New Castle teen uses robot to continue learning from home

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Donna Martinez

Cris was born with spina bifida but attended school until his first-grade year, when he developed a rare condition that caused his body to seize almost 90 percent of the night. Cris no longer can physically tolerate school. For several years, teachers came to his home. He tried a stationary web cam but missed out on the peer interaction he remembered from earlier years. He now uses a screen set atop a 4-foot-tall, 20-pound mobile robot called a VGo. Cris can control the VGo — which has a camera, microphone and video display — anywhere in the school via Wi-Fi coverage. Using a computer mouse to navigate the robot, Cris can look all around and zoom in and out. VGo is battery-powered and can run up to a full day between charges. It’s stored at the school and charges on a docking station overnight.

Read more: New Castle teen uses robot to continue learning from home – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/regional/s_779061.html#ixzz1lNafiMel

 

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An ‘Arab Spring’ of free online higher education

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Donna Martinez

This last year in Chile, where I now reside, student protests  by university and high students sought improved, even free education for the students in public education. Many of their strikes unfortunately ended in riots with injuries to many and damage to the neighborhoods. Many students also lost a  year from their education or scored poorly in the national exams as a result of taking a stand for improved education.

In  An ‘Arab Spring’ of free online higher education guest bloggers Abir Qasem, a computer scientist at Bridgewater College in Virginia, and Tanya Gupta, a senior resource management officer at the World Bank observe that recent events presage higher education’s future. First, President Obama’s University of Michigan speech about cost control in higher education and second, Stanford professor Sebastian Thrun’s Udacity start-up created after leaving his professorship to pursue teaching students by the millions online.

The bloggers observe:

The astonishing pace of technology in the last few years has changed the landscape of academia completely in several ways:

(1) There is an excess of information available. Instructors are no longer required to be a source of information. Rather, they curate existing information.

(2) Students today want practical skills that they can use to get a job, and not necessarily a degree. Even if they don’t use the same words, students are looking for outcomes (e.g. actionable skills, and not just knowledge about a subject).

(3) Infrastructure, at least in the West, has improved to the extent that anyone with a video camera and basic tools can design, deliver, and take payment for courses.

(4) Students are no longer just your typical 18-22 year olds. They can be a mom who wants to get a certification, a soldier in Afghanistan, or an office worker in Hanoi. Educators need to be flexible about the place, time, format and frequency of courses.

(5) Technology has eliminated a lot of the manual work teachers (grading) and administrators (registration) used to do.

(6) Students want short courses that utilize all the technology available (multimedia, social media, games).

Can the use of the internet and its technology be a possible answer to a new way of learning? Could  “Start-Up Chile” ( www.startupchile.org/), 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?

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E-News: National Center on Secondary Education and Transition

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Donna Martinez

I strongly recommend subscribing to the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition E-News. It offers many resources and announcements that relate to the youth transitioning to postsecondary education or career training.  Today’s issue is posted in its entirety:

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National Center on Secondary Education and Transition E-News
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Happy reading!

NCSET Staff
http://www.ncset.org/

Note: You can find this and previous issues of E-News online at
http://www.ncset.org/enews/current.asp

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E-News: February 2, 2012
~ Announcements: New projects, legislative alerts, calls to participate
~ The Resource Zone: New NCSET and other national publications and products
~ What’s Happening: Upcoming NCSET and other national events
~ Get Wired!: Featured Web sites and e-mail lists
~ Funding Forecast: Grant opportunities and funding resources
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“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”        George S. Patton, U.S. Army general

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ANNOUNCEMENTS
The latest news and information from around the country.
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THE RESOURCE ZONE
A great place to learn about new and existing resources at low or no cost.
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NCSET Resources
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NCSET Partner Resources
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NCEO Synthesis Report 86: Educating Struggling Learners: Reflections on Lessons Learned About Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (December 2011)
(Report)

“Educating Struggling Learners: Reflections on Lessons Learned About Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment” presents a first-person account of someone on the front lines of school reform, focusing on inclusive assessment practices as they influence curriculum, instruction, and assessment at the local and state levels. The author works in the Hawai’i State Department of Education to ensure systemic standards implementation that supports all students, especially struggling learners. Her experiences are similar to those in districts around the country where systematic reform has improved outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities.
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/Synthesis86/default.htm
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NCEO Brief 5: Performance of Special Education Students: Implications for Common State Assessments (January 2012)
(Brief)

