In this issue you will Find Topics On:
Autism
Autism Internet Modules
Modules
http://www.autisminternetmodules.org/
These modules on a variety of topics were developed by the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence in partnership with others to provide information on the assessment and identification of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), recognizing and understanding behaviors and characteristics, transition to adulthood, employment and numerous evidence-based practices and interventions.
Early identification of autism spectrum disorders | Online module.
The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders offers this free online module addressing the importance of early identification, early characteristics of ASD, and a recommended set of practices that will lead to early identification of ASD. The module also provides information about national resources and initiatives committed to early identification for the purpose of follow up and referral to services, resources, and supports.http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/content/early–identification–asd–module
College Prep
Education Week Online on Middle Schoolers Getting Prepped for College
Report
“Middle Schoolers Getting Prepped for College” discusses the rise in college- and career-readiness programs targeted at middle schoolers, particularly disadvantaged ones, spurred by mounting research showing that middle school is a key time to improve the academics and attitudes needed to succeed in high school, college, and beyond. Successful programs aimed at the middle grades cannot focus solely on mapping out coursework and taking standardized tests, but have to reach young adolescents in innovative ways that combine the efforts of parents, schools, and the community to set those students on a path to readiness, and students have to feel they are pursuing their own goals. Several examples of successful programs are discussed.
Early Intervention
|
Holidays & fairness. Many early childhood educators have questions about how to approach the holidays. From the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves offers useful information and tools for teachers as they consider the specific families in their program. http://www.naeyc.org/content/anti–bias–guide–holidays Make and take workshop: Reducing challenging behavior by clarifying expectations, rules, and routines. The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention’s Make and Take Workshops are designed to provide information on a focused topic. This month’s workshop addresses the difference between program-wide expectations and classroom rules, the importance of teaching expectations to children in a manner that is developmentally appropriate, and strategies and techniques to teach clear expectations. http://www.challengingbehavior.org/communities/make_n_take/make_n_take_home.html Behavior training programs. From the What Works Clearinghouse, The Incredible Years is designed for children (ages 0-12) with challenging behaviors and focuses on building social and emotional skills. Lessons can be delivered to children referred for difficult behavior or to an entire classroom as a preventative measure. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=590 Part C non-regulatory guidance. This guidance provides parents, early intervention service (EIS) providers, State lead agencies, and other interested parties with detailed information about the some of the changes made to the Part C regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The document focuses on where changes were made to regulatory requirements that directly affect infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families and local EIS providers and programs. |
Employment Planning
Centers for Youth with Disabilities, Parents, and Professionals Working in Transition and Employment Planning
Research Briefs
http://rsatac.ed.gov/docs/VRBrief_Centersforyouth.pdf
The “VR Research in Brief” series is designed to summarize current research findings in topics of expressed interest by the TA Network membership. The briefs analyze the implications of the research findings for vocational rehabilitation service providers, partners, and systems, and are prepared by experts in the field in coordination with the NTAC. “Centers for Youth with Disabilities, Parents, and Professionals Working in Transition and Employment Planning” provides information on Rehabilitation Services Administration Parent Training resources. Available in pdf (290 KB, 3 pp).
How Career Pathway Bridges Help Basic Skills Students Earn Credentials That Matter
Program Highlights
http://sparkaction.org/content/farther–faster–six–promising–programs–show
Students forced to complete a long sequence of remedial or English language classes before they can begin their postsecondary program rarely earn college certificates or degrees. “Farther, Faster: Six Promising Programs Show How Career Pathway Bridges help Basic Skills Students Earn Credentials That Matter” is a brief from the Center for Law and Social Policy highlighting six promising programs that show how career pathway bridges help lower-skilled students move farther and faster along college and career paths through dual enrollment in linked basic skills and occupational certificate courses.
Families and Communities
Tips for surviving family gatherings.
About.com’s Terri Mauro shares ways you can plan to “mak[e] family gatherings good, not ghastly.”
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/inthecommunity/a/holiday.htm
I’m booooooooooooooored.
We all know that cry! If you hear it during the holiday season, run to these 4 articles for some easy ideas for spontaneous child-amusing–no pre-planning or preparation needed.
http://specials.about.com/service/newsletters/specialchildren/1322233200.htm
Speaking of family life . . .
Care.com offers advice for family and caregivers on managing the impact of a child’s disability on family life. Find specific tips for specific disabilities including Down syndrome, epilepsy, Asperger’s, and more.
http://www.care.com/special–needs–effect–on–family–life–p1167-q227936.html
One more holiday survival guide.
