PLUK eNews May
24-28, 2004
http://www.pluk.org/eNews/May_24_04.htm
Volume 2 Issue 46
Welcome to the weekly PLUK eNews!
(Download the printable pdf version at: http://www.pluk.org/eNews/May_24_04.pdf
)
We are proud to present news of interest for Montana families of children with disabilities and special health care needs, and for the professionals and educators who serve them; however, it does not constitute an endorsement.
"Climate is a term used to describe how people feel about their school. It is a combination of beliefs, values, and attitudes shared by students, teachers, administrators, parents, bus drivers, office personnel, custodians, cafeteria workers, and others who play an important role in the life of the school. When a school has a 'winning climate,' people feel proud, connected, and committed. They support, help, and care for each other. When the climate is right, there is a certain joy in coming to school, either to teach or to learn." -- Jim Sweeney (author/educator), "Tips for Improving School Climate"
Open House May 25th from 3:00 - 5:30pm in the TRIC/PLUK
Library
The TRIC/PLUK Special Needs Library has existed for eight years. We've
scheduled this OPEN HOUSE as an opportunity to show off the collection along
with a new tool - the ability for library patrons to search on-line for
material! We're excited about the new capability and know that it will be a
wonderful tool for parents and professionals alike.
Please drop by on May 25th between 3 and 5:30pm and let us show you the library
and "search capabilities." We'll have refreshments and this will give
you the opportunity to meet PLUK's staff and Board as well. Call if you have
questions - 255.0540.
Watch for the link on the PLUK web site which will provide a tutorial and link
to the new searching function.
Supreme Court Decision in Lane vs. Tennessee an
Historic Ruling, Says N.O.D.
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 17, 2004-The National Organization on Disability today
joined disability advocates nationwide in celebrating the Supreme Court of the
United States' decision in the case of Tennessee Vs. Lane in favor of the
plaintiffs in the case, people with disabilities demanding their right to access
state courthouses and other government buildings.
"This decision reaffirms the Americans with Disabilities Act, and declares
that the civil rights our nation promises to citizens should not be superseded
by states' rights," said N.O.D. President Alan A. Reich. "This
decision endorses rights promised by the ADA since 1990. It supports the
integration of Americans with disabilities into American life. This could not
come on a more appropriate day than the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board
of Education decision that integrated the public school system."
However, Reich said he was concerned by the narrow scope of the decision,
restricted for the time being, at least, to accessibility to state courts, and
not the broad swath of state services potentially covered by Title II. "The
decision focuses on the right to access a courtroom, rather than the full range
of state facilities," he said. "I also wish the justices had voted
unanimously to support the right of a person like myself, who uses a wheelchair,
to enter a courthouse in Tennessee or anywhere in America. Americans with
disabilities pay taxes, contribute to our nation, and we deserve better than to
have to crawl up the steps of justice. We look to the Court to ensure access to
other public places."
Read the complete article at: http://www.nod.org/content.cfm?id=1522
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law Statement on
Senate Reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
WASHINGTON, DC-The Senate passed S. 1248, a bill to reauthorize the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), on a vote of 95-3. The
following is a statement by Elizabeth Lind, policy associate at the Bazelon
Center for Mental Health Law, on passage of the bill:
"Today's vote is a victory for students with disabilities and a rejection
of the knee-jerk policymaking that has driven the House debate on special
education and IDEA's discipline provisions.
"IDEA's protections are fundamentally about civil rights and access to
opportunity. Like Brown v Board of Education, the law was passed to end
discrimination against students that schools had historically rejected.
"Like all children, kids with disabilities who are excluded from education
are at increased risk of future unemployment, incarceration and many other
unacceptable, expensive and wholly preventable outcomes. We know the best way to
enable children with disabilities to succeed as adults is to make sure they can
access the free and appropriate public education they're entitled to under IDEA.
Read the complete article at: http://www.bazelon.org/newsroom/5-13-04SenateIDEA.htm
Mother, police officer lauded for nonverbal card
program
BETSY GILLILAND , Staff Writer 05/01/2004
New Garden resident Susan Rzucidlo was at her wit's end.
Last year, her son, Ben, 12, who has autism, disappeared three times in one
weekend. On two of the occasions, he had let himself into other people's homes.
Although Ben always has had a tendency to wander, she said, her concerns for his
safety have increased since he has gotten older.
After a state trooper suggested she keep her son on a leash, Rzucidlo realized
she needed to take action. She developed an idea to create a card to improve
communications with nonverbal individuals and turned to her longtime friend, New
Garden Police Lt. Kevin McCarthy, for help.