“Performance of Special Education Students: Implications for Common State Assessments” is one of a series of NCEO Briefs for the Race to the Top (RTTT) Assessment Consortia that address the opportunities, resources, and challenges facing cross-state collaborative assessment efforts as they include students with disabilities and English language learners. The brief presents information on the performance of special education students, highlighting the range in performance of these students in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Consortia states, as well as the nature of gaps between special education and non-special education students. Changes in the percentage of special education students proficient and above on state tests over time are included. The brief offers thoughts about the performance of special education students and suggestions for steps that Consortia and states might take to look at their own data.
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/briefs/brief05/brief05.html

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Other National Resources
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Aging out of Foster Care: Resources (2011)
(Database)

Becoming an independent adult is difficult for young people without the support of a family. IssueLab offers a database of recent, nonprofit research on the health, education, housing and employment for young people aging out of foster care.
http://agingout.issuelab.org/research
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America’s Promise Report: Jobless Want Opportunities (January 2011)
(Report)

“Opportunity Road: the Promise and Challenge of America’s Forgotten Youth,” a survey and research report released by America’s Promise Alliance, Civic Enterprises and Peter D. Hart Research Associates, shows that 73% percent of 16- to 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in school, are not employed and do not have a college degree are confident that they will be able to achieve their goals in life. The survey sought to better understand how these youth became detached from school and work, and the challenges they face in trying to reconnect to society. The report discusses the benefits to the nation of re-engaging these young people and how to get them back on track.
http://tinyurl.com/7v9w2qy
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Department of Education Issues ADA Amendments Act Dear Colleague Letter to Provide Guidance Under Amended Legal Standards (January 2012)
(Guidance)

The Department of Education’s (Department) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a Dear Colleague letter concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (Amendments Act) and an accompanying Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ) to provide additional guidance on the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) in elementary and secondary schools, given the changes to those laws made by the Amendments Act of January 1, 2009, which amended the ADA, as well as the Rehabilitation Act. The letter and FAQ discuss obligations of school districts such as the requirement to evaluate students for disability and provide a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities, as well as the changes made by the Amendments Act.
http://tinyurl.com/7xxsc6v
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Disability and Health Data System (March 2011)
(Surveillance Tool)

The Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) is a state-level disability surveillance tool designed to assist partners, researchers, advocates, and the general public in the assessment of the health and wellness of people with disabilities. The DHDS was developed by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Division of Human Development and Disability (DHDD) at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD). It features three types of data: disability, psychological distress, and disability-associated health care expenditures. The data are presented in formats that include standard- or high-contrast interactive maps and data tables that can be customized or downloaded.
http://dhds.cdc.gov/about
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Dropping Out: Why Students Drop Out of High School and What Can Be Done About It (November 2011)
(Forum Brief)

The vast majority of youth in developed nations finish high school, many more than in the United States, where the national high school graduation rate is about 70%. In this Forum Brief, reporting the November 18, 2011 forum presented by The Forum for Youth Investment, Jobs for the Future, and YouthBuild USA, Russell Rumberger offered a comprehensive overview (based on his book “Dropping Out: Why Students Drop Out of High School and What Can Be Done About It”) of the dropout crisis in America, including the fundamental questions of who drops out, why they do, and what happens when they do. Rumberger identifies challenges in current reform efforts, including insufficient targeting of dropout “factories,” inadequate funding, and lack of attention paid to the cost, sustainability, and scalability of interventions. Following his presentation, a panel of education leaders provided insights for policy reform at the federal, state, and local levels to reduce the incidence of high school dropouts.
http://www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2011/fb111811.htm
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Future of Children: Transition to Adulthood (April 2011)
(Archived Event)

Too many adolescents drop out of high school and then struggle with high rates of unemployment, incarceration, drug use and non-marital births, with high costs both to teens and to society. The start of a new journal, “Transition to Adulthood,” from the Future of Children project, was celebrated with an event focused on describing and analyzing second-chance programs that aim to help high school drop-outs, and featuring presentations by and discussions among researchers, community program operators and Obama administration officials.
http://www.brookings.edu/events/2010/0427_adolescence.aspx
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The High School Dropout Dilemma and Special Education Students (September 2011)
(Report)

The severity of the dropout crisis in California and the nation varies widely among student groups. This report examines four dropout dilemma topics in relation to special education students: (a) definition and incidence of dropouts, (b) economic and social consequences of dropping out, (c) causes of dropping out, and (d) possible solutions to the dropout dilemma. The report highlights both the national dropout picture and California’s, and concludes that current trends toward modest improvements in graduation rates among special education students are insufficient. Increased attention and societal investments in interventions, strategies, and programs that emphasize student engagement and retention, especially for special education students, are critically needed.
http://www.cdrp.ucsb.edu/pubs_reports.htm
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Improved Federal Enforcement Needed to Better Protect Students’ Rights to Testing Accommodations (November 2011)
(Report)

