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PLUK eNews November
24, 2004
http://www.pluk.org/eNews/Nov_24_04.htm
Volume 3 Issue 8
Welcome to PLUK's electronic
newsletter!
(Download the printable pdf version at: http://www.pluk.org/eNews/Nov_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.
Bill to boost special ed clears hurdle
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - House and Senate negotiators agreed to major changes in federal
special education law Wednesday, pressing schools to ensure that children with
disabilities get the same opportunities as others.
The deal is expected to be widely supported by the House and Senate on Friday
and approved by President Bush - allowing Congress to squeeze a significant,
bipartisan education bill into the final days of its session.
The bill aims to boost discipline in class, better identify children who have
disabilities, get help to students earlier and reduce lawsuits by parents. It
also reaffirms the federal government's intent to pay its share of expenses but
does not lock in any yearly commitments.
"We are judged by how we treat our children, and ... especially by how we
treat those children with special needs," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.
"That is why I believe so strongly in the right of every child to a free
and appropriate education. I believe this bill advances that cause."
Read complete article at: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/11/18/build/nation/50-special-ed-bill.inc
American Foundation for the Blind Cautiously Applauds
Changes to Special Education Law
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 /U.S. Newswire/ -- For students who are blind or
visually impaired, waiting six months or longer for a textbook used to be
routine, but thanks to the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) Friday, children who are blind or visually impaired will
soon have the same access to educational materials as their sighted peers.
"While not everything we would have wanted, this is a historic step forward
to ensuring that all children who are blind or visually impaired receive the
education they deserve," said Paul Schroeder, vice president, program and
policy group. "However, these changes are meaningless unless the Department
of Education vigorously implements and enforces the new accessible instructional
material provisions."
The bill passed last Friday includes, for the first time, specific requirements
addressing the accessibility of textbooks provided to children with
print-related disabilities. These requirements include:
the establishment of a standard format for the production of textbooks in
electronic (computer) files enabling conversion into accessible formats (such as
braille, large print, or digital text);
state education agencies and local schools must use this new file format and are
encouraged to require publishers of textbooks they purchase to produced these
files; and
the establishment of a central repository for the storage and distribution of
these files (enabling publishers and schools alike to easily disseminate these
new files to those who need them).
The concepts embodied in the legislation are the result of years of effort among
advocates for people who are blind, textbook publishers, and producers of
specialized material for people with print disabilities. The national file
format, known as the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS),
takes advantage of new technologies for producing text and converting it into
accessible formats such as braille or large print. The concept of a central
repository, known as the National Instructional Material Access Center, was a
major hurdle slowing adoption of these provisions. However, the inclusion of
this "one-stop-shop" provision, along with language mandating
publishing standards for the preparation of electronic versions of textbooks and
related core materials, was considered critical by advocates to ensure that
teachers spend their time teaching instead of hunting down accessible materials
for their students.
Read release at: http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=47
Congress Reneges on Promise to Support the Education of
Children and Youth with Disabilities
(Press release from the Council for Exceptional Children)
CEC is disappointed, concerned, and outraged at Congress's cuts in
appropriations for special education. Not only is Congress failing to live up to
the glide path to full funding promised in the IDEA reauthorization, it is
pushing us backwards in funding and in the quality of educational services our
schools can provide.
ARLINGTON, VA, NOVEMBER 23, 2004 -- The Council for Exceptional Children
(CEC) is shocked by the fact that Congress undermined the newly reauthorized
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Just two days after Congress
voted its approval for the reauthorization of IDEA, including a plan to fully
fund special education in six years, Congress went back on its word: it
appropriated $1.7 billion dollars less for special education than it promised in
the IDEA reauthorization. In fact, Congress's spending bill is short the $481
million President Bush requested for special education.
"The appropriations set in the IDEA reauthorization, which corresponded to
CEC's recommendations, are absolutely essentially for high quality special
education services," says CEC. "They provide the additional funding
necessary to meet the educational needs of a growing, and complex, population of
students with disabilities."
Congress's actions will exacerbate the funding shortfalls--and the fallout from
inadequate funding--schools and districts already face, such as a shortage of
licensed special educators to teach children with disabilities and the strain
placed on local communities and states as they struggle to pay the balance of
special education costs.
