Recommended Reading

From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd edition; Pamela Darr Wright, MA, MSW, and Peter W.D. Wright, Esq

This is an excellent resource, written in plain language, for any parent that is new to the special education process, or any parent looking to improve their working relationship and approach with their school district. Learn best practices for organizing your child’s records; how to interpret standardized test results; and how to write letters that effectively communicate your facts and can serve as evidence should your case go to a hearing. This book will teach you how to confidently prepare and strategize for meetings with your child’s IEP TEAM.


All About IEPs; Peter W.D. Wright, Esq, Pamela Darr Wright, MA, MSW, and Sandra Webb O’Connor, M.Ed

This handbook provides a summary of advocacy tips and several short chapters written in question and answer format that explain what IDEA says about IEP TEAMS and IEP Meetings. It covers the components of IEPs; placement, transition planning, and assistive technology; as well as strategies for disagreement resolution.


Educating Children with Autism; National Research Council

This book is the foundational guide for developing educational programs for children with autism. It contains a detailed overview of the autism diagnosis and assessment; characteristics of effective interventions for autism treatment; and public policy implications. The text is dense, however, it provides detailed information regarding critical elements of intervention programs—including development of communication, social development, cognitive development, sensory and motor development, adaptive behaviors, problem behaviors and instructional strategies.


The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome; Tony Attwood

Tony Attwood is considered to be the definitive expert on Apserger’s Syndrome. This guide takes readers from the initial diagnosis to understanding how the diagnosis affects social communication, theory of mind, emotional expression, sensory input, motor planning, the development of relationships and life after school. I found the “Frequently Asked Questions” chapter particularly useful–especially with regard to the question of when and how to explain the diagnosis. Attwood’s compassionate and thorough guide should be considered essential reading for any parent of a child with an Asperger’s diagnosis.


Thinking About You, Thinking about Me, 2nd edition; Michelle Garcia Winner

Michelle Garcia Winner is a recognized expert in the field of social thinking. In this book Winner introduces The Social Thinking Assessment Protocol, a tool developed to more accurately gauge a student’s level of social thinking impairment, and explains and defines perspective taking. She details exercises that introduce and explore perspective taking, physical proximity, “thinking with your eyes” and language use. The book provides sample IEP goals and benchmarks with complete lessons that can be used in school settings.


A Guide to Special Education Advocacy: What Parents, Clinicians and Advocates Need to Know; Matthew Cohen

Matthew Cohen is a partner at the law firm of Monahan and Cohen in Chicago, IL. His book provides an overview of the current state of disability law and how it works, including the attitudes, politics, and bureaucratic pressures that may hinder the process. Throughout the book he offers advocacy strategies on the broad range of elements involved in special education–from eligibility to evaluation and re-evaluation, related services, behavior management, transition, procedural safeguards and more. This is an excellent resource for anyone looking to more fully understand how the special education process works.