Standardized tests are often required to gain admission into postsecondary schools or to obtain professional certifications. Federal disability laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require entities that administer these tests to provide accommodations, such as extended time or changes in test format, to students with disabilities. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) examined: the types of accommodations individuals apply for and receive and how schools assist them, factors testing companies consider when making decisions about requests for accommodations, challenges individuals and testing companies experience in receiving and granting accommodations, and how federal agencies enforce compliance with relevant disability laws and regulations. GAO recommended that the Department of Justice develop a strategic approach to enforcement by analyzing its data and updating its technical assistance manual, and Justice agreed with GAO’s recommendation.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-40
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Preparing for Change: A National Perspective on Common Core State Standards Implementation Planning (January 2012)
(Report)

“Preparing for Change,” from Education First and the EPE Research Center, looks at the readiness of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and gives the status of state plans in teacher professional development, curriculum, and teacher-evaluation systems. (A summary of the report appeared in “Education Week,” at http://tinyurl.com/7r27uay.) The full report is available in pdf (1.01 MB, 16 pp).
http://publiceducation.org/pdf/NewsBlast_20120120.pdf
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Quality Counts 2012: State of the States in Education (January 2012)
(Report)

“Education Week,” in its “Quality Counts 2012,” examined America’s place among the world’s public education systems. In its annual survey of state education agency officials, the EPE Research Center, which publishes Education Week, asked whether states draw on international comparisons in crafting measures for improving education. Twenty-nine states said they did, while 21 and the District of Columbia did not. Eighteen reported comparing student achievement, and 12 look to other nations in devising academic-content standards. Overall, the nation received a letter grade of C, the same as last year.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2012/01/12/index.html?intc=EW-QC12-LFTNAV
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Re-Entry Programs for Students with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System (December 2011)
(Policy Analysis)

Project Forum’s newest policy analysis defines re-entry and describes federal efforts to support successful re-entry of juvenile justice offenders, the prevalence of students with disabilities in the juvenile justice system, and recommended re-entry strategies from experts in the field. The findings from interviews with four states and a review of program-related documents are provided. The goal of these four state programs is to reduce recidivism by supporting the transition of youth with disabilities from correctional facilities to community-based schools, jobs, and support services. Available in pdf (190 KB, 12 pp).
http://tinyurl.com/7ksp4ry
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WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Connecting and learning through great new training opportunities!
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February 9, 2012
Assistive Technology & UDL in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports
3:30-4:30 pm Eastern
(Webinar)

This webinar will share the work of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports Project at the University of South Florida (funded by the FLDOE) and the project’s Technology & Learning Connections: AT & UDL Team. Consisting of a team coordinator, five regional technology coordinators, and five AT/UDL resource librarians, the TCL Team is responsible for the development of an MTSS Framework for technology that includes accessible instructional materials, assistive technology, instructional technology, UDL, and virtual instruction/assessment.
http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=4165
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February 15, 2012
Core Vocabulary: Why Use It?
3:30-5:00 pm Eastern
(Webinar)

This webinar provides introductory information about core vocabulary. It explains the difference between core vocabulary and extended vocabulary and addresses the top five reasons people give for not providing core vocabulary to individuals with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) needs. It addresses the issue of representing core vocabulary with pictures, along with strategies for organizing core vocabulary for maximum production of generative language. It is an introductory presentation for people new to the field of AAC.
http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=4166
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February 23, 2012
Consultation, Collaboration and Coaching: Tools for Providing Meaningful AT Support
3:30-5:00 pm Eastern
(Webinar)

Effective assistive technology (AT) service providers use a variety of strategies, including direct service to students, consultation to teachers, and collaboration with team members, in their work to integrate AT into the everyday routines and activities of students with disabilities. This webinar will address each of these strategies and discuss the benefits of coaching to improve AT services. Training in specific coaching strategies will be provided as well as practice opportunities. Participants will receive forms to help organize and document their practice, and resources to help develop new consultation, collaboration and coaching skills.
http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=4167
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February 28, 2012
GraduateFIRST: The Dropout Prevention Destination
12:00-1:30 PM Eastern
(Webinar)

