PLUK News feed

Parent Surveys from Montana OPI

Each year the Montana Office of Public Instruction distributes a parent survey to a portion of parents of children receiving special education services. Surveys will be sent on May 15, 2008 to the parents of children who attend those districts to be monitored in the 2008-2009 school year. A listing of these schools can be found at www.opi.state.mt.us/PDF/SpecED/mon/SchedulebyYear.pdf

Survey results will be used by the OPI to identify state and district needs relative to parent involvement in their child's education and based on identified needs the OPI will provide technical assistance, training and support in collaboration with PLUK and other resources to assist parents and schools. Survey results will be returned to the districts involved, so long as more than 10 surveys are returned for the district. Survey results will be available to the public in a manner that ensures information is not personally identifiable.
If you have questions regarding the parent surveys, please contact Doug Doty at 444-0907 or ddoty@mt.gov.

Doug Doty, Monitoring Specialist
Division of Special Education
Montana Office of Public Instruction
406-444-0907 fax 406-444-3924
www.opi.mt.gov/speced

NASDSE archive: Moving from High School to Post-School Opportunities

Download 08MayNASDSE.pdf
"Moving from High School to Post-School Opportunities: Transition Components and Strategies for High School Redesign" will remain online throughout this year and can only be accessed using the link, username and password provided on the technical information sheet above.

NJ.com: How to advocate for your learning disabled child

Link: NJ.com
When our daughter's kindergarten teacher suggested that Allison be tested for ADHD I felt a burst of panic in my chest.
I barely knew what the initials stood for (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). And the thought of taking her to a pediatric neurologist, who makes the diagnosis, was terrifying.

HBO Documentary: Hear and Now

Link: HBO
A deeply personal memoir by Emmy® winner Irene Taylor Brodsky, HEAR AND NOW chronicles her deaf parents' decision to undergo risky cochlear implant surgery, following their touching journey from a comfortable marriage of silence into a new, complex and challenging world of sound. Winner of an Audience Award at last year's Sundance Film Festival. Premieres Thursday, May 8 at 8:00pm ET/PT.

FIRST YEARS: Certificate in Auditory Learning for Young Children with Hearing Loss

Link: FIRST YEARS
Welcome to the FIRST YEARS Certificate in Auditory Learning for Young Children with Hearing Loss -- a new certificate program committed to enhancing the knowledge and skills of professionals practicing in the fields of deaf education, speech-language pathology, audiology, and early intervention. FIRST YEARS, a collaboration between the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, uses distance education technology to bring school to you -- any time, any place.

George H. Nofer Scholarship for graduate students with a moderate to profound hearing loss

Link: George H. Nofer Scholarship
The George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law and Public Policy is for full-time graduate students with a moderate to profound hearing loss who are attending accredited law school or a masters or doctoral program in public policy or public administration.

The George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law and Public Policy was established to recognize George H. Nofer’s service and generosity to the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) and to the fields of law and deafness research and education. Mr. Nofer, a retired partner of the law firm of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP in Philadelphia, is a former member of the AG Bell board of directors. He is a co-trustee of the Oberkotter Foundation and served for more than 15 years as its Executive Director.

iTransition: online curriculum for students who are deaf or hard of hearing

Link: iTransition
iTransition is a free, online transition curriculum to help students who are deaf or hard of hearing prepare for life after high school. There are four separate trainings with activities to help students learn about themselves, their career goals, and the skills they need to be successful in the future.

CAST: Accessible Instructional Materials and the IEP

Link: NIMAS & CAST
On July 19, 2006, the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) was published in the Federal Register at the Library of Congress by the U. S. Office of Special Education (OSEP). With this official posting of the NIMAS, accessible instructional materials have become part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA).
"The purpose of the NIMAS is to help increase the availability and timely delivery of print instructional materials in accessible formats to blind or other persons with print disabilities in elementary schools and secondary schools" (34 CFR Part 300, National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard; Final Rule, FR Doc. 06–6340 Filed 7-18-06).
What this means for students, and, in this context, for those who are involved in the provision of IEPs for students, is that, effective July 19, 2006, publishers and other producers of print-based instructional materials will be asked to provide those materials in alternate formats if necessary to meet the needs of individual students. Publishers, for example, will create NIMAS-conformant files of their educational content and deliver those files to the NIMAC, a national file repository. They will then be downloaded and transformed by authorized users into student-ready versions and delivered to students via their school or teacher, etc.

