The Special Education Blog

Principal Lecturer in Autism and Disability Studies

2007-02-08T02:42:00.000-08:00

Sheffield Hallam University is increasingly recognised as a world-class centre for teaching, learning and research. Business, industry and social leaders across a wide range of sectors have chosen us to develop and deliver courses. As a constantly forward-looking institution, we've invested for success, creating state-of-the-art learning and IT platforms, £multi-million facilities and research centres, and award winning campuses. The Division of Education and Humanities, Faculty of Development & Society, has developed a range of taught provision at undergraduate, masters level, CPD work, research and an information service for those on the autism spectrum, their families and those who work with them in the areas of children's, young people's and adults' services. There is also undergraduate and masters provision targeted at those with a wider interest in disability studies.

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State monitoring Flint special education program

2007-02-06T02:40:00.000-08:00

FLINT - The state wants the Flint School District to mainstream more special education students into regular education classrooms, but some parents are unhappy with how the district is trying to accomplish that. "Last year, it was more or less his whole day was in one class - one special ed class - and he did so much better," Fatima Halford said of her grandson, Shamar Franklin, 8, who has attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Halford was among 30 to 40 parents or guardians of Flint special education students who attended a meeting Tuesday at the Sarvis Center hosted by state Department of Education officials who are investigating the district's special education programs. This year, Shamar, a second-grader at Anderson Elementary School, spends only 20 percent of his time in a special education classroom, his grandmother said.

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Middle-aged mom of four returned to school despite learning ...

2007-02-02T02:38:00.000-08:00

BASS RIVER — The colourful sign hanging just inside the door at the Bass River Community Centre read: Follow the green footprints to find Robin’s reading room. The shoe-shaped pieces of cardboard taped to the floor led people through a crowded room filled with balloons, displays, live music and into an adjoining kitchen where cheerful children were either reading or sneaking cookies from the food table. In the corner, Michelle Snook sat on a set of stairs, quietly reading her own words written on crisp white pieces of paper. "I’m just going over it one last time," the 46-year-old mother of four grown children said, holding the speech she would give to more than 50 people celebrating Family Literacy Day in this rural West Colchester community Saturday.

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A new opening in the fight to beat dyslexia

2007-01-31T02:43:00.000-08:00

For parents, being told a child has dyslexia can be a real shock. But finding out more about the condition is now a lot easier in York, as education reporter Haydn Lewis discovered. DEALING with dyslexia can appear daunting, but that need no longer be the case - thanks to a new lending library in York. June Coates heads the city's dyslexia centre for primary age children, at St Oswald's Primary School, which shares a building with Fulford Library, in Heslington Lane. .

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Yale Child Study Center Receives Over $3.5 Million NIH Grant For ...

2007-01-29T02:41:00.000-08:00

The Yale Child Study Center has received a $3.5 million National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant for an ongoing, multidisciplinary research program on autism and related developmental disorders. The five-year research program focuses on developmental aspects and outcomes for affected patients. The project includes a prospective study on the earliest manifestations of autism in infants at risk for the condition, and funds research on predictors and determinants of subsequent functioning and communication skills. Autism is a developmental disorder that has a profound effect on socialization, communication, learning and other behaviors. In most cases, onset is early in infancy. Information on the earliest development aspects of autism in children has been limited even though three to four of every thousand individuals are affected.

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Aspergers Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon Charm Bracelet

2007-01-23T03:12:00.000-08:00

Public awareness is minimal. Many who have heard of autism have misconceptions about the disorder. The international symbol for autism is a puzzle piece, signifying the mystery of this disorder. This Bracelet Has A Silverplated Finish And Dangling Multicolored Charms Which Include An Enameled Puzzle Pieces Autism Awareness Ribbon, A Puzzle Piece, A Heart, and A Key. It Is 7 Inches Long and Closes With A Lobster Claw Clasp. Your order from this merchant: Silver Insanity...Most orders ship within 24 hours to anywhere in the worldGift Boxing available at CheckoutHas a Satisfaction GuaranteeGiving an item from Silver Insanity as a gift?Include your own personalized message with the order at checkoutNo prices will be shown on the order receipt

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Children With Learning Disabilities Should Be Supported Locally ...

