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A
Progressive Plan for Building Collaborative Relationships With Parents
From Diverse Backgrounds
Changing student
demographics represent a challenge to the current education
system. Just 14% or less of all professionals who work in and run
U.S. public schools represent culturally and/or linguistically diverse
backgrounds (Billingsley, 2002; National Collaborative on Diversity
in the Teaching Force, 2004). The mismatch between student and teacher
populations means that teachers and other educational professionals
may not be familiar with culturally embedded student behaviors,
may not speak a student’s or parent’s language and,
as a result, may not fully interpret all students’ needs.
Download
PDF to Read More... |
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NEW!
5/18/2007
CAN
DEAF & HARD OF HEARING STUDENTS SUCCEED IN MAINSTREAM CLASSROOMS?
The purpose of this commentary by Shirin Antia in Teachers College
Record is to discuss the issues surrounding the educational placement
of deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) students and puncture the myth
that DHH students in general education classrooms are doomed to
academic failure.
Read
More... |
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CURRENT
INFORMATION AND UPDATES ON THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION
ACT (2004)
Check out this website for current information and updates on the
Individuals With disabilities Education Act (2004).
http://IDEA.ed.gov |
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SPECIAL
EDUCATION REGULATIONS RELEASED
The U.S. Department of Education has released the new regulations
for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The final regulations are intended to further the goal that no child
- including each and every one of America's students with disabilities
- is left behind.
The Department has prepared a user-friendly web site to help guide
the public through these changes: http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html.
In addition to the actual text of the regulations, the site includes
an analysis of the public's comments, a summary of the major changes
since publication of the proposed regulations, and several appendices,
including an index and additional guidance for implementing the regulations.
http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/speced/ideafactsheet.html |
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NEW GUIDE EXPLAINS LAW IMPACTING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Teachers of struggling learners have a new resource to draw upon.
The National Center for Learning Disabilities has just launched an
innovative, online guide to the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA), which is designed to explain the federal laws that underpin
special education in every state. Although created primarily for parents,
the guide is also a valuable source of information -- in accessible
language -- for classroom teachers who may not have a background in
special education. Teachers can use the guide as a referral for parents
or use it themselves to better understand the rights and requirements
of their students who have special needs.
http://www.ncld.org/content/view/900/456084/ |
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December
14, 2005
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced proposed
regulations to enhance the ability of schools and states to more effectively
measure the achievement of America's students with disabilities.
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/12/12142005a.html
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The
IDEA Partnership is pleased to announce the launch of our new website
at www.ideapartnership.org. The website reflects the collaborative
work of more than 55 national organizations, as well as other federally-funded
regional and technical centers.
http://www.ideapartnership.org/
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SchwabLearning.org
is a “parent’s guide to helping kids with learning difficulties
be successful in school and life” and provides useful information
and practical strategies for parents of children in kindergarten
through high school.
http://www.schwablearning.org/ |
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U.S.
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the details
of a new No Child Left Behind policy designed to help states better
assist students with disabilities, and pledged to continue working
with states to ensure they have the flexibility needed to raise student
achievement.
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/05/05102005.html
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U.S Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs
funded project that helps build the capacity of State Education Agencies
and Lead Agencies in improving programs and services for infants,
toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. The MPRRC is the technical
assistance division of the Center for Persons with Disabilities at
Utah State University.
http://www.usu.edu/mprrc/
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A
nonprofit research, development, and service agency, WestEd strives
to enhance and increase education and human development within schools,
families, and communities.
http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/RD-04-01.pdf
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Seven
nonprofit leaders in the field of learning disabilities form the core
of the Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities (CCLD). These
organizations work together to make people aware of learning disabilities,
share information with parents and promote the need for early detection
and intervention.
http://www.focusonlearning.org
When you scroll down there will be numerous PDF reources for parents
of children with learning disabilities.
http://www.focusonlearning.org/mediaroom.htm#psas
PUBLIC, PARENTS POLLED ON LEARNING DISABILITIES; WARNING SIGNS OFTEN
IGNORED
http://www.focusonlearning.org/pollingrelease.htm
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The LD OnLine Report offers news about learning disabilities and about
the latest events.
http://www.ldonline.org/
Monthly Newsletter
http://www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&special_grouping=&id=0&loc=29
Free ADHD Brochures for Coaches, Tutors, and Other Volunteers
http://www.ldonline.org/article.php?id=0&loc=82
MAKING NCLB WORK FOR CHILDREN WHO STRUGGLE TO LEARN
http://www.ld.org/NCLB/MakingNCLBwork.pdf
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A very nice instructional website for teachers has been developed
and is now available worldwide. The funding for this was provided
by the USDE as a project of National significance awarded to the University
of Kansas--namely Dr. Suzanne Robinson and Dr. Sean Smith. The purpose
is to support IDEAs mandate for providing meaningful access to the
general education curriculum. This is an incredible resource to have
your fingertips. Top names in the field have authored extensive modules
in Instruction, Collaboration, Behavior and Assessment.
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/
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"Students
with Disabilities To Gain Improved Access to Learning"
Students with blindness, low vision and print disabilities are expected
to gain improved access to textbooks under a voluntary standardized
format for electronic files, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige
announced.