Schools often find addressing the challenges associated with improving graduation rates to be difficult, but for students with disabilities, the challenges can be even more complex. Georgia’s GraduateFIRST initiative is designed to help students with disabilities and other students who are struggling stay in school and graduate. Funded by Georgia’s State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), GraduateFIRST is based on a data-driven intervention framework developed by the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities. This webinar will highlight how school-based teams and team leaders diagnose causes of dropout and develop site-specific plans and strategies. Schools participating in GraduateFIRST are having success using tools and resources for monitoring and supporting students at-risk for dropping out. School teams are supported with on-going coaching, training, and technical assistance. GraduateFIRST results, best practices, challenges, and lessons learned will be shared.
http://tinyurl.com/79bked2
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February 29, 2012
Common Core State Standards: An Integration of Systems and a Culture of Change with Comprehensive Local Assessments
10:30 AM-12:00 PM Pacific
(Webinar)

Joe Sassone, Director of Integrated Services at the California Comprehensive Center at WestEd, will present this webinar on how districts can think about the new rigor required in building a local comprehensive assessment system that reflects the Common Core State Standards. WestEd technical assistance staff, a district representative, and an assessment specialist will share their perspectives.
http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/view/e/5180
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March 1-2, 2012
Race, Ethnicity, and Disability: State of the Science
Arlington, VA
(Conference)

Sponsored by NIDRR and held in Arlington, VA, the conference goals are: to advance the science of disability research involving racial and ethnic minorities by identifying, analyzing, and synthesizing evidence-based strategies being used; build the capacity of researchers in the fields of minority disabilities; and to foster communication among researchers, students, funders, consumers, and others interested in improving disability research and services for minorities. More information available in pdf (1.08 MB, 17 pp).
http://www.rehabeducators.org/listserv/state_of_science.pdf
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March 6-7, 2012
Autism Works National Conference 2012
St. Louis, MO
(Conference)

Sponsored by the University of Missouri Health System, the Autism Works National Conference will be held in St. Louis, MO.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Autism-Works/136057253090452
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March 12-14, 2012
National ADA Symposium
Orlando, FL
(Symposium)

Sponsored by the ADA National Network, the first of two 2012 ADA Symposia will be held in Orlando, FL.
http://www.adasymposium.org
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April 23-25, 2012
Disability Policy Seminar
Washington, DC
(Conference)

Hosted by the Arc of the United States and held in Washington, DC, this annual conference agenda of those in the movement for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is a forum for the exchange of information about issues and preparing for face-to-face meetings with elected officials on Capitol Hill. From self-advocates to family members, caregivers, and organizations serving individuals with I/DD, this is a large bloc of advocates who have the potential to change how the government views and interacts with people with disabilities.
http://www.thearc.org/Page.aspx?pid=2173
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May 30-June 1, 2012
National ADA Symposium
St. Louis, MO
(Symposium)

Sponsored by the ADA National Network, the second of two 2012 ADA Symposia will be held in Indianapolis, IN.
http://www.adasymposium.org
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July 9-14, 2012
PEPNet 2.0 Training Institute
New Orleans, LA
(Training Institute)

The PEPNet 2.0 Training Institute (PTI) will be held in conjunction with the Association of Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD) 2012 Conference in New Orleans, LA, July 9-14, 2012 and focus on issues related to enrolling, retaining, and instructing students who are deaf or hard of hearing and their varying communication needs and methods used, such as oral transliteration services, cued language transliteration services, sign language transliteration and interpreting services, and transcription.
http://www.pepnet.org/pti/

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GET WIRED!
Get in the fast lane and get wired to innovative Web sites and specialized e-mailing lists. Something for everyone!
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Web Sites
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High School Matters

The National High School Center shares resources for improving high schools on their website, including their High School Knowledge Database, Early Warning System Middle Grades (EWS MG) Tool, enhanced Early Warning System High School (EWS HS) Tool, EWS Community of Practice, High School Events Calendar, archives of their EWS Webinar Series, and information on relevant new articles.
http://blog.betterhighschools.org/
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Stop Bullying

Bullying can happen anywhere: face-to-face, by text messages or on the web. It is not limited by age, gender, or education level. It is not a phase and it is not a joke. Bullying can cause lasting harmBullying can happen anywhere: face-to-face, by text messages or on the web. It is not limited by age, gender, or education level. It is not a phase and it is not a joke. Bullying can cause lasting harm. This website looks at bullying in relation to children, teens, young adults, parents, educators, and the community, with information on news, references, and resources.
http://stopbullying.gov/

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FUNDING FORECAST
Federal grants, award opportunities, foundation funding, and more. Take a look at these great new opportunities for accessing support to make a difference!
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Federal Grant Opportunities
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Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2012

