What's New

Past News You Can Use: 2005

• December 2005
• September 2005
• July 2005
• June 2005


• April / May 2005
• March 2005
• January / February 2005



• Past News You Can Use: 2004
• Past News You Can Use: 2003
• Past News You Can Use: 2002
• Past News You Can Use: 2001
• Current News You Can Use

 December 2005

IDEA 2004

Parents' Action for Children is a national non-profit dedicated to advancing the interests of families and children. They develop parent education materials, connect parents with one another, and fight for issues such as early education, health care, and high quality and affordable child care.

To help parents understand the changes in the special education law and how they affect children with special needs, Parents’ Action is running a three-part series on IDEA 2004. The first installment explains the process of finding out if your child has a disability and is eligible for special education. To read the article click here.

From the Department of Education

Established by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the research, evaluation and statistics arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Its mission is to expand knowledge and provide information on the condition of education, practices that improve academic achievement, and the effectiveness of Federal and other education programs. There are four centers within the Institute of Education Sciences:

• The National Center for Education Research (NCER)
• The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE)
• The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
• The National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)

The Institute has a listserv that focuses on such topics as funding, recent publications, and facts and figures from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) as well as a quarterly newsletter, IES Research e-News, that includes information on the latest research news, abstracts of funded research projects, announcements about funding and training opportunities, education facts and figures, and conferences and meetings.

For more information, visit the IES web site at: www.ed.gov/ies

Craving Education Statistics?

If you are looking for the latest statistics in the field of education, from pre-kindergarten through graduate school, check out the Digest of Education Statistics (2004), produced by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). It provides a compilation of statistical information on topics including: the number of schools and colleges; teachers; enrollments; graduates; educational attainment; finances; federal funds for education; employment and income of graduates; libraries; technology; and international comparisons.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), located within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences, is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education.

Inclusive Celebrations and Conferences

The 5th Annual National Inclusive Schools Week celebration takes place in schools, classrooms, and communities across the country.

December 5-9, 2005.

Visit www.inclusiveschools.org

A Meaningful Place for All:
A National Conference on Disability Inclusion and National Service

December 8-10, 2005
Hilton Alexandria Mark Center
Alexandria, VA

2005-2006 Inclusion Institute
Developing Inclusive, High Performing Middle and High Schools: A Leadership Institute
December 13-14, 2005
Newton, MA

Conference on Inclusive Education: Quest to Reach the Summit
January 19-21, 2006
Denver, CO

From the TA&D Network...

The TA&D Network is the technical assistance and dissemination network funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education, as part of its efforts to improve results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Here's the latest news from members.

The IDEA Partnership website reflects the collaborative work of more than 55 national organizations, as well as other federally-funded regional and technical centers.

Major focus areas include:

• Dialogue Guides
• Communities of Practice
• Collaboration with States, National Centers, and National Organizations

The project is located at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE).

Two new publications from the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)

September 2005 Vol. 4, Issue 2 Enhancing Academic Achievement and Transition Outcomes Using Technology

NLTS2 Data Brief Report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study September 2005 • Vol. 4, Issue 5 Family Expectations and Involvement for Youth with Disabilities

From the World of Research

As reported by the Health Behavior News Service of the Center for the Advancement of Health--

Newest Study Finds No Link between MMR Vaccine and Autism

There has been concern and debate in the disability community about whether a mercury-based preservative, used in some vaccines, contributes to cases of childhood autism. A review of research on this subject appears in the latest issue of the Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration. In depth analysis of dozens of statistically sound studies found “no credible evidence” that the combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine causes long-term disabilities such as autism or bowel disease. Click here to access the abstract and plain language summary of the review.

The Cochrane Collaboration is an international non-profit independent organization, dedicated to making up-to-date, accurate information about the effects of healthcare readily available worldwide. The Cochrane Library consists of a regularly updated collection of evidence-based medicine databases, including The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Research Conferences

Look ahead to all sorts of 2006 conferences with research strands, in our updated and greatly expanded Upcoming Research Conferences. Find out what's coming up in conferences---autism, accessible Web and technology, learning disabilities, science, reading, American Educational Research Association (AERA), and much more.

September 2005

No Child Left Behind and IDEA 2004

Now posted on the U.S. Department of Education web site, is the newly released non-regulatory guidance regarding alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards.

To view the report go to : www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/saa.html#guidance

This guidance is a supplement to the Department's regulations released on December 9, 2003 which may be found at:
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/finrule/2003-4/120903a.html

Note: The guidance addresses only the implementation of the December 9, 2003 regulation on alternate achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. It does not address the recently proposed “2 percent” policy or the issue of “modified” achievement standards.

The Department of Education has also released revised guidance on supplemental educational services. Supplemental educational services consist of additional academic instruction designed to increase the academic achievement of students in schools in need of improvement. Supplemental educational services are a component of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that provide extra academic assistance for eligible children.

	This document can be found at: www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/suppsvcsguid.doc
	Additional information on NCLB is on the Department website at: www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml?src=pb

Statewide Assessment of Students with Disabilities

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report on the assessment of students with disabilities. The purpose of the study was to provide information about the participation of the six million students with disabilities in statewide assessments, by focusing on the extent to which these students were included in these assessments, the issues selected states face in implementing alternative assessments, and how the U.S. Department of Education supported states in their efforts to assess these students.

The Social Security Administration

is planning to update and revise the rules they use to evaluate growth impairment disorders in children who apply for, or receive, Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income payments based on disability.

On September 8, 2005, an "Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" (ANPRM) was published in the Federal Register, inviting all interested people and organizations to send in comments and suggestions for updating and revising the rules. To view an electronic version of the Notice click here.

You can also access the Notice and make comments via the SSA site: www.ssa.gov/regulations/ssa-policy-comments.htm

The deadline for sending in your comments is no later than November 7, 2005.

From the TA&D Network...

The TA&D Network is the technical assistance and dissemination network funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education, as part of its efforts to improve results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Here's the latest news on interesting, helpful products from members.

The Access Center and the National Technical Assistance Consortium for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind, in collaboration with the LRE Part B Community of Practice, recently hosted a webinar entitled Making Abstract Core Curriculum Accessible to Students with Severe and Multiple Disabilities.

The webinar, presented by Dr. June Downing from the California State University, Northridge, identified ways to make even abstract core curriculum relevant and meaningful to those students with labels of significant and multiple impairments.

Topics included:

• Identifying Learning Opportunities within Core Curriculum and Standards;
• Adapting Material to Allow Individual Student Access; and
• Teaching Specific and Meaningful Skills During General Education Class Instruction

CADRE - The Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education is convening the first National Symposium on IEP Facilitation.

Invitees include state dispute resolution coordinators, directors of special education, dispute resolution practitioners, parent advocates, attorneys, educators, service providers, parents and others interested in creating effective agreements that benefit educational and early intervention programs for infants, children and youth with disabilities.