Dan Coulter offers advice for families to make holidays with an autism spectrum disorder more manageable.
http://www.coultervideo.com/articles/83/stacking–deck–family–holidays
Gift ideas for children with autism.
From the National Autism Resources blog, 10 Fun Gifts That Teach Children with Autism Social Skills.
Sensory friendly films.
Holiday breaks are a great time to catch the latest kid movies, but if you have a little one on the autism spectrum or other sensory issues, attending a noisy, visually arresting film might be a tall order. Fortunately, AMC Entertainment offers a special screening of the latest kid-friendly movie with lower sound levels, lights turned low, and invitations to move around, talk, or sing along. Check out your local AMC listing for the first Saturday of every month–December’s selection is the new Muppets movie!
http://www.amctheatres.com/sff/
New Spanish resources from NCLD.
The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) has recently released its collection of Spanish-language resources for parents of children with learning disabilities.
http://www.ncld.org/recursos–en–espanol
Autism fact sheet in multiple languages.
The University of Southern California (USC), Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has translated (with permission) the CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early” Autism Fact Sheet into multiple languages to reach underserved populations and to encourage early identification of autism. The Autism Fact Sheet is available in Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.
http://www.uscucedd.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=455&Itemid=426
Financial Aid
Casey Family Programs Updates Providing Effective Financial Aid Assistance to Students from Foster Care and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
Guide
http://www.casey.org/resources/Publications/ProvidingEffectiveFinancialAid.htm
“Providing Effective Financial Aid Assistance to Students from Foster Care and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (Version 2.0)” has been updated by NASFAA, The California Community College Chancellor’s Office, and Casey Family Programs to comply with the current FAFSA. It provides information for anyone who helps youth from foster care and unaccompanied homeless youth to secure financial aid for postsecondary education or training programs on how to respond to the 2011-2012 FAFSA questions 52-57 that determine federal financial aid dependency status for these students. Also included is a section on sensitive communications, developed with input and guidance from students. This guide will is useful for college financial aid professionals, independent living coordinators, guidance counselors, financial aid counselors, social workers and advocates who are helping youth to secure the maximum allowable financial aid.
Foster Care
Casey Family Programs Updates Supporting Success: Improving Higher Education Outcomes for Students from Foster Care
Framework
http://www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/SupportingSuccess.htm
“Supporting Success: Improving Higher Education Outcomes for Students from Foster Care (Version 2.0)” provides program development information and tools for college student support services, administrators, advisors, financial aid counselors and advocates. Background information, recommendations, strategies and model program examples are provided to assist colleges in improving their support for students coming from foster care.
Inclusion
Inclusion in Action: Good Morning!
The latest NICHCY blog features guest blogger Nicole Eredics. She takes us inside her inclusive classroom, where we start the day as her students do.
http://nichcy.org/inclusion–in–action–good–morning
Who Can Help?
The latest NICHCY blog guides you through our State Organization Search to find state agencies, disability-specific organizations, organizations for parents, and other disability organizations in your state.
http://nichcy.org/who–can–help
The Facts on Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities
Our apologies for the premature announcement last month; this helpful resource clarifies the role of charter schools in serving students with disabilities. Use our list of links to find your state’s charter guidance, as well as to connect with “helpful websites” for more information.
http://nichcy.org/publications/charters
Literacy
America’s Literacy Directory
Online Directory
“America’s Literacy Directory” is an online data directory to help learners find local literacy programs that provide help with reading, writing and math skills, GED preparation and testing, English as a second language programs, and citizenship or civics education.
Participation Requests
Participants Sought for Survey on Mentoring Services for High-Risk Youth
www.surveymonkey.com/s/YouthMentoringSurvey
The National Mentoring Partnership, Global Youth Justice, and the National Partnership for Juvenile Services are conducting a survey to improve the design and delivery of mentoring services for youth at risk for delinquency, alcohol and drug abuse, truancy, and other problem behaviors. Results will be included in a research report and in training and technical assistance materials, which will be free and available online. The survey is funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Mentoring and juvenile justice professionals working in detention, corrections, probation, dependency courts, delinquency courts, and teen court/youth court diversion programs are encouraged to participate.
PEPNet Training Institute at AHEAD 2012
The PEPNet 2.0 Training Institute (PTI) is seeking proposals for presentations for the first ever PEPNet 2.0 National Conference, to be held in conjunction with the Association of Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD) 2012 Conference in New Orleans, LA, July 9-14, 2012. Papers should address issues related to enrolling, retaining, and instructing students who are deaf or hard of hearing or to the varying communication needs of, and methods used by, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, such as oral transliteration services, cued language transliteration services, sign language transliteration and interpreting services, and transcription, Information about the PEPNet Training Institute at AHEAD 2012 in New Orleans is now posted. Deadline for proposals: January 5, 2012.