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2004/07/07272004.html
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Learning
Disabilities Association of Kansas
http://www.ldakansas.org/
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Heartspring, formerly the Institute of Logopedics, is a private, not-for-profit,
day and residential school that serves special needs children, ages
5-21, from across the country. They also provide consultation services,
as well as out-patient therapies and evaluations. At Heartspring School,
in conjunction to the sending school district or agency, they design
each student's educational program based on the child's strengths,
weaknesses and needs. The program is delivered through an integrated
team approach involving the residential school, psychology, therapy
and medical staff. With the active participation of parents and sending
school district or agency, an IEP is developed based on the students
needs.
http://www.heartspring.org/
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US
Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services (OSERS) website.
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/aboutus.html
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NASDSE
provides support to all states and territories in the delivery of
quality education to children and youth with disablities through training,
technical assistance, research, policy development and modeling collabortive
relationship with other organizations and constituencies. They have
quality information useful to state agencies, schools, parents, and
advocates.
http://www.nasdse.org/ |
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This
website provides information to local administrators and service providers
serving children and youth with disabilities. This site represents
two of the partners in the IDEA partnership grant. This site should
be available for several more months and has a wealth of useful information.
http://www.ideapractices.org/
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NICHCY
is the national information center that provides information on disabilities
and disablilty-related issues. NICHCY serves famlies, educators, administrators
and others. They have information on specific disablities, special
education and related services, individualized education plans (IEP's);
disablility organization, state resource sheets and much more.
http://www.nichcy.org/ |
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FAPE
provides a wealth of information and resources for families and advocates
and self advocates.
http://www.fape.org/ |
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CLE
is a national support cetner with enormious experitse about the legal
rights and responsibilities of students and school personnel as well
as about key education programs and initiatives, including IDEA, Title
I, vocational education programs and school to work.
http://www.cleweb.org/ |
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The
ALLIANCE is the technical assistance cneter for all the Parent Training
Information Projects (PTI) and Community Parent Resource Centers.
Families and advocates can locate the PTI in their state for training
and assistance by looking on this web site.
http://www.taalliance.org/
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In
the Know is a public outreach project of the Merrill Advanced Studies
Center -- available exclusively online at www.merrill.ku.edu. Articles
and fact sheets for the general reader give accurate information about
disabilities, aging, and human development.
http://merrill.ku.edu/IntheKnow/sciencearticles/introscience.html
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Through
excellence in research, teaching and technical assistance, and service
in Kansas, the United States of America, and globally, and through
collaborations with those individuals and entities dedicated to the
same ends, the Beach Center on Disability will make a significant
and sustainable difference in the quality of life of families and
individuals affected by disability and of those who are closely involved
with them.
http://www.beachcenter.org/
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The
International Reading Association is a professional membership organization
dedicated to promoting high levels of literacy for all by improving
the quality of reading instruction, disseminating research and information
about reading, and encouraging the lifetime reading habit.
http://www.reading.org/links/specialneeds.html
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Just
released testing requirements for SPED and NCLB!
January 15, 2004
* Vol. 3, No. 1
PDF version
Past
issues
WHAT'S INSIDE...
New
Rule Increases Flexibility for Students with Disabilities
The
Three Rs for Success
Close-Up:
No Child Left Behind-Flexibility for Students with Disabilities
Tips
for Parents
Helping
Your Child! Booklet Focuses on the Preschool Years |
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Founded
in 1977, PACER Center was created by parents of children and youth
with disabilities to help other parents and families facing similar
challenges. Today, PACER Center expands opportunities and enhances
the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities
and their families. PACER is staffed primarily by parents of children
with disabilities and works in coalition with 18 disability organizations.
www.pacer.org/ |
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This
website contains Information about special education history, events,
interventions, etc; internet resources about special education and
disability; links to information and resources arranged by categories
of disability; access to professionals in Special Education; and information
for parents of students who need special education.
http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/specialed/ |
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The
Global Early Intervention Network (GEIN) is an online informational
resource and discussion community. They are dedicated to helping parents,
service providers, students, faculty and others learn more about early
intervention. The GEIN is intended to provide high quality information,
peer support, problem-solving assistance, continuous learning, and
research related to early intervention.
www.atsweb.neu.edu/cp/ei/index.html
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ECRII
was a five year national research project funded by the Office of
Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education to study
the inclusion of preschool children with disabilities in typical preschool,
day care and community settings. The project ended on August 31, 2000,
but the website is still available.
www.fpg.unc.edu/~ecrii/
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The
Division for Early Childhood (DEC) is one of seventeen divisions of
the Council for Exceptional Children
(CEC) - the largest international professional organization dedicated
to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities,
students with disabilities, and/or the gifted.
DEC is especially for individuals who work with or on behalf of children
with special needs, birth through age eight, and their families. Founded
in 1973, the Division is dedicated to promoting policies and practices
that support families and enhance the optimal development of children.
Children with special needs include those who have disabilities, developmental
delays, are gifted/talented, or are at risk of future developmental
problems.
www.dec-sped.org/ |
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The
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international
professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes
for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities,
and/or the gifted.
http://www.cec.sped.org/ab/
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An
overview of the new accountability requirements for SPED under NCLB.
http://www.abt.sliidea.org/
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The
Neurologic Disabilities Support Project (NDSP) Library offers Kansas
parents, family members and educators access to hundreds of resources
on neurologic disabilities.
http://www.ksndsp.org/ |