Participants will:

• Gain a better understanding of IEP/IFSP Facilitation implementation issues at the state and local level
• Receive information on promising practices and innovative training models related to IEP/IFSP Facilitation
• Gain enhanced IEP/IFSP Facilitation knowledge and skills
• Receive current information on related research and evaluation
• Interact with state and local dispute resolution coordinators, practitioners, educators and family members

The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition is presenting a capacity building institute,

Research-Based Tools and Strategies for Improving Outcomes for Secondary Youth with Disabilities

Wednesday, October 19, 2005
La Posada Hotel
Albuquerque, New Mexico

To register go to:
http://www.ncset.org/institutes/oct_19_05.asp

Reading Rockets . . .

Each year, Reading Rockets produces a series of live teleconferences that organizations can downlink and use for professional development for teachers in a district, school system, state, or university. The teleconferences are produced in WETA's studios in Arlington, Virginia and are available live via satellite or can be videotaped for later use. Each features top experts and provides teachers and parents with information and strategies on how to help all children achieve success in reading. For more information go to www.readingrockets.org/profdev/

Coming up in November -

Differentiated Reading Instruction: Teaching Every Child
Wednesday, November 2, 2005, 12:00 -1:00 p.m. EST
Carol Ann Tomlinson, University of Virginia
Michael Pressley, University of Notre Dame
Louise Spear-Swerling, Southern Connecticut State University

More Professional Development Opportunities from the -

CEC Web Seminars - virtual seminars that you can "attend" and participate in right from your school, office or home.

Inclusive Assessment and Accountability: Effective Practices for Teachers and Students
Wednesday, October 19, 2005, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EST
Stephen N. Elliott, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University
Jeffery P. Braden, North Carolina State University

Teacher-Paraeducator Teams: Who Leads?
Thursday, October 27, 2005, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EST
Nancy K. French, University of Colorado at Denver

Collaboration in Today's Schools: Practical Ideas for Pragmatic Issues
Tuesday, November 1, 2005, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EST
Marilyn Friend, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

From Chaos to Community: Building Effective Classroom Management Systems
Thursday, November 10, 2005, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EST
Sylvia Rockwell, Pasco County Public Schools

English Language Learners With Language and/or Learning Disabilities: Is It a Language Difference or Is It a Disability?
Tuesday, November 29, 2005, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EST
Alba A. Ortiz, The University of Texas at Austin

NCLB, Access to the General Education Curriculum, and IEPs: Putting It All Together
Thursday, December 1, 2005, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EST
Margaret J. McLaughlin, University of Maryland

Accessing the General Education Curriculum: Universal Design and Technology
Tuesday, December 6, 2005, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EST
John Castellani, Johns Hopkins University

More Resources. . .

Closing The Gap's annual conference has earned a reputation internationally as a leading source for information on innovative applications of computer technology for persons with disabilities. The 23rd Annual Conference builds on a tradition of providing a comprehensive examination of the most current uses of technology by persons with disabilities and the professionals who work with them.

Preconference Workshops: October 18-19, 2005
Conference Dates: October 20-22, 2005
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Complete conference and registration details available at:
http://www.closingthegap.com/conf/index.lasso

Taking a Closer Look: A Guide to Online Resources on Family Involvement

This document is a guide to what national organizations are currently doing in family involvement in education. It contains web links to research, information, programs and tools about parenting practices to support children’s learning and development, home-school relationships, parent leadership development and collective engagement for school improvement and reform. The resource guide can be used to find out what’s new in the field, locate national organizations that support family involvement and inspire new ideas.

You won't want to miss the PBS special, "Making Schools Work, with Hedrick Smith," set to air on Wednesday, October 5, from 9 to 11 pm. Some American communities are creating an important but largely unnoticed revolution in public education - turning around problem schools and dramatically improving achievement among disadvantaged students many had given up on. These success stories, affecting roughly two million students from elementary to high school, are shown on MAKING SCHOOLS WORK with Hedrick Smith and have major implications for public education nationwide.

Back to top

July 2005

IDEA 2004

The public is further invited to submit written comments for review prior to the development of final regulations. To be considered, all written comments must be received by 5 p.m. on September 6th, 2005.

You may submit your comments--

To read the proposed regulations:

PDF version	Text only version

Before completing your written comments, you may want to revisit NICHCY Connections to …Resources on IDEA 2004. It has been updated and includes links to a reformatted version of the proposed IDEA regulations (with explanations and commentary) done by Wrightslaw’s, and other resources to ease understanding of the new law and proposed regulations.

In the meantime, most of the provisions of IDEA 2004 went into effect on July 1, 2005. Which ones, you say? How so? Check out the one-page summaries from OSERS and OSEP that highlight the IDEA 2004 changes in 16 high-interest topic areas, also available on our NICHCY Connections page.

No Child Left Behind

The U.S. Education Department last week granted 17 states more latitude in implementing NCLB rules, including allowing four states to increase a subgroup's minimum size and permitting two to revise their annual achievement targets. Letters for another 30 states are pending, though many have received oral approvals or denials. Of the 42 states that applied for the special education flexibility, 29 have received approval. You can read the approval letters on the Department's Web site.

From the TA&D Network...

The TA&D Network is the technical assistance and dissemination network funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education, as part of its efforts to improve results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Here's the latest news on interesting, helpful products from members.

The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)

NCSET launched its new youth Web site in the Spring of 2005. Youthhood.org is a dynamic, curriculum-based tool that can help young adults plan for life after high school.

Highlights of the site:

• Designed by and for young adults (and teachers, parents, and mentors)
• Includes online research-based transition curriculum guide
• Loaded with information, interactive activities, and an online magazine

And . . . new online publications from NCSET:

• Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities (February, 2005)
• High School Graduation Requirements and Students with Disabilities  (February, 2005)
• Transition Planning: Community Mapping as a Tool for Teachers and Students  (April, 2005)
• The Transition Planning Process (April, 2005)
• Universal Design for Learning and the Transition to a More Challenging Academic Curriculum: Making it in Middle School and Beyond  (April, 2005)

The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC)
NECTAC is a program of the FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. They also operate the Clearinghouse on Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education.

Check out NECTAC’s weekly electronic newsletter, eNotes, for news items related to early intervention and early childhood special education.

August 3, 2005 - August 5, 2005
The Fifth National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute, Chapel Hill, NC.

The Northeast Regional Resource Center

NERRC, in collaboration with many partner organizations, has a new publication that provides an active framework and tools to promote the retention of quality educators

Keeping Quality Teachers: The Art of Retaining General and Special Education Teachers

 

Reading Rockets . . .

is proud to introduce Colorín Colorado, a new bilingual Web site created for Spanish-speaking families. This site is designed to provide the best in research, information, activities, and advice for helping English language learners to read and succeed.

