Most Clicked CEC SmartBrief Stories
1. Educators developing strategies for teaching students with autism
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009
Some educators who are faced with increasing numbers of students with autism in special-education and general-education classrooms say using assistive technology that reinforces visual -- rather than verbal -- skills and ties visual cues to the written word may be helpful. Other strategies districts should consider include better training for non-special-education teachers, access to evidence-based resources, support teams and partnerships between schools and parents. eSchool News (11/01)
2. Experts updating diagnostic manual consider eliminating Asperger's
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 03, 2009
Experts revising psychiatry's diagnostic manual have proposed eliminating Asperger's syndrome and another form of autism -- pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified -- and folding them into a single general diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The New York Times reports that the change -- bound to be controversial -- is part of an effort to modernize the mental-illness model as a continuum, with degrees of severity. New York Times (free registration), The (11/02)
3. Education professor advocates for inclusion and co-teaching
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 05, 2009
Marilyn Friend, an education professor at the University of North Carolina, told a group of educators and parents in Iowa that she believes students with special needs perform better in school when they remain in classrooms with students without special needs. Friend advocates a co-teaching model and recommends schools limit the number of students with special needs in each inclusion classroom to a range of one-fifth to one-third of students. Hawk Eye (Burlington, Iowa), The (11/04)
4. Hawaii parents worry about furloughs' effect on special education
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 03, 2009
Parents of Hawaii students with special needs are struggling to help their children meet already challenging academic goals with fewer school days this year because of teacher furloughs. It takes some students three days or even a week to catch up after missing a day of scheduled classes, said one provider of behavioral services who encouraged parents to work at home with children who have special needs to help them maintain the progress they are making at school. KHON-TV (Honolulu) (11/01)
5. Report: Colleges are inconsistent on disability accommodations
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009
A recent report by the federal Government Accountability Office shows that while nearly 11% of college students have disabilities, the ability of the nation's universities and colleges to accommodate them is inconsistent. In their report, federal investigators suggest that the government take a more active role in supporting and standardizing university efforts to make facilities more accessible. Disability Scoop (10/30)
6. Colorado district looks at redesign of special-education programs
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 04, 2009
A proposal to redesign special education is on the table in Colorado's Thompson School District. Emphasizing effective inclusion class time for students in special education, the plan represents the culmination of an effort that began last year and included collaboration from education and disability specialists and best-practices research. If approved by the school board, the Re-Imagining Special Education program would affect about 2,000 students. Reporter-Herald (Loveland, Colo.), The (11/03)
7. Nashville, Tenn., works on inclusion for students with special needs
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009
Schools in Nashville, Tenn., are transitioning their 8,200 students with special needs into mainstream classes. The students are largely educated with their peers and are offered some special instructional time away from the class. The district has hired additional teachers and trained educators on how to "mesh general-education and special-education initiatives together to benefit all students," an official said. Some parents are praising the move to inclusion, while others are concerned it might not work for all children. Tennessean (Nashville), The (11/02)
8. Research: 2 antibiotics taken during pregnancy may increase risk of birth defects
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 04, 2009
Yahoo! (11/03)
9. Inclusive preschool in Missouri is saved by district takeover
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 05, 2009
An inclusive preschool program in Independence, Mo., will remain open thanks to a decision by school district officials to bring the nonprofit organization under its umbrella. The 35-year-old Sunshine Center, which serves young children with and without disabilities, had been under financial strain, with many parents losing their jobs during the economic recession. Kansas City Star (Mo.), The (11/03)
10. Virginia reviews updates to gifted-education programs
CEC SmartBrief | Nov 04, 2009
Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine is considering revisions to gifted-education guidelines that would require school districts to identify and track students who may be gifted as early as kindergarten while shifting responsibility for the approval of gifted programming from state control to local districts and advisory boards. Gifted-education expert Tracy Cross said Virginia already provides strong programs for gifted students and that the state may be the best in the country for gifted programs. Daily Press (Newport News/Hampton, Va.) (11/02)
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