Special education is provided as required by law (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) and Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 56). The law guarantees a free appropriate public education (FAPE) which includes a continuum of services for students who are eligible for special education and related services. A student is eligible to receive special education and related services from the ages of 3 to 20 after meeting the eligibility criteria for one of the disability categories. In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria for one of the disability categories, the student must demonstrate a need for special education and related services.

As part of our Spring 2023 pre-requisite introductory course in special education at UH Mānoa, teams of students were given the challenge to develop a "disability toolkit website" based on what they had learned in the class and from Marilyn Friend's Textbook, Special Education: Contemporary Perspectives for School Professionals, 5th ed.

The goal of this assignment was to present the information in a way that could be shared with others who are interested in learning more about special education and different disability types. The class then voted on which website to feature on this website, which is linked below.  Each group added additional resources and content they felt would be valuable to others who are interested in learning more about this field. We hope you find this information engaging and useful as you explore the field of special education and disabilities! Mahalo to all the students from our SPED 304 course who collaborated together and developed websites for others to enjoy!

Want to learn more? Visit the Hawaii Department of Education Website on Special Education.