AWAREness |
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JULY 2010
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This newsletter contains links to PDF files which require Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download Acrobat Reader, click here.
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Providing parents of children with disabilities with information, training, assistance, and support
1021 Delaware Avenue Palm Harbor, FL 34683 1-888-61-AWARE |
Great Ideas for Surviving Summer VacationSummer can be the best and worst time of the year. There are hours of time to fill with activities, time to explore interests that don’t fit into the school day, and time to get bored—very, very bored. Instead of being a time to learn new and different subjects, too often kids lose ground in math and reading skills during the summer. This means that when school starts up again, teachers spend the first four to six weeks re-teaching material, which slows kids down in the long run.
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In This Issue
Summer Survival Tips
States Cut Special Education Spending
Surfing in the Special Olympics?
RTI for TOTS!
National Family Support Survey
“Think College”
Film Maker Camp
New Resource for Autism Community
Importance of Family Involvement
Acronym Quiz
Communicating with Your Child’s Teacher
Getting Ready for Your Child’s IEP Meeting
Section 504 Online Tutorial
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States Seek Federal Waivers to Cut Special Education
At least three states have asked for permission to cut back on the money they provide districts for special education, under a built-in escape clause in the federal special education law that is aimed at financially struggling states. Iowa and Kansas have both been granted a waiver, which under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act can be given out in “exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances such as a natural disaster or a precipitous and unforeseen decline in the financial resources of a state.” South Carolina has requested a waiver, but the U.S. Department of Education has asked the state for more information before making a decision. Both the waiver requests and the department’s responses were reported earlier this year by the blog IDEA Money Watch, a project of the Washington area Advocacy Institute, which supports parents of children with disabilities. Special education advocates say this is the first time they’re aware of economic-hardship waivers being granted.
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The things that the flag stands for were created by the experiences of a great people. Everything that it stands for was written by their lives. The flag is the embodiment not of sentiment, but of history."
--Woodrow Wilson
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Surfing in the Special Olympics? The seeds are being planted.
In waist-deep water off Cocoa Beach, 32-year-old Dawn Blanchard is taking only the second surfing lesson of her life, yet she manages to stand, however briefly, on nearly every wave she catches. And each time she does, she flashes a double thumbs-up, beams joyously and announces, "I did it! I did it!"
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Response to Intervention for TotsThe tiered method of academic intervention known as "response to intervention" is taking off in schools around the country -- and now a group of experts is working on a way to bring that instructional model to preschoolers.
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National Family Support Survey
If you are the parent or primary caregiver of a young person with disabilities between 12 and 22 years old we invite you to partake in a national research study by completing the National Family Support Survey being conducted by the FAST Project by going to: www.cflparents.org and clicking on the yellow button labeled “National Family Support Survey”.
Your answers to the questions on the National Family Support Survey are confidential and will help the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, parent centers, and researchers understand the information and supports families need to prepare for moving into adulthood.
The information you share is extremely valuable and may help to inform program development for youth with disabilities in the future. We encourage you to participate and greatly appreciate your time.
The Family Advocacy and Support Training (FAST) Project is funded by the Administration on Development Disabilities (ADD) as a Project of National Significance. FAST is a project of PACER Center in Minnesota in collaboration with Parent Centers throughout the United States and Territories and with the help of the University of Minnesota.
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“Think College” Newsletter Offers Info to Students with Intellectual DisabilitiesStudents with intellectual disabilities who seek access to higher education, their families, and professionals may be interested in the monthly “Think College” newsletter. Created by the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston, it features college program profiles, upcoming events, and more. Subscribe online or contact Carrie Coslin at cosl0001@umn.edu.
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Kids have fun learning film making at camp for children with autismIt's a challenge for 18-year-old Jessica to talk to people whom she doesn't know well, or to make eye contact with them even if she does. She has autism, a disorder that can cause social awkwardness and communication problems. But thanks to the Healing Every Autistic Life Film Camp at the University of North Florida, she had opportunities to interact with many people of all ages during the past two weeks.
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New Resource Web Site for Florida's Autism Community
Corinne Collins Parent/Advocate Corinne Collins has just launched a new web site for the autism community in the State of Florida.
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Importance of Family InvolvementParents and families have the most direct and lasting impact on children's learning and development of social competence. When parents are involved, students achieve more, exhibit more positive attitudes and behavior, and feel more comfortable in new settings. Early childhood providers need to reach out to families in order to build the kind of relationships that engage them as active partners early in their children's education (National Dropout Prevention Center/Network, 2003). http://www.education.com/reference/article/importance-family-involvement/
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Take the Special-Education Acronym Quiz
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Communicating with Your Child’s Teacher
One of the best ways that parents can help their children succeed in school is to be involved with their education. This starts with communicating well with your child's teacher. Basically, good communication involves meeting with the teacher, being a positive and courteous partner in your child's learning, and keeping the lines of communication open in various ways throughout the year.
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Getting Ready for Your Child’s I E P Meeting
The IEP team will decide which special services and supports your child needs in order to make progress.
You are an important member of the IEP team. This guide will help you know what to expect during the IEP meeting, so that you will feel more comfortable and be able to participate effectively in the process.
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/iep-card.pdf
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Section 504 Online Tutorial
Welcome to the Florida Department of Education's online introductory tutorial to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This tutorial is provided by the Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services.
http://sss.usf.edu/504tutorial/index.html
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