Author Archives: Donna Martinez

About Donna Martinez

Dr. Donna Martinez is a seasoned professional with more than15 years of broad experience in advocacy and education that includes serving as consultant for international foundations, Director of The GW HEATH Resource Center, teaching both youth and preservice teachers, managing grant projects, reviewing federal grants for the US Department of Education, supporting families seeking improved educational supports/services for their children, and advocating for improved policies and legislation at the national, state, and local levels. Dr. Martinez earned her doctorate from The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development in special education – with honors. Her undergraduate study at the California University at Sacramento was in cultural anthropology. Dr. Donna Martinez is especially interested in transition from public school to postsecondary education, career, and community inclusion. Her experiences of living abroad in South America and of being a parent of a young man with an intellectual disability provides her deeper insight and personal awareness into issues that families may confront while living abroad with children with disabilities.

New Castle teen uses robot to continue learning from home

Chris, born with spina bifida uses a robot called a VGo to continue learning from home Continue reading

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An ‘Arab Spring’ of free online higher education

Two recent events presage higher education’s future. First, President Obama’s University of Michigan speech about cost control in higher education and second, Sebastian Thrun’s Udacity start-up. Can the use of the internet and its technology be a possible answer to a new way of learning? Could “Start-Up Chile”, a program of the Chilean Government to attract world-class early stage entrepreneurs to start their businesses in Chile be a means of solving two problems? Continue reading

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E-News: National Center on Secondary Education and Transition

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition ENews features resources, activities, products, and funding information from around the country. E-News is dedicated to helping youth, parents, educators, service providers, and administrators stay connected and informed about secondary education and transition issues. Continue reading

Posted in At-risk, Career and Technical Education, High School, Research, Special Education, Transition | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Joint Statement of the Autism Society and Autistic Self Advocacy Network on the DSM-5 and Autism

As two national organizations committed to working to empower the autism and Autistic communities today and into the future, the Autism Society of America and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network issue the following joint statement regarding the definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder within the DSM-5.

The autism spectrum is broad and diverse, including individuals with a wide range of functional needs, strengths and challenges. The DSM-5′s criteria for the new, unified autism spectrum disorder diagnosis must be able to reflect that diversity and range of experience. Continue reading

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Schools Must Do More to Involve Parents, Students in IEP Process

Parents and students with disabilities aren’t as involved in the process of mapping out their goals with schools as much as they should be, although federal law intends for parents and school staff to work together on these plans, a new study finds.

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New Doodle 4 Google contest for K12 students

K-12 students in the U.S. to participate in our fifth annual U.S. Doodle 4 Google contest. Draw your rendition of the Google logo and you may see it on the ultimate gallery: the Google homepage. The winning doodler will also take home a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school. Continue reading

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FASA for 2012-2013 released

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid released its
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for award year 2012-13 Continue reading

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2012 DISABILITY RIGHTS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME

The Disability Rights Scholarship Program will offer up to 10 awards to individuals from selected countries in Africa for LLM (Masters in Law) study beginning in fall 2012. The programme aims to advance the rights of persons with disabilities, and through legal channels, help overcome the effect of exclusionary practices, so that persons with disabilities achieve a state of full and effective participation and inclusion in society. Continue reading

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Latin higher education far below others in the world in quality, grad rates

From LATIN AMERICA: Pressures on marred HE systems Higher education systems in Latin America continue to lag behind much of the rest of the world in quality, graduation rates and coverage, and most analysts do not expect those issues to … Continue reading

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Survey for UK students aims to find out what support students find most helpful

UK university students with disabilities asked to complete Disabled Students’ Allowances survey. The survey students aims to find out what support students find most helpful and what factors encourage them or discourage them from using the support recommended for them. Continue reading

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