First, we want to thank the Special Olympics of Alaska for providing us with photos of Alaska high school students participating in the Special Olympics Unified 4 x 100 meter relay race, an event at the State High School Track & Field meet. Special Olympics Alaska School Program story can be found in this edition of the e-Journal, and we think you will find it very interesting.

Next, let us thank you, our members, for your overwhelmingly positive response to our latest publication, The Practical Teacher. Having now sent out 3 new issues over the past 5 weeks, we’ve gotten great feedback and even more ideas for the future.

One of the things that we have heard is that “handouts” to be able to distribute to parents would be a great addition to our monthly publications. We are currently working on setting this up and will get back to you as soon as we have completed the outline on how this will be done.

Also, look for our new Professional Development courses to be offered with our partnership with Lorman Education Services very soon. You won’t believe how many different courses will be available, as well as the multitude of types of courses from which to choose. We’re setting up the final web accessibility pieces and should have these available for you this summer.

We are also in negotiations with National University to establish education type courses for NASET members at a substantial discounted rate. The Executive Directors of NASET will be flying out to California in the next few weeks to meet with the Vice Chancellor, administration, and Chancellor of National University to discuss numerous professional development opportunities and possibilities for our members.

As for this May 2006 edition of the Special Educator e-Journal, there’s numerous topics covered. As always, we hope that this edition meets your needs and keeps you current with everything happening in the field of special education. If you have any questions, comments or feedback that we can address, always be sure to write us at news@naset.org.

Finally, we hope that you are having an very enjoyable spring season, and we wish those of you finishing the school year a very successful completion.

Sincerely,

Dr. Roger Pierangelo
Executive Director

Dr. George Giuliani
Executive Director

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Letters to the Editor

In your latest newsletter, the letter from the executive directors mentions that developing practical ways of working with parents was a topic of interest to many special education teachers. Your list of upcoming topics included one about preparing for parent teacher conferences. I sincerely hope that you will not limit suggestions and advice about working with parents to those conference. I think that The Practical Teacher, while a wonderful idea, should emphasize parent-teacher relationships outside of just conference time. I am a special education teacher at the preschool level, and believe that establishing positive, collaborative relationships with parents is an important aspect of my job. However, if I interacted with parents only during conferences, I would not be able to establish those relationships. Special education teachers have to work hard at letting the parents of our students know that we cherish and teach the whole child, and don’t see their children just as a bundle of needs but rather as children first – children who happen to have more developmental issues than a typically developing child. I do that by letting the parents know that every child in my classes contributes something positive to the class; I take pictures of the children playing together, interacting, playing outside, demonstrating cooperative play, etc. When one of my students does something wonderful, I call or email the parents that day. If I have something less than positive to tell the parents, I always balance it with a positive comment. We cannot have collaborative, productive conferences with parents if those relationships are not already in place.

Thank you.

Sally Fasman
Preschool Special Educator
Ashburton Elementary School
Bethesda, MD

Dear Ms. Fasman:

My name is Dr. George Giuliani and I am the Executive Director of NASET. I was forwarded your email this morning and wanted to respond to your comments. Your words are completely on point, and I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to write us about THE PRACTICAL TEACHER. It is members like yourself who take the time to write us that make the difference in what we do for our members, both now and in the future. The idea of THE PRACTICAL TEACHER emphasizing not just parent-teacher conferences, but also those relationships outside the classroom is a phenomenal one. Thank you for your insight, as it is definitely something we will address with this new publication.

Also, on a different note, I wish all teachers took the time like you do to foster relationships with parents. I always tell my Graduate Students to do exactly what you do on a consistent basis. I compliment you on a wonderful teaching approach to working with parents.

Finally, with your permission, I’d like to put your letter to us in the next edition of The Special Educator in the “Letters to the Editor” section. What you wrote was extremely well written, articulated perfectly, and provides comments that I think would be very helpful towards our members.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write us about ideas for THE PRACTICAL TEACHER. It is greatly appreciated

Sincerely,

Dr. George Giuliani, Executive Director
National Association of Special Education Teachers
1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Suite 300
Washington D.C., 20004
1-800-754-4421 ext. 105
drgiuliani@naset.org

Dear Colleague:

The President has signed new legislation that will make a big difference in addressing our nation’s critical shortage of qualified special education teachers. On February 8, 2006, a new provision was enacted ensuring the availability of loan forgiveness of up to $17,500 for individuals who are now or who are seeking to become highly qualified special education teachers. I am writing to ask you to help me spread the word about this important new loan-forgiveness provision.

While our nation can be proud of its many accomplishments on behalf of students with special educational needs, we have not met our obligation to ensure that each special needs student is taught by a teacher who is fully qualified. The shortage of special education teachers has surpassed the shortage of math and science teachers. Principals and school administrators struggle every year to fill classrooms with qualified special
education teachers. Students and families routinely experience the impact of an unqualified teacher in terms of undeveloped skills and lost opportunities.

Only if prospective special education teachers know about this loan forgiveness incentive, will it have the desired effect of attracting college students to major in special education and attracting new special education teachers to work in the schools with children who have the greatest needs.

Below is a fact sheet about this provision for your review. I urge you to post this on your website, and to urge your members and affiliated organizations to post it on their websites.

This is a significant opportunity to help students who count on us the most. Thank you in advance for your partnership in helping to spread the word.

Sincerely,

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Dear NASET:

I am looking for is some feedback/discussion from resource teachers who are involved in “co-teaching”situations, especially in high school.
Virginia Wojtkowski, NASET Member

Dear Virginia:

Since you are looking for personal experiences/feedback on co-teaching, we came up with two ideas that may suit your needs.

First, we have contacted our web designer/web management team to request of them to add a new section on our NASET Forum Board titled “Co-Teaching Experiences in the Classroom for Special Educators”. In this way, the members of NASET (and those who post on the Forum Board) can answer your questions from personal experience.

Second, I spoke with Dr. Roger Pierangelo (Executive Director) last night, and we both agreed that your topic of “Co-Teaching Experiences” would be an excellent topic in our Controversial Issues section of the May, 2006 Special Educator e-Journal. In this section, we present our members with a specific controversial issue and then ask them to send us feedback throughout the month to present in the next (June 2006) issue. We had our Publications meeting last night, and agreed that “Co-Teaching Experiences for Special Educators” is an excellent topic of discussion and one that we believe will be of great interest to our members.

We will get on your request right away, and hopefully you will begin to receive the feedback from members of NASET. If the Members’ Research Team or I can be of any further assistance to you, please let us know at membersresearch@naset.org or drgiuliani@naset.org. Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

Dr. George Giuliani, Executive Director
National Association of Special Education Teachers
1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Suite 300
Washington D.C., 20004
1-800-754-4421 ext. 105
drgiuliani@naset.org

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Focus Topic of the Month

What Does Health Have to Do with Transition? Everything!

By Ceci Shapland, Co-Director of the Healthy & Ready to Work National Center.

Introduction

Adolescence is a time for dreaming—for youth to imagine and set a course for the future. High school students naturally spend time imagining the future—if and where to continue their education, to find a job or pursue a career, to move away from home, or to start a family. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes a process to help youth with disabilities turn their dreams into reality. This Parent Brief provides information on the benefits of and strategies for including health in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.

For each student with a disability beginning at age 14 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), IDEA requires that the IEP include a statement of transition service needs [§300.347(b)]. Transition services are a coordinated set of activities that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational training, employment, continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation [§300.29].

Health needs to consider as part of transition planning:

good nutrition practices
proper hygiene practices
the effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances
the importance of exercise
and reproductive education.

It is not common practice to identify health-related needs and goals when developing a statement of transition services within a student’s IEP. However, lack of attention to health needs and health management can jeopardize goals for learning, working, and living safely in the community. For this reason it is important that young people with disabilities and special health needs know how to manage their own health care and work with appropriate professionals as partners in their care.

Health is an important factor to include even if chronic health concerns do not exist. All people must deal with health problems and learn how to maintain good health.