Congress also failed to appropriate additional dollars for gifted programs,
which are essential for the educational progress and wellbeing of students with
gifts and talents. Without adequate funding districts are unable to provide
comprehensive gifted education services for students, or their programs are
disbanded entirely.
"As shown by its slashing of special education funding, Congress is long on
rhetoric and short on commitment when it comes to the education of students with
exceptionalities," says CEC President Suzanne Martin. "Without
adequate funding, it is impossible to provide these students with the education
they need to succeed in life. With this action, Congress has turned its back on
children with disabilities--our nation's most vulnerable children."
The Council for Exceptional Children is the premiere association for special
educators. CEC works to improve the educational success of individuals with
disabilities and/or gifts and talents.
http://www.cec.sped.org/cec_bn/press_112304.html
ChatAutism.com offers online support to families
ChatAutism.com is a brand-new initiative about autism and Asperger's
syndrome and is written by people who have autism themselves who give a
real-life perspective to the facts of autistic spectrum disorders. The site
offers support to parents of children with autism and Aspergeršs, and also has
a chatroom to discuss related issues. http://www.chatautism.com/
Online news for people with vision or print
disabilities
Thursday, 18th November, 2004
Bill Gates stresses the value of Digital Technology and making such
information more accessible to people with vision or print disabilities
REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 15, 2004 -- Imagine what it would be like if more than 95
percent of all print publications, from textbooks to popular novels to magazines
and daily newspapers, were simply unavailable to you. For millions of people
worldwide who are blind or have other print disabilities such as mobility
impairments or learning disabilities that prevent them from using traditional
printed materials, that limitation is a fact of life. It doesn't have to be that
way.
Last week, the Microsoft Accessible Technology Group (ATG) hosted a three-day
international forum called, "Libraries for the Blind and Print Disabled:
Moving Toward a Digital Future," which attracted library representatives
from around the world and featured a keynote address by Bill Gates, Microsoft
chairman and chief software architect.
Read the complete article at: http://www.hardwarezone.com/news/view.php?cid=5&id=19351
Helping Kids Who Struggle with Reading
http://www.readingrockets.org/lp.php?SID=2
With so many children struggling with reading, we can no longer see helping them
as the job of parents or teachers alone. Every adult who interacts with a
child--from grandparents and librarians to day care providers and tutors--is in
a position to get involved if they suspect a problem with reading. Here is the
information you need to help struggling readers, no matter where a child is--at
home, at school, and in the community.
What are you waiting for?
A recent poll found that 44% of parents who noticed their child was having
trouble learning waited a year or more before getting help. But most reading
problems can be corrected with early intervention. If you suspect a problem,
don't hesitate!
Are you a tutor or thinking about becoming one? Read articles about strategies
you can use to improve children's skills while you help them enjoy reading.
Not sure what the child in your life is struggling with? Compare him or her to
the children in our struggling reader portraits.
Read more at: http://www.readingrockets.org/lp.php?SID=2
New edition of Computer Resources for People with
Disabilities available
The fully revised fourth edition of Computer Resources for People with
Disabilities: A Guide to Assistive Technologies, Tools and Resources for People
of All Ages is a multi-tiered book that will introduce readers to relevant
terms, explain the importance of AT planning, and untangle the intricacies of
the "Technology Toolbox." Written by the Alliance for Technology
Access, with an introduction by reknowned physicist Stephen Hawking, the book is
an in-depth read on a constantly evolving topic.
This new edition is available for checkout through the TRIC/PLUK Library
(contact the PLUK office).
For more information on the book and purchase options, visit http://www.ataccess.org/resources/atabook/default.html.
Online discussion with Joy Zabala on the SETT Framework
begins November 29th
PACER Center and the Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD)
invite you to participate in an online discussion of the SETT Framework with
guest host Joy Zabala, M.Ed., ATP.
Since it was first introduced, the SETT Framework (Zabala, 1995), has been
useful to individuals with disabilities, family members, and professionals who
make up teams that help to identify and provide assistive technology (AT)
devices and services.
In the discussion, Joy and others will address how to successfully infuse the
strategies and concepts of the SETT Framework into the IEP process.
The online discussion will start November 29. To participate, click on the link:
http://www.fctd.info.
