Summary: The Americans with Disability Act (ADA LAW)

The acronym ADA refers to The Americans with Disabilities Act. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, and it can be found in the United States Code at 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213.
The Americans with Disabilities Act was designed to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities. The law defends
people who currently have a disability;

people who have a history of a disability;

people who are regarded as having a disability by others, whether or not they actually have a disability; and

people who are not themselves disabled but who encounter discrimination on the basis of their association or relationship with a person who has a disability—parents of children with disabilities, for example.
The ADA explicitly includes people with mental disabilities, including individuals with psychiatric impairments. The law prohibits DISCRIMINATION:
In the employment area
In the provision of government services, programs and benefits
Against public accommodation by private businesses, insurance providers and any other agency.

This is a brief summary of the Federal civil rights laws that ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA law bans discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications. It also applies to the United States Congress.
According to the ADA law, a person can be protected by the law if this person has a disability or has a relationship or association with a disabled person.
ADA clearly defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.
ADA Title I: Employment
The Title I section demands that employers with 15 or more employees provide qualified individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from the full range of employment-related opportunities available to others. The law bans discrimination in recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities, and other privileges of employment. Employers are prohibited to inquire about an applicant's disability before a job offer is made, and it requires that employers make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it results in undue hardship. Religious entities with 15 or more employees are covered under title I.
Disabled people who are discriminated may file a complaint under Title I. The complaint may be filed with the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 180 days of the date of discrimination, or 300 days if the charge is filed with a designated State or local fair employment practice agency. Individuals may file a lawsuit in Federal court only after they receive a "right-to-sue" letter from the EEOC.

ADA Title II: State and Local Government Activities
The ADA Law Title II applies to all activities of State and local governments regardless of the government entity's size or receipt of Federal funding. Title II expects State and local governments to provide disabled people with an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their programs, services, and activities (e.g. public education, employment, transportation, recreation, health care, social services, courts, voting, and town meetings).Laws have been signed to regulate state and local governments’ specific architectural standards in the new construction and alteration of their buildings. The law requires state and local governments to reposition programs and to provide access in inaccessible older buildings, and communicate effectively with people who have hearing, vision, or speech disabilities. Therefore, reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures is enforced by the law to avoid discrimination, unless they can demonstrate that doing so would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity being provided.
Complaints of title II violations may be filed with the Department of Justice within 180 days of the date of discrimination. In certain situations, cases may be referred to a mediation program sponsored by the Department. The Department may bring a lawsuit where it has investigated a matter and has been unable to resolve violations.
Title II may also be enforced through private lawsuits in Federal court. It is not necessary to file a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) or any other Federal agency, or to receive a "right-to-sue" letter, before going to court.

ADA Title II: Public Transportation
Title II of the ADA Law applies to all public transportation services, such as city buses and public rail transit (e.g. subways, commuter rails, Amtrak). Public transportation system can not discriminate against people with disabilities in the provision of their services. Authorities must conform with requirements for accessibility in newly purchased vehicles, make good faith efforts to purchase or lease accessible used buses, remanufacture buses in an accessible manner. On the other hand, if disabled people are unable to use public transportation services due to a physical or mental impediment then these people can qualify for paratransit service where individuals are picked up and left off at their destinations.
ADA Title III: Public Accommodations
Title III encompasses businesses and nonprofit service providers that are public accommodations, privately operated entities offering certain types of courses and examinations, privately operated transportation, and commercial facilities. Public accommodations are private entities such as restaurants, retail stores, hotels, movie theaters, private schools, convention centers, doctors' offices, homeless shelters, transportation depots, zoos, funeral homes, day care centers, and recreation facilities including sports stadiums and fitness clubs.
The ADA Law prohibits exclusion, segregation, and unequal treatment for public accommodations. The law states that businesses and non profit providers should comply with architectural standards for new and altered buildings; reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures; effective communication with people with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities; and other access requirements.
Any business or institution offering courses and examinations related to professional, educational, or trade-related applications, licensing, certifications, or credentialing must provide an accessible place for people with disabilities, or alternative accessible arrangements to provide these services. Commercial facilities, such as factories and warehouses, must comply with the ADA's architectural standards for new construction and alterations.
Complaints of title III violations may be filed with the Department of Justice. In certain situations, cases may be referred to a mediation program sponsored by the Department. The Department is authorized to bring a lawsuit where there is a pattern or practice of discrimination in violation of title III, or where an act of discrimination raises an issue of general public importance. Title III may also be enforced through private lawsuits. It is not necessary to file a complaint with the Department of Justice (or any Federal agency), or to receive a "right-to-sue" letter, before going to court.