Transferring responsibility for self-care to an adolescent is a complex process. It requires assessing a variety of factors, including the complexity of a youth’s health needs, his or her physical and cognitive abilities and degree of self-determination, as well as family factors (Kelly, Kratz, Bielski, & Rinehart, 2002). Cultural factors such as values, health care practices, and beliefs about disability must also be considered (Geenen, Powers, & Lopez-Vasquez, 2001).

The IEP lends itself well to evaluating factors needed for successful health outcomes as youth transition from special education to the adult world. Their needs can easily be incorporated into the IEP as annual goals and objectives, or benchmarks.

Addressing Family Health-Care Concerns

Family involvement generally contributes to better school and medical outcomes. Because it is not yet common practice, families may find they have to bring health-care concerns to the attention of the IEP team in order for their son or daughter’s health needs to be addressed. It can also be very difficult for parents to give full responsibility for health issues to a young adult because of the obvious dangers of mismanagement.
Starting at an early age, planning ahead and identifying safety nets and emergency plans are important. Physicians can help youth and families solve problems in these areas.

It is beneficial to clearly identify concerns and discuss best- and worst-case scenarios. Support and emergency plans can be developed, and youth can become aware of the impact of certain behaviors on their health in order to make informed choices. This approach has been successful in alleviating some fears and providing teens with a better understanding of how to maintain their health. These and other health-care issues can be addressed in the statement of transition services in a student’s IEP.

Following Joe

At age 19, Joe is a dynamic young man who aspires to be a chef as well as to have his own apartment. Joe has mild mental retardation and a severe seizure disorder. His health depends on how well he remembers to take his medications and follow his doctor’s advice about getting enough rest and avoiding alcohol. Joe currently lives at home, and his mother reminds him to take his medications and follow the doctor’s recommendations.

Joe is meeting the transition goals in his IEP related to employment, postsecondary education, and community living. In the past year, Joe has attended a community college to study food preparation, and hopes to graduate as a sous-chef (an assistant to a head chef) at the end of the semester. Joe’s mother has found him an apartment in the city with community support nearby.

As graduation approaches, however, Joe’s mother is concerned about how he will manage his health and seizure disorder when he moves from the family home to his own apartment.

Joe’s mother is concerned about how he will manage his health.

Will he remember to take his medication every day?
Who will help Joe make the check-up and follow- up appointments that have helped keep his seizures under control?
Who will remind him to rest and avoid alcohol or other substances that would interact with the seizure medication and threaten Joe’s health?

Currently, Joe sees his childhood doctor, a pediatric neurologist. Will he need to change doctors, and if so, who will be his physician?

Joe’s mother has some important concerns that can be addressed as part of Joe’s transition planning process. His health needs greatly affect how he functions day-to-day and will influence his ability to keep a job and live on his own with limited support. Despite the excellent planning for job training, employment, and a new home, all Joe’s plans could be in jeopardy if his health needs are not addressed as part of the transition planning process.

Transition and the Medical Community

During the past 20 years, awareness of health as an important part of transition planning has been growing within the health-care community. In 1993, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) established the Healthy and Ready to Work Initiative. Today, projects around the nation are working with state health departments, hospitals, school systems, families, and youth to ensure that health is part of the transition process and to provide system of change models.

In 2002, MCHB funded a Healthy and Ready to Work National Center to provide information and resources for families, youth, health and education agencies and professionals, and others involved with youth who have special health needs.

A recent American Academy of Pediatrics position paper (2002) provides guidance to health-care providers on how to help youth with disabilities move from a child-focused to an adult-focused health-care system. The Academy agrees with others that “health-care transition facilitates transition in other areas of life as well, such as work, community, and school.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics identifies four elements that are key to a successful transition:

1.)Including health-care providers along with other service providers in transition planning

2.)Promoting opportunities for youth to be active in their own health-care decision- making

3.)Parental support for giving youth more responsibility and independence—striving to balance the need for safety with the adolescent’s need to become an adult

4.)Continuity between pediatric and adult health-care providers.

Making It Work: Health and the IEP Process

Although inclusion of health related needs as part of transition planning is growing within the health-care community, putting this principle into practice continues to be a challenge—particularly because physicians are generally not participants in the IEP. The key question remains: How can schools consistently and creatively include health issues in transition planning?
School nurses generally assess the health status of students with disabilities and present information to the IEP team in a written statement. This is an important step in the IEP process. However, this assessment does not address health as a life area that may need to be considered to promote independence and transition to adulthood.

Youth and families need to learn strategies to effectively manage health issues. For example, youth may benefit from having a filing system to keep medical records organized, to know when to make follow-up appointments, and to find historical information about diagnoses and treatments.

Health and Key Areas of Transition

Viewing health as an element of transition planning may include assessing a student’s needs in several key areas of transition. For example, consideration may be given to how health might affect employment choices, post-secondary education, and independent living. The IEP team may develop health maintenance plans and examine transition choices that are consistent with the student’s health needs. The following are health questions related to several critical transition decisions. The questions address the needs of Joe, the young man in the example introduced earlier in this brief.

Jobs and Job Training

Does Joe need to take his medication at work? If so, what arrangements need to be made to accommodate this?
Will Joe’s medication affect him on the job? Will it make him drowsy? If so, should the timing of his dosage be readjusted to his work schedule?
Does this mean that changing his work hours may endanger his health?
Should he disclose his seizure disorder to his supervisor and co-workers?
Are there job duties that he cannot do, such as operating some machinery, because of certain medications?

Postsecondary Education

Does Joe need to take his medication while in school?
How will it affect his performance?
Should he disclose information about his health to the teacher?
Will Joe need accommodations in his schedule or course load to maintain his health and be successful in school?

Home Living

Does Joe understand his seizure disorder?
Does he carry his own insurance card and emergency medical information?
Does he have a system for remembering to take his medication on his own?
Does he know the side effects of his medication and important changes in his condition that he should report to his doctor?
Does he understand the healthy lifestyle he needs to lead so his seizures will be in better control?
Does he know the importance of healthy meals, exercise, rest, and good hygiene?
Does he have an emergency plan in case he needs help at home, work, or school?

Community Life

Does Joe have an adult medical practitioner who will attend to his adult health needs?
Does he know how to go to the doctor and how to use public transportation to get there?
Does he know when, how, and where to fill a prescription?
Will he continue on his family’s health insurance plan or have insurance through work or a public program?

Leisure and Recreation

Does Joe understand the effects of recreational drugs, alcohol, or tobacco on his health and seizure disorder?
Should he tell his friends about his seizure disorder?
Will his medication affect his choice of activities?

Health Transition Goals and Objectives*

The following are possible health transition goals and objectives that Joe and his family might consider.

Goal: I (Joe) will learn about my seizure disorder and my health needs to ensure my good health, so I can live more safely in the community.

Objective 1: I will learn five facts about my seizure disorder and make a 10-minute presentation in health class.

Objective 2: I will learn two or three side effects of my medication and learn when to report any changes in side effects or new symptoms to my doctor.

Objective 3: I will develop an emergency plan for when I am living on my own.

Objective 4: I will identify and interview two or three physicians to choose a new doctor who will help me manage my adult health care.

These are a few possible goals and objectives for Joe as he continues through his transition. Others can be added as Joe accomplishes these objectives and learns more about managing his own health care. Youth need to receive information that is understandable and appropriate to their individual needs in order to make good decisions. The transition process helps a young person begin to manage his or her own health by 1) providing a structure for gathering information from physicians, and 2) accessing the expertise of the IEP team to ensure the information is easily learned and understood and to assist in making any modifications or accommodations. Including health goals and objectives like those above in the IEP transition planning process allows an adolescent to learn skills needed to make health decisions, identify resources in the community, and achieve successful postschool outcomes in all areas of transition.

Keep in mind that unless transition services are considered special education, i.e., provided as specially designed instruction or related services required to assist a student with a disability to benefit from special education [§34 FR 300.29(6)], IDEA only requires that an IEP include a statement of transition services needs, not goals and objectives.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2002). Improving transition for adolescents with special health care needs from pediatric to adult-centered care. Pediatrics, 100(8), 1304-1306.

Geenen, S., Powers, L. E., & Lopez-Vasquez, A. (2001). Parents as partners: Understanding and promoting the multicultural aspects of parent involvement in transition planning. Portland, OR: Oregon Health Sciences University, Center on Self-Determination.

