Dedicated to Devon
"Because when he was born we did not know where to look
for services."
Funding for this Project
Funding for this project was awarded to Dr. Laura Stough by
The Center for the Study and Implementation of Collaborative
Learning Communities in the College of Education at Texas A&M
University through grants from Southwestern Bell foundation
and the Sid Richardson Foundation.
Contributors
Alyn Abbs, Nancy Algert, Lynn Baker, Sarah Boldt, Maria Patricia
Briones, Susan Bruhl, Blanca Buenrostro, Kathy Campos, Chimika
Carter, Jennifer Cieri, Tracey Collins, Diane Contreras, Janet
Davis, Julianna DePasquale, Kenesha Downs, Monica Edwards, Richard
Evans, Jane Finegan, Melissa Fleming, Shawana Fletcher, Izta
Flores, Ilse Fourie, Beverly B. Gentry, Catherine George, Mary
Ghong, Kristi Geobel, Aina Marie Gonzalez, Laura Gordon, Zelma
Gragg, Jac1yn Guthrie, Tara Hanway, Sylvia Harding, Jill Harmeyer,
Tina Herzberg, April Higginbotham, Jennifer Jones, Sarah Kaplan,
Jared Laaser, Leena Landmark, Kamber Little, Meloney Menay Little,
Jennifer Livingston, Kristin Lodholz, Rose Loh, Lindsey Mahone,
Holly McGowan, Linda Montoya, Aimee Morgan, Misti Morris, Wanietta
Mort, Michael Murray, Gail Palmer, Kristina M. Perez, Deborah
Pike, Kristen Rector, Matthew Rickett, Kristina Rolling, Dawn
Rosser, Serafin V. Sanchez, Eileen Sandles, Heidi Schembri,
Mariagrazia Sheffield, Jane Stephens, Hillary Towers, Kara Tucker,
Karen Turner, Lorraine Vail, Toni Whitener, Kendra Williams,
Archie Wooley
How to Use This Directory
This directory is intended for use by individuals with disabilities
or their family members who are searching for services in Bryan/College
Station. Individuals, teachers, service providers, students, and
community members will find this directory valuable in supporting
the autonomy and quality of life of individuals with disabilities.
Sections are organized by service category. Each section begins with a brief overview of pertinent historical, legal, and pragmatic issues related to that section. Services are listed in alphabetical order within each section and a brief description is given of each service. Many services are cross-listed in multiple sections for ease of location.
How This Directory was Developed
Over the last five years, graduate students enrolled in an Educational
Psychology course at Texas A&M University entitled "Issues
in Moderate and Severe Disabilities" have systematically
investigated available services for individuals with disabilities
and their families in Bryan/College Station. Overviews of particular
service categories and descriptions of individual services, such
as appear in this Directory, were all written or revised by students
enrolled in the course. Their work has been collected and organized
by the instructor of this course, Dr. Laura Stough. A grant from
The Center for the Study and Implementation of Collaborative Learning
Communities, awarded to Dr. Stough and Matthew Rickett, Research
Assistant for the project, has enabled them to compile, edit,
and revise this information for publication in this Directory.
Purpose of This Directory
This directory is intended to assist in seeking services for individuals
with disabilities by gathering information about agencies, businesses,
and organizations into one useful place. Our intent in publishing
this directory is strictly informational- we do not imply endorsement
by listing these services nor do we imply disapproval by omission
of any organization. Although we are pleased to make this directory
publicly available, we assume no liability for the use of the
information. Users are always advised to consult a professional
care provider when necessary and to not use this directory as
a substitute.
The information provided in this directory has been obtained by directly contacting the organizations listed or by using information directly distributed by them. Although we believe we have published the most recent and accurate information possible, names, phone numbers, and addresses are constantly changing and we apologize for any misinformation that may be listed at the time of publication. We always recommend contacting the service provider to verify their information when you need it. We also request that you communicate any misinformation in this directory to us. Reply mail can be sent to Laura M. Stough, PhD., Department of Education Psychology, Mail Stop 4225, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4225
Uniqueness of this Directory
This directory is unique for several reasons. First it provides
a detailed description of the services offered in our local community
at the beginning of each section and a detailed description of
each service. Second, the information is presented in a functional
format based on a persons needs at different times during the
life-span. For instance the parents of a newborn child with a
disability may first turn to a support group and medical support,
followed by early childhood intervention services and then into
educational supports as the child ages. Third, a section is included
that defines commonly used abbreviations in the field of special
needs. Fourth, all information will be available free of charge
on the internet. Lastly, it has been edited with the user in mind
so information will be easily accessible to people of all abilities.
Acknowledgements
To all the graduate students enrolled in Dr. Laura Stough's Issues
in Moderate to Severe Disabilities at Texas A&M University
who researched and wrote the bulk of the guide.
To Dr. Linda Parrish and Dr. Pat Lynch for their invaluable suggestions. To The Center for the Study and Implementation of Collaborative
Learning Communities for the opportunity to give back to the Bryan
and College Station communities through funding of this project.
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