Intervention Central: Behavior Resources

Link: interventioncentral.org
Intervention Central offers free tools and resources to help school staff and parents to promote positive classroom behaviors and foster effective learning for all children and youth.

American Academy of Pediatrics: Build your own Care Notebook

Link: Care Notebook
The Care Notebook has multiple uses. A major role of this notebook is to help parents/caregivers maintain an ongoing record of their child's care, services, providers, and notes. This notebook is a great tool in empowering families to become the experts on their child's care. It is also a way to maintain the lines of communication between the many providers and services that help care for a child and their family.

American Academy of Pediatrics website for Health Promotion

Link: Bright Futures
Bright Futures is a national health promotion and disease prevention initiative that addresses children's health needs in the context of family and community. In addition to use in pediatric practice, many states implement Bright Futures principles, guidelines and tools to strengthen the connections between state and local programs, pediatric primary care, families, and local communities. Whether you are a health care or public health professional, a parent, or a child advocate, Bright Futures offers many different resources for your use in improving and maintaining the health of all children and adolescents.

Rich.com: Perseverance pays off

Link: Rich.com
"A lot of kids with learning disabilities don't think success is theirs to achieve," Beatrice Bell said. Jessie Bell did.
Beatrice Bell thinks her daughter Jessie's story could be anyone's.

LJWorld.com: Parent asks how IEP can cover sports participation

Link: LJWorld.com
Dear Dr. Wes & Julia: My son is 14 and in eighth grade. He has attention-deficit disorder and bipolar disorder. In seventh grade, all he’d do was sit in his room and play video games. He had only one friend. Then along came weight training and a growth spurt. That combination gave him a boost in self-confidence. Then the track coach recruited him, and that gave him an even bigger boost. That was the first sport my son had ever played and he earned a spot on an invitational meet and won a medal. Thanks to that coach he came out of his room and started to enjoy life.

billingsgazette.com: Billings man with MS directs his energies towards a normal life

Link: billingsgazette.com
Adams, who has multiple sclerosis, has to put some extra thought into navigating himself around his house and yard. He has come to realize what most people would consider obstacles in their walking path are his "friends."

billingsgazette.com: Method rounds autism's words into form

Link: billingsgazette.com
Logan Booth was 11 years old when he formed his first word, and he didn't say it. He wrote it.
Logan, 14, has autism and does not talk.
But he can communicate with about a half-dozen people who are close to him by reading their written questions and writing out his answers longhand. He can also hunt-and-peck his responses onto a computer keyboard.
Because a trusted person's hand must be touching Logan's hand for the process to work, the communication technique is controversial. Critics say it isn't Logan who is writing or typing but the person who is touching him.

BillingsGazette.com: Naturopathic Medicine: Depression strikes millions each year in United States

Link: Billings Gazette

Recently published drug industry data suggest that it may be time to re-evaluate the use of some the most popular antidepressant medications: Prozac, Paxil, Effexor and Serzone. According to a controversial study in the journal PLoS Medicine, these selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications may only be slightly more effective than placebo, unless your depression is very severe. In other words, the study found that taking a placebo (i.e. a sugar pill), is nearly as effective as these SSRI medications for most cases of depression.

Depression is by all accounts a major problem in the United States, affecting more than 20 million Americans each year. And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that antidepressants are now the most commonly prescribed medication, more common than medication for high blood pressure, cholesterol or asthma.

BillingsGazette.com: Efforts targeted at MS symptom relief

Link: Billings Gazette

As many people know, multiple sclerosis is a chronic, progressive disease that is poorly understood, even in this modern era of research-driven, big-money medicine.

It is generally accepted that MS involves an abnormal immune response within the central nervous system, leading to symptoms that come and go over time. These include deterioration of muscle strength, coordination and balance, along with pain, changes in vision and alterations of mood and thought. In the United States, about one of every 1,000 people has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Sadly, there is no cure for this disease.

Sun-Sentinel.com: Hollywood's doors opening for actors with disabilities

Link: Sun-Sentinel

NICK DALEY, 28, has Prader-Willi Syndrome, a genetic disorder characterized by short stature, low muscle tone and mild retardation. He's also been in 17 films and 11 television shows, including a guest-starring role in last season's TNT series "Saving Grace."

"If I were a star, I would be on all over the world," he says. "I would be mobbed by fans. People would see my name and get my autograph."