2007-01-21T02:45:00.000-08:00

"Many children are having to leave their families and friends because local services aren't providing the necessary support. Growing up can be difficult for any child, but for those with a learning disability, it can be even more challenging. Children must be given the choice to stay at home, rather than be on their own sometimes hundreds of miles away from relatives. "Our current Life in the Community project is working to enhance opportunities for people with learning disabilities to be included and supported in their local communities and we want to see this approach extended to all corners of the UK." The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities promotes the rights, quality of life and opportunities of people with learning disabilities and their families.

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Patrick Dempsey's Dyslexia Makes Acting More Difficult

2007-01-19T02:50:00.000-08:00

Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey struggles with his script on the hit medical drama because he's dyslexic. The hunky actor, who landed the role of Dr. Derek Shepherd on the show after Rob Lowe was forced to turn it down, admits read through sessions before the cast shoots scenes can be nerve-wracking, especially when he gets his script minutes before. Dempsey hired a private coach to help him with his learning difficulties when he started out as an actor, but even professional help can't aid him on the set of the hit show. He explains, "If I couldn't read a line, I had someone tell it to me. Once I had it, I could run with it. I still do that. What I don't like about 'Grey's Anatomy' is they never give you the script until the last minute. I fight those anxieties every time I sit down for a table read-through." But the actor admits helping his four-year-old daughter Talula read has been therapeutic.

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Speaker with autism gives tips on life, relationships, jobs

2007-01-17T02:55:00.000-08:00

It isn't often that you hear a young man boasting how it took only two tries to get the prettiest girl in his high school to go to senior prom with him. Or that asking twice was nothing compared to asking other girls out at least 10 times before they finally relented. And once a girl agrees to go out? It's best not to wear sweat pants, lean on the horn in her driveway or make sudden romantic advances. Also, before a date, it's good to trim your nose hair, clean your feet with hand sanitizer and consider sprinkling talcum powder in all the right places. David Hamrick's audience probably wasn't expecting to howl with laughter at his speech on living with autism Thursday night at Logan Center in South Bend. But his somewhat unfiltered honesty and the obvious joy it gave him to share the details of his life made it impossible for the 125 or so children, teens and adults in the room not to return the smile he gave throughout his talk.

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SCHOOLS NOTEBOOK Parents Protest Plan to Close Special Education ...

2007-01-15T02:54:00.000-08:00

A plan to phase out Montgomery County's secondary learning centers, programs in eight middle and high schools that teach special education students in separate classes, is meeting with determined resistance from parents. County school officials say their goal is to move hundreds of moderately disabled special education students closer to the academically rigorous classrooms that serve other students, a concept known as inclusion and embraced in schools across the country. Montgomery schools have been comparatively slow to meet federal standards for exposing special education students to mainstream education. .

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Assistive technology supports independence for people with ...

2007-01-13T02:41:00.000-08:00

A pioneering new project called Through Assistive Technology to Employment (TATE) is using current and advanced assistive technology to increase employability for people with learning disabilities and support independent living within a residential care or family home setting. An estimated 1.4 million people in England live with a learning disability around 25 per 1000 of the population and the project aims to develop and mainstream assistive technology devices combined with telecare to meet the needs of these individuals. It will disseminate examples of best practise amongst health and social care providers. TATE project manager Ann Aspinall said: Assistive technology offers a real alternative to traditional models of care, delivering round the clock support when needed, whilst also promoting independence.

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Governor Supports Dyslexia Program

2007-01-11T02:43:00.000-08:00

The governor joined with several house members and education officials, who propose funding the state's dyslexia programs in public schools by an additional 3 million dollars. They want statewide screening for children beginning in kindergarten, and more training for teachers so they can earlier detect the disability. The Department of Education estimates as many as 50 thousand Mississippi children could have dyslexia. .