This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the U.S. Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for fiscal year 2012 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
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FY 2011-2012 Discretionary Grant Application Packages

This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html

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Additional Funding and Award Opportunities
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Caring Institute: 2012 Caring Awards

The Caring Institute is accepting nominations for its annual Caring Awards. Nominees should exemplify caring and serve as worthy role models for others. Award criteria include length of service, scope and impact of work, challenges overcome, and imagination and innovation. Maximum award: All winners are honored at a special ceremony, and young adult winners receive funds for college. Eligibility: individuals 9-99 years old. Deadline: March 1, 2012.
http://www.caring-institute.org/caringawards.html
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George Washington University’s Youth Transition, Career, and Vocational Services: A Distance Education Master of Arts Program Financial Aid

George Washington University seeks applicants for the summer semester of its on-line Youth Transition, Career, and Vocational Services Master’s degree program. The first course in the program’s sequence, SPED 236: Introduction to Vocational, Career, and Transition Services, will be offered summer 2011, along with SPED 235: Employment Models for Individuals with Disabilities. Students are expected to register for at least 2 courses (6 credits) per semester. This will enable them to be eligible for a range of financial aid programs. For more information about the degree program, email Bridget Green at greenb@gwu.edu or Dr. Michael Ward at mjward@gwu.edu. Application deadline: April 15, 2012.
http://gwired.gwu.edu/finaid-g/index.gw/Site_ID/44/Page_ID/30453/
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Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes

The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes honors young leaders who have focused on helping their communities and fellow beings and/or on protecting the health and sustainability of the environment. Maximum award: $2,500. Eligibility: youth 8-18. Deadline: April 30, 2012.
http://www.barronprize.org/
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McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation Announces 2012-13 Academic Year Grants and Scholarships

The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation, to cultivate the skills and creativity of K-12 educators and pioneering approaches to teaching, has announced a call for applications for its 2012-13 Academic Enrichment grants, Teacher Development grants, and Student Teaching scholarships. Deadline: April 15, 2012
http://www.mccartheydressman.org/
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Youth Service America Invites Young Change-Makers to Apply for Disney Friends for Change Grants

A program of Youth Service America and Disney, the Disney Friends for Change Grants program offers young change-makers in the United States funding to help make a lasting, positive change in their communities and the world. The program seeks to support volunteer projects serving a wide range of needs that highlight the creativity and commitment of young people working to meet the needs of others and that demonstrate how “even small actions can add up to big changes.” Youth between the ages of 5-18 in all fifty states and the District of Columbia are eligible to lead a project and apply for a $1,000 grant to fund it. (Applicants younger than 13 years of age must have an older person submit the application on their behalf.) Deadline: April 29, 2012
http://www.ysa.org/grants/disney-friends-change-grants

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END OF EDITION
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Excerpting E-News
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You are welcome to copy and paste portions of this E-News issue into your own e-mail newsletter; however, please credit the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition E-News and link to http://www.ncset.org/enews/. For example, you might include at the top or bottom of the e-mail, the following statement: �Portions of this e-mail newsletter were excerpted from the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition E-News, which can be found at http://www.ncset.org/enews/.�

Contributing to E-News
==============================
We would enjoy knowing more about what is happening around the country so we can share this information through E-News. If you have information on new products, resources, funding opportunities, or events and want to contribute to the next E-News edition, just reply to this message with your information. We cannot promise to include every item but will do our best to include relevant information that is submitted.

Purpose of the Listserv
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E-News 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.

To Subscribe or Unsubscribe
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To unsubscribe (or remove yourself) from this list, please go to http://www.ncset.org/enews/unsubscribe.asp. If you’d like to share this listserv with a friend or colleague, point them to our Web page at http://www.ncset.org/enews/ to join E-News.

Consider Subscribing to REFERENCE POINTS
==============================
“Reference Points: Transition Updates from the TATRA Project” features resources and updates to help parent organizations, advocates and professionals better serve adolescents and young adults with disabilities and their families. Reference Points is administered by PACER Center (http://www.pacer.org) as a joint technical assistance activity of the TATRA Project and the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition. To subscribe, go to: http://www.pacer.org/tatra/list/

For Further Information
==============================
National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
Institute on Community Integration (UCEDD)
University of Minnesota
6 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-624-2097
Fax: 612-624-9344
E-mail: ncset@umn.edu
Web: http://www.ncset.org/
List Management
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E-News is administered by the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition http://www.ncset.org/. The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition was funded by and was a partner with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, cooperative agreement #H326J000005.