Welcome to Project SPIES for Parents
SPIES (Strategies for Preschool Intervention in Everyday Settings) for
Parents has been developed to assist parents and caregivers of children with
disabilities to learn about ways that they can use everyday settings and a
child's own interests to work with and help their children. The materials and
information on this site is based on an academically and scientifically
validated curriculum originally created to train professionals and
paraprofessionals in the fields of child development and disabilities.
http://www.spiesforparents.cpd.usu.edu/
Brain Inflammation Found in Autism - Study
Mon Nov 15, 2004 04:45 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Children with autism have inflammation in their
brains, although it is not yet clear whether the inflammation actually causes
the condition, researchers said on Monday.
Tests on the brain tissue of 11 patients with autism who had died and spinal
fluid from six living children with autism showed the activation of immune
system responses, the team at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in
Baltimore and the University of Milan found.
"These findings reinforce the theory that immune activation in the brain is
involved in autism, although it is not yet clear whether it is destructive or
beneficial, or both, to the developing brain," said Dr. Carlos
Pardo-Villamizar of Johns Hopkins, who led the study.
Read more at http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=6818958
D-Cycloserine May Improve Autism Symptoms
Wed Nov 17, 2004 01:54 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - D-cycloserine, a drug that has shown to reduce
symptoms in schizophrenics, appears to significantly improve social and
communication skills in children with autism, according to the results of a
small pilot study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Dr. David J. Posey, of the Riley Hospital for Children, in Indianapolis,
Indiana, and colleagues examined the effect of D-cycloserine on social
impairment in 12 autistic children. Patient outcome was determined by changes in
scores on the Clinical Global Impression scale and Aberrant Behavior Checklist.
Read more at http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=6844258
Schizophrenia Drug Calms Disruptive Children
Mon Nov 1, 2004 01:31 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Risperdal, a drug used to treat schizophrenia,
appears to be safe and effective for treating disruptive behavior in children
with developmental disorders, Canadian researchers report.
These findings provide "additional evidence that this medication can be
helpful in the management of challenging behaviors that some children with
autism and other pervasive developmental disorders have," Dr. Sarah Shea
told Reuters Health.
Read more at http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=6678907
Upcoming PLUK trainings and activities planned for 2004-05
PLUK associate boards around the state are sponsoring a number of trainings
and activities this coming year. Mark your calendar if you are interested in
participating.
Go to http://www.pluk.org/training
for more detailed information and registration.
January 2005
Title: Staying Cool When Our Buttons are Pushed: An Introduction
Date: Tuesday, January 11, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Where: Interactive video conference airing statewide from Missoula
Presenter: Doug Cochran-Roberts
Title: ADHD issues
Date: January 19, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Bozeman Chamber of Commerce
Presenter: Stephanie Luehr
Title: Staying Cool When Our Buttons are Pushed
Date: January 24, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Mansfield Center, Billings
Presenter: Doug Cochran-Roberts
February 2005
Title: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Date: Tuesday, February 8, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Where: Interactive video conference airing statewide from Fort Belknap
Presenters: Jill Plumage, Fort Belknap Hospital
Title: Special Education in Montana (legal aspects and case studies)
Date: February 9, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Montana School for the Deaf and Blind conference room, Great Falls
Presenter: Kathy Manley Coburn
Title: Financial Planning and Resources for Families
Date: February 24, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Ruby's Conference Center, Missoula
Presenters: Nancy Gibson & Karen Grove
March 2005
Title: Bullying: an Introduction to What we can do
Date: Tuesday, March 8, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Where: Interactive video conference airing statewide from Kalispell
Presenters: Dr. Marlene Snyder and panel
Title: ADHD issues
Date: March 9, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Kalispell
Presenter: Stephanie Luehr
Title: Staying Cool When Our Buttons are Pushed: Part 2
Date: March 21, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Kalispell (location to be announced)
Presenter: Doug Cochran-Roberts
April 2005
Title: TBA
Date: Tuesday, April 12, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Where: Interactive video conference airing statewide
Presenters: TBA
Title: Bullying: What we know, What we can do
Date: April 15, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Miles City
Presenter: Dr. Marlene Snyder
May 2005
Title: TBA
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Where: Interactive video conference airing statewide
Presenters: TBA
Title: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Date: Tuesday, May 17, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Great Falls
Presenters: Jill Plumage, Fort Belknap Hospital
Other Community Activities
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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