ADA Title IV: Telecommunications Relay ServicesTitle IV addresses telephone and television access for people with hearing and speech disabilities. It requires common carriers (telephone companies) to establish interstate and intrastate telecommunications relay services (TRS) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TRS enables callers with hearing and speech disabilities who use telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDDs), which are also known as teletypewriters (TTYs), and callers who use voice telephones to communicate with each other through a third party communications assistant. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set minimum standards for TRS services. Title IV also requires closed captioning of Federally funded public service announcements. For more information about TRS, contact the FCC at:

Telecommunications Act
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 amended Section 255 and Section 251(a)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934. This act demands manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and providers of telecommunications services to ensure that equipment and services are at hand for persons with disabilities. These amendments ensure that people with disabilities will have access to a broad range of products and services such as telephones, cell phones, pagers, call-waiting, and operator services.
Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act, as amended in 1988, prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. It applies to private housing, housing that receives Federal financial assistance, and State and local government housing. It is a violation to discriminate in any aspect of selling or renting housing or to deny a dwelling to a buyer or renter because of the disability of that individual, an individual associated with the buyer or renter, or an individual who intends to live in the residence.
The Fair Housing Act requires owners of housing facilities to make reasonable exceptions in their policies and operations to afford people with disabilities equal housing opportunities. For Example a landlord can make exceptions for a blind person to keep a guide dog in the residence.The Act also requires the landlord to make reasonable modifications for easy access to the residence; however, the landlord is not required to pay for the changes. The Act further requires that new multifamily housing with four or more units be designed and built to allow access for persons with disabilities. This includes accessible common use areas, doors that are wide enough for wheelchairs, kitchens and bathrooms that allow a person using a wheelchair to maneuver, and other adaptable features within the units.
Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act
The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 generally requires locations for voting polls across the United States to be physically accessible to people with disabilities for federal elections. This law also requires states to make available registration and voting aids for disabled and elderly voters, including information by telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDDs) which are also known as teletypewriters (TTYs).
National Voter Registration Act
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, also known as the "Motor Voter Act," allows all Americans to exercise their fundamental right to vote. The intention of the Act is to increase the historically low registration rates of minorities and persons with disabilities that have resulted from discrimination. The Motor Voter Act insists that all offices of State-funded programs that are primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities offer all program applicants with voter registration forms, to provide assistance to disabled people in completing the forms, and to send completed forms to the appropriate State official.

Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act
The Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) authorizes the U.S. Attorney General to investigate conditions of confinement at State and local government institutions such as prisons, jails, pretrial detention centers, juvenile correctional facilities, publicly operated nursing homes, and institutions for people with psychiatric or developmental disabilities. Its purpose is to allow the Attorney General to uncover and correct widespread deficiencies that seriously jeopardize the health and safety of residents of institutions. The Attorney General does not have authority under CRIPA to investigate isolated incidents or to represent individual institutionalized persons.

4326 Children's Literature

University of Puerto Rico in Ponce
Dean of Academic Affairs

English Department PO Box 7186

Ponce, PR. 00732

SYLLABUS

I. Course Title: Children’s Literature

II. Code Number: ENGL 4326

III. Semester: August-December 2007

IV. Credits: Three

V. Contact Hours: Three class hours per week ( 45 hrs. per semester)

VI. Prerequisite: Two years or twelve credits completed in English courses

VII. Description: Literature course for teachers. It consists of a selection of English folklore, contemporary American literature, and translated international classics within children’s literature. It includes a study of literacy criticism and values focusing on how to teach these.

VIII. Objectives:
A. General

English 4326 is a course intended to help teachers or soon to be teachers in order to:

1. analyze masterpieces of children’s literature so as to consider them not simply as reading material for young people, but as compelling works of the imagination of interest to any sensitive reader.
2. develop children’s awareness of the existing enchantment in books.
3. transmit to their students the literary heritage contained in nursery rhymes, traditional tales, and great novels.
4. evaluate and select books for children based on determining their quality and adequacy.


**By following the concept of inclusion expressed in Law 51, the students with special needs and disabilities will have a least restrictive environment to work in.