Disclaimer
==============================
The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition disseminates E-News to enhance public access to information about secondary education and transition activities. Our intention is to provide resources that are current and accurate. Although every attempt is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, we can make no guarantees. We will, of course, make every effort to correct errors brought to our attention.

E-News is supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and (Cooperative Agreement No. H326J000005). However, the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, or any of the six partners of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (available at (http://www.ncset.org/about/partners.html), and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Note: There are no copyright restrictions on this document. However, please credit the source and support of federal funds when copying all or part of it.

 

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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

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Donna Martinez

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.

Over the course of the last 60 years, the definition of autism has evolved and expanded to reflect growing scientific and societal understanding of the condition. That expansion has resulted in improved societal understanding of the experiences of individuals on the autism spectrum and their family members. It has also led to the development of innovative service-provision, treatment and support strategies whose continued existence is imperative to improving the life experiences of individuals and families. As the DSM-5′s final release approaches and the autism and Autistic communities prepare for a unified diagnosis of ASD encompassing the broad range of different autism experiences, it is important for us to keep a few basic priorities in mind.

One of the key principles of the medical profession has always been, “First, do no harm.” As such, it is essential that the DSM-5′s criteria are structured in such a way as to ensure that those who have or would have qualified for a diagnosis under the DSM-IV maintain access to an ASD diagnosis. Contrary to assertions that ASD is over diagnosed, evidence suggests that the opposite is the case – namely, that racial and ethnic minorities, women and girls, adults and individuals from rural and low-income communities face challenges in accessing diagnosis, even where they clearly fit criteria under the DSM-IV. Furthermore, additional effort is needed to ensure that the criteria for ASD in the DSM-5 are culturally competent and accessible to under-represented groups. Addressing the needs of marginalized communities has been a consistent problem with the DSM-IV.

Individuals receive a diagnosis for a wide variety of reasons. Evidence from research and practice supports the idea that enhancing access to diagnosis can result in substantial improvements in quality of life and more competent forms of service-provision and mental health treatment. This is particularly true for individuals receiving diagnosis later in life, who may have managed to discover coping strategies and other adaptive mechanisms which serve to mask traits of ASD prior to a diagnosis. Frequently, individuals who are diagnosed in adolescence or adulthood report that receiving a diagnosis results in improvements in the provision of existing services and mental health treatment, a conceptual framework that helps explain past experiences, greater self-understanding and informal support as well as an awareness of additional, previously unknown service options.

Some have criticized the idea of maintaining the existing, broad autism spectrum, stating that doing so takes limited resources away from those most in need. We contend that this is a misleading argument – no publicly funded resource is accessible to autistic adults and children solely on the basis of a diagnosis. Furthermore, while the fact that an individual has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder does not in and of itself provide access to any type of service-provision or funding, a diagnosis can be a useful contributing factor in assisting those who meet other functional eligibility criteria in accessing necessary supports, reasonable accommodations and legal protections. As such, we encourage the DSM-5 Neurodevelopmental Disorders Working Group to interpret the definition of autism spectrum disorder broadly, so as to ensure that all of those who can benefit from an ASD diagnosis have the ability to do so.

The Autism Society and Autistic Self Advocacy Network encourage other organizations and groups to join with us in forming a national coalition aimed at working on issues related to definition of the autism spectrum within the DSM-5. Community engagement and representation within the DSM-5 process itself is a critical component of ensuring accurate, scientific and research-validated diagnostic criteria. Furthermore, our community must work both before and after the finalization of the DSM-5 to conduct effective outreach and training on how to appropriately identify and diagnose all those on the autism spectrum, regardless of age, background or status in other under-represented groups.

Scott Badesch
President
Autism Society
sbadesch@autism-society.org

Ari Ne’eman
President
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
aneeman@autisticadvocacy.org
P.S. The Autism Society will continue to share its thoughts and feelings about keeping the community inclusive as more information about the revisions is known. In the meantime, we strongly encourage people to get involved in the discussion.

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

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Donna Martinez

 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.

Read more at Education Week

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New Doodle 4 Google contest for K12 students

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Donna Martinez

On the same day that Google USA blacked out its logo demonstrating its opposition of SOPA the tech giant launched its contest for a new Doodle that will go in that black box’s place in a few months. K-12 students in the U.S. are invited to participate in their fifth annual U.S. Doodle 4 Google contest.  Contestants are to draw their rendition of the Google logo and the winner 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.

The theme for this year’s contest is “If I could travel in time, I’d visit…”. That could mean visiting a past, present or future setting—whether it’s traveling back in time to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to the future to witness everyday space travel, or to just a few moments ago to relive a poignant experience.

