| News for special education professionals |  |
- Training teaches children with disabilities to ride bicycles
The Lose the Training Wheels program has six teams crossing the country to teach children with disabilities how to ride two-wheeled bicycles. The program, based in Goddard, Kan., claims an 85% success rate. Participants train 75 minutes a day for five days, transitioning to a regular bicycle from one modified for stability. The Boston Globe (free registration)
(8/13)      
- Project engages students with autism in farming
A farm in England engages students with autism spectrum disorder in regular farm tasks. "Being in touch with the farm's daily rhythms gives them security and reassurance," says Lydia Otter, a former special education teacher who set up the Pennyhooks Farm Project. Otter secured funding from government and charitable sources; students are referred by teachers and care managers. The Independent (London)
(8/13)
 | Now you can use the popular iPod Touch with all of the videos from our Functional Skills System (3,200+ videos!) to teach and reinforce critical functional life, social, math, literacy and work skills necessary for independence. Use this new mobile technology to take classroom instruction into the community. A great reminder and visual prompting tool! |
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| Technology Trends | | |
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- Transformable wheelchair in development
 The Smartchair, a concept wheelchair that can transform into a lifting platform or a stretcher without becoming unstable, may be closer to coming onto the market. Company officials say they could be ready to begin manufacturing the Smartchair within a year. Sunderland Echo (U.K.)
(8/12)
 | Looking for better resumes? The top candidates are reading SmartBrief every day. Post your jobs in CEC SmartBrief through the CEC Online Job Board and reach more than 64,000 top teachers. Select the SmartBrief upgrade to make sure your job posting gets maximum reach. Start your focused recruiting campaign now! |
| Policy News | | |
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- Students with special needs suffer because of religious school policy
 Washington state discriminates against children with special needs who wish to attend religious schools, contends attorney Michael Bindas, in a column in The Seattle Times. State law does not allow special-education services to be provided at religious schools and requires students at these schools who have special needs to travel off-campus to access the assistance they need, Bindas writes. The Seattle Times
(8/12)
- People with disabilities not considered in current disaster planning
Most U.S. disaster-preparation plans largely overlook the needs of people with disabilities, according to a report from the National Council on Disability. The report said the issue is an ongoing problem and urged emergency planners to consult with people with disabilities for solutions. The report cited problems including a lack of transportation and facilities for the disabled, as well as ineffective communication strategies. The Washington Times
(8/12)
- Cost of mental health treatment outpaces other medical conditions
The cost of treating mental illness increased from $35 billion to almost $58 billion between 1996 and 2006, according to findings adjusted for inflation by an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The increase indicates that spending on mental illness treatment is climbing at a faster clip than is spending for the treatment of cancer or heart disease. During this same 10-year span, the number of individuals in the U.S. treated for mental illness grew from 19 million to 36 million. Disability Scoop
(8/12)
| Eye on Exceptionalities | | |
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- Athlete who cannot see completes triathlon
Aerial Gilbert of Petaluma, Calif., recently became the first person who cannot see to complete the Santa Cruz Sprint Triathlon. The 55-year-old swam and ran while tethered to a cousin; the two rode a tandem bike for the cycling portion of the event. Gilbert, who lost her sight at age 34 from using tainted eye drops, has carried on her personal tradition of athletic involvement. Petaluma Argus-Courier (Petaluma, Calif.)
(8/12)
- Gene therapy could alleviate an inherited type of visual impairment
Patients who have a form of Leber congenital amaurosis, an inherited type of blindness, showed improvement in vision a year after being injected with healthy copies of a gene under the retina of the eyes, according to a first-stage trial. "We are cautiously optimistic about these results and look forward to additional reports that address the key issues of safety and effectiveness," the study author said. Yahoo!/HealthDay News
(8/12)
- Research points to non-drug therapies for ADHD
The latest results from the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD found that medication may not always be an effective ADHD treatment over the long term. Researchers found the effects of stimulants decrease over time, more than 60% of children stop taking the stimulants within eight years and the drugs may stunt growth. Experts offer several non-drug alternatives as ways to possibly alleviate ADHD. U.S. News & World Report
(8/12)
| CEC Spotlight | | |
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Celebrate your colleagues' accomplishments with a CEC Professional Award
Recognize outstanding special educators with CEC's Professional Awards: Wallin Lifetime Achievement, Clarissa Hug National Teacher of the Year, Special Education Research, Outstanding Leadership and Business awards. Nominations are due Oct. 9. Find out more.
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Save the date for Riga 2010
As an organizing partner, CEC invites you to participate in "Embracing Inclusive Approaches for Children and Youth with Special Education Needs," to be held July 11 through July 14, 2010, in Riga, Latvia. This international conference will bring together practitioners, researchers, policy makers and NGOs from around the globe to discuss the current state of educating children and youth with special needs. Learn more.
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- Wednesday, August 12, 2009
- Tuesday, August 11, 2009
- Monday, August 10, 2009
- Friday, August 07, 2009
- Thursday, August 06, 2009
| | | Lead Editor: Amy Dominello
Contributing Editor: Sarah McFarland
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