Also, recently produced Becoming Bilingual, a new PBS television show hosted by Rita Moreno. With visits to schools from Woodburn, Oregon, to Washington, D.C., the show examines the challenges of teaching a child to read in a new language. You can watch it online on the Reading Rockets Web site.

From the Research World . . .

The National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR)

NCDDR has a new, free-of-charge, email service. NCDDR Updates include:

• Evidence-based resources
• Brief accounts of disability research
• Examples of research moving into mainstream practice

And. . . Two new publications from NCDDR –

FOCUS Technical Brief Number 9: What are the Standards for Quality Research? (June 2005)
FOCUS Technical Brief Number 10: What is Knowledge Translation? (July 2005)

The Harvard Education Letter

The Harvard Education Letter brings together the latest research and analysis on issues that affect school performance. Recognizing the important role of high-quality early childhood education in the success of students, the Harvard Education Letter has launched a series of articles on preschool through grade three. The July/August issue focuses exclusively on preschool and early elementary education and the Letter expects to launch a new website this summer that will include all the articles of this series as well as other resources related to early learning.

Highlights from:
Special Issue on Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education at a Crossroads
by Deborah Stipek
Bridging the PreK-Elementary Divide
by Sue Miller Wiltz
From Literacy to Learning
An interview with Catherine Snow

Back to top

 

June 2005

IDEA 2004 News: The Draft Regs Are Available!

Hey! News Flash for June! The draft regulations for IDEA 2004 are on the street! IDEA is the law that guides how states provide early intervention and special education services to children and youth with disabilities. It was amended in December 2004, and every month since brings more news and resources. Connect with resources on the new law in NICHCY Connections to...Resources on IDEA 2004. Connect with the draft regs through our Latest Scoop on IDEA Regs! page.

One-Day Expos on the Ticket to Work Program

Heard of the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program? It's an employment program for people with disabilities who are interested in going to work. Under the Ticket Program, the Social Security Administration provides disability beneficiaries with a Ticket they may use to obtain the services and jobs they need from a new universe of organizations called Employment Networks (ENs). Find out more about the program and the network in your area at:
www.yourtickettowork.com/index

Now, what about these one-day expos? Well, this summer, Social Security is hosting a series of Ticket to Work Conference and Expos around the country to promote increased use of the Ticket to Work program. Using the theme "It Pays to Check It Out!" these one-day Expos will provide participants – beneficiaries and caregivers, as well as employers and service providers – with a better understanding of how and why the Ticket can be useful for them. The Expos will also introduce beneficiaries to the employment search process and the interview skills and strategies that they may need to achieve their goal of successful employment.

What cities are stops on the expo's path?

Elizabeth, NJ, June 6, 2005
Burlington, VT, June 9, 2005
Chicago, IL, June 13, 2005
Kansas City, MO, June 15, 2005
St. Paul, MN, June 28, 2005
Billings, MT, July 12, 2005
Seattle, WA, July 22, 2005
San Diego, CA, July 27, 2005
Biloxi, MS, August 3, 2005
Philadelphia, PA, September 12, 2005

For more information about these events, call 1.800.669.0502, or visit:
http://tickettoworkexpo.com/

From the TA&D Network...

The TA&D Network is the technical assistance and dissemination network funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education, as part of its efforts to improve results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Here's the latest news on interesting, helpful products from members.

• Who's in the network?
  www.rrfcnetwork.org/content/view/137/192/
  Who's who, with what expertise to share? The Federal Resource Center for Special Education (FRC) maintains a complete list of the TA&D network, at the link above.
  
  
• June 15th Webinar---IDEA and literacy instruction.
  www.k8accesscenter.org/online_community_area/Webinar.asp
  The Access Center has scheduled this free Webinar for 2:00 pm EST on June 15, 2005. The webinar will focus on strategies for fostering reading success aligned with IDEA 2004. Topics will include the characteristics of research-based interventions, essential elements of a response to intervention model, and a discussion of eligibility as a student with a specific learning disability. Find out more, including how to participate, at the link above.
  
  
• July 7-8, 2005: Summer institute, if you're interested in how to use CBM in math.
  www.meetinglink.org/summerinstitute/default.asp
  Registration Deadline June 10th, 2005. This year's Summer Institute will focus on learning how to use Curriculum Based Measurement in Math. In addition there will be sessions on beginning and advanced CBM in Reading, Administrative Issues in Implementing CBM, and hands-on practice with different computer-based programs. All this, courtesy of the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring. (Wanna learn more about monitoring student progress? The Center's site is located at:
  www.studentprogress.org
  
  
• August 2-3, 2005: A summer institute on technology and math instruction.
  www.citeducation.org/
  Raising achievement in mathematics can be accomplished through effective practices. New technologies in the classroom can transform instruction and learning, supporting the needs of teachers and students. Come learn how at the summer institute of the Center for Implementing Technology in Education! Read more about the institute at the link above.
  
  
• Math graphic organizers, anyone?
  www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/mathgraphicorganizers.asp
  The Access Center's mission is to improve access to the general ed curriculum for students with disabilities. This product explains what graphic organizers are, why they're useful for students, and how to integrate them into math instruction.
  
  
• Triple challenge: Math, LD, and learning English.
  www.coedu.usf.edu/laser/products.html
  "Improving Mathematics Problem Solving Skills for English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities" is a new resource from Project LASER (Linking Academic Scholars to Educational Resources).
  
  
• Administrators, teachers, future teachers, all this is for you.
  http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/onlinemodules.html
  The IRIS STAR Legacy modules cover topics relevant to future teachers, administrators, and other school personnel. The modules are free online, courtesy of the IRIS Center for Faculty Enhancement.
  Topics? Check out this rich resource list of topics.
  

  --Accommodations (how to set up your classroom to improve access for students with visual impairments)
  
  --Accessing the General Education Curriculum (Inclusion considerations for students with disabilities)
  
  --Accountability: High stakes testing for students with disabilities
  
  --Behavior
  Four separate modules, with these foci: Components of a comprehensive behavior management plan, Developing your own comprehensive behavior management plan, Addressing Disruptive and Non-compliant Behaviors (Part 1, Understanding the Acting-out Cycle); and Addressing Disruptive and Non-compliant Behaviors (Part 2, Behavioral interventions)
  
  --Collaboration
  Again, four modules, focusing on: How to retain your special education teachers, Promoting collaboration and monitoring student's academic achievement, Collaborative team approach for serving students with visual disabilities, and Supporting beginning special educators
  
  --Differentiated Instruction
  Five modules this time, on these aspects of the topic: Introduction to monitoring academic achievement in the classroom; Connecting standards-based curriculum to instructional planning; Evaluating reading progress; Teaching reading to young children of varying disabilities; Strategies to help upper elementary students move from struggle to success; and Using learning strategies.
  