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Local group links those affected by autism

2007-01-09T03:11:00.000-08:00

Michaela Iffert is a precocious 9-year-old who writes short stories about adventurous horses, cares for injured animals and plans to be a veterinarian. She learned to read when she was 3, and her mind seems to have no creative limitations, said her mother, Eleanor Iffert. On a recent afternoon, Michaela cuddled with her gray cat on the sofa at her family’s home in rural Paso Robles. An arm’s-length away, her mother described the struggles of raising a child with autism. Because Michaela has no visible disability and is bright and because autism is four times more common in boys than girls, Iffert says her daughter’s disability is "truly hidden." "My daughter’s wonderful but misunderstood," she said. Michaela can be rigid and uncompromising.

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Cuba Prioritizes Special Education

2007-01-07T02:51:00.000-08:00

Havana, Jan 5 (Prensa Latina) The Cuban special education system caters to 44,262 children in the country who need specialized teaching, with 527 institutions. Nearly 15,000 professionals presently work to educate special needs children in every municipality in the nation, highlighted Cuban Education Minister Luis Ignacio Gomez on the 45th anniversary of that discipline in the island. Gomez confirmed that the project benefits children affiliated with the National Association of Blind and Visual Handicapped as well as of the National Association of the Deaf, comprising more than 100,000 members. He noted that all the Cuban territories count on orientation and diagnostic centers that monitor assistance to those students from very early ages.

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Sexual Health Needs of People With Learning Disabilities Must Be ...

2007-01-03T02:56:00.000-08:00

The sexual needs of people with learning disabilities are being ignored according to new research from the University of Ulster and the Family Planning Association (fpa). The report, entitled Out Of The Shadows, was complied by researchers from the University’s School of Nursing and is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland. The research, which was launched at Stormont today, highlights the experiences of people with learning disabilities in relation to sex, sexuality and relationships. It is the result of a unique three-year research project, involving over 500 people, including people with learning disabilities, family carers, professionals and front-line staff. The report shows that there is a lack of acknowledgement of the sexuality of people with learning disabilities.

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New Dyslexia Theory Blames 'Noise'

2006-12-30T02:50:00.000-08:00

The dyslexic brain struggles to read because even small distractions can throw it off, according to a new model of dyslexia emerging from a group of recent studies. The studies contradict an influential, 30-year-old theory that blamed dyslexia on a neural deficit in processing the fast sounds of language. Instead, the studies suggest that children with dyslexia have bad filters for irrelevant data. As a result, they struggle to form solid mental categories for identifying letters and word sounds. Such children may benefit from intensive training under "noisy" conditions to strengthen their mental templates, said University of Southern California neuroscientist Zhong-Lin Lu. Lu was a co-author on three studies, along with lead author and former USC graduate student Anne Sperling (now at the National Institute of Mental Health), USC psychologist Franklin Manis and University of Wisconsin, Madison psychologist Mark Seidenberg.

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Grant goes to develop autism education center

2006-12-26T02:53:00.000-08:00

Florida Autism Center of Excellence, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the education of children and young adults with autism, has been awarded a $700,000 grant from the Florida Department of Education to plan and develop an autism education center of excellence near Tampa. Florida Autism Center of Excellence will apply for a charter and request authorization to serve students in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee and Polk counties. The center is scheduled to open in August 2007 and will serve students ages three to 22. The need is great in Florida, where the most recent U.S. Department of Education figures available ranked the state sixth in the nation in 2005 with 7,918 cases of autism in children ages six through 21. It is estimated that autism affects one in 166 children born today.

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Special education students get gifts from St. Nick

2006-12-17T02:51:00.000-08:00

VISTA ---- With candy-filled stockings and newly wrapped presents in hand, Santa Claus and a handful of Elks Lodge members doled out Christmas gifts Friday to hundreds of special education children from Vista Unified elementary schools.More than 400 students were invited to the annual Christmas Party at the Vista Elks Lodge, where the group sang carols, watched World Champion jump ropers, feasted on hamburgers and hot dogs, and caught up with old friends and teachers. "It's all about having fun and enjoying Christmas," said Lynn Schumacher, a special education teacher who overseas a class of kindergarten through second-grade students at Hannalei Elementary School. "It's very hectic, loud fun." .