Kelly, A. M., Kratz, B., Bielski, M., & Rinehart, P. M. (2002). Implementing transitions for youth with complex chronic conditions using a medical home. Pediatrics, 100(6), 1322-1327.

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Controversial Issue of the Month: The Effectiveness of Co-Teaching

One of the most controversial issues facing special educators today is the effectiveness of inclusion. Going hand in hand with this topic is the controversy surrounding “co-teaching.” Co-teaching has it’s proponents and advocates, and the debate over whether co-teaching can be implemented successfully remains in question. We want to hear from our NASET members on this topic. So, our “Controversial Issue of the Month” is:

Tell us about your experiences in co-teaching

Does it work?

If yes, why?

If no, why not?

Send all letters to the editor at news@naset.org.

Special Olympics Alaska School Programs Help Schools Underscore the State Education Policy

Alaska Statute 14.03.015 states: The purpose of education is to help ensure that all students will succeed in their education and work, shape worthwhile and satisfying lives for themselves, exemplify the best values of society, and be effective in improving the character and quality of the world about them.

Studies prove that Special Olympics is an ideal partner for meeting the education mandates of state law and policy. Consider the findings from recent national studies:

Success in education and work – there is a strong correlation between participation in Special Olympics and the ability to be employed among people with intellectual disabilities.
Worthwhile and satisfying lives – students with and without intellectual disabilities who participate together in Special Olympics Unified Sports programs experience a high level of satisfaction and overwhelmingly feel better about themselves. Participation in Special Olympics also spurs activity and the pursuit of physical fitness as a lifestyle choice
Best values of society – Special Olympics programs promote understanding and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities; while interscholastic sports in general promote teamwork, sportsmanship and citizenship.
Be effective in improving the world – Participation in Special Olympics significantly improves an athlete’s self-esteem, self-confidence, social skills and social interactions, while setting the stage for all to share in joy and friendship.

For these reasons, more and more Alaska schools are establishing a Special Olympics Alaska (SO-AK) School Program.

Readers may recall when 2,000+ athletes from 80 countries and thousands of supporters traveled to Alaska in early 2001 to participate in the 7th Special Olympics World Winter Games. Building on the games’ momentum, a School Enrichment Program was developed to help Alaskan students learn about people with intellectual disabilities and Special Olympics. Following the world games, SO-AK approached the Department of Education & Early Development (ADEED) and the Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) to continue the partnership. Grant funding from the ADEED helped jumpstart the effort to establish sustained Special Olympics School Programs in Alaskan elementary, middle and high schools statewide. Since that time, eight school districts and 30 schools have come on board.

Through sports and related programs, the Special Olympics Alaska School Program (SOAK-SP) promotes not only physical fitness but also an understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities. The most widely embraced school program is Unified Sports, which brings together equal numbers of student athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train and compete in a variety of sports, including track and swimming relays, and basketball.

This spring is a showcase of the Unified Sports® movement within Alaska high schools. After months of training East, Service, South (Region 4) and Kodiak, Colony, Palmer and Wasilla (Region 3) high schools are sending Unified Sports® teams to compete in a 4 x 100m relay, shot put, 100m dash, and long jump events at the Palmer Relays meet April 28-29. The same schools have teams competing in demonstration at respective Region 3 and 4 track meets May 12-13. The Region 3 meet at Palmer High School features four Special Olympics events (4 x 100 relay, 100m dash, shot put and long jump), while the Region 4 meet at Bartlett High School, includes a 4 x 100 meter Unified® relay race. The seven schools also plan to send teams to compete in a 4 x 100 meter relay during the state track meet May 19-20 at West Valley High School.

There are a number of other high schools that have previously introduced or established Unified sports programs and/or Partners Clubs®. These include: Chugiak, Dimond, Houston and Juneau-Douglas. Soldotna has a Unified® bowling program. Bartlett, and Eagle River have expressed interest in establishing programs in the future.

When the 2006-07 school year begins, Special Olympics will continue to work with schools and school districts to establish and maintain SO-AK School Programs. Nicolle Egan, SO-AK VP/COO and School Program Administrator, explains, “We’ve found that different schools often have different approaches to establishing Special Olympics programs, depending resources, interest, facilities, and other educational and interscholastic programs in place.”

For example, in one school, it was a special education teacher who spearheaded efforts to introduce the nationally endorsed Special Olympics (SO) Get Into It curriculum, which teaches students about intellectual disabilities and Special Olympics. In another school, the physical education teacher engaged students with and without disabilities in sports competition during PE class. In several of the high schools, coaches have worked with special education teachers to establish a Unified Sports® program that coincides with regular interscholastic sports programs, such as track.

More information about Special Olympics Alaska, the School Program and Unified Sports is available at www.SpecialOlympicsAlaska.org, or by contacting Egan at 222-7625 ext. 8.

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Calls to Participate

K-12 Teachers in Low-Income Schools: Join Resources for Indispensable Schools and Educators (RISE)

http://www.risenetwork.org/teachers.html
RISE is a non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing and retaining effective teachers in low-income communities. Member teachers learn of job opportunities at effective low-income schools, and dollars and discounts, and have the opportunity to connect with other like-minded professionals. Applicants must have at least a year of full-time teaching experience in a low-income K-12 school, a demonstrated ability to move students forward academically, and a dedication to working with underserved students and their communities. Application deadline: June 15, 2006.

Participate in an Online Discussion of Funding Self-Determination

http://coa.beachcenter.org/wb/index.asp
What should we call the right that individuals with disabilities and their families have to control the use of the federal or state funds that support them? Terms already in use include consumer control, self-direction, self-determination, individual/family control, direct funding, and individualized budgets. The Beach Center, AAMR, The Arc of the U.S., HSRI, and two state Developmental Disability Councils are co-sponsoring an on-line discussion to find the term that best describes this right. Beach Center staff will analyze the discussion postings for themes and defining characteristics, and present these at the AAMR conference, May 2-5, 2006.

Submit a Paper Proposal for the Association for Career and Technical Education Research Conference

http://www.agri.wsu.edu/acter/ACTER%2006%20call%20for%20papers.doc
The Association for Career and Technical Education Research (ACTER) is soliciting paper proposals for its 40th annual meeting, to be held November 29-30, 2006 in Atlanta. Quantitative, qualitative, historical, philosophical/theoretical, or mixed methods research manuscripts on career and technical education, training, preparation for work, or workforce related issues are desired. Proposal submission deadline: June 2, 2006.

Submit a Presentation Proposal for National Symposium on Dispute Resolution in Special Education

http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/fourthsymprfp.cfm
CADRE, the National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education, is accepting presentation proposals for its 4th National Symposium on Dispute Resolution in Special Education, to take place December 7-9, 2006 in Washington, DC. Symposium invitees include state dispute resolution coordinators, parent advocates, directors of special education, dispute resolution practitioners, attorneys, educators, service providers, and others interested in creating effective agreements that benefit educational and early intervention programs for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Proposal submission deadline: May 26, 2006.

Youth (Ages 14-18): Participate in 2006 CFK Youth Essay Contest

http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3142
Connect for Kids invites students ages 14-18 to participate in its annual essay contest. This year’s question is, “Do you feel U.S. high schools support the academic [and] social needs and interests of today’s students well? Why or why not?” The winner will receive $100. Entry deadline: May 5, 2006.

Youth (Ages 17-20): Apply to the State Farm Youth Advisory Board for Service-Learning

http://www.statefarm.com/sfyboard.htm
The State Farm Youth Advisory Board will help State Farm leadership design and implement a $5 million/year signature service-learning initiative to address issues of importance to State Farm and communities across America. State Farm will select a diverse group of approximately 30 young people ages 17-20 to serve on this distinguished Board. In addition to a challenging and fun experience, Youth Advisory Board members will receive scholarships following completion of their term on the Board. Application deadline: April 28, 2006

Apply to New Doctoral Program in Culturally Responsive Special Education
http://coe.asu.edu/candi/brochures/speced_cr.pdf
Arizona State University and the University of Arizona are seeking applications for a joint Ph.D. program in Special Education with an emphasis on culturally responsive education for students with learning disabilities or emotional/behavioral disorders. Students who are accepted into the program will receive support including a tuition waiver, research or teaching assistantship stipend, conference travel support, books, and health insurance. Informational flier available in PDF (1 page, 88 KB).