RTI Website Up! RTINetwork.org

Link: RTINetwork.org

The RTI Action Network has launched its Web site, RTINetwork.org. This site features informational resources as well as opportunities to interact with top researchers, experienced implementers, and colleagues. Content addresses implementation of RTI from preschool to secondary, with information for administrators, teachers, specialists, and families.

Post-Gazette.com: Uncommonly typical: 12-year old earns national honor for use of technology

Link: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

According to his mother, Mark Steidl, 12, is a pretty typical kid.

He loves music and being outside with friends near his Highland Park home. Mark is an honor student at his Overbrook school who taught himself to read at age 4 and has composed music.

Typical? How about extraordinary?

Mark has cerebral palsy, which robs him of the physical ability to sing or hold a musical instrument.

ConnectionNewspapers.com: Overcoming Autism - A local high school student succeeds with lots of help from parents and teachers

Link: Arlington Connection

DANIEL STARR runs swiftly up the stairs and comes back down with a menagerie of miniature ships, trains and airplanes, thousands of them, each meticulously crafted out of modeling clay.

A junior at Yorktown High School, Daniel made each of the figurines by hand and the amount of time he spent on them is readily apparent; many of the ships feature detailed international flags no larger than a quarter of an inch.

SeattlePi.com: What do you know about autism?

Link: Seattle PI

Autism has become somewhat of an epidemic in America in recent years, and there is a lot of new research going on in the field. But a lot is still unknown about this disorder, which affects children as early as infancy. So, we'll test your knowledge and even learn a few more things about autism.

Examiner.com: Blazing new trail

Link: Examiner

BALTIMORE -

Atholton senior and wheelchair athlete Tatyana McFadden has won races against some of the best competition in the world, but her most recent victory came away from the track.

McFadden’s testimony in front of the General Assembly was pivotal in it unanimously passing a bill that requires schools to provide disabled students with access to high school sports teams, either among themselves or with able-bodied students.

Career Planning Begins with Assessment: A Guide for Professionals Serving Youth with Educational and Career Development Challenges

Link: NCWD-Youth

Introduction

To successfully make the transition from school to adult life and the world of work, adolescents and young adults need guidance and encouragement from caring, supportive adults. The best decisions and choices made by transitioning youth are based on sound information including appropriate assessments that focus on the talents, knowledge, skills, interests, values, and aptitudes of each individual. This guide serves as a resource for multiple audiences within the workforce development system. Youth service practitioners will find information on selecting career-related assessments, determining when to refer youth for additional assessment, and additional issues such as accommodations, legal issues, and ethical considerations. Administrators and policymakers will find information on developing practical and effective policies, collaboration among programs, and interagency assessment systems.

WSJ.com: Bill Advances to Suspen Medicaid Cost-Shift Rules

Link: The Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON -- Legislation to block Medicaid rules that states said would shift billions of dollars of costs to them began a move through the House.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee's health panel Wednesday unanimously passed the bill, which would put a moratorium on seven rules that, among other things, would end federal payments for physician training and transportation of Medicaid-eligible children to school. Congress put some of the rules on hold last year; that moratorium expires June 30. The new legislation would hold the rules in abeyance until April 1, 2009, when there will be a new president.

Missoulian.com: State may build juvenile psychiatric hospital

Link: The Missoulian

HELENA - State officials are mulling the possibility of building a juvenile state psychiatric hospital as a way to bring home the more than 180 Montana children currently scattered across the country in out-of-state mental hospitals.

“It might be better for kids and taxpayers” to bring those kids home, said Sen. Jim Shockley, R-Victor.

Wrightslaw.com: Legal Requirements of IEPs

Link: IEP

If you are like many parents, when you receive a notice about an IEP meeting for your child, you feel anxious. During IEP meetings, you may feel confused, overwhelmed and anxious. The best antidote to negative emotions is accurate, reliable information.

Because parents are not professional educators, many don't realize that they have a unique role to play in the IEP process. What is your role? As the parent, you are the expert on your child. That is why you are a member of your child's IEP team.

What can you do to feel more confident in IEP meetings? You can let Pete & Pam Wright teach you about the legal requirements of IEPs.

