Can I Trust This Information?
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Weighing information for its worth: This Connections page takes up that very real concern. As we rely more and more on the Internet for information, and as we seek to base our decisions upon research evidence, it’s important to consider the information, and its source, through the lens of a cautious consumer. But how do we do that? The resources listed below will hopefully shed light on the “how” of weighing information, as well as the “why.”
Cerebral Palsy
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A very thorough overview of the illness including tips for teachers and parents.: Cerebral palsy–also known as CP–is a condition caused by injury to the parts of the brain that control our ability to use our muscles and bodies. Cerebral means having to do with the brain.
Charter Schools
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Information about charter schools, locate in your area, updates on the topic of these innovative schools, incentives, learn about programs, how to start a charter school, special links for parents, grants.:From National Charter School Resource Center.
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Charter Schools Development Center: Has workshops, services, grants, studies and research of and for charter schools.
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This site provides for a search charter schools From the Arizona Department of Education
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This site explains what this organization does in terms of charter schools. It describes the curriculum under national and state standards, and has other information that is useful for getting familiar with the charter school system.: From Charter Schools USA.
Child Abuse and Neglect-Awareness and Reporting Responsibilities – Click Here
Child Study Teams
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Prereferral-Child Study Team: The purpose of the prereferral process is to ensure your child tries reasonable accommodations and modifications before she’s referred for special education assessment.- Click Here
Children’s Literature and Disability
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Race, Gender, and Disability in Today’s Children’s Literature: Author highlights the importance of integrating into children’s literature, all the diversities of disability, race, gender, culture, and exposes their paucity in today’s publications for children.
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A Guide to Children’s Literature and Disability: This is a bibliography intended to help professionals and parents identify books that are about, or include, characters having disabilities. The list is grouped according to a large variety of disabilities.
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Internet resources on literature for children with learning disabilities: Shows booklists, audio/video sources, and other literary media resources designed for those with disabilities.
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This site provides information on a text dealing with disabilities, illness, and children’s literature: helpful for early childhood, elementary general education, and special education teachers.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a disabling disease characterized by severe overwhelming fatigue that cannot be explained by any underlying medical condition. Individuals have four or more of the following symptoms: post-exertional fatigue (“malaise”) characterized by the loss of both physical and mental stamina; unrefreshing sleep; lack of cognitive focus (“brain fog”); chronic joint/muscle pains and aches; and headaches of new onset or severity, swollen glands and sore throat.
Many individuals also develop new allergies or have a change in the status of old ones. Fatigue usually worsens with physical and/or mental activity but does not improve with rest. Symptoms can change daily and are unpredictable from day to day, week to week.
Autonomic symptoms generally include orthostatic intolerance in which a change from the supine position to an upright (standing) position can result in the student becoming light-headed; having blood pool in the feet; and/or passing out. Dizziness, light-headedness and extreme pallor are also characteristic in many patients with CFS. Endocrine symptoms also include heat and/or cold intolerance.
Neurological and cognitive symptoms often labeled ‘brain fog’ include confusion, difficulty with concentration and processing information, short-term memory issues and impaired word retrieval. All symptoms can be exacerbated by mental and/or physical stress or exertion and include a loss of adaptability and tolerance for stress. Many individuals also have a hypersensitivity to light and/or noise.
CFS is difficult to diagnose because it is an exclusionary illness, with no single test to confirm the diagnosis. Although there is no known cause of CFS, there is considerable ongoing research much of which is focused on the XMRV virus. Other viruses associated with CFS include Epstein-Barr, HHV-6, cytomegalovirus, Ross River virus and others. However, individuals can also have a gradual onset of CFS.
There is no single treatment for CFS. As a result, treatment is for symptoms only, and that differs from individual to individual. Treatment regimens currently being used include medications to treat orthostatic intolerance (flourineff and metradine); beta-blockers; anti-virals (valgancyclovir); amino acids (melatonin); and nutrition-based therapies. Some physicians also use light therapy to restore natural diurnal rhythms.
Links for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome –
- The CFIDS Association of America‘s (https://healthfinder.gov/FindServices/Organizations/Organization.aspx?code=HR2266) strategy is to stimulate research aimed at the early detection, objective diagnosis and effective treatment of CFS through expanded public, private and commercial investment.
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/) focuses on providing general information, publications, news and highlights of CFS.
Classroom Management for Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Autism – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Emotional Disturbance – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Hearing Impairments – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Learning Disabilities – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Mental Retardation – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Orthopedic Impairments – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Other Health Impairments – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Speech and Language Impairments – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Traumatic Brain Injury – Click Here
Classroom Management for Children with Visual Impairments – Click Here
College Assistance
- Helping students navigate the path to college: What high schools can do: This new practice guide from the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) recommends five steps that educators, administrators, and policy makers can take, beginning in 9th grade, to prepare students academically for college, assist them in completing the steps to college entry, and improve their likelihood of enrolling in collegeas well as the research evidence that supports these recommendations.
Communicating Test Results to Parents – Click Here
Computer Software for Special Education
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Products for persons with special needs: Offers AT software, devices, services and workshops, special software, games, adaptive parts for furniture, and miscellaneous items adapted for many disabilities.
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Family Village computer software: Provides links for computer peripherals, communication aids, and assistive technology devices for a host of physical and other disability challenges.
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Closing the Gap: This is newspaper, resource directory, conference listing, AT solutions, and forum.
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Horizon Software: This site offers special education management software products.
Curriculum Activities for Children with Disabilities
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Early Childhood Research Institute: Storybook activities for young children with disabilities and their families, and teachers.
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Selected Internet Resources for the Arts and Disabilities: A worthwhile site to links such as the American Arts Therapy Association, American Dance therapy Association, American Music Therapy Association and much more.
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Art for children and adults with disabilities: This site offers lesson plans and activities in art for people with disabilities and advice on how to go about teaching them.
Curriculum Adaptation-See individual disability categories under – Disabilty Resources
Curriculum Based Assessment (CBA)
- Definitions of Curriculum based assessment: Curriculum-based assessment, also called curriculum-based measurement (CBM), is a powerful tool for testing and measuring student progress.