Submit a Paper Proposal: 2007 CEC Convention and Expo
http://tinyurl.com/r88uy
The Council for Exceptional Children is soliciting paper proposals for its 2007 Convention and Expo, to be held April 18-21, 2007 in Louisville, KY. Proposal submission deadline: May 15, 2006. Call for Papers available in PDF (4 pages, 748 KB).

Young Hispanic Entrepreneurs: Apply for a LEAD Award
http://www.guardianlife.com/lead/
The Guardian Life Insurance Company’s Latino Entrepreneurial Award of Distinction (LEAD) rewards the entrepreneurial efforts of Hispanic youth ages 12-18. LEAD awards cash prizes totaling $30,000 to 15 young people across the U.S. who demonstrate budding entrepreneurship and who are taking the first steps toward financial independence and making a difference in their communities. Awards may be used to further educational goals and/or to support individual entrepreneurial pursuits. Entry deadline: May 31, 2006.

Youth: Enter Samsung’s Hope for Education Essay Contest
http://www.hopeforeducation.com/cgi-bin/nabc/campaign/hfe/hfe_essay.jsp?eUser=
The winner of the Samsung and Microsoft Hope for Education Essay Contest will receive up to $200,000 in Samsung electronics and Microsoft educational software for his/her school. Entrants must provide an original, sincere, no more than 100 word essay answering the following question: “Do you know of an individual student or teacher or group of students who are missing out on opportunities because they don’t have access to technology?” Entrants must be legal residents of the fifty U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and minors must obtain parent/guardian’s consent. Entry deadline: June 30, 2006.

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Update from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

NICHCY is pleased to make available a complete listing of all the grants and contracts that the Research to Practice Division of OSEP has funded under its discretionary programs in Fiscal Year 2005. This funding is authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), our nation’s special education law.

This grant information is organized each year into four directories, each of which focuses upon a section of approximately 1,000 grants and contracts supported by OSEP. These four directories represent projects in the seven program areas of IDEA, Part D.
http://www.nichcy.org/directories/intro2006.asp

We’d like you to know that we have added resources about paraprofessionals into our eNews Foundations page called Effective Practices and Resources in Staff Development. The entire resource page can be found on NICHCY’s Web site, at:
http://www.nichcy.org/enews/foundations/stafftraining.asp

We thought you might be interested in knowing about the Self-Determination Technical Assistance Centers, located at: http://www.uncc.edu/sdsp/home.asp

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with a grant from the Office of Special Education Projects at the U.S. Department of Education, is conducting a review and synthesis of the knowledge base and best practices related to self-determination and self-advocacy interventions in order to improve, expand, and accelerate the use of this knowledge by the professionals who serve children and youth with disabilities and the parents who rear, educate, and support their children with disabilities. Of particular interest to you may be their resource, Lesson Plans: From Research to Practice: Lesson Plans for Promoting Self-Determination.

These self-determination lesson plan starters have been developed based on the description of the intervention and data collection procedures provided in each study. You’ll find:

Component skills of self-determination
Participation in decision making
Teaching students to participate in IEP meetings through the use of Choicemaker –-Self-Directed IEP multimedia package that was modified for non-readers
Teaching social problem solving and assertiveness skills
Person-centered planning
Preparing students with learning disabilities for transition to postsecondary education
Help-recruiting (self-advocacy skills)
Developing and implementing self-scheduling
Obtaining accommodations guaranteed under ADA
Teaching assertiveness

We’d like you to know that we have added reading resources to our A-Z page called NICHCY Connections to Literacy. The entire resource page can be found on NICHCY’s Web site, at:
http://www.nichcy.org/resources/literacy2.asp

We hope you’ll find these resources helpful to your interests or can pass along the information to someone who will. As we come across new resources, we’ll let you know about them. Until then, please feel free to call or email us with your disability-related concerns, or visit our Web site, at: www.nichcy.org.

NICHCY
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013
1.800.695.0285 (V/TTY)
nichcy@aed.org
www.nichcy.org

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National Resources

An Overview of Alternative Education (March 2006)

Report
http://www.urban.org/premium-publications/411283.html
This Urban Institute report looks at policies and funding streams that help states and communities replicate and expand alternative learning opportunities for youth who are not in school, do not have a diploma, and are not working. A variety of alternative pathways to educational success is needed, from essential early intervention and prevention strategies in the early years, to high-quality alternative options within mainstream K-12 systems at the middle and high school levels, and to opportunities outside of the mainstream for those unable to learn and thrive in the general education system.

Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome and International Exchange: What, Why, and How (April 2006)
Tip Sheet

http://www.miusa.org/ncde/tipsheets/providingaccom/autismtips/
This tip sheet from Mobility International USA discusses the benefits of going abroad for youth with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome and the steps to take and questions to ask when planning an inclusive group exchange.

César Chávez Campaign 2006 Tool-Kits for Teachers (March 2006)
Toolkit

http://www.chavezfoundation.org/#toolkit
In honor of César Chávez’s birthday, the César Chávez Campaign began on March 31, 2006 and will run through April 23, 2006. The Campaign seeks to help K-12 students take action in their communities utilizing service-learning experiences to connect civic action to meaningful learning in the classroom. Free grade-appropriate teacher tool-kits for the Campaign are available on the Chávez Foundation’s Web site.

Characteristics of Schools, Districts, Teachers, Principals, and School Libraries in the U.S.: 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey (March 2006)
Report

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006313
The National Center for Education Statistics in the Institute of Education Sciences has released its first report containing data from the 2003-04 Schools And Staffing Survey (SASS), the nation’s most extensive sample survey of schools and the teachers and administrators who staff them. The report covers public, private, and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools.

Community-Based Learning: Engaging Students for Success and Citizenship (January 2006)
Report

Community Schools Website

Studies show that as many as 60% of students are “chronically disengaged” from learning. This report from the Coalition for Community Schools offers evidence that community-based learning—which integrates different strategies, including service learning, place-based education, environmental and civic education, and work and community service—can help re-engage students using real-world content and issues. The community-based approach is linked to higher attendance rates, improved academic performance, and on-time graduation.

Financial Literacy Information for Young People with Disabilities (November 2005)
Brief

NCWD Website
This Information Brief from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth discusses various state and federal initiatives for individuals with disabilities and their families to help them explore options for becoming more economically self-sufficient. The Brief includes descriptions of such financial literacy programs and additional resources.

Higher Education Opportunities for Foster Youth: A Primer for Policymakers (December 2005)
Report

http://www.ihep.org/Pubs/PDF/fosteryouth.pdf
Foster youth are among America’s most disadvantaged in terms of opportunities for higher education, and targeted strategies are required to increase their college-going, according to this report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy. The report recommends several policy changes to alleviate obstacles such as low educational expectations, frequent disruptions and changes in school placements, underdeveloped independent living skills, and lack of access to mental health care and treatment. Available in PDF (64 pages, 4.1 MB).

Inventing Hispanic-Serving Institutions: The Basics (2006)
Brief

http://www.edexcelencia.org/pdf/InventingHSIsFINAL.pdf
Almost half of all Latino students in higher education are enrolled in just 6% of the institutions of higher education in the U.S. This concentration of Latino enrollment in higher education has come to be known as the phenomenon of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). HSIs are defined as public and private not-for-profit degree-granting institutions of higher education with at least 25% undergraduate full-time equivalent Hispanic enrollment. This brief from Excelencia in Education introduces HSIs’ history and general institutional characteristics, and describes how these institutions contribute to Latino student success. Available in PDF (24 pages, 424 KB).

Learning from the Youth Opportunity Experience: Building Delivery Capacity in Distressed Communities (January 2006)
Report

http://www.clasp.org/premium-publications/youthopportunity_report.pdf
From 2000-2005, the U.S. Department of Labor funded Youth Opportunity (YO) grants in 36 high-poverty communities. Grantees were required to serve all their community’s youth, regardless of socioeconomic status or connection to school or work, and to assess and integrate existing youth-serving systems and agencies to support education, work exposure, youth development, and other services. This report from the Center for Law and Social Policy and the Campaign for Youth, based on a survey of 22 YO sites, examines project strengths, challenges, and learnings, and offers recommendations for policy and practice. Available in PDF (58 pages, 376 KB).