"I needed a policeman's perspective," she said.
Together, the two of them devised a "Silent No More" communication
board to help police officers respond to people who have difficulties
articulating their needs.
"It helps not only our families," Rzucidlo said. "But also,
police officers know what they're walking into."
The communication board features a series of pictures that illustrates
particular needs or instructions for nonverbal persons. To gather information
from an individual, the police officer or emergency responder points to an
appropriate picture on the card and verbally asks a corresponding question.
Read the complete article at: http://www.dailylocal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11422160&BRD=1671&PAG=461&dept_id=17782&rfi=6
Parental Involvement in No Child Left Behind
On April 29, 2004, the Education Department issued non-regulatory guidance
to assist SEAs, LEAs, and schools in administering the parental involvement
provisions of Title I, Part A of the ESEA. This guidance answers questions about
and clarifies aspects of the law that have been brought to the attention of the
U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/parentinvguid.pdf
Autism Society of America (ASA) Launches Spanish
Section On Its Web Site
The Autism Society of America (ASA) today announces the launch of a
Spanish-language section on its award-winning Web site, responding to the
ever-growing needs of the Hispanic community to deliver bilingual information on
autism spectrum disorders. The site, http://www.autism-society.org,
receives over 6,000 visitors a day. "According to the U.S. Census Bureau,
of the entire United States population, 38.8 million are Hispanic, surpassing
African Americans, who are no longer the fastest-growing minority. This growth
surge shows no sign of slowing down, and neither do autism prevalence rates,
which are currently at 1 in 166," ASA President Rob Beck said. "We
know that autism knows no boundaries and affects people of all races and
ethnicities. We also know that more than 1.5 million individuals are living with
the disorder nationwide, and another 10 million, including parents, caretakers
and loved ones affected. With these statistics, it is impossible for us to
ignore that a large percentage of these persons are Hispanic."
The new Spanish section, which is accessible through the main Web page, features
18 different links to information about understanding autism; an autism
checklist on common characteristics of the disorder; tips for parents on coping
with a child's diagnosis and living with autism across the lifespan; a variety
of treatment options and educational approaches and programs to help a child
with autism such as developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP); and
information on Federal programs, to name a few. To view the Spanish-language
section, go to the ASA homepage http://www.autism-society.org
and click on "En Espanol."
IN SCHOOLS, LATINOS FIND FEWER RESOURCES, ETHNIC
ISOLATION
Today, 50 years after the Supreme Court ended enforced segregation in Brown
v. Board of Education of Topeka, Latinos, the nation's largest minority group,
are the most segregated in public schools, according to Harvard's Civil Rights
Project. The 1954 landmark decision did not apply to Latinos until 1970, reports
Tatsha Robertson. Besides ethnic isolation, the Civil Rights Project says,
Latinos endure overcrowded schools in areas like East Los Angeles, where
immigrants settle in large numbers. In addition, Latino-majority schools tend to
have less qualified teachers and fewer educational resources, the project says.
The large number of immigrant children who arrive at class unable to properly
speak English has also hindered academic achievement in the schools.
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2004/05/17/in_school_latinos_find_fewer_resources_ethnic_isolation/
SCHOOLYARD BULLIES & THEIR VICTIMS
Five years after social outcasts made tragic history at Colorado's Columbine
High School, experts say bullying remains a schoolyard constant -- and may even
be growing. Amid the offensive against heckling and hallway anarchy, with
measures from anti-bullying assemblies to armed guards at schoolhouse doors,
there are growing questions about whether such tactics really prevent bullying
or ease students' fear, reports Patrik Jonsson. Those doubts, along with a
rising awareness of school violence, are stoking a national debate over how
deeply adults should get involved in playground politics. In fact, some experts
cite an explosion of bullying that might leave even Bart Simpson cowering in a
high school bathroom: In one Kansas school, according to a recent study by Jim
Snyder, a psychologist at Wichita State University, kindergartners bully each
other once every six minutes. Bullying "may be particularly problematic in
American schools," says Jaana Juvonen, a psychologist at the University of
California, Los Angeles, who studies school culture. "The victims of
bullying, unlike the bullies, are clearly suffering and, unfortunately they're
suffering in silence." Confounding the issue is that many American adults
consider bullying the natural order of childhood -- a first, instructive taste
of the dog-eat-dog world. Moreover, teachers, worried that they'll make the
situation worse, often seem reluctant to step in: According to the Juvonen
study, they now intervene only about 10 percent of the time.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0512/p01s03-ussc.htm
HELPING TEACHERS FOCUS: FOUR VARIABLES FOR SUCCESS
Every student has unique learning needs. This makes teaching both exciting
and challenging. The dynamics of teaching and learning are complex with many
intervening variables that affect success. The things that teachers can change
to help students learn can be organized around four variables: time, structure,
support, and complexity. Each student has unique needs for each variable, and
their needs change depending on the subject, the topic, and even the day. But
all students need these four things in differing amounts and with differing
intensities in order to be successful in learning. This research brief examines
these four variables and offers practical ways that teachers can use and adjust
them to help students achieve success.
