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Champions for Children with Disabilities
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November 2007
National Technical Assistance Center:
PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Boulevard, Minneapolis, MN 55437 (888) 248-0822, www.taalliance.org
In This Issue:
Upcoming Events
- ALLIANCE 11th Annual National Conference - January 30-February 1, 2008
Parent Center Update
- North Dakota PTI Outreach
- Updated PACER EBD Book
- SPAN Transition CD
Announcements
- What Works Clearinghouse Topic Request
- Mobility International Book Sale
Resources
- New Project Forum Documents
- Family Involvement in Middle and High School
- Juvenile Justice Annual Report
- Autism Video Glossary
- Transition Evidence-Based Practices
- No Child Left Behind Proficiency Report
Technology
- How to Cost and Fund Technology
- Creating Web Content
Fundraising
- United Healthcare Children's Foundation
To find the Technical Assistance Center in your Region please visit www.taalliance.org/ptidirectory/
Upcoming Events
ALLIANCE 11th Annual National Conference
January 30-February 1, 2008
Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, Washington DC
Registration deadline is December 6, 2007!
Register online at: www.taalliance.org
Reception on the Hill (privately funded)
January 30, 2008 5-7 pm
Hart Senate Office Building
Parent Center Updates
North Dakota PTI Outreach
The North Dakota Parent Training and Information Center, Pathfinder Services, is working on expanding their outreach into the Native American community. They were recently invited by the Sioux Tribe at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation to present at a parent night. Thirty-five parents attended and were able to learn about the PTI. Congratulations to Pathfinder on their outreach success! www.ndpti.com
Updated PACER EBD Book
PACER Center has updated their booklet for parents of children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Educating Your Child with an Emotional Disturbance discusses topics related to developing an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and issues around alternative placements. More information about this book is available online at PACER’s Web site www.PACER.org.
SPAN Transition CD
The Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) collaborated with other New Jersey agencies to develop a CD on transition to adulthood, which is now available online at: http://www.njcdd.org/Champions/start.htm.
SPAN is the New Jersey PTI and Region 1 Parent Technical Assistance Center. Their Web site is: www.spannj.org.
Announcements
What Works Clearinghouse Topic Request
The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) at the U.S. Department of Education is soliciting ideas of topics to be studied in the future. Comments can be sent online at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/help/webmail/feedback.asp.
Mobility International Book Sale
Mobility International USA (MIUSA) is holding a sale on their popular book Survival Strategies for Going Abroad: A Guide for People with Disabilities. Until December 31, the book is available for $10 (40% off the regular price). To order this book or view other publications regarding international exchange programs for people with disabilities, visit http://www.miusa.org/publications/books/ss.
Resources
New Project Forum Documents
Collaborative Partnerships Between SEAs and Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs)
This In-Brief Policy Analysis begins with a background on federally funded parent centers. It continues with the findings from two sets of interviews: one for state education agency (SEA) staff and one for PTI staff. Types of collaboration including development of training materials, dissemination of information, parent outreach, data collection and others are described. Handling of communication and fiscal and human resources is discussed as well as barriers and benefits of these partnerships.
Parent Participation in State Monitoring
This In-Brief Policy Analysis provides readers a background to monitoring processes in general and many useful links to other documents and websites. This survey analysis describes what states are doing to include parents in their monitoring of local education agencies. Trends from four other Project Forum studies are also included. Sixteen of 37 responding states include parents as members on their monitoring teams. Many respondents felt strongly that there were many benefits to having parents on the teams. Both benefits and challenges are described as well as other ways states are including family members in the monitoring process.
Supplemental Educational Services Under NCLB: State Implementation for Students with Disabilities
This In-Brief Policy Analysis provides readers a comprehensive background for SES for students with disabilities. This survey analysis describes what states are doing in this area concerning requirements, approval processes, assistance to local education agencies, data collection and effectiveness for students with disabilities. Observations and conclusions are given.
The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS): Current State Implementation
This In-Brief Policy Analysis provides a legislative background to NIMAS followed by survey findings from 46 state NIMAS coordinators. Findings are clustered in the areas of dedicated staff, coordination with the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Center (NIMAC), guidelines and requirements, professional development, legal issues, file conversions, challenges and next steps.
Family Involvement in Middle and High School
This new brief from the Harvard Family Research Project summarizes studies linking family involvement in the adolescent years to later academic and social success. http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/resources/research/adolescent.html
Juvenile Justice Annual Report
The Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice recently released its annual report. The report outlines recommendations from states and juvenile justice practitioners. The three major problems identified in the report are disproportionality, mental health concerns, and detention reform. http://www.facjj.org/annualreports/ccFACJJ Report 508.pdf
Autism Video Glossary
Autism Speaks, in collaboration with Florida State University and FirstSigns, has launched a video glossary of early warning signs for autism. The site can be accessed for free, but registration is required. http://www.autismspeaks.org/video/glossary.php
Transition Evidenct-Based Practices
The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) has developed a page on their Web site dedicated to evidence-based practices in transition. Specific practices are identified with descriptions and resource citations. http://www.nsttac.org/?FileName=evidence_based_practices.
No Child Left Behind Proficiency Report
The Thomas Fordham Institute recently released a report comparing states’ No Child Left Behind (NCLB) proficiency standards. The analysis describes the variability that occurs and implications for the meaning of “proficiency”. http://www.edexcellence.net/doc/The_Proficiency_Illusion.pdf
Technology
How to Cost and Fund Technology
Although written for British organizations, this guidebook provides helpful hints for learning how to identify and budget for technology at a nonprofit. http://ga0.org/ct/V1S-qJ9114HV/
Creating Web Content
This TechSoup article describes how to write Web content that will be useful to visitors and keep them engaged. http://ga0.org/ct/VdS-qJ9114HC/
Fundraising
United Healthcare Children's Foundation
United Healthcare Children's Foundation (UHCF) provides grants of up to $5,000 for healthcare services that are only partially covered by a child's insurance plan. Eligible services include glasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs, physical therapy, and speech therapy. For more information on the grant application process, go to: http://www.uhccf.org/apply.html.
PACER's site offers many PDF files for download, which require 