Making Public Programs Work for Communities of Color: An Action Kit for Community Leaders (March 2006)
Toolkit

FAMILIES USA Website
People of color comprise one-third of the U.S. population, but they are less likely to have health insurance, adequate housing, or access to preventive care and routine services. Families USA created this action kit to provide community leaders with the information, tools, and resources necessary to engage in health advocacy and improve the health and well-being of their communities.

AccessCollege: Postsecondary Education and Students with Disabilities (2005)
Web Page

http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/postsec.html
In order for students with disabilities to be successful in college, they need to be adequately prepared and programs, information resources, and facilities must be accessible to them. This Web page from the DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) project at the University of Washington is designed to help faculty, administrators, and staff create accessible environments, programs, and resources for students with disabilities.

Charting a Course: Meeting the Special Education Needs of Foster Children (April 2006)
Web Conference Archive

A complete recording of the Chapin Hall Center for Children’s April 5 Web conference, including PowerPoint presentations, is now available online. The panelists were Cheryl Smithgall, Senior Researcher at Chapin Hall; Bernadette Pinchback, Manager of Foster Youth Services for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools; and Gene Griffin, Management Team Coordinator at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Also included is the question-and-answer session moderated by Martha Shirk, co-author of On Their Own: What Happens to Kids When They Age Out of the Foster Care System.

IDEA Parent Guide (2006)
Web Page

http://www.ncld.org/content/view/900/456084/
The National Center for Learning Disabilities has created an online guide to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in order to explain the federal laws that underpin special education in every state. Although created primarily for parents, the guide is also a valuable source of information—in accessible language—for classroom teachers who may not have a background in special education. Teachers can use the guide to better understand the rights and requirements of their students with special needs.

Leaving Boys Behind: Public High School Graduation Rates (April 2006)
Report

http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cr_48.htm
A new Manhattan Institute for Policy Research study of the high school class of 2003 breaks down their graduation rates by race, gender, and state, and by the 100 largest school districts in the country. Nationwide findings include: 72% of girls graduated, compared with 65% of boys, and Black and Hispanic girls had graduation rates 9-10% higher than those of their male counterparts.

Reconnecting Disadvantaged Young Men (January 2006)
Book

http://www.urban.org/pubs/reconnecting/
Because the U.S. “can ill afford to have so many of its young people and adults be unskilled, unemployed, and thus unproductive,” a new book from the Urban Institute Press tackles the thorny challenge of getting disconnected young men back into school or the workforce.

Rethinking High School Graduation Rates and Trends (April 2006)
Book

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/book_grad_rates
This book from the Economic Policy Institute reviews the available data on high school completion and dropout rates. It finds that high school completion has been increasing and dropouts declining for over 40 years, though improvements over the last decade have been modest.

The Adult Lives of At-Risk Students: The Roles of Attainment and Engagement in High School (March 2006)
Report

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006328
This document from the National Center for Education Statistics reports the findings of a longitudinal investigation of high school participation and later educational outcomes. High school noncompleters, with the highest level of academic risk, stood out. In postsecondary education programs, noncompleters earned the fewest credits. High school noncompleters were less likely to be employed in 2000 (77%) than were marginal completers (86%) or successful completers (88%).

The Crisis in America’s High Schools (April 2006)
Web Page

http://www.all4ed.org/whats_at_stake/index2.html
This new Web page from the Alliance for Excellent Education features articles and links to other resources that discuss what the Alliance for Excellent Education refers to as the “crisis in America’s high schools.” It includes links to the recent Oprah specials on education and Time Magazine’s cover story on dropout.

The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives on High School Dropouts (March 2006)
Report

Silent Epidemic Website
A new survey released by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation looks at why a third of high school students leave school without a diploma—and what might help keep them engaged in school. The document describes findings from interviews with over 500 dropouts.

Transition Health Care Checklist (March 2006)
Checklist

http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?q=243876
When children with special health care needs turn 18, their health care and prescription drug coverage often changes. Health care providers may change from pediatric specialists to adult medical specialists. This Transition Health Care Checklist, developed by the Pennsylvania Departments of Health, Labor & Industry, Public Welfare, and Education, in partnership with families, can help young adults, families, and professionals navigate these changes. The checklist provides a variety of resources, including a transition timeline.

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Report from the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)

Impact: Feature Issue on Children with Disabilities in the Child Welfare System (2006)
Newsletter
http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/191/
This issue of Impact examines the presence and needs of children with disabilities in the child welfare system. When children with disabilities and their families become involved with the child welfare system—with child protective services and/or permanency services—the child welfare system is often unsure how best to serve them. The disability services system and the child welfare system don’t necessarily communicate with each other effectively, and the two systems may not have adequate access to each other’s expertise.

NLTS2 Fact Sheet: School Behavior and Disciplinary Experiences of Youth with Disabilities (March 2006)
Fact Sheet
http://www.nlts2.org/pdfs/NLTS2_Discipline_FS_03-21-06.pdf
Although most secondary-school-age youth with disabilities behave appropriately at school, this document from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 reports that 20-40% exhibit problem behaviors, including not controlling behavior and arguing with others. One-third of students with disabilities have experienced disciplinary actions, such as suspensions, expulsions, referrals to the principal’s office, and detentions, and students with disabilities are more likely than their peers in the general population to have faced such actions. Students with emotional disturbances are significantly more likely to have been suspended or expelled than students with other disabilities. Available in PDF (8 pages, 55 KB).

Uneven Transparency: NCLB Tests Take Precedence in Public Assessment Reporting for Students with Disabilities (Technical Report 43) (March 2006)
Report
http://education.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/Technical43.html
This report marks the National Center on Educational Outcomes’ (NCEO) eighth analysis of the public reporting of state assessment results for students with disabilities. Forty-eight states reported some state-level information about students with disabilities on their state assessments. States are gradually improving their public reporting practices; the report explains how states can further improve. A growing number of students with disabilities are becoming proficient on statewide math and reading tests, but NCEO still found large performance gaps between them and students without disabilities, gaps which tended to be wider at higher grades.

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New Projects

Achieving and Sustaining Results for All Youth: TRANSITION SOLUTIONS

http://www.transitionsolutions.org/
Transition Solutions is a fee-based service that helps state education agencies and local school districts nationwide improve transition services and outcomes for youth. Transition Solutions offers customized services to help states and districts use data to guide system improvements, meet transition requirements, customize solutions using research-based practices, build effective interagency teams, create a shared plan for action, and map and align resources. Transition Solutions is a strategic alliance of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Center for Disability Studies, the University of Massachusetts’s Institute for Community Inclusion, and TransCen, Inc., in Rockville, MD.

Association of Youth Leadership Forums

http://www.montanaylf.org/?p=aylf
The Association of Youth Leadership Forums (AYLF) seeks to improve employment and independent living outcomes of youth with disabilities transitioning from high school by promoting Youth Leadership Forums for Students with Disabilities throughout the U.S. and its territories. Youth Leadership Forums identify students with disabilities who have exhibited leadership skills and equip them with the additional training so they may become leaders by example.

National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD-Youth)

http://www.ncld-youth.info/
NCLD-Youth is a youth-led resource, information, and training center for youth and emerging leaders with developmental disabilities, housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership and funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The project is led by the next generation of young leaders with disabilities for the next generation of young leaders with disabilities—taking a positive development approach to working with the next generation of disability community leaders and developing materials to better prepare them for the transition to adulthood and leadership.

National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center

http://www.nsttac.org/
The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) is a national Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center funded from January 1, 2006-December 31, 2010 by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). NSTTAC helps states build their capacity to support and improve transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities by helping State Education Agencies collect data on Part B State Performance Plans Indicator 13 and use these data to improve transition services; generating knowledge that provides a foundation for improving transition services; providing capacity building resources to states and Local Education Agencies; and disseminating information about effective transition education and services.