  --Diversity: Weaving together culture, family and instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Students
  

• Family guide to assistive technology.
  www.fctd.info/
  AT (assistive technology) is a huge topic all on its own. This guide, from the Family Center on Technology and Disability, is a great resource for families and schools alike. Read it online at the link above, or order a copy.
  
  
• Youth with disabilities!
  www.youthhood.org/youthhood/index.asp
  This Web site was built to help youth with disabilities plan for the future. It's for young people and their teachers and parents alike. This new initiative and exciting resource comes to the field courtesy of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET).
  
  
• Internships and mentoring programs for youth.
  www.ncset.org/youthtowork/default.html
  The Youth to Work Coalition (YWC) was established to help businesses create or enhance internships and mentoring programs available for youth with disabilities. It's a coalition of corporations, foundations, nonprofits, and federal agencies.
  
  
• If behavior is a concern...
  www.pbis.org/Library.htm
  Check out the new online library from the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Your menu of immediate choices includes upcoming conferences, PBIS in your state, implementation links, research, resources and tools.
  
  
• Urban educators, diverse students, culturally responsive classrooms.
  www.coedu.usf.edu/laser/products.html
  If you serve ethnic minority and linguistically diverse children living in high poverty areas, you might want to check out the resources offered by Project LASER (Linking Academic Scholars to Educational Resources).
  
  
• Getting stakeholders to talk to one another.
  www.ideapartnership.org/
  The IDEA Partnership is dedicated to improving outcomes for students and youth with disabilities by joining state agencies and stakeholders through shared work and learning. If you're interested in the implementation of NCLB, IDEA and other legislation, check out the Topics Database. And if you're looking to pull in diverse stakeholders over NCLB or IDEA issues, you'll definitely want to delve into the Partnership's Dialogue Guides, which are models for conducting interactive cross-stakeholder discussions in states and districts. Each guide includes tools for organizing groups to: examine the issue, identify commonalities among stakeholders, determine needs for more information, and agree on next steps or action plans.
  
  
• Juvenile justice: What about special education services in short-term facilities?
  www.edjj.org/
  "Meeting the Educational Needs of Students with Disabilities in Short-Term Detention Facilities" is a CD-ROM that provides an overview of the issues and strategies involved in the delivery of special education and related services in jails and detention centers. The CD will be most useful to educators, administrators and policymakers who work with this population of students.
  
  

Planning Your Estate for Your Child's Future Security

How do you plan your estate to best provide for your child's future security? Awful question, isn't it? As parents, you may have a tentative plan in the back of your minds that one day, in the near or distant future, you will write a will that leaves your son or daughter with a disability sufficient resources to make his or her life secure. Many of you may have already written such a will. Yet there are many things to know and consider when planning your estate, lest your will causes your child to become ineligible for government benefits such as SSI and Medicaid. For many individuals with disabilities, the loss of these benefits would be a devastating blow. So we've assembled a starter list of resources to help you consider this delicate, complicated, and oh-so-important area.

• It's out of print, but it's not off-target.
  www.nichcy.org/outprint.asp#nd18
  NICHCY's 1992 News Digest called Estate Planning is obviously out of date, is definitely out of print, but is still a very good introduction to what you need to think about and know about setting up your estate to protect your child. Learn why it's important to proceed carefully and make specific arrangements. Learn what writing a Letter of Intent can do. And find out how special needs trusts operate and how to fund one. Combine this foundational info with what you'll learn from the resources below and what any up-to-date lawyer or estate planner (with disability expertise!) will advise, and you'll be on the right track down this difficult road.
  
  
• Life Planning, from Exceptional Parent.
  www.eparent.com/lifeplanning/default.htm
  Lots of info here! Funding a special needs trust, writing a letter of intent, a four-part series on financial planning, choosing the trustee for your child's special needs trust, the ABCs of SSI, and more.
  
  
• Family Handbook on Future Planning.
  www.medicalhomeinfo.org/tools/future.html
  At the link above, you'll find the Family Handbook on Future Planning, courtesy of the National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs (an initiative of the American Academy of Pediatrics in collaboration with others). This resource is a guide to help families develop a future plan for their sons or daughters with cognitive, intellectual ,or developmental disabilities and provide personal, financial, and legal protections for these individuals after the parents either die or can no longer provide care or support.
  
  
• NAMI's Special Needs Estate Planning Guidance System.
  www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=Special_Needs_Estate_Planning
  NAMI's Special Needs Estate Planning Guidance System is a service of NAMI, the Nation's Voice on Mental Illness. It offers a comprehensive orientation to the complexities of special needs estate planning, state specific technical information on the key aspects of special needs trusts and relevant statutes and agency regulations, a guide to state-specific resources, and a digest of articles, individual experiences, and recommendations from attorneys.
  
  
• Connect with SNAP.
  www.snapinfo.org/our_special.html
  SNAP stands for Special Needs Advocate for Parents. They can refer you to their network of special needs planning experts. In addition, they offer informative materials and workshops, nationally, regionally, and locally, on special needs financial planning topics. The link above will connect you to where you can request additional information about special needs estate planning referrals and education and check out SNAP's calendar of Upcoming Workshops.You can also call SNAP toll-free at 1.888.310.9889.
  
  
• Life Services.
  www.disabledandalone.org/home.html
  Disabled and Alone/Life Services for the Handicapped, Inc. is a non-profit organization established to help families provide a secure future for their loved ones with a disability. Families pay a one-time membership fee and begin a year-long planning process with a local Personal Advocate selected by the organization and approved by the family. Find out more about Life Services process for futures planning at the link above and read their FAQs and Lifelines, their newsletter.
  
  
• Life Planning, from the National Down Syndrome Society.
  www.ndss.org/content.cfm?fuseaction=InfoRes.LifePlan
  Enter the NDSS's life planning zone at the link above. Down the left side of the page, you'll see what life planning info you can pursue with a click of the mouse.
  
  
• Future planning, guardianship, and trusts, from the Arc.
  www.thearc.org/futureplanning.html
  If you're planning for an individual with mental retardation, have questions about guardianship, and want to know more about pooled trusts, visit the Arc's future planning page.
  
  
• For trustees: How to administer the trust.
  www.disabilitiesbooks.com/special_needs_trust/index.html
  Are you the trustee of a Special Needs Trust for a person with a disability? Then this book (cost: $15.00) is for you! The Special Trust Administration Manual, written by five Massachusetts disability attorneys, is a practical reference guide that explains what trustees need to know about SSI and SSDI, taxes, housing subsidies, trustee duties, and more. Learn how to meet your responsibilities to the beneficiary and still comply with the complex rules of government benefit programs.
  
  
• Resources offered by private, commercial, or insurance companies.
  There are several companies with special-needs departments or expertise to offer interested consumers, as well as free info online that you may find helpful. You'll have to decide for yourself whether or not you would like to contact them directly to explore or engage their services further.
  