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/images/loyd/snap13.pdf
THE SPIRIT AND THE WILL TO CHANGE
Peter Block, an expert on leading change, applies his theories and ideas to
school reform in this Journal of Staff Development interview (Spring 2003).
"People say they need more training, they need more skills, they need more
tools. People believe there's something missing in them that needs to be added
before they can make a difference. I'm trying to shift the focus from skills and
methodology to issues of the spirit, of will, of courage." He continues:
"People say that school people don't know what they are doing and that
schools should operate more like businesses. Those are expressions of
disappointment and contempt, not of care and love and a wish to make things
better. Those who want to privatize and commercialize public education...have an
economic incentive.... But you have to also ask why the education community is
willing to buy this type of intervention, to purchase an answer. It takes
collusion."
http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/block242.cfm
BellSouth, Birmingham Habitat for Humanity and ABILITY
Magazine Build a Home and Awareness in 5 Days
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Volunteers with all ranges of
disabilities will unite at a Birmingham homesite to build an ABILITY House for
Derrick Daniels, a man who has quadriplegia. An ABILITY House is an affordable,
accessible home built for a low-income family where one or more members have a
disability. The ABILITY House program utilizes volunteers with disabilities
during all phases of construction, emphasizing their skills and talents. The
"blitz build" will kick-off on Monday, May 17, 2004 and conclude
Friday, May 21, 2004.
Derrick Daniels, the future homeowner, will be the first recipient of an ABILITY
House that features smart home technology that creates a barrier-free
environment. BellSouth is sponsoring the home and will provide extensive
telephone technology and services, including an Ameriphone electronic remote
control voice activated speakerphone, talking caller ID, BellSouth deluxe caller
ID service, BellSouth directory assistance exemption, BellSouth directory
assistance call completion service and BellSouth(R) FastAccess(R) Internet
Service.
Read the complete article at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-16-2004/0002175107&EDATE
Making difference for disabled: new law requiring
electronic textbooks in Arizona
Arizona, May. 19, 2004 12:00 AM
Mary Platner's one-woman crusade for students with disabilities, which took
her through two grueling legislative sessions, is officially over.
Because of her perseverance, publishers who sell new textbooks to Arizona public
schools must provide those same books on electronic files starting in the
2006-07 school year.
"Most of the kids with learning disabilities have significant delays in
reading," said Platner, who teaches special education at Pueblo del Sol
Elementary School. "Since textbooks in all subject areas are written at the
intended grade level, these students just can't access the information."
The new law makes it possible for students to hear the textbook read to them and
follow along with the text. The school division of the Association of American
Publishers co-authored the law with Platner and legislators.
Read the article at: http://www.azcentral.com/families/education/articles/0519edsuccess19.html
PEMSTAR Receives Multiple Awards for Mobile Device
Design for Visually Impaired Receives Top International Honors
ROCHESTER, Minn - PEMSTAR Inc, a leading provider of global engineering,
product design, manufacturing and fulfillment services to technology, industrial
and medical companies announced that it has been honored with three prestigious
awards for its design of the first fully-integrated cellular phone and personal
organizer created exclusively for the visually impaired.
The ALVA MPO 5500, co-designed, developed and manufactured by PEMSTAR, received
the Belgian SWIFT Prize as well as the GSM Association Award 2004 in Cannes,
France. At CeBIT 2004 in Hanover, Germany, the product received the renowned iF
Design Award.
The ALVA MPO 5500 combines a GSM cell phone, personal organizer, SMS, notetaker
and Braille display. Using small dynamic dots within a total of 20 cells, the
device depicts Braille in place of a standard display. The user has access to
all the functions of the device using this line of refreshable Braille
characters, or the device can be voice-driven via menu-navigated instructions.
Available features include telephone, text messages, appointment calendar,
email, notes and address book.