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Web Sites of Interest

DisabilityPreparedness.gov . . . for the safety and security of Americans with disabilities

http://www.disabilitypreparedness.gov/
This Web site from the Federal government provides practical information to help people with and without disabilities prepare for emergencies. It also provides information for their family members and service providers, as well as for emergency planners and first responders.

NASHIA.org: National Association of State Head Injury Administrators

http://www.nashia.org/
The National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) assists state governments in promoting partnerships and building systems to meet the needs of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families. In March 2006, NASHIA launched an expanded Web site with new products and services for the TBI community, including an enhanced store and Resource Center and Policy Information sections.

Parents. The Anti-Drug.

http://www.theantidrug.com/
TheAntiDrug.com was created by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign to provide parents and other adult caregivers with the tools they need to raise drug-free kids. Created in collaboration with the nation’s leading experts on parenting and substance abuse prevention, TheAntiDrug.com provides helpful articles and expert advice; scientifically-based drug prevention information, news, and studies; support from other parents; and teen perspectives. Information available in Spanish, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese.

The Center for Universal Design

http://design.ncsu.edu/cud/
The Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University is a national research, information, and technical assistance center that evaluates, develops, and promotes universal design in housing, public and commercial facilities, and related products. Its Web site includes information about the Center, including its products, services, education, training, and publications, as well as information about universal design.

Youth as City Leaders
http://www.nlc.org/iyef/networks___assistance/7164.cfm
The National League of Cities is meeting young people where they are—online! This site helps active youth leaders connect with others and share ideas for improving their communities. It includes online discussion forums, blogs by young activists, and a list of upcoming events.

Youth Policy Action Center
http://www.youthpolicyactioncenter.org/
The Youth Policy Action Center, a Web site that engages young people (and adults) to change policies that affect young people’s lives through real-time democracy, has been re-launched. It now includes action alerts, state pages, and work by young people.

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Funding Forecast, Grants, Awards, and Scholarships

Braitmayer Foundation Education Grants

http://www.braitmayerfoundation.org/guid.htm
The Braitmayer Foundation offers grants of up to $35,000 for K-12 education projects throughout the U.S. Of particular interest to the Foundation are: 1) curricular and school reform initiatives; and 2) preparation of and professional development opportunities for teachers, particularly those which encourage people of high ability and diverse background to enter and remain in K-12 teaching. Application deadline: June 1, 2006.

Learning in the Arts Grants

http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/GAP07/LearningintheArts.html
The National Endowment for the Arts’ Learning in the Arts grants program offers funding for projects that help children and youth acquire appreciation, knowledge, and understanding of and skills in the arts. Projects must provide participatory learning and engagement of students with skilled artists, teachers, and excellent art, and apply national, state, or local arts education standards. School- and community-based projects are eligible to apply. Application deadline: June 12, 2006.

Teens, Crime, and Community Grants

http://www.ncpc.org/programs/tcc/grant.php
The National Crime Prevention Council is offering 100 grants of up to $500 each to support service-learning projects planned and implemented by youth (ages 11-19) who identify needs and create projects to address or prevent crime, violence, and drug abuse in their schools and communities. Deadlines for summer projects: June 1, 2006.

Youth Outreach for Victim Assistance (YOVA) Project

http://www.ncpc.org/programs/yova/grant_opportunity.php
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) are seeking applicants for the Youth Outreach for Victim Assistance (YOVA) project, which seeks to raise awareness about teen victims of crime and services to help them, and to provide resources to victim service providers so they can better reach and serve teen victims. Sites will receive up to $3,000 to implement a youth-led public awareness campaign during the 2006-07 school year. Each site will also send two youth and one adult to a training in August 2006. Application deadline: May 15, 2006.

Scholarships and Awards

High School Juniors: Apply for a QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship

http://www.questbridge.org/access/collegepreptext/
The QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship is designed to level the playing field for outstanding low-income high school juniors by providing opportunities that will help them prepare to apply to leading schools. The program awards full scholarship to QuestBridge’s summer program, coverage of expenses for college travel visits, an SAT prep course and material, and a new laptop computer to qualified low-income high school juniors. Application deadline: May 15, 2006.

Federal Grant Opportunities

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2006
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the U.S. Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for fiscal year 2006 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.

FY 2006 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

Additional Funding and Award Opportunities

Grants for School District Web Site Development
http://www.schoolspan.com/grant_SetYouFree.asp
SchoolSpan offers “Set-You-Free” Grants for school districts nationwide that feel they are financially unable to escape from their current content management software vendors. The grant offers complete setup of a new Web site; added functionality such as alumni portals, teacher course sites, and newsletters; and one year of free Web site service. All public and private school systems currently using a third-party company to manage their Web sites and school districts using independent consultants or local firms to manage their Web sites are eligible to apply. Application deadline: May 30, 2006.

Grants for Youth with Disabilities
http://www.meaf.org/apply/
The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation is dedicated to helping young Americans with disabilities maximize their potential and participation in society. The Foundation supports organizations and projects within its mission that address important needs, have broad scope and impact, and demonstrate potential for replication elsewhere. A major program emphasis is inclusion: enabling young people with disabilities to have full access to educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities and to participate alongside their non-disabled peers. U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to apply. Application deadline: June 1, 2006.

Funding Resources

Guide to Federal Resources for Youth Development
http://www.americaspromise.org/partners/federal_funding_guidelines.pdf
The federal government offers billions of dollars to communities to help young people reach their full potential. The America’s Promise Alliance has published a guide providing information on more than 100 priority programs that are available to communities. Each program is listed by the department that operates the program and cross-references one or more of the five core resources of youth development (caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education/marketable skills, and opportunities to serve). Available in PDF (165 pages, 1.34 MB).

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Legislative Announcements

New Director: Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education

http://www.aapd-dc.org/News/education/newOSEPdir.htm
Alexa Posny, Ph.D., Deputy Commissioner of Education for the Kansas State Department of Education, has been appointed Director of the Office of Special Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education effective April 17, 2006. Her experience includes serving as a state and local director of special education, director of curriculum and instruction, and a teacher of students with emotional and learning disabilities.

New Web Site: Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor

http://www.dol.gov/odep/
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the U.S. Department of Labor has redesigned its Web site to better reflect the policy nature of its mission. ODEP provides national leadership by developing and influencing disability-related employment policy and practice affecting the employment of people with disabilities. Its Web site provides information for adults with disabilities, businesses and employers, federal partners/collaborators, researchers, service providers, state partners/collaborators, youth and families, and veterans.

New Web Site: Systems of Care

http://www.systemsofcare.samhsa.gov/
The Child, Adolescent, and Family Branch of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a new Web site. The site provides information about the mental health of children, youth, and families, as well as information about systems of care, an approach to services that recognizes the importance of family, school, and community, and seeks to promote the full potential of every child and youth by addressing his/her physical, emotional, intellectual, cultural, and social needs.

SSA Commissioner Announces New Disability Determination Process

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability-new-approach/
On March 28, 2006, U.S. Social Security Administration Commissioner Jo Anne B. Barnhart announced that the final rule establishing a new disability determination process was now publicly available. The new process, built upon Social Security’s electronic claims process, will shorten decision times and pay benefits to people who are obviously disabled much sooner.

National Direct Service Workforce Resource Center
http://www.dswresourcecenter.org/index.php/dsw
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has launched the National Direct Service Workforce Resource Center, an online searchable database of materials on the recruitment and retention of direct support professionals, for the use of government and non-profit organizations, employers, and professionals. In addition, state Medicaid Agencies can receive in-depth technical assistance through the site or by calling toll-free: 1-877-822-2647.

Project Forum of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education
http://www.projectforum.org/
Each year, the National Association of State Directors of Special Education’s Project Forum identifies 15 hot topics within special education; conducts policy analyses on them; convenes policy forums on some of them; helps to maintain a national database of state laws, policies, and regulations governing special education; and distributes information to encourage better results for children with disabilities. Project Forum has a new Web site, where visitors can search existing documents, suggest future topics, join the Project’s e-mail list, view a list of topics in progress, view information on related resources, and contact the Project.