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Scientists quit in dyslexia ‘cure’ row

2006-12-13T02:55:00.000-08:00

A HIGH-PROFILE but controversial treatment for dyslexia has been severely criticised by experts who believe it is based on flawed research and undermined by potential conflicts of interest. The Dore programme claims to be able to transform the reading and writing skills of children with dyslexia with simple physical exercises such as threading beads, standing on “wobble boards” and catching bean bags. .

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Autism, future worry local family

2006-12-09T03:01:00.000-08:00

Andrew Shaw was developing like a typical baby boy for the first 18 months of his life. Then, suddenly, he turned inward. "He had words, he interacted with everyone, we even played ball in the hallway together," said Andrew's father, Jack Shaw. "But then we could have a room full of people and it would be like he was the only one there." At first, one pediatrician feared Andrew had a brain tumor. His father said the family feared for his life. But then, the final diagnosis came - autism. Today, however, Andrew is a happy 10-year-old. After hop-scotching through preschool in Yonkers and then Eastchester public schools where everyday events like assemblies and Halloween parties proved too disturbing, Andrew's parents placed him at Hawthorne, the school for autistic children.

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Del Oro senior reaches out to special education students

2006-12-07T02:57:00.000-08:00

The small percentage of special education students attending Del Oro High School dances was a perplexing notion in the mind of senior Ted Wyatt. But from that puzzling thought sprouted a perfectly honorable idea for a senior project.To give special education students the same privileges as any other Del Oro teenager, Wyatt threw a semi-formal dance through Placer County Office of Education. All the special education students from Del Oro, Placer, Oakmont, Granite Bay, Roseville, Rocklin, Sierra College and the local Horseshoe Bar program in downtown Loomis were invited to attend."These students deserved their own dance: one that would be more enjoyable for them while providing the appropriate environment," Wyatt said.The dance, which took place Nov. 17, was deemed a huge success in the eyes of Wyatt, who organized and ran the event.

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Employment agencies must support those with learning disabilities

2006-12-03T02:55:00.000-08:00

United Response, a learning disability and mental health charity, has declared that only ten per cent of people with learning disabilities in the UK can find any kind of work. The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (FPLD) has responded by saying that it is the responsibility of employment agencies to encourage this demographic into work. Barbara McIntosh, co-director of FPLD, said that government initiatives alone are not enough and that more needs to be done within the employment sector to encourage employers to take on staff with learning disabilities. Quoting the Pathfinder initiative set up by Patricia Hewitt earlier this year, Ms McIntosh explained that organisations can apply for funding to help people set up their own businesses. Grants can also be given by the Learning Disability Service and Learning and Skills Council.

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Cathryn Garland: Battling autism

2006-11-25T02:55:00.000-08:00

BETHESDA, Md. -- With the recent Senate passage of the Combating Autism Act, the House is now poised to approve landmark legislation to help scientists understand the causes and characteristics of autism -- a spectrum of neurological disorders affecting more than 1 in 200 children in the United States. If the House does as we hope and passes the act, the National Institutes of Health and related health research agencies will finally begin to devote the magnitude of resources -- nearly $200 million a year -- commensurate with the severity and prevalence of this terribly devastating set of conditions. The research emphasis of the act is appropriate, given how little is still known about the causes and the physiology of autism spectrum disorders, as well as the means by which medical treatments can reduce autism's severity if applied early enough.