Tel: (787)844-8181 Ext. 23242325 “Patrono con igualdad en el empleo

M/M/V/D.” Fax: (787)813-0306
“Equal Employment Opportunity Employer M/W/V/D.”




Syllabus ENGL 4326 Page 2
Children’s Literature

B. Specific

Throughout the presentation of the discussion of the various issues and the different material to be used in teaching literature to children, the teachers enrolled in this course will be able to develop the following skills and activities with at least 70% of proficiency.

1.1 define children’s literature
1.2 value literature intended for children
1.3 create awareness of the importance of selecting literature for children according to their age level, preference and interests
1.4 point out what teachers must be concerned within teaching literature
1.5 list the advantages of a student in learning to love literature
1.6 classify the elements of fictions in terms of characterization, plot, setting, theme, point of view, style, tone and symbol
1.7 define several sub genres of fantasy
1.8 clarify historical notions and concepts of the history of children’s literature
1.9 analyze the role of literature upon children in their psychological development using:
a. Piaget’s Cognitive Development theory
b. Erickson’s Psychosocial Development theory
c. Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Reasoning
d. Bandura’s Vicarious Learning
e. Other psychological development theories
1.10 recognize the basic changing needs of children as they grow through the trend of children’s literature and relate these to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
1.11 determine the appropriate criterion to evaluate various types of children’s literature such as folktales, fables, myths, epics, modern fantasy, modern fiction, poetry, historical fiction, biography and informational books.
1.12 investigate the historical background of Mother Goose stories and Nursery Rhymes
1.13 evaluate different types of poetry for children
1.14 select suitable poetry for children
1.15 interpret selected poems for children
1.16 develop well informed criterion in the selection of stories
1.17 compare and contrast forms of literature such as biographies, historical fiction, fantasy , modern fantasy, etc.
1.18 apply teaching methods to the art of introducing literature to children
1.19 provide teaching suggestions and resources
1.20 integrate the teaching of literature throughout the curriculum
1.21 create awareness of students with disabilities academic needs
1.22 plan and design didactic material for disabled students
1.23 value students with learning disabilities and physical impediments

IX. Textbook

Barbara, K. , Hepler, S., & Hickman, J. ( 2007). Charlotte Huck’s children’s literature. (9th ed. ) McGraw Hill

X. References

Cullinan, B.E., & Galda, L., (2006). Literature and the child. ( 6th ed.)Thomson Learning


Cullinan, B.E., & Galda, L., (2002). Literature and the child. ( 5th ed.)Thomson Learning


Glazer, J.I., (1997). Introduction to children’s literature. ( 2nd ed.) Prentice-Hall, Inc.


Lukens, R.J., (1999). A critical handbook of children’s literature. ( 6th ed.) Addison – Wesley Longman, Inc.


Mikkelesen, N., ( 2000). Words and Pictures: Lessons in children’s literature and literacies. McGraw Hill.


Sutherland, Z. (1994). Children and books.(9th ed.) Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc.
XI. Technological Resources
A. Computer
1. Microsoft Office
a. Word
b. PowerPoint

2. Internet MSN Web Links
Folktales, Poems and Stories
a. http://www.pittedu/7Edash/folktexts.html
b. http://www.pantheon.org/areas/folklore/folktales/
c. http://www.longlongtimeago.com/llta_folktales.html
d. http://www.hanschristianandersen/~dash/folktexts.html or Folklore and MythologyElectronic Texts
e. http://www.cis.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1993/2/93.02.12.x.html
or Puerto Rican Folktales by Doris M. Vazquez
f. http://www.hevanet.com/grand/pages/Books_Juan%20Bobo.html
g. http://www.ccc.uprh.edu/download/modules/INGL_TTHAG.pdf or University of Puerto Rico at Humacao Center of Communication
h. http://www.online-literature.com/hans_christian_andersen/
i. http://www.who2.com/thebrothersgrimm.html
j. http://grimm.thefreelibrary.com/
k. http://www.rooneydesign.com/gallery.html Mother Goose Rhymes ( the meaning behind each rhyme)
l. http://aarong.sasktelwebsite.net/page16.html Mother Goose Rhymes ( the meaning behind each rhyme)


XII. Student Evaluation

100 Special Projects: Children’s literature for students with disabilities
(Access Assistive Technology blog)
http://lourdes-tecnologiaasistiva.blogspot.com/


100 Group Oral Presentation on Genres of literature

100 ea. 2 partial tests


100 Mini Lesson

Types of Assistive Technology

Types of Assistive Technology Products for People with Disabilities

Assistive technology products are designed to provide additional accessibility to individuals who have physical or cognitive difficulties, impairments, and disabilities. The following products provides descriptions of the various types of assistive technology that are available on the market today.