AGBell.org: 2008 Arts & Sciences Financial Award Program

Link: Award Program

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) offers Arts and Science Financial Aid Awards to students, ages 6 to 19, to participate in after school, weekend or summer programs focused on developing skills in the arts or sciences. Programs can be sponsored by museums, nature centers, art or music centers, zoological parks, space and science camps, dance and theater workshops or any other program with a focus on the arts or sciences.

Awards cannot be used for programs that offer academic credit, travel or study abroad, recreational summer camps, sports camps or sports, including figure skating or gymnastics.

AGBell.org: Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Act of 2007

Link: EHDI 2007

Originally enacted in 2000, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Act provides funding for early hearing detection and intervention programs nationwide. The U.S. Congress is currently considering reauthorization of this landmark legislation. On Tuesday, April 8, the EHDI Act of 2007 passed the House of Representatives and now moves to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for consideration. AG Bell would like to thank all those members of the House of Representatives that supported and championed the EHDI Act of 2007.

New Book: Friends Like You

Link: Clarke School

"Friends, Like You" introduces Molly and Max, two children with hearing loss, with an emphasis on who they are as children first – their interests, talents and their dreams for the future. Then, readers begin to learn about the special devices and communication strategies that help Molly and Max at home and at school. Listening can be hard work and misunderstandings happen sometimes, but they don’t let their hearing loss stop them from making friends and having fun!

Gov't Seeks Help With Vaccine Questions

Link: Vaccine Questions
By LAURAN NEERGAARD – Apr 11, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government began an unprecedented effort Friday to give vaccine critics a say in shaping how the nation researches safety questions surrounding immunizations.
The meeting, the first of more to be set, came amid new controversy about vaccines and autism — and a fledgling theory that vaccinations might worsen a rare condition called mitochondrial dysfunction that in turn triggers certain forms of autism.
Federal health officials said the work, being planned for two years, wasn't in response to that controversy, and encompasses many more questions than autism — from rare side effects of the new shingles vaccine to how to predict who's at risk for encephalopathy sometimes triggered by other inoculations.

Jessica Kingsley Publishing

Link: JKP.com

Jessica Kingsley Publishers is a wholly independent company, committed to publishing books that make a difference.

The company was founded in 1987 by Jessica Kingsley and has grown since then to the point where we now publish around 150 books a year, which are available throughout the world. In 2004 we opened our US office, in Philadelphia.

We publish books for professional and general readers in a range of subjects. We are well known for our long established lists on the autism spectrum, on social work, and on the arts therapies. More recently we have published extensively in the fields of mental health, counselling, palliative care, and practical theology.

Rural Institute Transition Projects E-News

Download Partner_vol5_iss4.pdf
A Quarterly Newsletter Produced by the Rural Institute Transition Projects
In This Issue:
● Independent Living Centers: A “Value Added” Community Resource for Students in Transition
● Emerging Leader Perspective: Independent Living and an Emerging Generation

Nurse.com: Project School Care Teaches Special-Needs Skills

Link: Nurse.com

Kerry Zebold, MS, APN, a founder of Project School Care (PSC) at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, says special-needs children commonly show up at schools without any previous notice to the school nurse, who must provide care for them.

"School nurses step up to the plate and do it," says Zebold. "They have to be experts on everything, and we want to help them with that."

Bills Introduced to Congress Will Provide for Disabilty Savings Accounts & Financial Security Accounts for the Care of Family Members with Disabilities

Link: New Legislation

On March 11, 2008 legislation was introduced into Congress by Senator Dodd (D-CT) and Senators Casey (D-PA) and Hatch (R-UT), which would allow for the creation of disability savings accounts and financial security accounts by family members of individuals with disabilities. These bills would serve to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Senator Dodd's bill is the Disability Savings Act of 2008, S.2741, which would provide for the creation of disability savings accounts, that are exempt from taxation under $250,000. The purpose of this bill is to encourage individuals with disabilities and their families to save private funds to support and assist them in maintaining their health, independence, and quality of life. It would also serve to provide secure funding for disability-related expenses to supplement benefits that are already provided through private insurance and Medicaid.

The Financial Security Accounts for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2008, was introduced by Senator Casey, on behalf of himself and Senator Hatch. It would serve much the same purpose of the Disability Savings Account Act of 2008, however this bill specifically provides for the creation of financial security accounts. These accounts would be exclusively for the purpose of paying qualified disability expenses of an individual who is disabled and who is the designated beneficiary of the account. These accounts would also be exempt from taxation.