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Long waiting list at special education schools

2006-11-23T02:42:00.000-08:00

The shortage of special education institutions in the island is forcing scores of children identified with learning difficulties to be returned to regular schools, even while they are not ready to be placed back into the system. Trevorlyn McGhan, the head of the Special Education Unit at the Mico Practising Primary and Junior High in Kingston, says while there are many success stories of children who are placed back into regular schools, the lack of institutions to which they can be referred once they have passed through her programme, is severe. Her unit runs a remedial programme for children suffering mostly from reading problems, but also children with intellectual deficiencies and behavioural problems. The programme, which is run by the Government, treats the child for two years.

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Kennedy Krieger Awarded $9 Million To Study Learning Disabilities ...

2006-11-21T02:46:00.000-08:00

The substantial number of today's adolescents struggling with weak literacy skills presents an urgent national concern, yet very little is known about reading disabilities beyond the early elementary grades. To address this critical gap in knowledge, the Kennedy Krieger Institute has been awarded a $9 million grant from the National Institute of Health (N.I.H.) to establish a Learning Disabilities Research Center. The new center is among only four centers awarded in the country. The Center at the Kennedy Krieger Institute will undertake projects to illuminate the neurobiological and behavioral underpinnings of learning disabilities in children grades three through eight. By gaining a deep understanding of learning disabilities in these children, more effective educational interventions can be developed to improve the country's literacy.

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Dyslexia need not be a problem

2006-11-19T02:41:00.000-08:00

One in 10 UK children is thought to be dyslexic, yet few parents realise that it involves much more than just difficulties with reading and writing, writes Lisa Salmon. In Dyslexia Awareness Week (November 6-12), the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) aims to highlight the wide spectrum of problems the condition causes, in the hope that it raises awareness and leads to early intervention and treatment. BDA spokesman Brian Wilson stresses: "Reading and writing is only part of the difficulty. Dyslexia stems from problems with short-term memory and organisational skills, and it's more obvious with reading and writing." .

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Autism school’s good report after first year

2006-11-17T02:49:00.000-08:00

The Chrysalis School for Autism received a good Ofsted report and its patron Grant Shapps MP has been shortlisted for a national award for his work on behalf of the school.Headteacher Sue King said the Ofsted report was a reflection of the dedication and commitment the whole team had put into the Codicote-based school.The report praised the school's "calm learning environment", said teaching was good and staff levels were high, allowing pupils to make good progress.Mrs King said: "In such a short time we have seen all of our pupils gain confidence, start to make progress and increase their independence."This achievement is something in which parents, governors, staff and pupils all take considerable pride."The staff nominated MP Grant Shapps for an e.Politix.com Charity Champion award in a scheme set up four years ago to recognise parliamentarians' campaigning work of good causes.

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Increasing demand for special education learning facilities

2006-11-15T02:48:00.000-08:00

From left, Grace Duncan, executive director of the Jamaica Association on Mental Retardation, and Mary Dixon, head, Special Education Department, Mico University College. Gareth Manning, Sunday Gleaner Reporter Special educators worry that the incidence of intellectual disabilities among children could be increasing. While there is no researched evidence, the executive director of the Jamaica Association on Mental Retardation, Grace Duncan, says disabilities such as autism could be rising. Autism is a complex neurological disorder that affects how the affected person interacts with others. It normally appears in the first three years of life. Duncan says, however, that while there is no concrete evidence that learning deficiencies are increasing, what is really increasing is the demand for placement in special education institutions.

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Meeting of the Autism Society tomorrow

2006-11-05T02:38:00.000-08:00

The Autism Society of the CNMI will be holding its monthly meeting tomorrow, Nov. 5, 2006, from 3pm to 5pm at the Town and Country Restaurant on Middle Road. Information regarding the group and future meetings will be available at this meeting. All families and friends of children with autism are invited to attend. For additional information, call Larrisa Larson at 322-3761 or send an email to as_cnmi@yahoo.com. (PR) Back to top Home | Weather | Advertising | Classifieds | Subscription | Contact Us | About Us | Archives ©2006 Saipan Tribune. All Rights Reserved .