U.S. High School Students: Spend a Funded Semester Abroad
http://exchanges.state.gov/youth/programs/yesabroad.html
Through international exchange, youth with disabilities have the power to dispel stereotypes and challenge personal assumptions about cultures in other parts of the world. Through the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, 55 American high school students, ages 15-18.5, can apply for a scholarship to study in a country with a significant Muslim population, including Egypt, Ghana, India, Malaysia, Morocco, and others. The program encourages students with disabilities to apply to attend high school and participate in cultural and leadership activities in a YES program country in the 2012-13 school year. Deadline: January 11, 2012.
America’s Promise Launches Grad Nation Communities
http://www.americaspromise.org/gradnationcommunities
America’s Promise Alliance is drafting more communities into its campaign to boost high school graduation. The Alliance recently launched Grad Nation Communities, part of the Grad Nation Campaign, a 10-year initiative to mobilize all Americans to take action to end the high school dropout crisis and better prepare young people for college and the 21st century workforce. The Alliance invites communities to join this network of cities and towns that will work to improve high school graduation rates by focusing on the local schools that are most in need of improvement.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/NDEAM.htm
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign held each October to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the many contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. NDEAM’s roots go back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year ”National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to “National Disability Employment Awareness Month.” When the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) was established in 2001, it assumed responsibility for NDEAM, working to expand its reach and scope. But NDEAM’s true spirit lies in the creative observances held across the nation every year. ODEP offers a variety of resources to help employers, schools and organizations, and communities participate in NDEAM. Activities can be as simple as putting up NDEAM posters, or as comprehensive as implementing a disability education program. All are important in fostering a more inclusive America, where every person’s abilities are recognized all year round. The theme for NDEAM 2011 is “Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities,” which promotes the valuable of people with disabilities to America’s workplaces and economy.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month Presidential Proclamation
The presidential proclamation of NDEAM 2011 recognizes the skills that people with disabilities bring to the workforce, and urges rededication to improving employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors for those living with disabilities. The full text is on the White House Press Office’s Web site.
Survey for Parents Will Assess Community Services for Children with Special Needs
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/402046/MCHB
The newly founded National Center for Ease of Use of Community-Based Services is conducting a survey for parents of children with special needs on the effectiveness of community-based services. Results from the survey will be used to help the Center identify what’s working, what’s not, and how it can better help children receive the health care services they need.
IES Grant Competitions
http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/projects/11awards2.asp
Through the National Center for Special Education Research, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) recently awarded 16 grants under the Special Education Research Grants Program, and one grant under the Special Education Research and Development Center Program. These applications were considered under the September 2010 deadline, and total spending for these new grants is $45.5 million. Descriptions and structured abstracts for these new grants are available on their Web site
Transition to Adulthood
Crime during the Transition to Adulthood: How Youth Fare as They Leave Out-of-Home Care
Report
The transition to adulthood is complex period for all youth, and may be particularly difficult for youth aging out of the child welfare system. In “Crime during the Transition to Adulthood: How Youth Fare as They Leave Out-of-Home Care,” Chapin Hall researchers examined criminal behavior and criminal justice system involvement among a sample of 732 youth in three states transitioning from out-of-home care to adulthood, findings that foster youth, like their peers, engaged in less crime over time as they move into adulthood. While foster youth reported more crime than their peers as they approached the transition, by age 19 and 21 there were few differences between the groups, yet foster youth remained much more likely than their peers to be arrested. The report called for renewed efforts to minimize the placement instability that often characterizes the lives of those in care.
Department of Education Answers Questions on Secondary Transition in Updated Guidance
Q&A Document
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/transition–q–a.pdf
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has issued “Questions and Answers Document on Secondary Transition” to provide guidance on identifying postsecondary goals in training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living. Available in pdf (32.8 KB, 7 pp).
Improving Outcomes for Youth in Transition
Report
http://sparkaction.org/resources/58891
“Improving Outcomes for Youth in Transition,” from the Journal of Child and Youth Care Work, reports on a training program for supervisors, caseworkers, and community partners of the Iowa child welfare system to help foster youth better transition to living independently, developed between 2005 and 2008 by the University of Iowa and the Iowa Department of Human Services. The program trains supervisors in key concepts of transition planning and helps them facilitate trainings with their own staff and other community agencies and overcome challenges encountered.