Descriptions of Assistive Technology Products

Alternative input devices allow individuals to control their computers through means other than a standard keyboard or pointing device. Examples include: Alternative keyboards with larger- or smaller-than-standard keys or keyboards, alternative key configurations, and keyboards for use with one hand.

Electronic pointing devices— controls the cursor on the screen without use of hands. Devices used include ultrasound, infrared beams, eye movements, nerve signals, or brain waves.
Sip-and-puff systems—activated by inhaling or exhaling.

Wands and sticks—worn on the head, held in the mouth or strapped to the chin and used to press keys on the keyboard.

Joysticks—these are manipulated by hand, feet, chin, etc. and used to control the cursor on screen.

Trackballs—movable balls on top of a base that can be used to move the cursor on screen.

Touch screens—allow direct selection or activation of the computer by touching the screen, making it easier to select an option directly rather than through a mouse movement or keyboard. Touch screens are either built into the computer monitor or can be added onto a computer monitor.

Braille embossers transfer computer generated text into embossed Braille output. Braille translation programs convert text scanned-in or generated via standard word processing programs into Braille, which can be printed on the embosser.

Keyboard filters are typing aids such as word prediction utilities and add-on spelling checkers that reduce the required number of keystrokes. Keyboard filters enable users to quickly access the letters they need and to avoid inadvertently selecting keys they don't want.

Light signaler alerts monitor computer sounds and alert the computer user with light signals. This is useful when a computer user can not hear computer sounds or is not directly in front of the computer screen. As an example, a light can flash alerting the user when a new e-mail message has arrived or a computer command has completed.

On-screen keyboards provide an image of a standard or modified keyboard on the computer screen that allows the user to select keys with a mouse, touch screen, trackball, joystick, switch, or electronic pointing device. On-screen keyboards often have a scanning option that highlights individual keys that can be selected by the user. On-screen keyboards are helpful for individuals who are not able to use a standard keyboard due to dexterity or mobility difficulties.

Reading tools and learning disabilities programs include software and hardware designed to make text-based materials more accessible for people who have difficulty with reading. Options can include scanning, reformatting, navigating, or speaking text out loud. These programs are helpful for those who have difficulty seeing or manipulating conventional print materials; people who are developing new literacy skills or who are learning English as a foreign language; and people who comprehend better when they hear and see text highlighted simultaneously.

Refreshable Braille displays provide tactile output of information represented on the computer screen. A Braille "cell" is composed of a series of dots. The pattern of the dots and various combinations of the cells are used in place of letters. Refreshable Braille displays mechanically lift small rounded plastic or metal pins as needed to form Braille characters. The user reads the Braille letters with his or her fingers, and then, after a line is read, can refresh the display to read the next line.

Screen enlargers, or screen magnifiers, work like a magnifying glass for the computer by enlarging a portion of the screen which can increase legibility and make it easier to see items on the computer. Some screen enlargers allow a person to zoom in and out on a particular area of the screen.
Screen readers are used to verbalize, or "speak," everything on the screen including text, graphics, control buttons, and menus into a computerized voice that is spoken aloud. In essence, a screen reader transforms a graphic user interface (GUI) into an audio interface. Screen readers are essential for computer users who are blind.

Speech recognition or voice recognition programs, allow people to give commands and enter data using their voices rather than a mouse or keyboard. Voice recognition systems use a microphone attached to the computer, which can be used to create text documents such as letters or e-mail messages, browse the Internet, and navigate among applications and menus by voice.

Text-to-Speech (TTS) or speech synthesizers receive information going to the screen in the form of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks, and then "speak" it out loud in a computerized voice. Using speech synthesizers allows computer users who are blind or who have learning difficulties to hear what they are typing and also provide a spoken voice for individuals who can not communicate orally, but can communicate their thoughts through typing.

Talking and large-print word processors are software programs that use speech synthesizers to provide auditory feedback of what is typed. Large-print word processors allow the user to view everything in large text without added screen enlargement.
TTY/TDD conversion modems are connected between computers and telephones to allow an individual to type a message on a computer and send it to a TTY/TDD telephone or other Baudot equipped device.