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Recognizing The Warning signs Of Dyslexia

2006-10-30T03:01:00.000-08:00

Millions of Americans suffer from learning disorders like dyslexia and sometimes the problem is so subtle, it goes undetected for years.In this Parent 2 Parent report: recognizing the warning signs.When we think of dyslexia, this might come to mind words that are jumbled up and backwards making it impossible to read.But thats not always the case.Cindy Strong says her son Sam could read, but he lagged behind his peers.The gap was never really wide enough that any of his teachers were concerned, but we knew there was something going on there, says Cindy.A big red flag went up after a tutoring program failed to help Sam catch up.Cindy says, That was the clue that clued us in that, Oh, theres something more going on and we could look into something like dyslexia.Sam was diagnosed with a mild form of dyslexia.

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Special education requires dedication

2006-10-26T03:39:00.000-07:00

The Sept. 16 editorial "Special education rates close look" bemoans the fact that an excessive sum of money is spent on providing for the developmentally disabled while questioning whether families of the students and the taxpayers are getting their money's worth. On the same day, Thomas Buffuto, executive director of the Arc of New Jersey, the foremost agency serving as advocate for the disabled, applauds the Legislature and Gov. Corzine for recent advances in providing enhanced services for the most vulnerable segment of our population. As a parent who has been active in battles for the rights and dignity of the disabled, I applaud the concerns of the editorial and Buffuto. However, when it comes to basics, no program can prove successful and no budgeting allocations can be justified unless proper personnel are engaged to supervise and plan for the well-being of the disabled.

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A New Tool for Evaluating Learning Disabilities in Children

2006-10-24T03:28:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, we profiled a new tool to detect pain in infants. Today, it's learning disabilities in kids. Based on more than a decade of neuroscience research at Northwestern University, the BioMAP (Biological Marker of Auditory Processing) is now commercially available: "Learning disabilities are believed to affect nearly one in 10 children, but their causes are difficult to pinpoint," says Nina Kraus, director of Northwestern University's Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory. Kraus and Northwestern researchers Trent Nicol and Steven Zecker have found that a third of the 1,000-plus children they have tested show a dysfunction in the way the brainstem encodes basic sounds of speech... "The beauty of BioMAP as a diagnostic tool is that it does not require a child to follow directions or perform an assigned task," says Kraus.

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Recognizing The Warning signs Of Dyslexia

2006-10-22T03:54:00.000-07:00

State targets Hornell schools: Special education program in need ...

2006-10-08T03:25:00.000-07:00

HORNELL - State Education Commissioner Richard Mills took 75 school districts - including Hornell - to task Thursday for needing to improve academic performance by special education students.Based on 33 special education students who comprised the 2001 cohort - or class of 2005 - Hornell was cited for needing to improve its drop out and graduation rates. The district had a drop-out rate of 36.4 percent and a graduation rate of 18.2 percent, according to the state report. Hornell was cited as needing intervention due to its rates.Locally, school districts in Bath, Corning and Elmira also made the list. .

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Students focus on learning disabilities in 'Eye to Eye'

2006-10-06T03:32:00.000-07:00

A mentoring program named Eye To Eye will help undergraduates interact with eight grade students who possess similar learning difficulties in an effort to enhance the younger students' self-esteem and encourage them to positively express themselves.The program, which began at Brown University, states that its main goal is to use art to allow students to express any feelings of frustration they may have.Working with students from Richmond Middle School in Hanover, Dartmouth undergraduates who have similar learning disabilities expressed understanding for the eighth graders' situations."I really had a hard time in middle school," Eye to Eye volunteer Erica Feinman '08 said. "It was hard getting a grasp on having a learning disability."They feel like they're outcasts and below everything, so we try to help them find a voice to be vocal,"Sarah Isbey '08 helped create a Dartmouth chapter of Eye To Eye her freshman year and has chaired the program for two years."I became interested because I had a learning disability and I thought I could really help these kids," Isbey said.Isbey said her experience in middle school was shaped by having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

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IT IS NEVER TOO LATE (to treat Dyslexia)