Google, partnering with Crayola, hopes to improve on last year’s record-breaking participation (107,000 entries!), by adding a few enhancements to the 2012 contest. Doodle 4 Google is opened to an even wider audience—with a winner from every state with five finalists and one winner per state.  From these 50 State Winners, Google will select 5 National Finalists and the lucky National Winner. The winning doodler’s artwork will also appear on a special edition of the 64-crayon box—a first!

By  eliminating the registration step they have made participating even easier. All you need to do is submit your child’s or student’s artwork by March 20 with a signed and completed entry form.

Contest judging starts with Google employees and a panel of guest judges—including multi-platinum singer Katy Perry, Phineas and Ferb creator and executive producer Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, and recording artist Jordin Sparks, as well as other great illustrators and artists—who will help us pick the state finalists and winners. Then, on May 2, we’ll put the 50 state winners up for public vote. All 50 State Winners will be flown to New York City for the national awards ceremony on May 17, with the winning doodle appearing on May 18.

The doodles by the 50 State Winners will be displayed at The New York Public Library‘s historic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street in an exhibition open to the public over the summer. We’ll also be partnering with museums across the country to display the artwork of the state finalists in areas near their homes.

For more details, check out google.com/doodle4google, where you’ll find full contest rules and entry forms. Happy doodling and good luck!

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FASA for 2012-2013 released

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Donna Martinez

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 on Jan. 1, 2012. The updated FAFSA may be found at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov For more information or customer assistance, call 1 800 4 FED AID (1 800 433 3243) or 319 337 5665. Or visit the FAFSA Web site at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/contact.htm

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2012 DISABILITY RIGHTS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Donna Martinez

From Open Society Foundations: 2012 DISABILITY RIGHTS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME Deadline:  March 15, 2012

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.

The programme intends to provide disability rights advocates and lawyers with the necessary expertise todevelop new legislation, jurisprudence, impact litigation, and scholarship, thereby taking advantage of the innovations and opportunities offered by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).The CRPD, which entered into force in May 2008), presents a paradigm shift in the field of disability rights and provides a framework for developing innovative legal arguments.  With the knowledge and networks gained in the programme, we expect that Fellows will have the ability to challenge rights violations in their home countries by drafting enforceable legislation consistent with the CRPD and applying legal remedies implied in the Convention to address injustices. Alumni will also be qualified to train and mentor new lawyers of disability rights through clinical programmes.

Participating institutions
Fellows will be clustered at select institutions that demonstrate cutting-edge capacity for legal education in disability rights and are also interested in forming a consortium of schools dedicated to developing this field and improving their own capacity with an international perspective. These institutions may include Galway University, Leeds University, Mc Gill University, Cardiff University and A University in Washington DC. In nurturing such a network, the Programme strives to encourage law faculties to incorporate disability rights into existing human rights curricula and participatein collaboratively designed workshops and research efforts in the field.

Eligibility
The Programme does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.  The competition is merit-based and open* to those meeting the following criteria:

  • Citizen and legal resident of an eligible country at the time of application (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe);
  • Work experience in legal profession or advocacy focusing on human/disability rights;
  • Excellent academic record with a Bachelor’s degree in Law. (In exceptional circumstances, those without a law degree but with substantial experience in the field may be considered.);
  • Demonstrated leadership in field of disability rights;
  • Proficient in spoken and written English or French;
  • Able to participate in an intensive academic writing programme in Summer 2012;
  • Able to begin the graduate programme in August or September 2012 and should be completed by June or July 2013;
  • Able to receive and maintain visa or study permit required by host country;
  • Clear commitment to return to home country to aid ongoing disability rights work.

*Employees of the Open Society Foundations and employees of local administering organizations(and their immediate family members), who are directly involved in the administration of scholarships are not eligible; nor are individuals receiving other Open Society Foundations–funded support during the fellowship period.Fellowship terms The fellowship provides:

  • Tuition and mandatory university fees;
  • Monthly stipend for room, board, and other living expenses;
  • Programme-related travel;
  • Accident and sickness insurance during the programme;
  • Funds for educational materials and professional development;
  • All costs associated with pre-academic summer programme and annual conference.

The fellowship does NOT provide funding for dependent family members (In exceptional circumstances the caregiver of an applicant with special needs may be supported).

