SpedPro

Project Forum on LD

By JohnL on Aug. 6, 2008.

Over on LD Blog, I announced a new publication from Project Forum. The document examines the history of eligibility for special education of students identified as having Learning Disabilities and how US states are changing their eligibility procedures. Jump to the post on LD Blog.

RtI Poll on LDBlog

By JohnL on Aug. 5, 2008.

The second in a series of polls about readers’ views on response to instruction (or intervention; RtI) is now live on LD Blog. Jump directly to the post containing the poll.

Swimming upstream

By JohnL on Jun. 18, 2008.

In “A Disabled Swimmer’s Dream, a Mother’s Fight,” Alan Schwarz of the New York Times reported about an athlete who has disabilities, Kendall Bailey, is qualified to swim in Paralympic events.

As Kendall Bailey swims, his praying-mantis limbs flapping him forward, something about the water disguises his many maladies: cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism and more. Only in a swimming pool do they dissolve and allow his troubled body and mind to be all but normal. He is happy, safe and possibly the fastest disabled breaststroker in the world.

The issue apparently is whether Mr. Bailey’s is eligible because of his cerebral palsy or ineligible because of his intellectual disabilities. Read Mr. Schwarz’s extended article for additional discussion.

Bogus bowling

By JohnL on Jun. 10, 2008.

Over on Teach Effectively, Bogus Bowl III is about to close and Bogus Bowl IV is about to open. Click here to vote in (or see the results of) BB III; voting is open until about 5:00 AM (US East Coast) 11 June. The new poll will appear in a post 11 June just after BB III closes.

Update: Here’s the link for the new BB.

International Child and Adolescent Conference

By JohnL on May. 23, 2008.

International Child & Adolescent Conference Opportunities
November 6-8, 2008
Minneapolis, MN

Breakout Session Proposals & Scholarship Applications Invited
Colleagues and Friends:

The Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents and co-sponsors, the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), are pleased to present the biennial International Child and Adolescent Conference XIV on November 6-8, 2008 at the Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport-Mall of America Hotel.
The conference, began in 1982, is a transdisciplinary forum for individuals from education, mental health, juvenile justice and related fields along with families to share information on effective interventions and programs for troubled youth.

The theme for the 2008 conference is Decoding RTI-PBS-EBD to Improve Learning and Social Outcomes for Students. This event will feature keynote addresses, in-depth workshops and topical strands. This year’s event will highlight literacy and social competency. We are seeking proposals for a wide variety of presentations surrounding this theme from practitioners, administrators, researchers, trainers, advocates, parents, students and others who work in or with education, mental health, juvenile justice or related fields. You are invited to submit a proposal and participate in the program. All proposals must be submitted on line at our website, www.behavioralinstitute.org . Click the conference logo on the home page, then the call for proposals link and complete the requested information. The deadline is July 15, 2008. Note: all program participants are required to register for the conference. The registration form and featured speakers will be posted soon.

The Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents is also pleased to announce the call for applicants for the Institute’s biennial Tara Reilly Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is offered to encourage and assist an individual pursuing a career serving troubled youth. The applicant must have junior/senior or graduate student standing and must be enrolled in an accredited program for the 2008-09 school year in one of the following areas: a) special education; b) juvenile justice; c) mental health; or d) a related field with the intent to work with children and youth with behavioral challenges. The intent of the scholarship program is to encourage and assist persons choosing a career in direct service rather than administration or higher education. Additional information and application are on line at www.behavioralinstitue.org. The deadline is July 15, 2008.

Special education dictionary

By JohnL on May. 16, 2008.

The folks at The IRIS Center, a national center that provides resources for teacher educators concerned with students with disabilities, announced the availability of a dictionary of terms used in special education. It’s online and free!
Read the rest of this entry »

Sprout 2008

By JohnL on Apr. 10, 2008.

Anthony Di Salvo, Executive Director for Sprout, sent this info about the annual festival of film related to the field of developmental disabilities. Others might want to know about it. Please pass the word along to them.

The Sprout Film Festival, showcasing films related to the field of developmental disabilities, will take place in New York City the weekend of May 9 - May 11.

For a complete schedule of films and additional info please visit our festival site at www.sff.gosprout.org.

For those of you outside the New York City area who would like to organize a custom-designed Sprout Film Festival in your town or area, please visit our Touring Festival site: www.stff.gosprout.org.

New Bogus Bowl on TE

By JohnL on Apr. 6, 2008.

I posted a new entry in the series about disingenuous reasons educators use in explaining their practices. This one is predicated on contemporary rejection of testing. Follow this link to cast your vote.

Presidential candidates’ views

By JohnL on Feb. 10, 2008.

Late last week, Christina A. Samuels, the special ed beat writer for Education Week posted an entry on US political candidates’ views about disabilities and education. Writing under the title “Presidential Candidates and Spec Ed,” Ms. Samuels started her post with these words:

They may have other policy differences, but when it comes to special education, Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and Republican John McCain all want the same thing for states–more money.

My colleague Michele McNeil has already written in her lively blog about Clinton’s pledge to “fully-fund” the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

I hope someone is standing up when there are opportunities and asking candidates questions about how US policy on special education will change in the next few years. One of my big fears is that the next round of IDEA will actually see efforts to disenfranchise some students with disabilities. Can we expect any candidate to understand the intricacies of such policies?

Read the entire post here.