New IDEA LAW Regulations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (formerly called P.L. 94-142 or the Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975) requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs.
IDEA requires public school systems to develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEP's) for each child. The specific special education and related services outlined in each IEP reflect the individualized needs of each student.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal special education law. IDEA is a law that is aimed toward educating children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA laws and regulations direct the special education process and promote the implementation of assistive technology as a mean to educate disabled children. These are the new regulations of the IDEA law:

"Highly Qualified" Definition for Special Ed Teachers

All special education teachers must have an elementary education and special education certification. Those teaching above the elementary grade level must exhibit the ability to teach at the appropriate instructional level for their students. On the other hand, new special education teachers who teach multiple subjects must meet the NCLB "highly qualified" standard in any one of the subject areas namely language arts, math, or science in order to be hired. These teachers have two years from the date of employment to take advantage of the HOUSE to demonstrate competence in other core subject areas. Experienced special education teachers who teach multiple subjects can take advantage of the HOUSE to demonstrate competence in other main subject areas.

Education Support Professionals

The only special education ESPs who are subject to NCLB's "highly qualified" requirements are those working in schools where Title I money is used for school-wide programs and who are helping to deliver core academic content. If the ESP is a personal assistant and does not perform instructional tasks, he or she is exempt from meeting the NCLB "highly qualified" requirements.

Opportunities for Professional Development

100% (compared to 75% under IDEA '97) of all State Improvement Grant money (found in Part D of IDEA; $91 million for this fiscal year) must be geared to professional development. States must use 90 percent of these funds to carry out at least one of the following:
1) mentoring, team teaching, reduced class schedules and caseloads, and intensive professional development;
2) ensuring that academic and functional standards or assessments are aligned with state content standards as well as professional development;
3) encouraging collaborative and consultative models for early intervention, special education, and related services;
4) encouraging and supporting the training of special education and regular education teachers and administrators to effectively use and integrate technology;
5) expanding professional development activities;
6) developing and implementing initiatives to promote the recruitment and retention of highly qualified special education teachers, particularly initiatives that have been proven effective in recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers;
7) developing programs designed to improve the quality of early intervention personnel, including paraprofessionals and primary referral sources; and
8) training personnel, including administrators, about how to write effective IEPs and conduct effective and efficient IEP meetings.
The bill also includes a scholarship program to recruit people to enter the special education teaching profession in exchange for at least 2 years of service as a special education teacher.

Paperwork Reduction

The law allows 15 states to design paperwork reduction plans without sacrificing essential civil

rights of students. The Secretary of Education will be required two years after the date of

enactment to issue a report to Congress about whether this program has indeed reduced paperwork for educators, increased collaboration between IEP team members, improved outcomes, enhanced longer-term planning, and enhanced satisfaction of family members.
It also allows 15 states to offer voluntary three-year IEPs (to coincide with natural transition points) to all students, provided that there are regular Reports to Congress on the effectiveness in reducing paperwork burden on teachers, increasing collaboration between IEP team members, improving outcomes, enhancing longer-term planning, and ensuring satisfaction of family members.

Use of Early Intervention Strategies

Local school districts can use up to 15 percent of their funds for early intervening services for students (in k-12) before they are identified as needing special education services (i.e., prior to an evaluation for IDEA eligibility). School districts are allowed to implement new approaches other than IQ-achievement discrepancy model to determine whether students have specific learning disabilities. Schools may still use the IQ discrepancy model as a part of eligibility determinations, so long as it is not the sole determinant of eligibility. Early intervention and preschool special education programs for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities, allows states to create a system that gives parents the option of having their child continue early intervention services until the age of five. The law emphasizes that infants and toddlers who are abused, neglected, drug-exposed, or have experienced family violence, have to be referred for early intervention.