Selection
Competition is merit based, and selection is made on the basis of academic excellence, professional aptitude, leadership potential and proven commitment to work in the field of disability rights in the home country.  Selection proceeds as follows:
Preliminary Selection and Testing:
Applications first are reviewed by representatives from the regionalprogram administration, host university consortium, and Open Society Scholarship Programmes. Applicants chosen to continue in the competition as semifinalists may be required to take the official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or similar standardized test of English proficiency, the costs of which are covered by the program.The minimum TOEFL score required by most of the participating universities is 90-93 (Internet-based exam).

Interviews and Final Selection:  Semifinalists are interviewed at the Centre for Human Rights, in Pretoria, by representatives from the Scholarship Programmesand host universities. The interviewing panel then recommends candidates for finalist status and subsequent placement based on the quality of the written application, interview evaluations, and standardized test results.

University Placement
Fellows are matched with universities according to their chosen area of specialization, academic profile, and professional aspirations, with one or two opportunity granted to a French-speaking applicant/s.  All decisions concerning host university placement are made by the programme selection committee, which includes university admissions staff and faculty.  Finalists may not choose their host university.

Participant responsibilities
Pre-Academic Summer Programme:  Grantees are required to participate in a four-week intensive pre-programme in Istanbul, Turkey before starting study at host universities in the fall, that is August/September 2012.  The programme consists of classes in academic writing, as well as social science and humanities-based seminars.

Fellowship:  Immediately after the summer programme, finalists attend a pre-departure orientation (held in Istanbul), and during the second semester of studies, finalists participate in aprogramme workshop. Fellows must uphold the academic standards of the host institution and undertake full-time study for the duration of the programme. Fellows will not be permitted to change their assigned host university.  Failure to maintain academic and professional standards as defined by the host university may result in dismissal from the programme.  Failure to follow the laws governing foreign students in the host country will result in dismissal from the programme.

Application guidelines
Application and Recommendation Forms are available from the addresses link below.
http://www.chr.up.ac.za/index.php/funding-programmes.html

Contact Residents of Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe can contact the programme representative Mr. Jehoshaphat Njau:

Centre for Human Rights
(c/o Mr. Jehoshaphat Njau)
Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria
Pretoria, 002, South Africa

E-mail: jehoshaphat.njau@up.ac.za
Office number: +27 12 420 5408/ +27 12 420 3810

Deadline
Please submit in person or by post completed application forms and all necessary accompanying documents (Certified official university transcripts and certificates in original language, certified English translation of transcripts and certificates if applicable) along with a copy of your passport to the Program Representative (Mr. Jehoshaphat Njau) address above to reach us by the deadline of March 15, 2012.

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

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Donna Martinez

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 go away in 2012.

The region’s universities were recently accused by the Economist of being “hardly synonymous with excellence”. The article described Latin America’s research output as unimpressive and its teaching techniques as old-fashioned, and talked of students dropping out in droves.

Not one university in Latin American made the 2011 top 100 list in the Times Higher Education world ranking and only one, the University of São Paolo in Brazil, made the top 200. Higher education institutions in Latin America were also largely absent from the Academic Ranking for World Universities, compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which listed only two among its top 200.

The University of Toronto’s Jane Knight, who analyses international education policy, said the explosion of private education was part of a greater internationalisation. In a 2005 report for the World Bank, she wrote that trade liberalisation, an influx of private investment and the globalising economy have all been catalysts in the shift toward private education.

“New franchise arrangements, foreign or satellite campuses, on-line delivery and increased recruitment of fee-paying students are examples of a more commercial approach to internationalisation,” she said.

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20120106163612806

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

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Donna Martinez

Attention university students from the UK- You are invited to complete the following survey.  Deb Viney; former Assessment Centre manager, EA Draffan and Sue Wilkinson from Cardiff Metropolitan University (formerly known as UWIC) are running a survey of students who have claimed the Disabled Students’ Allowances in the past few years, aiming to find out what support students find most helpful and what factors encourage them or discourage them from using the support recommended for them.

I encourage students from the UK to complete the survey, which can be found at https://www.isurvey.soton.ac.uk/3077

This survey is relevant if you have claimed the Disabled Students’ Allowances [DSAs] in the last 5 years.

In this survey you will get the chance to tell us what was useful, or not, based on the equipment (e.g. computer and software) and human support (e.g. specialist tutor, notetaker) you received.  We are also interested in what encouraged or discouraged you from using your equipment and taking up your support.

The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes and is totally anonymous. Your contribution is much appreciated, thank you.

The basic list of questions is available for download (MS Word doc, 110KB). This is just a long list with no chance to answer questions!  There are no skip links as on the survey! Please only download if you are wishing to view the questions before completing the survey.

Click here to go directly to the survey

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