• Special Needs Financial Planning.
  www.specialneedsplanning.com/
  Workshops and seminars, low-cost guidebook, consultation services, a workbook and CD-ROM on how to write a special letter of intent....visit the link above and get the particulars of what's available.
  
  
• MetDESK.
  http://66.37.219.217/Applications/Corporate/WPS/CDA/
  PageGenerator/0,4882,P3807,00.html
  MetLife offers MetDESK®, MetLife's Division of Estate Planning for Special Kids. You can take their estate planning quiz online (at the link above) and visit MetDESK at:
  http://66.37.219.217/Applications/Corporate/WPS/CDA/
  PageGenerator/0,4882,P475,00.html
  
  
• Merrill Lynch Special Needs Financial Services.
  http://askmerrill.ml.com/publish/marketing_centers/
  aap_subcenter_1/1,3495,,00.html
  At the link above, you'll find Merrill Lynch's description of its financial planning services when a loved one with a disability is involved, as well as a number of online tools you can use for free.
  
  
• Estate Planning for Individuals with Disabilities.
  www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=15335
  Written by a trust and estate lawyer, this book explores the sophisticated issues involved with estate planning for individuals with disabilities. (Also available through www.amazon.com)
  
  

Ahhh, Summertime!

It's coming...it's almost here. Bathing suit time! Recreation time. Sunburns and sunglasses and, if you're lucky, lots of leisure time. What to do? Here are some resources when disability is involved.

• Summer camp guide, 2005.
  www.nichcy.org/pubs/genresc/camps.htm
  It may be too late to get your child into the summer camp of your choice, but you can use our summer camp guide for 2005 to identify other outing possibilities, including camping!
  
  
• Find an event or program by state.
  www.ncpad.org/programs/
  Visit the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) and search their program listing by state or by zip code. And while you're there, delve into all their info on physical activity for individuals with disabilities.
  
  
• Visit a national park.
  www.nps.gov/parks.html
  There are 370 parks and 7 regional offices under the National Park Service. A listing of all national parks and facilities, including general information about their accessibility, is available at the link above. However, information on accessibility of park programs, facilities, and services is best acquired directly from the park or area you plan to visit.
  
  
• Reading by the pool---when you don't read.
  If a print disability keeps you or a loved one from the pleasure of trying to read in the bright sun or protect your book from the ruinous splashes of nearby kids, hook up with special needs format books (on audio casette or CD) and listen to whatever book strikes your fancy. Some sources of special format books:
  
  
• Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D).
  www.rfbd.org
  
  
• National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS/BPH).
  www.loc.gov/nls
  
  
• Your local library system.
  Many local libraries have collections of Recorded Books or Books on Tape that you can check out for free. If not, most state library systems do operate a program that makes such resources available. Go to your local library and ask, or search online with the phrase "talking books."
  
  
• Disabled Sports USA.
  www.dsusa.org/schedule01.html
  Did you know that, in addition to its many sports programs and events, Disabled Sports USA has chapters in over 35 states? The link above will take you to their Calendar of Events around the country. Pick your month and see what's going on that might be fun.
  
  
• National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD).
  www.nscd.org/programs/index.htm
  The NSCD offers a variety of exciting summer adventures, including AbilityCAMPs, rafting, kayaking, canoeing, special camps, horse pack trips, therapeutic horseback riding, mountain biking, camping, and rock climbing. Programs are designed for individuals, families and groups and are available for all levels of ability, from beginner to advanced.Visit the link above to see what programs are being offered for the 2005 summer season.
  
  

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April / May 2005

For Teachers...

It's almost the end of another school year, but it's never too late to hear about emerging resources that may make your work in the classroom a little easier.

• Inclusion, anyone?
  www.inclusionseries.com
  If you're wondering how to include a student with disabilities in your classroom, you might want to take a look at this video/DVD series on inclusion. Titles include Inclusion: Issues for Educators and Inclusion High.



• Behavior resources from experts.
  www.ccbd.net
  Who are the experts we mention? The Council For Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD). What's new? An area of CCBD's Web site, called Teacher Resources. First topic there? Preventing Aggression in the Classroom. More to come... Go to the link above, click on "Teacher Resources" on the left menu (under "Community"), and find this first article.



• Is literacy instruction your area?
  www.k8accesscenter.org/online_community_area/Webinar.asp
  If you're involved in literacy instruction, then you might want to drop in on the Access Center's Webinar on the subject, scheduled for 2:00 pm EST on June 15, 2005. The webinar will focus on strategies for fostering reading success aligned with IDEA 2004. Topics will include the characteristics of research-based interventions, essential elements of a response-to-intervention model, and a discussion of eligibility as a student with a specific learning disability. Find out more at the link above, which, by the way, also provides links to various sites and publications with useful information regarding literacy instruction.



• And while we're talking about successful reading instruction...
  www.readingrockets.org/article.php?ID=47
  Read Nine Components of Effective, Research-Supported Reading Instruction, available from Reading Rockets. Highlighted are the five components from the National Reading Panel report (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension), plus four more worthies -- writing, spelling, assessment, and motivation.



• Specific reading packages and the research on their features.
  www.nationaltechcenter.org/matrix/default.asp
  Balanced literacy....ClozePro, Destination Reading, First Words, something else? The Reading Matrix at the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) is a searchable database of evidence and products for the use of technologies that support the instruction of reading for students with reading disabilities. Find out if your reading system is included in the matrix and what effective reading features it supports.
  
  
• Reading-related events.
  www.readingrockets.org/calendar.php
  Reading Rockets claims to have the most comprehensive listing of reading-related events in the world.



• Math: Elementary school.
  www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/math.asp#primary
  Learn effective strategies for teaching problem solving skills to upper elementary students with disabilities.



• Math, math, and more math.
  www.ldonline.org/article.php?id=0&loc=70
  For some children with learning disabilities, mathematics is often a difficult subject. If you're a teacher and grappling with how to adapt instruction for a student with LD, then it's useful to visit LDonline---well, it's typically useful. But on this visit, take a look at these resources:
  
  
• Mathematical Disabilities: What We Know and What We Don't Know
  www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&id=538&loc=70
  
  
• Adapting Mathematics Instruction in the General Education Classroom for Students with Mathematics Disabilities
  www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&id=972&loc=70
  
  
• Number Sense: Rethinking Arithmetic Instruction for Students with Mathematical Disabilities
  www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&id=537&loc=70
  
  
• Strengthening the Third "R": Helping Students with Disabilities Achieve in Mathematics
  www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&id=685&loc=70
  
  
• 10 Tips for Software Selection for Math Instruction
  www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&id=976&loc=70
  
  
• Mathematics Instruction for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities
  www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&id=975&loc=70
  
  
• And to find all the rest of LDonline's articles on math for students with LD, maybe you want to also look at their index? It's posted at:
  www.ldonline.org/article.php?id=0&loc=70
  
  
• Helping students with disabilities access the general curriculum.
  www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/documents/
  Research%20Supported%20Strategies%20Chart.pdf
  And this third from the Access Center--“Strategies to Improve Access to the General Education Curriculum” chart, updated to include a new section on differentiation and four applications to content areas.