Tool Kit on Teaching and Assessing Students with Disabilities
http://www.osepideasthatwork.org/toolkit/
On April 25, 2006, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office of Elementary and Special Education released a Tool Kit on Teaching and Assessing Students with Disabilities. It provides up-to-date guidance on designing and implementing high-quality assessments for students with disabilities, and includes a set of technical assistance products that offer practical, research-based approaches to the challenges schools face in assessment, instruction, behavioral interventions, and use of accommodations. The Tool Kit also includes information about research now underway to further expand our knowledge about how best to support teaching, learning, and assessing.

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Upcoming Conferences and Events

May, 2006

YAI/NIPD 27th Annual International Conference on Developmental and Learning Disabilities
Date: May 1st – May 5th, 2006
Location: Crowne Plaza Manhattan Hotel, NYC
Abstract: Featured topics include: Advocacy/Self-Determination, Management/Supervisory, Aging, Media/Public Relations, Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome, Profound MR/DD, Clinical Issues & Practices, Psychopharmacology, Day Services, Quality of Life, Dual Diagnosis, Residential Services, Early Childhood, Sexuality, Employment Training, Special Education, Family Supports, Staff Training, Health Care/Medical, Technology, Inclusion, Transitions, Learning Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Legal, Ethical & Policy IssuesWomen’s Issues, Life Planning, Workforce,
Website:http://www.yai.org/pid.cfm?conf=8&content=1

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Job Accommodation Issues
Teleconference Call
Date: May 2, 2006 – 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Eastern)
Website: http://www.jan.wvu.edu/teleconf/Events/2006/EEOC_on_Job_Accom.htm
Abstract: This teleconference will provide an update from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on the most common Americans with Disabilities Act questions being asked by employers. The speakers will also provide legal and practical answers to participants’ pre-submitted questions. Medical exams/inquiries, safety, direct threat, and other tough accommodation issues will be addressed. Presenters will include Sharon Rennert, Attorney Advisor, EEOC; and Linda Batiste, JAN Consultant. Registration is required and a registration fee does apply. Sponsored by JAN.

AAMR Annual Meeting
2006 Annual Meeting
Date: May 2-5, 2006
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Abstract: AAMR in conjunction with Region X and its Network partners (IASSID, WHO/PAHO, INCLUSION INTERNATIONAL…) are proud to announce the International Alliance for Social Inclusion Summit that is scheduled for May 2-5, 2006!
Visit:http://www.aamrqc.org/cgi-cs/cs.waframe.index?lang=2

International Alliance for Social Inclusion Summit
Dates: May 2-6, 2006
Location: Fairmount Queen Elizabeth Hotel Montreal, Quebec Canada
Sponsor: Quebec Chapter of the American Association of Mental Retardation (AAMR)
Contact: International Summit for an Alliance for Social Inclusion
8000 Notre-Dame St.
Lachine, (Quebec) Canada H8R 1H2
(514) 364-2285
(514) 363-5855 (Fax)
www.aamr.org/Reading_Room/pdf/Summit06.pdf
Abstract: This summit is for people intereseted in research projects or activities on self-determination, quality of life, school and social inclusion, barriers to community living, policies and service delivery, sports and leisure, health, technologies, sustainable urban development, spirituality, education and training, rights and ethics.

Pass It On: National Conference on Reuse of Assistive Technology
Conference
Date: May 8, 2006 – May 10, 2006
Location: Atlanta, GA
http://www.dtiassociates.com/passiton/
Abstract: Through presentations from state-of-the-art reuse programs and small group discussions, participants in this conference will: hear from some of America’s most successful assistive technology (AT) reuse programs about how to build, sustain, and improve local device reuse programs; find out how states can network local AT reuse programs and create partnerships to get more AT into the hands of consumers; and be a part of building a national community of device reuse programs.

People on the Move: Using All Transportation Options
(ADA and Beyond…)
Date: May 8-9, 2006
Location: Alexandria, Va.
Abstract: People on the Move is a two-day “train the trainer” initiative to increase accessible transportation in local communities. Travel trainers, transportation providers, ADA transportation coordinators, eligibility determination professionals, teachers and teaching assistants, transition facilitators, rehabilitation counselors, and human service agency staff are encouraged to attend. The training is free, but participation is on a first come, first-served basis, and an application with a refundable deposit is required. Sponsored by Easter Seals Project Action.
Contact: Stan Tibbs, Email: stibbs@easterseals.com, Phone: 202-347-3066, toll free 1-800-659-6428

Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University
Workshops
Dates:May 8-11, 2006
Location: Boston University Corporate Education Center, Tyngsboro, MA.
Abstract: Transition Age Youth with Psychiatric Disabilities
Photovoice: A Tool for Program Evaluation
Job Retention for Consumers with Psychiatric Disabilities
For More Information: http://www.bu.edu/cpr/workshops/index.html

Funding the Transition to Meaningful Adult Roles
Webcast
Date: May 9, 2006 – 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM (Eastern)
Website:http://www.worksupport.com/training/webcastSeries.cfm#w4
Abstract: This Webcast will cover the financial planning—including budgeting and funding strategies for the budget—that allows a person with a severe disability to live a full, integrated life in the community. In so doing, the person can continue to be eligible for the benefit streams to which he/she is entitled, while working full time with benefits and living independently. Registration is required and a registration fee applies. Sponsored by T-TAP and Worksupport.com.

The Learning Disabilities Association of Nova Scotia presents: The Nova Scotia Conference on Learning Disabilities
Date: May 12 and 13, 2006
Location: World Trade and Convention Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Abstract: The Learning Disabilities Association of Nova Scotia (LDANS) is a non-profit association offering advocacy, support, and referral services to children, parents, professionals and others dealing with learning disabilities.
Contact: Susan Clarke, 423-2850, sclarke.ldans@ns.sympatico.ca, website: http://ldans.nsnet.org/NovaScotiaLDConference2006_.pdf

16th Annual Voice Conference: Wave of the Future
Date: May 13, 2006
Location: VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children Wave of the Future University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, CANADA
Abstract: Exploring state of the art advancements in technology and research benefiting children with hearing loss.
Contact information: Tel.: 416-487-7719 Email:info@voicefordeafkids.co

Bridging Cultures
Web-based Event
Date: May 17, 2006
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM (Pacific)
http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/wested/view/e/884
Participants in this free interactive event offered by WestEd’s SchoolsMovingUp initiative will learn about the differences between more collaborative and individualistic cultures, and how some of those differences can surface in school settings. Noelle Caskey, Senior Research Associate at WestEd, will lead participants in an exploration of alternative ways of understanding the values and behavior of children and families from non-mainstream cultures that are collaboratively oriented. Participation is free, but registration is required.

World of Possibilities Disabilities Expo
Date: May 19-21, 2006
Location: Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD
Abstract: WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES Disabilities Expos are dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with disabilities, their families and caregivers, as well as health care and education professionals.
Each Expo will provide an opportunity for thousands of attendees to explore a vast array of products and services such as: assistive and adaptive technology, durable medical equipment, computer software, mobility products, living aids and more all conveniently displayed to see, touch, and compare in a “one-stop shopping” experience. This will give individuals who do not typically have easy access to comparison shopping a hands-on opportunity to try devices and speak directly to equipment representatives about the products, services and resources.
Contact: Caring Communities, Inc.
1015 Gleneagle Court
Eldersburg, Maryland 21784
Website:http://expo.caringcommunities.org/

From Science to Public Policy: 2006 APA Annual Meeting
Date: May 20-25, 2006
Location: Toronto, Canada
Hosted by: the American Psychiatric Association.
Find out more at:www.psych.org/edu/ann_mtgs/am/06/index.cfm

Dropout Prevention and Youth with Disabilities: What the Research Says Really Works!
Web-based Event
May 25, 2006
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (Eastern)
http://tinyurl.com/q9vvr
What works in dropout prevention for youth with disabilities? In this National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities Web seminar, Dr. Brian Cobb will describe instructional interventions that help prevent youth with disabilities from dropping out or engaging in activities that correlate highly with dropping out, based on his thorough review of scientifically-based dropout prevention research from the past 20 years. Representatives of state education agencies, school-based leadership teams, general and special education teachers, district and building level leadership, parent leaders, and policymakers are invited to participate. Registration is required; no registration fee for the first 100 registrants.

