Inclusion
key to educating disabled children - president
The Daily Gleaner –Friday June 6th, 2008
JON PICKETT
A new training program will help pre-school workers improve
their work with disabled children.
These
four have devoted themselves to community service
Winnipeg Free Press - May 31, 2008
The University of Winnipeg celebrated four remarkable lifetimes
with honorary degrees at today's spring convocation -- decade
after decade of service and caring in the community, to child
care, health care, and philanthropy.
Survey:
Children with disabilities need more special services, parents
say
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)/Canadian Press - May 27, 2008
The parents of some 36,600 Canadian children with disabilities
said they thought their children needed special services that
they did not receive, according to a new Statistics Canada survey.
About 40% of Canadian children with disabilities received special
services in the 2005-2006 school year.
Lessons
in Learning—Mixed messages: How to choose among conflicting
information to support healthy development in young children
Judging from the quality of the available advice, today’s
parents are better informed than any prior generation. However,
many of the messages about healthy, active living and safety
in the early childhood years are conflicting. How can parents
and educators ensure that they find reliable sources of information
regarding the health and safety of young children?
EI
program would ease burden on parents: Mom
The Windsor Star - May 26, 2008
Byline: Norma Greenaway - Dateline: OTTAWA. Source: Canwest
News Service
OTTAWA - Fiona McKenney knows first-hand every parent's worst
nightmare --
having a child diagnosed with cancer.
Child
care advocate to get honorary doctor of laws degree in Winnipeg
Cape Breton Post - May 23, 2008
Dr. Sharon Hope Irwin, a longtime champion for child care and
the inclusion of children with special needs will receive an
honorary doctorate from the University of Winnipeg, June 1.
Early
identification, therapy may help researchers prevent autism
The Seattle Times May 22, 2008
University of Washington researchers are hoping to prevent full-blown
autism by treating infants who display early signs of the disorder
with intensive behavioral therapy. "If you are at risk
for diabetes, you look for signs," said researcher Annette
Estes. Autism "risk factors are present at birth. What
we are doing is heightening the parents' awareness."
CACL
Re-Issues 2007 National Report Card on Inclusion
In November 2007, CACL issued a limited edition of the 2007
National Report Card on Inclusion. As part of our 50th Anniversary
celebrations, CACL is re-issuing the 2007 National Report Card.
The 2007 Report Card explores four of CACL’s ten key issue
areas. The report card illustrates that despite the progress
that has been made in the last 50 years, many Canadians with
intellectual disabilities and their families continue to face
exclusion, isolation and poverty.
In November 2008, a more comprehensive
National Report Card addressing all ten issues will be released
at CACL’s 50th Anniversary Conference. Download
2007 Report Card on Inclusion
Dr.
Dorothy Bishop and her colleagues at Oxford proposed an explanation
for the rise in autism
May 2008
Dr. Dorothy Bishop and her colleagues at Oxford proposed an
explanation for the rise in autism— that in the past many
children with autism were misdiagnosed. Her article in the May
2008 issue of Developmental Medicine Child Neurology, describes
a research project where 38 teenagers who, as young children,
were diagnosed as having a developmental language disorder.
The researchers went back and re-diagnosed these children by
interviewing them and their parents. The result was that fully
one-third of these children were misclassified and, in fact,
under current procedures, would have been considered to have
some form of autism. Dr. Bishop concludes that while we should
not assume that other factors are not still involved, it appears
that a major cause for the increase in autism is simply changes
in diagnostic criteria.
Preschool
girls with disabilities may be overlooked
RedOrbit May 5, 2008
The underrepresentation of girls in early special education
classes makes it hard for some to develop socially or academically,
and yet little special education research has focused on gender,
writes Jeanne S. Manwaring, a preschool special-educator and
University of South Florida doctoral student in special education.
Since they are in the minority, preschool girls with disabilities
must be encouraged to express themselves, she concludes.
Alberta
Children’s Services presents annual Child Care Professional
Awards of Excellence, which recognize child care
providers who go the extra mile and create a quality care environment
for children. To view an Access video of Mary Sansome, recipient
of the 2007 Award for special needs, please see: http://www.accesstv.ca/acs/MarySansome.asx
The
Government of Manitoba which has released its new 5 year plan,
FAMILY CHOICES: Manitoba’s
Five-Year Agenda for Early Learning and Child Care http://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/familychoices.pdf
See page 8 for its statements about supporting inclusion. More
detail regarding implementation will be released in the coming
months.
Therapy
helps preschooler reach out to classmates
The Age (Melbourne, Australia) May 5, 2008
Parent Traci Fidler measures her 4-year-old son's social and
cognitive progress by the invitations to classmates' birthday
parties he now receives. Therapy has helped Brodie learn to
manage his feelings and allowed him to make friends, Fidler
says.
Learn
about Recognition and Response
April 23, 2008
An early intervention system to identify signs of learning difficulties
in Pre-K children. Virginia Buysse and Ellen Peisner-Feinberg
discuss methods of universal screening and progress monitoring
and review instructional support strategies. Listen to the webinar
and watch a video presentation
Nonprofit
builds playgrounds for children with disabilities
The Dallas Morning News/New York Times News Service April 18,
2008
A nonprofit called Shane's Inspiration has built 16 playgrounds
for Southern California children with disabilities and now plans
to expand internationally with 80 new playgrounds. "I think
you're seeing a spark from Los Angeles that's going to ignite
the nation and the world," said Jon Kirk Mukri, general
manager of Los Angeles' parks department. "It's a lab,
a learning lab -- a real learning lab where kids can get together
and see, except for wheelchairs and leg braces, there's not
much difference between kids' laughter."
