DENVER -- Parents, students and staffers at Special L.I.N.K.S. school are making other arrangements, after financial problems forced the school to close.

JoAnna Dean finds herself facing the harsh consequences of a crumbling economy and the reality that her dream is slipping away.

"I've been a special educator for 12 years and I've seen things that don't promote respect and dignity for our students. Primarily that's what everyone deserves, so we need to be there for that," Dean said.

Dean's special students were the reason she opened Special L.I.N.K.S., a private school for physically and mentally challenged students.

"L.I.N.K.S." stands for: letting individual needs kids succeed, and Dean has made that her life's passion.

"I truly believe our kids are so under-known, under estimated, under appreciated," she said.

The school started as a summer program two years ago.

Parents saw such a dramatic and positive change in their kids, they pleaded with Dean to teach the program full-time.

"This is Darian and she is 14 years old. This is Noel. That's Denise," Dean said during a tour of the school.

Tania is another Special L.I.N.K.S. student.

"When we got her they said she won't walk, talk, she won't do anything and she's doing fabulous, I think," said Tania's mom, Shyanne Richardson.

Tania is a beautiful, 6-year-old girl who had a rough start in life.

"Tania was premature when she was born. She had a traumatic brain injury at 4 months old," said Richardson.

Her mom said Special L.I.N.K.S. has helped Tania surpass everyone's expectations.

"She's talking more, she is more controlled in her walking and independent. She has a friend for the first time ever. She has a real friend. They'll sit together and communicate," said Richardson.

Deb Winter has seen similar advances in her daughter Denise's development.

"She couldn't eat or touch anything," said Winter.

"She was a little, blind vegetable carried around and look at her now," Winter said watching Denise play piano at Special L.I.N.K.S.

Winter was so impressed with Dean's program, she backed her new school with time and money, helping to run it from behind the scenes.

Dean opened her doors to provide an alternative for families struggling in their current educational setting.

The structured school day was adapted and modified to each student's individual needs.

"We had our desks over here up until 2 weeks ago," Dean said.

But now, Dean is facing a reality that has already dismantled the dreams of thousands of Americans.

The historically bad economy has caused a shortage of donations and an inability for some families to pay.

Despite cutting staff, recruiting volunteers and pleading with landlords, Special L.I.N.K.S. is packing up and closing down.

"Even in the best of economic times, we're seeing school districts that are underfunded serving their students with disabilities," said
State Director of Special Education, Dr. Ed Steinberg.

He said public schools are also grappling with extreme budget challenges every day.

Steinberg said while students with disabilities are by law entitled to an appropriate education, cuts have left districts struggling to meet their student's needs.

"A speech language pathologist who may have a case load of 35 to 50 kids, may now have a case load of 60 kids," Steinberg said.

"We just want people to care," said Dean.

Ultimately, for Special L.I.N.K.S., funding fell short and this week they were forced to close.

"I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard our staff and our families and our kids," said a tearful Winter.

For this devoted group and gifted teacher it will always be about the kids.

"Again, these students are incredible," said Dean, choking back tears.

"We're not dead. We still have the same issues, we still have the same dream that maybe we can help kids in whatever way from here forward," said Winter.

For now, these children and their families will have to go back to their school districts knowing the rate of their child's development may not be the same.

Special L.I.N.K.S. is still hoping for a miracle, including funding and donated space.

For now, they are all meeting on a weekly basis to keep the kids and families connected.

If you'd like to help, you can visit their web site, SpecialLinks.org