HYDROCEPHALUS CONFERENCE
“Unity and Diversity: Learning from one Another”
Date: May 26-29, 2006
Location: Hyatt Regency Baltimore, MD
Abstract: The goal of the three-day conference is to give individuals, families and professionals the tools they need to address the medical, educational and social challenges presented by hydrocephalus. A variety of lectures and workshops will cover all the different aspects of living with hydrocephalus, for all age groups.
Contact: Event Contact Phone: 415-732-7040,
Website:http://www.hydroassoc.org/events/events.htm

Bridges to Employment Conference: National Forum on Employment and Latinos with Disabilities
Conference
May 31, 2006 – June 2, 2006
San Antonio, TX
http://www.proyectovision.net/english/bridges/
Each year recruiters, vocational experts, and job seekers from around the country convene at this conference to participate in trainings and exchanges on occupational issues, and to collaborate to increase job opportunities for Latinos with disabilities. Sponsored by Proyecto Visión.

NHS 2006: Beyond newborn hearing screening: Infant and childhood hearing in science and clinical practice
Date: May 31st – June 3rd, 2006
Location: Villa Erba, Cernobbio, on the Como Lake
Abstract: In 2006, on May 31st – June 3rd, colleagues and friends from all over the world will meet once again in Italy (at Villa Erba, Cernobbio, on the Como Lake) to discuss and share ideas, models and results on the most recent research in hearing screening, audiologic and medical diagnosis, intervention for infants and children with hearing loss, as well as models for hearing surveillance and outcomes for infants and children identified early. Both basic scientific advances and clinical studies will be presented.

The conference will include keynote addresses by distinguished scientists and clinicians as well as round tables and platform and poster presentations by colleagues from throughout the world, in a truly international framework. Scientific sessions will be complemented by a comprehensive Exhibition. Ample time will be allowed for all attendees to visit the exhibits and speak with exhibit representatives. The program schedule is arranged to maximize contact among participants.
Contact: NHS2006 Secretariat
              Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32
              20133 Milan – Italy
              Ph: +39.02.23993345
Fax: +39.02.23993367
Email: nhs@polimi.it
Website: http://nhs2006.isib.cnr.it/wording.php

June, 2006

U.S. Department of Education Teacher-to-Teacher Workshop
Workshop
June 5, 2006 – June 6, 2006
Denver, CO
http://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/Schedule.asp
The Denver Teacher-to-Teacher workshop will offer sessions for teachers of grades 6-12 in all subject areas. Some of America’s best teachers will share classroom strategies that have been effective in their programs and schools. Attendees may be able to earn professional development credit through their district or state.

Texas Center for Service-Learning Summer Institute
Sponsor: Texas Center for Service-Learning
Date: June 6th, 7th, 8th, 2006
Location: Marriott at the Capitol,
              701 E. 11th St.
              Austin, Tx. 78701
Contact: Texas Center for Service-Learning
             1106 Clayton Ln
             Suite 420E
             Austin, Tx. 78723
Telephone: (512) 420-0214
Website:www.txcsl.org
Abstract: Educators, students, and community members will gather in the heart of Texas to learn more about this teaching methodology which encourages student leadership, character development,career skills and self-esteem. As one student reflected: “I learned a great deal about myself [through service-learning] but one of the most significant things is that I can make a difference in others’ lives.”

Accelerated Learning: Shaping Public Policy to Serve Underrepresented Youth
Forum
June 8, 2006 – June 9, 2006
Atlanta, GA
http://tinyurl.com/mmv9m
Attendees at this national policy forum, sponsored by Jobs for the Future and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, will include state policy leaders, school developers, and national policy organizations interested in policies and practices that can promote dual enrollment, AP, IB, and early college high school options as strategies for increasing postsecondary access and success for underrepresented youth.

Leadership Enrichment Adventure Program (LEAP)
Date: June 20 – 23, 2006
Location: AG Bell Leadership Enrichment Adventure Program (LEAP)
Rochester, NY
Abstract: Undergraduate and graduate students, mark your calendar for the AG Bell Leadership Enrichment Adventure Program (LEAP) hosted and sponsored by the Rochester Institute of Technology National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). Designed specifically for college students with hearing loss who use spoken language to communicate, LEAP is a unique leadership workshop geared toward helping young adults develop skills in leadership, teamwork, conflict resolution and problem solving.
Contact: Greg Zick at support@agbell.org

International Conference on Technology & Disability: Research, Design, Practice (RESNA 2006)
Date: June 22-26, 2006
Location: Atlanta, GA
Hosted by: the Rehabilitation Engineering And Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA).
Find out more at: www.resna.org/

Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education
Institute
June 22, 2006 – June 23, 2006
Wakefield, MA
http://www.cast.org/pd/institute/
All postsecondary educators are invited to attend this Institute, in which participants will learn to improve the participation, retention, and persistence of postsecondary learners using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and digital media. Participants will learn to apply UDL to course planning, course delivery, and student support to increase the impact of instruction, and will explore practical examples of strategies (syllabus development, instructor notes, assessment, etc.) and universally-designed learning supports (digital curriculum resources).

AG Bell 2006 Convention
Date: June 23 – June 27, 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, Penn.
Information and details to be available in early 2006
Abstract: Join the AG Bell and more than 2,200 attendees at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center – the world’s first “Green” or environmentally friendly convention center. Convention registration begins February 1, 2006. Look for the registration brochure in the 2006 January/February issue of Volta Voices or plan to register online. The 2006 Convention will be headquartered at the Westin Convention Center with additional rooms available at the historic Omni William Penn and at the Ramada Plaza Suites. You will be able to make reservations beginning February 1, 2006.

National Perspectives in Transition Planning

June 26, 2006 – June 30, 2006
Workshop/Graduate Course
West Chester, PA
http://tinyurl.com/l79sj
National, state, and local experts in transition will share current and best practices in transition throughout this weeklong workshop/graduate course. Topics will include transition-related legislation, assessment and self-determination, transition to postsecondary education, transition planning within the Individualized Education Program, and family partnerships in transition planning and instruction. $495 for entire workshop; registration for individual days is available

Assessments that Improve Instruction: A Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Approach
Institute
June 26, 2006 – June 27, 2006
Wakefield, MA
http://www.cast.org/pd/institute/
All preK-12 educators are invited to attend this Institute, in which participants will learn to apply the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to develop flexible assessment strategies and skills to support the learning needs of diverse students. In a UDL curriculum, instruction and evaluation ask that students demonstrate skills and concepts as they are learning them, in ways that best suit their abilities and styles. This enables teachers to modify instruction and help students improve their understanding.

Employment for All: Start a Revolution: The 17th Annual APSE Conference
Conference
June 28, 2006 – June 30, 2006
Boston, MA
http://www.apse2006.org/
This conference is the only national annual meeting that focuses exclusively on cutting-edge employment practices for individuals with severe disabilities. Sessions will be organized around eight theme tracks: best practices, family and consumer issues, job development, placement support, program management, public and economic policy trends, research to practice, and school to career transition. Sponsored by APSE: The Network on Employment (formerly the Association for Persons in Supported Employment).

NAMI 2006 Convention Changing Minds. Changing Lives. Keeping the Promise!
Date: June 28- July 2, 2006
Location: Washington Hilton & Towers, Washington D.C.
Abstract: Three-hour sessions will be followed by hour-long discussion groups with members of the audience for a truly interactive and productive exploration and analysis of the issues. Topics are: eliminating disparities in mental health care; fighting stigma; young adult mental health issues; issues for children and adolescents; decriminalizing mental illness; Medicaid reform; housing; employment; and transforming the mental health workforce.
Register online at:http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=register

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Acknowledgements

Portions of this month’s e-journal were excerpted from:

Committee on Education and the Workforce
FirstGov.gov-The Official U.S. Government Web Portal
National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, an electronic newsletter of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), available online at www.ncset.org/enews. NCSET is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
National Institute of Health
National Organization on Disability
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Education-The Achiever
U.S. Department of Education-The Education Innovator
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Office of Special Education
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Wrightslaw.com

The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) thanks all of the above for the information provided for this month’s e-Journal

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