Interesting article- autism CEC

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May 15, 2009 News for special education professionals     Curriculum & Instruction    Children with autism can overcome summer challenges Summer provides challenges for children with autism, with less structure and more isolation causing some children to regress. Expert Deb Schipper says children with autism need to continue to practice their social skills during the summer, but do best when they are prepared for new environments and have visual and verbal supports. KARE-TV (Minneapolis-St. Paul) (5/14) Artists with disabilities say they express themselves through art Artists with disabilities whose works were recently displayed at a California nonprofit say art gives them an opportunity to express themselves despite other challenges. "From my observation, people with disabilities are still looked upon as not so much 'disabled' anymore but more 'less-abled,' " said Matt Givans, 27, a college student with dyslexia who gets in touch with his Native American roots through his drawings. Appeal-Democrat (Marysville-Yuba City, Calif.) (5/13) Teen earns bachelor's degree in nursing Danielle McBurnett, 17, graduated from Arizona State University on Wednesday with a bachelor's degree in nursing and will begin a doctorate program in nursing practice this fall. McBurnett, who was home-schooled, says she wants to become a pediatric nurse practitioner and help disadvantaged children. The Arizona Republic (Phoenix) (5/12) Other News More U.S. students flock to chess amid reports of academic benefits USA TODAY (5/14) No Dancing Bears or Bunny Rabbits! Non-readers of all classifications will read fluently, comprehend more, & work independently from age appropriate materials. Receive your free non-phonic language based 10 lesson print/software trial for your most in need student today at www.failurefreeonline.com.   Educational Leadership  Layoffs may continue to hurt schools after economy recovers Young Minnesota teachers laid off because of the recession are increasingly moving to other states to find work, a move that could hurt the state's schools when the economy rebounds, some educators say. When veteran teachers begin to retire in several years, schools will lack junior teachers ready to take over, says Dan Weisberg, whose New Teacher Project was hired by the Minneapolis district to examine how turnover affects its schools. Minnesota Public Radio (5/14)   Technology Trends  Educators use gaming systems to engage, reward students Schools in Indiana and Florida are using gaming devices to help students learn and stay fit. Indiana elementary-school teachers have won national accolades for their use of Sony PlayStation Portables to engage students in learning. A Florida elementary school is rewarding its students for good behavior by letting them play with Nintendo Wiis, which also may help them get fit and improve sports skills. The Indianapolis Star (5/14) , The News-Journal (Daytona, Fla.) (5/14)   Policy News  Texas, federal government near deal on state's schools Texas has offered its preliminary agreement to a U.S. Justice Department deal that seeks to improve the state's 13 schools for people with mental disabilities following a federal investigation that discovered abuse and civil rights violations. The agreement -- which requires the approval of Texas legislators -- calls for more staff, better training and greater opportunities for residents to move into community-based group homes, a state official said. Houston Chronicle (5/14) Study: As many as 20% of top high-school girls may burn out High-achieving high-school girls may be especially at risk of burnout, which can cause them to be less successful as they transition to college, according to a Finnish study of 1,800 young people. "They tend to develop feelings of inadequacy, in particular, in upper secondary school. By contrast, boys who enter upper secondary school tend to develop more of a cynical, negative stance towards school," says lead researcher Katariina Salmela-Aro, a University of Jyväskylä professor. ScienceDaily (5/14) Survey: Many adolescents not treated for depression A 2007 government survey found that only 40% of the 2 million children ages 12 to 17 who had at least one major depressive episode in the previous year were treated for it. The study also showed adolescents without health insurance were less than half as likely to get treatment as those with private or SCHIP coverage. Medscape (free registration) (5/14)   Eye on Exceptionalities  Woman with quadriplegia to graduate from law school Sara Granda, 29, who 12 years ago was paralyzed from the neck down, will graduate Saturday from the law school at the University of California, Davis, and hopes to pursue a career in health policy. "I have never met anyone like Sara in my life," said Kevin Johnson, dean of the law school. "It's not within her to quit on anything." The Sacramento Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (5/15) Author: Adults with autism need help too When children with low-functioning autism grow up, they continue to need intensive support, writes Karl Taro Greenfeld, whose 42-year-old brother was institutionalized because of the degree of his maladaptive behaviors. While funding has poured into research for earlier diagnoses and children with autism, too little attention has been paid to adults with the disorder, writes Greenfeld, author of a book about his experience. TIME (5/25)   CEC Spotlight  "Engaging and Empowering Families in Secondary Transition: A Practitioner's Guide" The new edition of this CEC best-seller gives schools and agencies the tools and strategies they need to foster family partnerships and promote positive post-school outcomes for youths with disabilities. Find out more. Submit a proposal for CEC's 2010 convention On behalf of Doug and Lynn Fuchs, program chairpersons, CEC invites you to submit a proposal for the CEC 2010 Convention & Expo, April 21 to 24, 2010, in Nashville, Tenn. The call for papers closes May 27, 2009. Find out more.