Read the complete article at: http://atnet.org/news/2004/may04/051503.htm
Visit the ALVA web site at: http://www.alvampo.com/
A Personal Perspective…(growing up with CP)
By Nicholas W. Feldman
I can remember being 5 years old and my family all clustered around me, watching
as I played my first video game using a chin control as I shot at the spaceships
on the screen. It was 1980 and the Apple 2 + was all the rage. I had no idea
what a significant role technology would play in my life as I grew up with
Cerebral Palsy (CP).
Like a lot of children with CP, I went from school to school trying to find
that, "equal education" that creates the integrated environment and
allows the student with the disability to soar to their full potential. I sat in
a special education kindergarten class where they told me about single input
scanning. This is where you press a switch, using any part of the body (within
reason) and it is connected to the CPU by a box. This then displays a row of
letters, numbers, punctuation and a few very select groups of menu commands. The
highlighted areas were divided into sections and if you pressed the switch in
the right section, it would break down the individual letters, numbers and other
symbols and when it would finally land on the right key, you would press the
switch again and it would type it on the screen.
I am very verbal and my friend sitting next to me in that special education
class was non-verbal and a lot was assumed for her. She was constantly told what
to eat, what to wear, what to do and where she would go, via the request of our
teacher to the classroom assistant. Then, one fine day, the teacher came to me
and asked if I would empower my friend who was learning to do single input
scanning, not on a computer per say, but a large board with different color
lights with signs that said words like yes, no, bathroom, I want to eat, etc. My
friend was very shy until that special board came along. The school had no idea
what they were in for. Suddenly, questions that were once assumed now had
different color lights and a whole personality to follow. I soon moved away and
never really knew, but had a good imagination about my shy friend who, at age 6,
finally got the opportunity to start making her own choices.
Read the complete article at: http://atnet.org/news/2004/may04/051504.htm
The Apple MUG Store
This Month's Highlights
- Refurbished eMacs starting at $599 (US)
- Refurbished iBooks with Combo drive starting at $899 (US)
- Refurbished iMacs starting at $999 (US)
- Refurbished PowerBooks starting at $1,099 (US)
PLUK is an Apple User Group and you may visit the site at: http://www.applemugstore.com
by using the following password:
User ID: ipod/Password: mini
This password expires August 31, 2004.
Birthday Time?
Does your child have a birthday coming up? Are you dreading the decorating,
food preparation and cleanup? If so, Contact Bill at Montana Candy Bar &
Deli at 294-2327. Montana Candy Bar & Deli offers birthday parties at their
store located at 111South 24th Street West in the Rimrock Mini Mall.
They will do the decorating, provide lunch, ice cream and activities for the
kids giving you an opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy the party for a
change. Be sure to take your camera for great photo of all the activities.
AND PLUK will receive a portion of the proceeds!
Get your Albertson Community Partners card!
PLUK has joined Albertsons' Community Partners Card Program. This program is
designed to help non-profit organizations raise funds needed for their programs.
A percentage of your grocery total will be donated to PLUK. All that is needed
is to show your Community Partners card each time you make a purchase at
Albertsons. It does not cost you anything.
If you are interested in assisting PLUK in raising funds this way, please
contact Bernice at 255-0540 to get a Community Partners card.
1. Monday Morning in Washington, DC, http://www.inclusionresearch.org
2. Rocky Mountain DBTAC, http://www.adainformation.org
3. Transition Newsflash, Montana Center on Disabilities, http://www.msubillings.edu/transition
4. PEN Weekly NewsBlast http://www.publiceducation.org
5. Reference Points: Transition updates from the TATRA Project, http://www.pacer.org/tatra/tatra.htm
6. The American Indian Disability Technical Assistance Center Training Calendar http://aidtac.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/TrainingCalendar.htm
7. Rural Policy Matters, http://www.ruraledu.org/rpm/rpm.htm
8. Technology for Nonprofits: http://www.techsoup.org
Parent's, Let's Unite for Kids - PLUK
516 N 32nd St
Billings MT 59101-6003
800-222-7585; 406-255-0540; 406-255-0523 (fax)
plukinfo@pluk.org
http://www.pluk.org
Edited by: Roger Holt rholt@pluk.org
Proofed & condensed by: Elisabeth Mills scribe@pluk.org
Mission Statement: Parent's Let's Unite for Kids unites parents, professionals, families and friends of children with special needs to support one another, and share information for the benefit of their children.
Vision Statement: Given information and support, individuals with disabilities and their families will feel empowered to advocate for themselves and participate fully in educational and community opportunities.
Statement on accessibility: Today, we endeavor to be conscious of the need for making all electronic information accessible, as we are aware of physical accessibility issues in our community. For design guidelines visit http://ncam.wgbh.org/cdrom/guideline/.
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