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As a researcher, specializing in disability topics, I often get emails from parent or grandparents interested in home schooling their child (grandchild) with special needs.

Most recently, I received this message from Joyce:

“I would appreciate leads on home schooling Special Needs kids with multiple diagnosis as we will home school our angel after this year of home based Special Education - 8th grade. Getting various sites together and ordering things available to home schooling parents and/or teachers. Any suggestions appreciated. Your site is a real help and inspiration for us at our house!”

The reasons parents decide to home school a child with special needs vary:

· They want their child to be able to learn at their own pace.
· They want their child to work at a level that is appropriate to their developmental stage and have the flexibility to introduce new skills and concepts when the child is ready.
· They want to create a more “ideal” learning environment. Children with learning disabilities frequently have difficulty with concentration and focus in a traditional classroom.
· They want to use teaching methods that suit their child's particular learning style.
· They want their child to feel accepted and free from teasing, bullying or humiliation from peers.
· They are looking for an alternative where their children can gain self-confidence - one that includes less criticism from teachers and less comparison with other children.
· They want their children with special needs to reach their full potential and not be limited by the use of "cookie cutter" educational methods or the lack of experience with special needs in their neighborhood school.
· They want to ensure that their at-risk child will not be exposed to gangs, drugs, and guns.

Their needs, however, when they prepare to tackle this challenge, are often very similar. They want to know where they can find the information, tools, and support to be an effective educator for their child. If you are interested in home schooling a child with special needs, here are the resources to help you get started.

1. Learn the rules. Each state has their own set of regulations for home schooling and you will need to be familiar with yours. Read the regulations and discuss them with current home schoolers in your own state, as many regulations may be vague and open to interpretation. A seasoned home schooler in your home state should be able to tell you how confusing regulations are generally understood.

2. Study the fundamentals. The National Home Education Network offers a “New Homeschooler Information Area” as well as a “New Homeschooler Encouragement Newsletter” to help you get off to a good start.

3. Consider joining a national support network. Frequently parents can gain valuable information and contacts by joining an association specifically for home schoolers. Two you will want to consider:
· The National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network
NATHHAN is a Christian based association that specializes in equipping parents (or grandparents) to home school children with special needs.

· American Homeschool Association
AHA is a service organization sponsored in part by the publishers of Home Education Magazine. The AHA was created in 1995 to network home schoolers on a national level. They provide online news and offer a discussion list, which provides news, information, and resources for home schoolers.
4. Use online resources to brainstorm lesson plan ideas. There are several excellent informational websites that offer tons of practical tips and ideas when it comes to home schooling a child with special needs. Perform a search for Home Schooling and include the word that describes your childs special need. You will get many results to investigate further.
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5. Learn from the experts. For more detailed ideas and instructions that you can refer to frequently, you will probably want to invest in some resource books. Some I recommend are found on this sites landing page.
6. Learn from other parents. I always encourage parents to find a place where they can safely exchange ideas and vent frustrations. If there is a local support group of parents that home school, join. Even if they have limited experience with special needs they may still be able to provide general support regarding home schooling regulations and materials. For special needs expertise, you may want to consider an online support or discussion group.
7. And finally, look for curriculum and daily lesson materials that are from a quality provider and offer true value to your child. Resources that I recommend include:

· How to Learn - How to learn is an excellent starting place when it comes to materials because they offer a free learning styles inventory. The inventory is a quick and easy online test that will help you figure out how your child learns best -- by seeing, hearing, or doing. After the test, there is a follow up article to help you understand how to use this information to help your child succeed. In additional they several terrific solutions for students struggling with reading, spelling, and test taking.
http://www.mcssl.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=70730

· The Home School Source - Although this site offers many excellent home schooling products for sale, the unique feature of the Home School Source is their lending library. This is a terrific option for new home schoolers because it allows you to check out and try and a wide variety of learning materials for a very reasonable membership fee.

Home schooling is not the right solution for every family. However, if it's the right solution for yours - I hope that these tips and resource suggestions will help make the transition a little easier.

Article Keywords: Special Education

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Special Education... 11 Effective Ways to Make Playtime Fun for Children with Special Needs To get the most from playtime activities you have to stick to a set of rules. The rules may change according to the child but generally these rules help to achieve constructive play gaining the benefits listed above. Play it their way - Encourage them to pay the games they like to play. If they show an interest in a certain sport or activity then GREAT! Let them play their games and so that they can get the release that they will feel good about. Exposure to new things - Children with social disabilities often seem like they are not interested in new things but sometimes exposure to new games and activities sparks of an interest that they really get enjoyment from. This also helps them to build on their experiences and broaden their learning. Great mind think alike - Find other people that share the same interests. This may seem like an impossible task but you will be amazed at what goes on in the houses you are surrounded by. Other disability support groups are often a great place to meet like minded people who will share their interests willingly. This will be a great way for them to have a little social contact that doesn't end up in tears. Go when the crowds are gone - If children show a particular interest in activities but are put of by the crowds then find a time when the crowds are gone. This is often good to help them do something they really enjoy. Follow the leader - Let them take the lead. If they want to play in a certain way then you may find that letting them express themselves is a good way to help them vent their built up frustrations. Take your time - Let them take their sweet time to enjoy an activity. If they are forced to rush through a game or sport then it may not be so enjoyable and the...