European
movement returns kindergarten to playful roots
The Wall Street Journal (free content) April 14, 2008
About 700 German kindergartens are now held year-round in the
woods as part of a movement that likely would have made kindergarten
creator Friedrich Fröbel proud. More than 150 years ago,
Fröbel wanted children to experience learning through outdoors
play and exploration rather than through excessive exposure
to traditional classroom subject matter.
Developing
positive identities: Diversity and young children
Bernard van Leer Foundation April 1, 2008
Early Childhood in Focus 3: Diversity and Young Children
Broker, Liz and Woodhead, Martin
This issue of Early Childhood in Focus builds on theory and
evidence about what makes for positive identity, how it can
be affected by adversities, social exclusion and discrimination,
and how young children’s resilience can be promoted.
Bernard van Leer Foundation - Download
- Full issue in pdf
Family
sues ABC for 'failing to support' boy Deborah Gough
March 16, 2008, THEAGE.COM.AU
Canadian
ruling limits responsibility for special services
The Vancouver Sun (Canada) Sunday, March 2, 2008
The highest court in British Columbia has overturned a 2005
ruling that advocates hoped would give children with learning
disabilities new educational support. A lower court had ruled
that the North Vancouver school board and the province's education
department discriminated against such students by not providing
them with needed services.
Imaginative
play may help solve some behavioral problems
National Public Radio (text and audio) February 28, 2008
Researchers say unstructured play helps children learn to control
their own emotions and behavior -- abilities that are a better
predictor of a child's academic success than IQ. The regulated
play many modern children experience doesn't foster such skills
because the control has shifted to adults, which is something
several researchers suspect may be behind the rising number
of ADHD diagnoses. "I think a lot of kids get diagnosed
with ADHD now, not all but many just because they never learned
how to exercise ... the executive functions early," neuroscientist
Adele Diamond says.
Lack
of English proficiency may be barrier to parents
Wicked Local Blog February 20, 2008
Jessica Caballero's English skills usually aren't at a level
to discuss her 4-year-old daughter's disabilities. She finds
it difficult to communicate with her daughter's school, especially
when revisions to her Individualized Education Plans are sent
home in English. Caballero fears that her daughter needs more
one-on-one attention and is making little progress, and she
isn't certain school officials understand her concerns.
Early
interventions meant to better prepare preschoolers
The Sun (Baltimore) (free registration) February 17, 2008
Learning to hold a marker and to color were big developmental
steps for 4-year-old Jason Gillis, who has autism. Jason's instructor
and his mother hope that these steps will lead to greater future
successes. These types of early interventions by school employees
are becoming more common as educators and pediatricians try
to tackle autism and other developmental disabilities while
children's brains are still forming.
Imaginary
friends may help children refine personality
The Times (London) February 14, 2008
Two in three children now admit to having imaginary friends,
up from one in nine in the 1930s, according to University of
Oregon research. Moreover, children appear to be keeping their
imaginary friends longer, with school-age children at least
as likely to have imaginary companions as preschoolers, this
article says.
Toddler
with Down syndrome brings family joy
CNN/Parenting.com February 13, 2008
When Lisa and Mike Spellman's youngest son was born with Down
syndrome, they initially grieved over his diagnosis, but he
soon became an integral part of their family. "Anthony
completes our family, and I wouldn't have him any other way,"
Lisa Spellman said. "Every day with Anthony, there's a
new discovery, a new joy."
Treehouse
for children with disabilities will overlook park
Rome News-Tribune (Ga.) February 12, 2008
A Georgia town plans to build a treehouse accessible to children
with disabilities. The $25,000 structure will overlook a park
and house environmental exhibits.
Preschool
screenings might help educators intervene earlier
Education Week February 4, 2008
The same procedures used to intervene with school-aged children
struggling to learn should be used to screen preschoolers as
well, the National Council for Learning Disabilities told congressional
aides last week. The "recognition and response" method
developed at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill would
be effective in identifying and beginning to treat learning
disabilities earlier, the researchers said.
Study:
Students who explain concepts score better
Education Week Jan 29, 2008
Children ages 4 and 5 who explain new concepts to themselves
or their mothers score much higher on tests than those who do
not, according to a new Vanderbilt University study.
Animals
help children with autism relate to others
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free registration) Jan 28,
2008
Ajax, a Great Pyrenees-boxer mix, moves in to nuzzle Matthew
Plunk whenever he begins to meltdown. A growing number of such
service dogs are being trained to disrupt such behaviors, stay
by their charges' sides and track children who go missing.
Increasing
supports for little kids with big needs
Pembroke Daily Observer (ON) - Fri 25 Jan 2008
Byline: TINA PEPLINSKIE
LCDC:
Focusing on child development
MetroValley Newspaper Group - 03 Jan 03, 2008
Page: 0008 - Section: Aldergrove Star - Community
CRA's
inhumane child-care ruling reversed; Comment; Agency denied
claim for care of autistic child
National Post - Jan 02, 2008
Byline: Arthur Drache
A Canada Revenue Agency decision to refuse a professional couple's
tax-exemption claim for child care for their disabled son has
been overturned by a federal judge.
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