Dr. Melvin D. Levine, a widely known pediatrician who championed learning differences among children, died 17 February 2011 in Rougemont (NC, US) at age 71 years. Dr. Levine developed an extensive following for his views about atypical learning through his writing and lecturing while he practiced at Children’s Hospital in Boston (MA, US) and the Center for Development and Learning and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill (NC, US).
Continue reading ‘Melvin D. Levine, 1940-2011′
Archive for the 'The Press' Category
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The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) announced a two-pronged effort to promote research about multisensory structured-language reading instruction. In one part of the effort, IDA seeks to raise funds from corporations, organizations, and interested individuals in support of research efforts; essentially, it seems, IDA is creating a fund that will be used to support research activities. In the other part of the effort, and a slightly surprisingly candid one, IDA is expressly calling for tests of whether multisensory structured-language reading instruction is as effective as its supporters presume that it is.
Continue reading ‘IDA funding research projects’
The demand for special educators routinely exceeds supply. Prior to 2006, the National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education & Related Services reported that there were considerable shortages in the high-incidence areas of Learning Disabilities, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, and Multicategorical Special Education. According to US government sources, this continues to be the case, so those who are preparing to teach in special education should have little trouble finding employment.
Continue reading ‘Outlook for special ed teachers’
The US Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services posted its official recognition of the 35th anniversary of the adoption of the signing of the landmark legislation, of Public Law 94-142, then called the “Education of All Handicapped Children Act,” but which we know now as the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” or simply “IDEA.” Interested readers can review OSERS’ tribute to this remarkable legislation by reviewing the Web site dedicated to it anniversary, “The IDEA 35th Anniversary.”
Using the pending Thanksgiving holiday as an opportunity to comment on family relations, writer Daphne Beal contributed an article about her relationship with her sister Cecily, who has developmental disabilities, to the US National Public Radio program Morning Edition series called “Sibling Stories.”
I’ve almost made peace with the fact that we aren’t hauling our kids down to my parents in Florida for Thanksgiving.
Actually, it’s my sister Cecily I feel bad about. She’s the one I don’t keep in touch with enough. She’s 39, and — deep breath — “developmentally disabled and legally blind.” Those jargon-y words give only the barest outline of her experience of navigating the world. And my family’s experience, too.
Continue reading ‘Whose life is it?’
For those who haven’t done so already, it’s still a great time to take a look at the Web site celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Update: From perusing C. Samuels’ On Special Ed, I see I was pretty slow in noting this. She posted about it 8 November.
Special education takes a lot of lumps as a dumping ground, a backwater, a path to dashed hopes, and on and on. Thanks to Amy Corbett Storch over on The Stir, it’s clear that special ed isn’t so bad. In “Why We’re Not Afraid of Special Education,” Ms. Storch explains why she wasn’t fazed by allowing her son to be identified as having a disability and receiving special education. Here’s her lead:
When we first told some of our family members that we decided to seek support and services for our child through the school district’s special education program (and later, after he actually qualified for the special education program), they were shocked. Shocked that Noah — sweet, smart, sociable little Noah with all his invisible labels — qualified in the first place, and that we would actually willingly send our child to public school special ed.
Continue reading ‘Maybe special ed isn’t as bad as it’s cracked up to be?’
Kimberly L. Bright, associate professor of special education at Shippensburg University, died the 30 June 2010 in Harrisburg (PA, US).
Born 26 June 1957, she held degrees from several institutions of higher education. She received a bachelor’s degree from Millersville University, a master’s degree from Shippensburg University, and a doctoral degree from the Pennsylvania State University.
Prof. Bright began her career as a special education teacher. Later she became the director of special education for a local education agency in Pennsylvania.
Prof. Bright served as treasurer for the Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD), an organization that she had previously served as the student representative, while completing graduate studies. In addition to her contributions to DLD, Prof. Bright also was active in the Pennsylvania chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children.
In addition to teaching courses about students with disabilities and effective teaching procedures, Prof. Bright also supervised many students during their practica. According to her colleague, David Bateman, “she is considered a mentor by many of the areas best teachers.” To review comments by some of those individuals, read the tributes posted on her Facebook page.
Link to the obituary published by Hoover Funeral Homes.
Writing in the New York Times, Sharon Otterman reviews some of the challenges encountered in providing educational services to students with multiple and severe disabilities. In her extended article, Mr. Otterman uses the case of Donovan Forde, a 20-year-old youth who is nearing the end of mandated educational services in the US, to explain how teachers must weigh provision of academic experiences and functional living needs.
And yet, because of his cognitive disabilities brought on by a traumatic brain injury at nearly 6 months old, it is almost impossible to know what he comprehends and retains. After 15 years in the New York City school system, he is less reserved and more social, but otherwise has shown almost no progress, his mother said.
Once predominately isolated in institutions, severely disabled students have been guaranteed a free, appropriate public education like all children since the passage of federal legislation in 1975. In the years since, school districts across the country have struggled to find a balance between instruction in functional skills and academics while providing basic custodial care.
Read to Ms. Ottermn’s article. It would be a worthwhile one for discussion in courses about teaching students with disabilities.
Easter Seals campaigns for early intervention
Easter Seals Ad
Under the headline “Tell President Obama To Help Kids With Disabilities Realize Their Full Potential,” Change.org promoted a petition encouraging support for early intervention for children with disabilities. It’s got to be difficult to sell people on the idea of increasing government expenditures in a time of substantial concern about federal deficits, but the Easter-Seals-sponsored petition is seeking to accomplish just that end. Here’s the pitch.
Continue reading ‘Easter Seals campaigns for early intervention’