Legislation along these same lines has already been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Crenshaw (R-FL) in May 2007. It is called the Financial Security Accounts for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2007, H.R.2370, and provides for the creation of the same types of acounts noted in Casey/Hatch bill.

All of this legislation serves to further the idea that individuals with disabilities are a major part of American society, and deserve the right to live independently, to fully participate in their communities, and to exert control and choice over their own lives. These bills encourage all of these ideals, and also take into account the fact that individuals with disabilities incur significant additional costs for services necessary for their care and to maintain their independence.

CSIndy.com: My crazy brother

Link: CSIndy.com
Suicide can happen in any family, especially in the West
I used to get mad at my brother for being crazy.
Because some of the time, he wasn't crazy. Or he didn't act crazy. In those good spells, he could be the together older brother, a guy who was good with tools, had a precise pool shot and a talent for massaging brown clay into sculptures of beautiful women. He could take apart the engine of a car or motorcycle, lay out the pieces in neatly labeled envelopes, fix what was broken and put it all back together so it worked. He could talk physics and chemistry and make a good spaghetti. He could see into people and make perceptive remarks.
Most of the time, though, he could barely function. He would hang from a cigarette as if it alone sustained him, and pace back and forth because he couldn't be still and couldn't figure out where to go. He would stare at people and things too long and not answer when spoken to.

Together RX Access Card

Link: Together RX Access

* A FREE prescription savings program for eligible individuals and families who lack prescription drug coverage and are not eligible for Medicare.
* Most cardholders save 25%-40% on brand-name prescription products.
* Over 300 brand-name medicines and products.
* Medicines for allergies, asthma, depression, diabetes, ADHD, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and many other conditions are included.
* Instant savings, right at the pharmacy counter
* Savings on a wide range of generic drugs as well

ScienceDaily.com: Rise In Autism Is Related To Changes In Diagnosis, New Study Suggests

Link: Science Daily

ScienceDaily (Apr. 9, 2008) — New research suggests that many children diagnosed with severe language disorders in the 1980s and 1990s would today be diagnosed as having autism. The research supports the theory that the rise in the number of cases of autism may be related to changes in how it is diagnosed.

SeattlePi.com: Hip T-shirts let you wear disease on a sleeve and raise awareness

Link: Seattle PI

Lee Fine found a way to make his disease into a fashion statement.

Nine years ago, Fine learned he had type 1 diabetes, his first brush with anything more serious than a cold, and the former high school swimming star was stunned by his own ignorance. He didn't know what diabetes was, let alone how to treat his type.

LOFT Leadership program for teens - June 24-27 - Milwaukee, WI

Link: LOFT

Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT)
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
June 24 – 27th, 2008
Milwaukee, WI - Prior to the AG Bell Convention

Deadline for applications is April 15, 2008 and notification of acceptance will be by April 30, 2008.

Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) is a three-day program for teens, ages 15-18 who are interested in becoming more involved in their surroundings as leaders/role models. Skills learned from several types of activities will help participants deal with situations in school, work, or play. Highlights include (1) individual goal setting, (2) team activities and games, (3) communication and advocacy exercises, and (4) group outings. At the end of the program, the group as a whole will have the responsibility of preparing and presenting a skit to the AG Bell Convention during the general opening session.

Expected outcomes for LOFT include:

* Establishment of life time friendships with other individuals similar to themselves,
* Self esteem to get up in front of a group and talk and/or perform and to advocate for their needs.
* The confidence and ability to take an active role as leaders in the mainstream.

LOFT has space for a maximum of 20 teens and an application is required. There is a $275 tuition fee. Airfare and lodging is not included. Each teen will be sharing a hotel room with another participant and the cost for each is expected to be approximately $70 per night. Participants will also be expected to cover dinner and entertainment for one evening when the group goes out for a special activity.

Scholarships for tuition fee may be available for certain candidates.

Dealing with disorder: Limited resources leave many families fending for themselves

In hindsight, all the symptoms stick out like red flags.

Old video footage of Isaac Dahlberg at 22 months shows him piling toys or arranging them in a straight line. He would barely look his parents in the eyes then, even when they spoke to him nose-to-nose. Getting Isaac to respond to questions was like pulling teeth - it still can be.

Maybe Isaac's toys aren't appropriate for toddlers his age, thought his mom, Denise Dahlberg. Maybe boys' communication skills don't develop as quickly as girls'. Dahlberg could always justify the actions of her first-born son.