New York City's Special Ed Students More Likely to Be Suspended, Report Finds

NEW YORK -- City schools were far more likely to suspend special ed kids than other children last year, according to data released by the Department of Education this week.
Disabled kids accounted for just over 31% of public school suspensions in the 2010-11 school year, but only about 16% of the student population.

Parents with Special Needs Face Adversity

Fascinating story from a City on a Hill, student newspaper at the University of California Santa Cruz.

Like any new parent, Ryan Haley hadn’t the slightest clue on how to change a diaper when his daughter Emily was born four years ago. Like any new parent, he had to learn how to get down to his daughter’s eye level when talking to her. And like any new parent, Haley was sleep-deprived every night after waking up multiple times to attend to her cries.
However, when Haley was late to pick up Emily one day from preschool, Emily came home with a note attached to her shirt that threatened contact with Child Protective Services if he was ever late again. The emergency contacts Emily’s school kept on file were never even notified. It was clear to the Haley and his wife Paula Blair they weren’t being treated like any other new parents.
Haley and Blair are Special Olympics athletes from Butte County, Calif. Haley is diagnosed with dyslexia and learning disabilities that keep his reading at a second-grade level and Blair has a speech disability that makes pronouncing longer words difficult. Though the couple have faced some hardships, they consider themselves lucky. Not only do they have a healthy, beautiful four-year-old, but they have custody of her, unlike many parents who have been deemed inadequate caretakers and lost custody of their children.
During the past century, the number of families headed by a parent with an intellectual and/or developmental disability has increased substantially, according to the Research and Training Center of Community Living of the University of Michigan.

Obesity and Children with Special Needs

When it comes to food, kids with special needs are a lot like Goldilocks and the Three Bears – they tend to either eat too much or too little, but very few of them eat "just right." Get two parents of kids with special needs together, and it won’t be long before the gory details of food preferences and digestive problems are discussed.
The "too much" portion of this problem is the topic of an important new report released Wednesday by AbilityPath.org called, "Finding Balance: Obesity and Children with Special Needs." In partnership with Special Olympics and Best Buddies International, the numbers are alarming:

Researcher Takes Different View of Autism

People with autism have advantages, in some ways, over people without the condition, and scientists need to stop viewing the traits of autism as flaws that need to be corrected, one autism researcher argues.
By seeing autism's differences as defects, researchers may fail to fully understand the condition, said Dr. Laurent Mottron, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal.
"Recent data and my own personal experience suggest it's time to start thinking of autism as an advantage in some spheres, not a cross to bear," Mottron wrote in a commentary published today (Nov. 2) in the journal Nature.

Getting a New 'Leash' on Life

KINGSTON, Mich. — Nearly five years ago, Kingston native Pamala (Steele) Fountain began a journey to place a companion dog with her son, Spencer, who was diagnosed with Autism.
On Sunday, her hard work and dedication paid off when they left their home in Midland and went to California, where one of the nation’s best facilities for service dogs, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), is located.
Spencer was only four- years-old when his mother began her search. He had been diagnosed with Autism, a developmental disorder that can interfere with a child's ability to communicate, relate to others and control behavior and emotions. After researching, Fountain had learned that there were service dogs for children with autism called "companion dogs" who were bred to be calm, reliable and affectionate and that could serve as a social bridge to others.

Report: Economic Downturn Taking Disproportionate Toll on Disabled

Maybe it's me. Just don't understand why the only news I can find on the National Council on Disability's Progress Report is a press release. Hope the media picks up on this. Curious to get your thoughts on the report.

On Tuesday, November 1, the National Council on Disability (NCD) released its National Disability Policy: A Progress Report detailing Federal disability policy. NCD is a small, independent federal agency comprised of 15 Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed Council Members and a small staff, who advise the President, Congress and other Federal agencies on disability issues, programs and services.
"People with disabilities have lower rates of employment, lower annual earnings, lower educational attainment and achievement; lack adequate access to housing, transportation, technology, and health care," revealed Jonathan Young, NCD Chairman. "The current economic downturn is having a disproportionate negative effect on the quality of life for people with disabilities and their families. A strong Federal commitment to the implementation and enforcement of the standard set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act will be central in determining both success and savings in these difficult economic times. This report provides a necessary snapshot of where we're at – and clear, workable suggestions for moving forward."

Sensory-Friendly Film Screenings Let Children with Autism Be Themselves

MONGOMERY, Ala. -- For many families with autistic children, movies are stressful, a time when "social coaching" is done before the children take their seats
So when the recently-formed Montgomery Tri-County Autism Networking Group approached the RAVE Theater about showing a movie for children with autism, ADD and ADHD, they agreed, offering a special sensory-friendly matinee screening of "Puss in Boots."
The lights in theater No. 15 were slightly turned up, the noise level was turned down and the children were free to be themselves. They did not having to worry about keeping their voices down or being told not to get out of their seats.