• Science. Or should we call it playtime cos it's so much fun?
  www.cec.sped.org/pd/webseminar/index_playtime.html
  The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is offering an innovative three-part series of Web seminars designed to provide K-4 teachers of science and special education with vital information and teaching strategies that will enable students with disabilities to fully participate in inquiry-based science activities---specifically, Playtime is Science activities. Dates for the seminars are as follows:

  --Building with Wonderful Junk (Tuesday, May 24, 2005, 4:00 – 5:30 EDT)
  --Making and Tossing Beanbags (Tuesday, June 7, 2005, 4:00 – 5:30 EDT)
  --Oobleck ... Solid or Liquid (Tuesday, June 21, 2005, 4:00 – 5:30 EDT).

• Science and computer-assisted instruction.
  www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/science.asp
  A fourth from the Access Center? They've been busy, it seems. This resource will help you learn how to incorporate computer-aided instruction in the science classroom.



• Improving vocabulary.
  www.prel.org/products/re_/ES0419.htm
  A Focus on Vocabulary is a plain talking, practical, and research-based primer for teachers on how to increase students' vocabulary knowledge and comprehension.
  
  

This is a WOW!

"The single most powerful and influential invention in the history of western civilization is right before and between your eyes. You are using it right now. In the fraction of a second between the time your eyes scan these letters and these words stream into your thoughts, your brain, unconscious to you, is processing the code of our written language."

Are you involved in teaching kids to read? Worried about the impact that illiteracy has on individual lives and the well-being of our nation? Then visit Children of the Code, a public television documentary series that includes over 80 interviews with leading neuroscientists, psychologists, reading researchers, educators, historians, and more. Find Children of the Code at:
www.childrenofthecode.org

The project has three major components:

• a three-hour Public Television documentary series;
• a ten-hour college, university, and professional development DVD series; and
• and a series of teacher and parent presentations and seminars.

The target date for the national release of the Children of the Code documentary series is September 2005. Interviews, seminars, workshops, and conferences are ongoing.

To find out what's on the schedule and where it's happening, call 1.888.822.7805, or visit:
www.childrenofthecode.org/workshops/schedule.htm

For the Index of Interviews and Available Transcripts, visit:
www.childrenofthecode.org/interviews/index.htm

You'll be wow-ed, we promise.

"Essential Tools" for Transition

The National Center for Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) offers an Essential Tool series to help improve results for students with disabilities transitioning to adulthood. NCSET's latest tool is called Interagency Transition Team Development and Facilitation.

The guide offers instruction on (a) how to build an effective interagency transition team; (b) how to determine initial roles, responsibilities, and the team vision; (c) how to conduct interagency transition team meetings; and (d) how to determine whether or not your interagency transition team is making progress and meeting its goals. The manual also includes examples of successful interagency transition teams and further resources. Read and download the guide at:
www.ncset.org/publications/essentialtools/teams/

Youth with Disabilities in the Workforce

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) has produced a series of Quick Reference Guides on critical topics for administrators, youth service practitioners, and policymakers.The six topics are:

Assessment
Benefits Planning for Youth with Disabilities
Hidden Disabilities
Universal Access
Workplace Success
Youth Development and Youth Leadership

Read and/or download the guides at:
http://ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/quick_Reference_Guides/

Leadership Development for Hard of Hearing and Deaf High Schoolers

Summer camp for high schoolers who are hard of hearing or deaf? This isn't your typical camp opportunity! The focus is on academic and leadership development. Here are the particulars:

Where?
Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, at Gallaudet University, in Washington, DC.

When?
June 20-July 1, 2005.

What?
Leadership discussions and simulations. Advanced Placement preview classes in U.S. History, Biology, and English. A journey through deaf history. Fun in DC.

Cost?
$100, plus personal travel expenses.

For more info?
Visit http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/Honors/summit.html
Contact Daniel Dukes, Coordinator, at: Daniel.Dukes@gallaudet.edu
Call: 202.448.8161 (V/TTY)

School Psychologists and the New IDEA

If you're a school psychologist, some changes in how you do your work may be in order because of changes in the special education law---namely, the IDEA 2004. APA Online offers An Alternative IDEA, which examines what the new IDEA may mean for school psychologists, particularly in the area of assessing students with learning disabilities. Read all about it, at:
www.apa.org/monitor/apr05/idea.html

What's Essential in School Leadership

New research from McREL has identified 11 school leadership “responsibilities” that appear to be essential for guiding difficult changes in schools— the kinds of changes that principals may need lead in their schools in order to meet the challenges of the No Child Left Behind Act. The new report, Leading Schools: Distinguishing the Essential from the Important, builds on findings from McREL’s 2003 research study, Balanced Leadership. This large-scale research study — the largest quantitative of its kind — not only found a strong link between effective school leadership and student achievement, but also helped to define effective leadership by identifying leadership “responsibilities” linked to higher levels of student performance. Read the report at:
www.mcrel.org/newsroom/second_order_changes.asp

Improving the Early Childhood Service System

The National Center for Infant and Early Childhood Health Policy has released a series of 15 reports and policy briefs designed to help states build a comprehensive, integrated service system to support early childhood development and well-being. If you're involved in your state's system, or just concerned, take a look. The series is available at:
www.healthychild.ucla.edu/NationalCenter/default.asp

Building Your Own Life

The resources below are just two of the many intended to help individuals with disabilties develop skill in deciding their own path, advocating for themselves, and succeeding on their path.

• Employment and developmental disabilities.
  www.partnersinpolicymaking.com/employment/
  Hey! Here's a free online self-study course designed to help people with developmental disabilities find meaningful jobs and jumpstart their careers. Lots to learn here, not the least of which are practical skills such as assessing abilities and interests, writing resumes, and preparing for interviews.
  
  
• Speaking Out for Yourself: A Self-Help Guide.
  www.mentalhealth.org/publications/allpubs/SMA-3719/default.asp
  This is one of seven mental health self-help booklets published by the National Mental Health Information Center. It addresses ways in which individuals with mental health issues can become self-advocates by taking control of the decisions that affect their lives. It provides simple assertiveness tips and other resources.
  

Back to top

March 2005

April is Autism Awareness Month

Every April is Autism Awareness Month. All sorts of events are taking place to raise awareness of this disorder in the public eye. Find out how you can get involved and support this goal at:

• Autism Society of America
  www.autism-society.org
  


• about.com
  http://autism.about.com/cs/awarenessmonth/l/blaware.htm
  

Read more about the disorders on the autism spectrum in NICHCY's Autism Suite, which begins at:
www.nichcy.org/resources/autism.asp

And Speaking of Autism...