2006-10-04T03:25:00.000-07:00

Several years ago while I was working at the Harris'' Home for Boys, Dyslexia was a condition that was not readily understood amongst the teaching profession and by extension the wider community including parents. My interest, as of now, stems from a radio broadcast I heard via WINFM a few days ago and I could not resist sharing some observations with the general public. I find it quite amazing that while this phenomenon was not new to our teaching fraternity, in particular teachers who were trained abroad would have touched on subjects such as psychology would have heard of Dyslexia, yet no remedial action seemed to have been taken. Some years ago I stumbled upon an article in a magazine that dealt with the subject of dyslexia. Apart from its explanation about the disease it showed that there were ways to identify it and also showed in a limited way how it could be addressed.

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KU research links autism, pupil dilation

2006-10-02T03:25:00.000-07:00

It may be possible to detect autism by studying the pupils in a child's eyes, according to research conducted at Kansas University and reported in the October issue of the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology. KU psychology professor John Colombo and doctoral student Christa Anderson conducted a study in which they showed children, including a group of children with autism, various 4-inch images on a computer screen. The researchers gauged each child's level of attention by measuring how much their pupils dilated or constricted. They found that children with autism spectrum disorder showed the strongest response to images of other faces, especially other children's faces. Colombo is associate director for cognitive neuroscience at the Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies.

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Storm over claims of Dylan's 'dyslexia'

2006-09-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

A ROW has broken out after the reputation of Welsh literary genius Dylan Thomas was called into question. Controversial research to be presented in Oxford next month will claim that Dylan suffered from dyslexia and that it was this condition which imbued his poetry with its potency. It is a bizarre accusation aimed at one of the world's literary giants - after all "dyslexia", from the Greek language, means "difficulty with words". Dyslexia is a combination of difficulties that can affect the learning process in reading, spelling and writing. Dylan's daughter Aeronwy is understood to be furious at the claims that the condition was the reason for much of his outstanding work. .

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Ped Med: Lots at stake in autism debate

2006-09-22T03:29:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The continuing debate over whether vaccines play a role in neurodevelopmental disorders is more than academic, with children's health and industry wealth hanging in the balance. If the thimerosal theory -- which holds the mercury-based compound once widely used in childhood vaccines responsible for at least some cases of autism and other problems -- starts to gain traction in court, and vaccine makers and government agencies are found liable for neurological damage to infants, the cost to the $6 billion-a-year industry could rival that of tobacco or asbestos litigation, some analysts believe. An estimated 40 million American children were immunized in the 1990s, and, if current projections hold true, roughly 240,000 might get an autism diagnosis.

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Williams Says Special Education Program Needs Reform

2006-09-18T03:37:00.000-07:00

BUFFALO (2006-09-14) Buffalo School Superintendent James Williams says reviewing and overhauling the district's special education program is a top priority. The program has been criticized by the State Education Department for being better with paperwork than with children. With about 9,000 students enrolled in special education, the program is also considered one of the largest in the state. Barbara Trunzo, regional associate for the state Education Department, says about 20-percent of Buffalo's student population is in special education classes. "Special ed. was not meant to be a life-long commitment. I think sometimes people have forgotten that," Trunzo said. State officials say it appears some students assigned to special education don't belong there, while others who need help aren't getting it.

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Kuwait a pioneer in field of special education

2006-09-14T03:35:00.000-07:00

KUWAIT: The Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, Prof Saleh Al-Yaseen recently stressed that he was so far doing well in his temporary position due to the long career and experience he had in the field. Speaking on a special interview with the 'Silent Scream' magazine issued by Kuwait Centre for Autism, Al-Yaseen stressed that Kuwait was a pioneer in taking care of special needs students through the ministries of social affairs and labour, of education and other government establishments. He added that much was still needed in this process. "Development goes on and we need to seek the latest in educational techniques for autistic children," stressed Al-Yaseen pointing out that the centre needed more funds. Educationally, Al-Yaseen said that the new school grading ( 5-4-3 grades in each stage) system was gong on smoothly after the first year.

