National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY, an acronym derived from its original name, National Information Center for Handicapped Children and Youth) operates as a national centralized information resource on disabilities and special education for children and youth ages birth through 21 years, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. It does so by collecting, organizing and disseminating current, accurate, research based information about childhood disability and special education. The Center also disseminates information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the nation's special education law and the No Child Left Behind Act, the nation's general education law. NICHCY has focuses on research, information dissemination, and providing quality information on teaching and learning.
NICHCY responds to over 2,500 requests for information each year from families, professionals, advocates, government agencies, journalists, and others concerned with issues affecting children and youth with disabilities.
NICHCY’S Research Center connects stakeholders to the knowledge base that the field of special education has accumulated over years of investigation and practice. Approximately 5,000 unique users visit the Research Center’s web site each week to find the latest research news, briefs, and analysis on effective educational practices for children with disabilities.
NICHCY's services, publications, and Web site are available in both English and Spanish. On NICHCY's Web site, information is available on:
- Services for infants and toddlers with disabilities (Early intervention)
- The special education process and IEPs (individualized education programs)
- Fact sheets on disabilities (Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism/PDD, Cerebral Palsy, Deafness/Hearing Loss, Down Syndrome, Emotional Disturbance, Epilepsy, Learning Disabilities, Mental Retardation, Severe and/or Multiple Disabilities, Speech-Language Impairments, Spina Bifida, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Visual Impairments)
- Research on effective interventions for students with disabilities
- Education rights of students in special education and what the law requires
- Transition from school to adult life NICHCY, About the National Dissemination Center, retrieved 2007-09-10
NICHCY's site also provides many resources, including:
- Materials for parents of children with disabilities;
- State resources for every state and U.S. territory;
- Databases of national organizations and conferences focused on disabilities or education;
NICHCY is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), United States Department of Education. All of NICHCY's publications are copyright free. NICHCY is operated by FHI360.NICHCY, About NICHCY: Who Funds Us?, retrieved 2007-09-10