world around them. For children with disabilities, reading can be especially important because it opens doors to new ideas and helps build skills that support daily life. Supporting reading in children with disabilities can lead to greater independence, confidence, and success in life.  Here, you’ll find valuable materials to help support the reading journey of your child with disabilities.

Families are essential to the growth and development of students. The positive impact on a child’s academic and emotional well-being is evident in the numerous research studies conducted for over 50 years. Below are some resources that can help families begin to take positive steps forward in partnering with schools to support their student’s achievement.

Website Resources

Website dedicated to helping children with disabilities develop reading skills, offering free resources, tips, and articles for families. Below are links to some great pages within the Reading Rockets website:
– Reading Tips for Children with Disabilities
– Assistive Technology for Reading
– Reading 101: A Guide for Parents
– Literacy Tips for Parents 
– Target the Problem
– Grocery Store Literacy Activity Sheets

https://www.readingrockets.org/

A free online library for students with disabilities, offering access to a wide range of books in formats like audio and braille.

https://www.bookshare.org/

Provides expert advice on understanding and supporting children with learning and attention issues, including many helpful reading resources.

https://www.understood.org

NCIL offers free, easy-to-use tools and  resources to help families and educators improve literacy skills for students.

https://www.improvingliteracy.org/

A free bilingual website providing information to educators and Spanish-speaking families of English Language Learners.

https://www.colorincolorado.org/

A resource-rich website for families with children who have dyslexia, providing reading strategies, educational materials, and support groups.

https://dyslexiaida.org/

Offers accessible books, braille resources, and tools designed for children with visual disabilities.

https://aph.org

RIF offers free books, fun activities, and helpful tips to make reading enjoyable for kids at home.

https://www.rif.org/

Making Summer Count: Learning Doesn’t Stop When School Does

Preventing learning loss during the summer months is crucial for children with disabilities.  Click below for tips to support continuous learning

Parent Testimonial

Dear ECAC Team,

I hope this letter finds you well. I want to express a heartfelt thank you to you all for your work. To Mrs. Aimee Combs, I appreciate your continued advocacy alongside youth and young adults disabilities and for allowing me to have a place at the table. I am so thankful to have met everyone on staff, and your passion for what you all do is infectious.

When I connected with Mrs. Debra Pickens and reconnected with my friend and fellow advocate Billy Pickens, I had no clue what was ahead.  I had the honor of participating as a voice in the following events: The Duke Univ Health Equity Rounds, NCSU Family Leadership Summit, ECU Inclusion Summit and the Partners in Learning Conference, not to mention numerous YAT opportunities and events.

All of these opportunities and more have had a lasting impact on me and continue to set the standard in my relationships with other organizations as well. Thank you for investing in me, and the mission that I was called to fulfill through advocating, creating and serving our shared communities of disabilities. I look forward to more opportunities to build upon the relationships established, and more opportunities to assist, collaborate and learn from you all as you continue to impact our state, my generation as well as present and future advocates.

Sincerely,
Mayia Warren

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