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Lawmakers told to cut property taxes through regional special ed

2006-09-13T07:38:00.000-07:00

TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey could cut into the costs that pump up the nation's highest property taxes by keeping more special education students within their own school districts, a top state education official told lawmakers Tuesday. Barbara Gantwerk, acting state students services commissioner, told lawmakers New Jersey could save money by providing special education services on either a county or regional basis, rather then sending 20,000 students to far-flung special education programs each year. .

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Special Education Software Company forms Customer Advisory Board

2006-09-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

Computer Automation Systems, Inc. forms customer panel from school districts across the country to provide product, industry, and regulatory input and offer guidance on the future development of the SEAS (Special Education Automation Software) solution. [ClickPress, Thu Sep 07 2006] Computer Automation Systems, Inc. (www.computerautomation.com), the nations leader in special education management systems, announced today the foundation of a Customer Advisory Board. The Customer Advisory Board is a panel of Computer Automation customers from school districts across the United States. The Customer Advisory Board will provide product, industry, and regulatory input and assistance to Computer Automation, as well as offer guidance on the future development of the SEAS (Special Education Automation Software) solution.

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Special education program expands

2006-09-10T06:06:00.001-07:00

"It's nice to see them. They come and talk to you. Some of the kids I have quite a while in the classroom. Sometimes the classroom becomes a family-type situation," she said. "And I really have a great staff," said Ms. Stover, a teacher employed by the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, who instructs life skills students at the Oaklyn Elementary School. A teacher for 32 years, she tries to prepare the elementary-age children to go onto middle and high school. "We've had kids go to fifth-grade camp with the Shikellamy students. It's a real nice program that Shikellamy has included them in," said Ms. Stover, a Milton resident. "My kids do academics in my class and also work on social skills, language and daily living skills," she said. Her students go to art, music, physical education, library, lunch and assemblies with their peers.

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Ethiopia: Ministry Launches "Special Needs Education Strategy"

2006-09-10T06:06:00.000-07:00

Responding to diverse needs of learners to improve quality of Education, the Ministry of Education launched on Monday a strategy for special needs education which it said would fill the gaps on the policy implementation on children and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities. In his opening speech during the launching ceremony held at Ghion Hotel, Fuad Ibrahim, State Minister for General Education of the Ministry of Education said the special needs education program strategy which, principally, is designed to aid the marginalized will also help attain the country's "Education for All" and Universal Primary Education Goals." "There were 15,203,092 children of general education aged from 7 to 16 years%, and only 1% of children with special educational needs attended school," Fuad said referring 2005 Government statistical report.

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College Towns Enjoy a Special Education

2006-09-10T06:05:00.001-07:00

I've always liked college towns . . . They are about the only places in America that manage to combine the benefits of a small-town pace of life with a dash of big city sophistication. They usually have nice bars and restaurants, more interesting shops, an altogether more worldly air. And there's a pleasing sense of being around 20,000 young people who are having the best years of their lives. Bill Bryson The Lost Continent Travels in Small Town America While Bryson was talking about Auburn, Ala., in the United States, the same can be said of Guelph, Kingston, Waterloo and other like-size cities that boast universities. A university presence is invigorating and stimulating in municipalities such as Guelph, considerably enhancing where we call home.

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New schools for special-needs children are smart investment

2006-09-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

The New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community firmly believes that each child in our state should have a chance at an effective education. For children with disabilities, that means an education appropriately designed to address the unique learning characteristics of their disability. That belief is in line with federal and state laws guaranteeing that each child with a disability receive a free, appropriate public education. In fact, the state special education administrative code includes the phrase "free, appropriate public education" five times in the first two pages of the code. Federal and state laws also are designed to ensure that the education provided to each child with a disability is effective and is provided in the "least restrictive environment." Generally, least restrictive environment means that whenever appropriate, the child is educated in the same school he or she would attend if he or she did not have a disability for most children that means the neighborhood school.

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