My Future, My Way: First Steps Toward College – A Workbook for Middle and Junior High School Students
Workbook
http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/my_future_my_way/index.html
This U.S. Department of Education publication for middle and junior high school students helps youth learn about the range of postsecondary school options, the benefits of higher education, how to pay for college, and how to start preparing for college and career in middle school. Personalized activities help youth think about how college can help them achieve their individual career goals.
NCES Releases High School Career/Technical Education Participation Web Tables
Tables
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ctes/tables/index.asp?LEVEL=SECONDARY
The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences’ National Center for Education Statistics has released “Career/Technical Education (CTE) Statistics.” This set of six tables presents information on the participation of public high school graduates of the class of 2009 in CTE, including the percentage of graduates who earned credits in CTE overall, as well as in various occupational areas within CTE, and the average number of credits earned in CTE and in occupational areas. Three tables focus on graduates in 2009, and three tables on participation trends from 1990 to 2009.
NCLD/Y Introduces New Internship Guide for Youth with Disabilities
Guide
http://ncld–youth.info/Downloads/intern–guide–final.pdf
The National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD/Y) published a guide for youth with disabilities interested in pursuing an internship, “On-Ramp to Employment, A Guide for Students with Disabilities to Getting and Making the Most of an Internship.” It leads young people through the step-by-step process of finding, applying for, participating in an internship. It includes information focused on career exploration, interview and resume building, goal setting, and networking, as well as tips on finding accessible housing, navigating the transportation system, disclosing a disability, and employing a personal care attendant. Available in pdf (8.15 MB, 100 pp).
NCLD/Y on Education Alignment & Accountability in an Era of Convergence
Article
http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/921
The National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD/Y) is conducting a research and demonstration project on how Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) guide high school students toward college and careers. As part of this work, two NCWD/Youth papers were recently published. The first, “ Education Alignment & Accountability in an Era of Convergence: Policy Insights from States with Individual Learning Plans & Policies,” in “Education Policy Analysis Archives,” found that to date limited fiscal investments in professional development and systematic data collection have constrained ILP-IGP implementation and evaluation. Recommendations for state policy improvements included aligning ILP policies with state plans for improving outcomes in federal programs for students confronting economic, language and disability challenges.
NCLD/Y on The Nature & Use of Individualized Learning Plans as a Career Intervention Strategy
Article
http://jcd.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/04/26/0894845311414571
The National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD/Y) is conducting a research and demonstration project on how Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) guide high school students toward college and careers. As part of this work, two NCWD/Youth papers were recently published. The second, “The Nature & Use of Individualized Learning Plans as a Career Intervention Strategy,” in “Journal for Career Development”(electronic version, forthcoming in 2012 in the print version), found that ILPs are being implemented in high schools throughout the United States as strategic planning tools that help students align course plans with career aspirations and often include the development of postsecondary plans; parents, teachers, and students indicate that ILPs result in students’ selecting more rigorous courses, better teacher-student relationships, and positive parent-school relations. The article describes the emergence of ILPs, promising practice strategies, challenges associated with gaining whole school buy-in, and the potential for career and vocational research.
Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Integrated Employment Toolkit
Toolkit
http://www.dol.gov/odep/ietoolkit/
The Toolkit offers a collection of resources, reports, papers, policies, fact sheets, case studies, and discussion guides from a variety of sources to accommodate the full range of users and increase capacity and understanding about the value and potential of integrated employment. It is organized by different audiences or perspectives. Within each audience, there are key, commonly-asked questions to guide the user to the appropriate materials.
Secondary Transition Collection
Resources List
Transition services under IDEA 2004 are defined as a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that is designed to be within a results-oriented process. The focus is on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post-school activities. The tools and resources in this Secondary Transition Collection help to improve the transition process.
Transition Basics from TransCen
Modules
TransCen, Inc., has developed a series of free online self-paced modules that provide an overview and orientation to main concepts, geared to help people understand the basics of transition services. The modules are aligned with competencies endorsed by national initiatives.
USDOL Releases Integrated Employment Toolkit
Toolkit
http://www.dol.gov/odep/ietoolkit/
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has released its new Integrated Employment Toolkit. The Toolkit offers a resources, reports, papers, policies, fact sheets, case studies, and discussion guides from a variety of sources to accommodate the range of users and increase capacity and understanding about the value and potential of integrated employment. Answers to key, commonly asked questions guide users to appropriate materials.
