| November 5, 2009 | News for special education professionals |
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- Inclusive preschool in Missouri is saved by district takeover
An inclusive preschool program in Independence, Mo., will remain open thanks to a decision by school district officials to bring the nonprofit organization under its umbrella. The 35-year-old Sunshine Center, which serves young children with and without disabilities, had been under financial strain, with many parents losing their jobs during the economic recession. The Kansas City Star (Mo.)
(11/3)
    
- Education professor advocates for inclusion and co-teaching
Marilyn Friend, an education professor at the University of North Carolina, told a group of educators and parents in Iowa that she believes students with special needs perform better in school when they remain in classrooms with students without special needs. Friend advocates a co-teaching model and recommends schools limit the number of students with special needs in each inclusion classroom to a range of one-fifth to one-third of students. The Hawk Eye (Burlington, Iowa)
(11/4)
- Teacher pens book to promote understanding of special needs
Jennifer Springer, an Iowa special-education teacher, has written a book to help students better understand and empathize with children who have special needs. She hopes the book, "My Friend Jade," will help children better understand their peers with special needs. "It was important for me to write this book because I feel like the most important aspect of my job is to be an advocate for my students," Springer said. Newton Daily News (Iowa)
(11/4)
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| | Make life better for children with special needs
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- Hawaiian center launches Web site for people with disabilities
A Hawaii agency that serves people with disabilities and their caregivers has launched a Web site designed to be a comprehensive source of information about resources available for people with disabilities and senior citizens and their caregivers. The Kauai Aging and Disability Resource Center site also features an online library of information about assistive technology, education, transportation and other topics. The Honolulu Advertiser
(11/4)
| Policy News | | |
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- Principal task force makes recommendations for IDEA update
A task force of school principals is recommending Congress look at ways to increase the numbers of special-education teachers and provide for consistency in special-education services as lawmakers prepare to update the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The task force also recommended better training for teachers and staff that work with students with special needs, and it called on Congress to ensure that IDEA is fully funded when it is reauthorized in 2010. Disability Scoop
(11/4)
- Third lawsuit is filed on behalf of Hawaii students in special education
 A lawsuit filed this week on behalf of eight students with disabilities is the third to be filed to block Hawaii's plan to furlough teachers for 17 days this school year. The lawsuit alleges the state did not provide adequate notice or public-comment opportunity when it adopted the so-called Furlough Fridays, thus violating students' rights to due process of law under the Constitution. The case is scheduled to be heard Monday, along with two other suits related to the furloughs, in U.S. District Court. Honolulu Star-Bulletin
(11/5)
- Canadian advocates criticize proposal to eliminate Asperger's diagnosis
Canadian advocates and parents of children with Asperger's syndrome disagree with a proposal to eliminate the disorder from a diagnostic manual, saying it will likely cause confusion instead. Those revising the manual say Asperger's would be wrapped into a broad category of autism spectrum disorder to provide clarity. But advocates and parents say Asperger's is unique and includes a number of characteristics that differentiate it from autism. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
(11/5)
| Eye on Exceptionalities | | |
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- New Tennessee autism center takes parent-driven approach
A nonprofit agency in Tennessee is partnering with parents of children who have autism to develop a program of services at the newly opened Chattanooga Autism Center. A pediatrician associated with the center says parental involvement will help break the mold of traditional treatment for people with autism and will offer other parents help through educational workshops. "It's going to be creative, innovative, and it's going to be responsive to their needs," Dr. Leslie Rubin said. Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tenn.)
(11/4)
- Study links folate in pregnancy to children's risk of ADHD
Low levels of folate in pregnant women are associated with a higher risk of their children developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder between ages 7 and 9, a study found. Researchers said the data support long-held beliefs that folic acid levels in pregnant women influence the development of a child's nervous system. Yahoo!/HealthDay News
(11/3)
- Canine companions help monitor health of children
An organization in Kansas is training dogs to monitor the health of children with special needs. One family adopted a diabetes-assistance dog for their son and utilizes the canine's deft sense of smell to detect slight odor changes that occur with spikes or dips in the boy's blood-sugar levels. The mother says the dog sometimes beats her son's glucose meter at detecting blood-sugar changes. "I trust her more than I trust it," she said. The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.)
(11/3)
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