GAO has released a report entitled Special Education: Children with Autism, in which GAO reports on the trend in the number of children diagnosed with autism served under IDEA, the services provided to these children, the estimated per pupil expenditures for educating children with autism, and approaches to their education. Find the report online at:

• Summary.
  www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-05-220
  
  
• Full report, text-only version.
  www.gao.gov/htext/d05220.html
  
  
• Full report, PDF version.
  www.gao.gov/new.items/d05220.pdf
  

Q&A on the New IDEA

On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. Most provisions of the new law take effect on July 5, 2005. If you'd like to know more, 'IDEA: Guide to Frequently Asked Questions" is now available on the U. S. House of Representatives Web site. It discusses key definitions, new provisions with respect to highly qualified teachers, funding, private schools, charter schools, new state policies, IEPs, procedural safeguards, discipline, and monitoring and enforcement. Find the guide at:
http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/109th/education/idea/ideafaq.pdf

You can also hook up with summaries and analyses of what's new and what's different on NICHCY's reauthorization pages and particularly the Latest Scoop!

Want to Read the IDEA Slip Law?

The "slip law" is the Public Law (P.L.) print of P.L. 108-446, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. It is now available in PDF format and is 162 pages long. We're pleased to offer the PDF file online at NICHCY, at:
www.nichcy.org/reauth/PL108-446.pdf

More Resources on IDEA 2004

Every month new materials and analyses emerge on our new special education law. Here are some of the latest:

• IDEA 2004: Overview, Explanation & Comparison.
  www.wrightslaw.com/idea/idea.2004.all.pdf
  Courtesy of Wrightslaw, this 56-page article describes the substantive changes to the five key statutes of IDEA 2004 by section and subsection. Text added to IDEA 2004 is in italics. Text deleted from IDEA 97 has been struck through.



• IDEA: Analysis of Change Made by P.L. 108-446.
  www.cec.sped.org/pp/docs/CRSAnalysisofNewIDEAPL108-446.pdf
  The Congressional Research Service, the part of the Library of Congress that serves as the research arm of Congress, has published an 47-page analysis of the new IDEA law.



• A User's Guide.
  www.c-c-d.org/IdeaUserGuide.pdf
  The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) offers this 63-page guide on additions and deletions to IDEA brought about by the 2004 reauthorization and includes relevant information from the Conference Report, which articulates Congressional intent.
  
  
• More from Wrightslaw.
  www.wrightslaw.com/idea/index.htm
  Wrightslaw also makes available a number of other articles on IDEA 2004, including How Will IEPs Change Under IDEA 2004?; IDEA 2004: IEP Team Members & IEP Team Attendance; Requirements for Highly Qualified Special Ed Teachers, and Transition Services for Education, Work, Independent Living.
  
  
• And from the Thompson Publishing Group...
  IDEA: New Expectations for Schools and Students is hot off the press at Thompson. For a mere $149 introductory offer (with discounts for multiple copies), this book is designed as a tool for educators, administrators, school attorneys, school board members, and parents seeking to understand and implement the new law. Call 1.800.964.5815 to order, or read about the book online at:
  www.thompson.com/libraries/education/idea/index.html
  
  

Have Your Heard of Facilitated IEP Meetings?

According to CADRE and the Alliance, facilitated IEP meetings are an emerging practice. CADRE is the National Center on Dispute Resolution (www.directionservice.org/cadre); the Alliance is the Technical Assistance Alliance for Parent Centers (www.taalliance.org). They've teamed to produce Facilitated IEP Meetings: An Emerging Practice, which provides parents and other family members with an introduction to IEP facilitation.

• The guide in English.
  www.directionservice.org/cadre/facilitatediep.cfm
  
  
• The guide in Spanish.
  www.directionservice.org/cadre/facilitatediepspan.cfm
  
  

Considering Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

A number of interesting and useful resources have emerged recently with respect to providing services to those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, namely:

• Practical Oral Care for People With Developmental Disabilities.
  www.nohic.nidcr.nih.gov/poc/Index.aspx
  The National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse (NOHIC) has released this new publication series, to equip dental professionals in the community with the basic information they need to provide oral care to people with mild or moderate developmental disabilities. Publications provide practical management strategies for office-based dental care and information to support home-based oral hygiene.
  
  


• Expectations for Students with Cognitive Disabilities:
  Is the Cup Half Empty or Half Full? Can the Cup Flow Over?
  http://education.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/Synthesis55.pdf
  A new 41-page report from the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) examines the issue of academic expectations for students with cognitive disabilities within the context of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act. How many students with cognitive disabilities can be expected to achieve the same level of proficiency as other students? To what extent can we predict who these students are? What effects do teacher expectations have on student achievement? The report addresses these questions and more.
  



• Think College.
  www.thinkcollege.net/index.php
  Youth with intellectual disabilities have not had many chances to go to college. This is changing as individuals across the country begin to create opportunities for these youth to reap the benefits of postsecondary education. This Web site provides information and links to anyone interested in finding out more about the possibilities.
  


• In support of community living.
  http://thechp.syr.edu/toolkit/index.html
  Community for All: Resources for Supporting Community Living is a free, online tool kit developed by seven disability organizations at the request of professionals and self-advocates. The toolkit contains comprehensive information and strategies on how to make community integration work, why it is important, and personal stories from people who transitioned from an institutional setting into an independent community environment.
  


• Summit: Mark your calendars for September 22 and 23, 2005.
  www.allianceforfullparticipation.org/main/
  In December 2003, ten leading organizations serving the developmental disabilities field officially joined together to form the Alliance for Full Participation, LLC. The Alliance's objective is full realization of the vision of people with developmental disabilities living meaningful, productive, and personally satisfying lives in their community of choice. On September 22-23, 2005 the Alliance will host a 2005 Summit: Many Voices, One Vision in Washington DC to bring together those committed to making the promises inherent in the Developmental Disabilities Act for Americans a reality. Find out more at the link above, including who your state liaison is and how to get involved.
  

Considering Students with LD

And there are always new resources emerging on the subject of learning disabilities! If this is your area of interest, then here are links to some of the latest.

• Beyond F.A.T. City.
  http://teacher.shop.pbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1919051
  LD expert Rick Lavoie has released a new video on LD for parents and educators called Beyond F.A.T. City, A Look Back, A Look Ahead. This release is a follow- up to the original 1998 best-selling Lavoie video, How Difficult Can This Be? The F.A.T. City Workshop, which underscores the Frustration, Anxiety and Tension (F.A.T.) that many children with learning disabilities experience. Available on VHS and DVD, this new program explores practical strategies and provides expert insights for helping children with learning disabilities. Both the VHS and DVD come with a 52-page Viewer’s Guide, and the DVD includes a Spanish-language track. The program may be purchased for $49.95 by calling PBS VIDEO’s 24-hour, toll-free, customer service line at 1-800-344-3337; by mailing a check or money order made payable to PBS VIDEO to P.O. Box 279, Melbourne, FL 32902-0279; or by visiting the link above.
  
  
• Technology and LD.
  www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/technology/technology.html
  Whether in the classroom or workplace, technology can provide a vital difference in the lives of individuals with LD. Find out how at the link above.
  
  
• Technology that improves reading instruction: What works.
  www.nationaltechcenter.org/matrix/default.asp
  Visit the Reading Matrix, a searchable database that presents evidence and products for the use of technologies that support the instruction of reading for students with reading disabilities.
  
  

Successful Afterschool Programming

The Academy for Educational Development (AED), with funding from the C.S. Mott Foundation, has created a virtual library of promising practices at www.afterschool.org. The site includes information on how a practice was developed, how it is being implemented, a description of the program implementing the practice, sample activities pertaining to the practice, and outcomes from those activities. Practices undergo a rigorous peer review process before being named promising.

Do Abstinence-Only Education Programs Work to Prevent HIV Transmission?

In this age of applying research to decision making, this question has obvious implications for our youth. The APA Committee on Psychology and AIDS is charged with providing policy direction and oversight for activities related to HIV/AIDS. The Committee reports that, while current Federal policy actively supports widespread implementation of abstinence-only education programs as a way to prevent HIV transmission, there is little scientific evidence that these programs work. Those few studies that do report evidence in support of abstinence-only and abstinence-until-marriage programs have very limited generalizability, because they did not use appropriate comparison groups nor the type of sampling strategies required to ensure minimum bias in the selection of research subjects. Read the full report at:
www.apa.org/releases/sexed_resolution.pdf

Resources on Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Part of the report of the APA Committee on Psychology and AIDS discusses the research on, and the advisability of, providing youth with comprehensive sexuality education as a way of reducing HIV/AIDS transmission, an approach that research does support as effective. But where do you find resources on how to do that? And what is comprehensive sexuality education? And how are the needs of students with disabilities in any such course of study to be addressed? Here are some resources on the subject.

• School Health Education Clearinghouse.
  www.siecus.org/school/index.html
  The mission of the clearinghouse is to strengthen the capacity of state and local education, health, and social service agencies to help young people at risk for HIV infection, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), unintended pregnancy, and other important health problems. Here, professionals can find easy access to essential school health information, including state and local policies, sexual health promotion programs, national guidelines, information on curricula, and links to additional information on the Web. You'll even find training modules!
  
  
• SIECUS Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education.
  www.siecus.org/school/sex_ed/guidelines/guide0000.html
  The SIECUS Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education: K-12 are a framework to promote and facilitate the development of comprehensive sexuality education programs. The Guidelines identify the goals of comprehensive sexuality education, six key concepts that a comprehensive programs need to cover, and a variety of topics that should be included.
The third edition of the guidelines was released in 2004, with the PDF version available at:
www.siecus.org/pubs/guidelines/guidelines.pdf


• Curricula.
  www.siecus.org/pubs/biblio/bibs0010.html
  What curricula incorporate the key concepts of the SIECUS guidelines? SIECUS provides a review.
  
  
• The Responsible Education About Life Act: In the works.
  www.advocatesforyouth.org/real.htm
  Introduced in Congress on February 10, 2005 by Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), the Responsible Education About Life Act (the REAL Act)—formerly the Family Life Education Act—will provide funding to states for medically accurate, age appropriate, comprehensive sex education in the schools—education that includes information about both abstinence and contraception, from both a values and public health perspective. Find out more at the link above.
  
  
• And what about education for individuals with disabilities?
  http://63.73.227.69/pubs/biblio/bibs0009.html
  Find out what's available in SIECUS' Annotated Bibliography: Sexuality and Disability, online at the link above.
  
  
• Sexuality education for people with disabilities.
  www.siecus.org/siecusreport/volume29/29-3.pdf
  This issue of the SIECUS Report (Volume 29 Number 3) includes such articles as: Parents as Sexuality Educators for Their Children with Developmental Disabilities, Sexuality and People with Psychiatric Disabilities, and the annotated bibliography noted above.
  
  
• Sex education and students with disabilities.
  http://ericec.org/faq/sex-ed.html
  This April 2002 resource list from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education (ERIC EC) references articles and items in the ERIC collection that address sex ed for students with such disabilities as developmental disabilities and MR, chronic health issues, and LD.
  
  
• Sexuality education for persons with developmental disabilities: Selected resources.
  www.dbpeds.org/articles/detail.cfm?TextID=141
  
  
• A DD toolkit for parents and professionals.
  www.ppct.org/education/resources/ddintro.htm
  
  
• From a resource center on preventing pregnancy.
  www.etr.org/recapp/column/column200110.htm
  ReCAPP, the Resource Center on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, offers "Educating Youth with Developmental Disabilities," which focuses on how educators can best meet the sexuality education needs of young people with mental or emotional disabilities.
  
  
• Sex education: Building a foundation for healthy attitudes.
  www.disabilitysolutions.org/pdf/4-5.pdf
  A fine read for parents, from Disability Solutions.
  
  
• From the commercial publisher, Paul H. Brookes.
  www.brookespublishing.com/store/books/schwier-4285/index.htm
  Sexuality: Your Sons and Daughters with Intellectual Disabilities is intended to help parents "learn how to interact with your children — no matter their age or ability — in a way that increases self-esteem, encourages appropriate behavior, empowers them to recognize and respond to abuse, and enables them to develop life long relationships."
  
  
• From the commercial publisher, James Stanfield.
  www.stanfield.com/sexed.html
  James Stanfield Publishing offers several different video series to help educators address the social skills and sexuality education of students with intellectual disabilities.
  
  
• In case you're wondering if sex ed is really necessary for youth with disabilities...
  www.agi-usa.org/pubs/journals/3518703.html
  Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health reports that "Teenagers with Mental Disability Lack Reproductive Education and Knowledge; Still, Many Have Had Sex."
  
  
• The birds and the bees and kids with LD.
  www.schwablearning.org/articles.asp?r=626&g=2
  
  
• Sex ed for young people with visual impairments.
  www.tsbvi.edu/Education/sexuality-education.htm
  
  

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January / February 2005

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004

On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. Most provisions of the new law take effect on July 5, 2005. If you'd like to know more and hook up with summaries and analyses of what's new and what's different, visit NICHCY's reauthorization pages and particularly the Latest Scoop!

Who Has A Learning Disability, Anyway?

IDEA 2004 changes the way schools may make eligibility decisions for student being screened for learning disabilities. The National Association of School Psychologists has three online resources to help parents understand this change in the law.

• New Directions in Identifying Learning Disabilities
  www.teachersandfamilies.com/open/parent/idea1.cfm
  These pages highlight the definition of learning disabilities, ways to identify students with learning disabilities, and what the changes in IDEA will mean for struggling students.



• Learning Disabilities: A Primer For Parents About Identification