Discipline Procedures

Students with disabilities may be removed from the classroom for up to 10 days for any violation of a school code of conduct, in the same manner and to the same extent that a non-disabled student would be. (In other words, equal punishment for the same offense). A manifestation determination would have to be conducted within 10 days to determine whether the behavior was the result of the child's disability or whether the behavior was a "direct result of the local educational agency's failure to implement the IEP."Schools can still automatically remove a student with a disability for up to 45 days for carrying drugs or a weapon to school, but a new category of offense has been added to this 45-day automatic removal provision. A student with a disability who causes "serious bodily harm" can now be automatically removed for up to 45 days from the classroom regardless of whether the behavior was the result of the disability. The requirement to conduct functional behavioral assessments and implement or modify existing behavioral intervention plans was put back in and applies to students for whom the behavior in question is deemed to be manifestations of their disabilities AND who are removed from the classroom for more than 10 days. The final bill also allows schools to take into account on a case-by-case basis "any unique circumstances . . . when determining whether to order a change in placement for a child with a disability who violates a code of student conduct." (This may be the biggest change in the discipline provisions -- it is designed to grant limited exceptions to the "stay put" rule. NEA will work with USED to include helpful guidance language on how this might be helpful for ensuring the safety of NEA members and students in the classroom.) Finally, there is a new grant program (a high priority of NEA's) to help states and LEAs create and/or enhance high quality alternative education programs and/or sites. The law requires that schools continue providing services that enable students who are disciplined to participate in the general curriculum and meet their IEP goals.

Other Issues

Eligibility provisions: A child cannot be determined to be eligible for IDEA services or be deemed a "child with a disability"-if the "determinant factor" is that he or she 1) lacked "appropriate reading instruction;" 2) lacked instruction in math; or 3) is a student with limited English proficiency.

IEP-related provisions: Schools can provide short-term objectives for students who take alternate assessments based upon alternate achievement standard
State and local funding issues: It establishes a seven-year (including this fiscal year) path toward fulfilling the federal government's 30-year promise to pay 40% of the costs of educating students with special needs. (NOTE: The authorization level for 2005 is $12.36 billion; yet, the amount Congress just appropriated was $10.68 billion - or, $1.68 billion short)
Due to the federal government's failure to live up to its promise, states and local communities are making up the difference. The new IDEA law will allow local schools, as the federal government moves closer to paying 40 percent of special education costs, to redirect a share of their own, local resources for other educational purposes-in other words, shift them to their general operating budgets for education.
It establishes a state-level risk pool fund to assist local educational agencies in providing FAPE to disabled children with the greatest needs ("low-incidence/high-cost").

Disproportionality: (Excerpt from Conference Chairman Rep. John Boehner's (R-OH) summary of the IDEA bill) -- "Reducing over-identification/misidentification of non-disabled children, including minority youth. A disproportionate number of minority students are wrongly placed in special education rather than provided intensive educational interventions and positive behavioral interventions…. The bill will require districts with significant over-identification of minority students to operate early intervening programs that work to reduce over-identification; reduce the over-reliance on the "IQ-discrepancy" model for identification; introduce a "response to intervention" model that identifies specific learning disabilities before the students are failing at grade level; and encourage greater use of programs that rely on positive behavioral interventions and supports."

Litigation Reduction: The law creates a new "opportunity to resolve" problems before a due process complaint is formally filed. School districts will have 15 days in which to convene a "resolution session" and may not bring a district attorney unless the parents are represented by counsel. The school district then has another 15 days to attempt to cure the problems cited by the parents.

Home-schooled children: Local schools do not need to conduct an evaluation or create an IEP if parents state that they will refuse both the evaluation and services.
Medication: The bill prohibits schools from forcing children to be medicated as a condition of attending school, receiving an evaluation, or receiving services.

Special Proyect 3

Task 3
Leigh-Anne Tompkins was born with cerebral palsy. This did not stop her from making her dreams come true. She graduated magna cum laude in Fine Arts and now has her own company: Graphics Afoot Studio Design.

Select One:

a. Watch the video “ A Pivotal Role” , write a narrative poem about Lee Ann Tompkins’ Cerebral Palsy and her career.


b. Illustrate a concrete poem on any of the assistive technological devices Leigh-Anne Hopkins uses to design graphics.


c. Write a cinquain or an acrostic about Leigh Anne Hopkins.

Special Proyect 2

Task 2:
Mike Phillips is a gamer and freelance technology writer born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Using his thumb and a proximity switch to access his computer he is a prolific journalist and has contributed chapters to several books.

Watch the video “Thumb to Rule the World”, write a short science fiction story about Mike Phillip’s heroic adventures with his friends in space. Narrate how Mike uses his extraordinary ability and with a single stroke of a thumb combat hundreds of alien space ships that are invading Mother Earth.

Task 3
Mike Phillips is a brilliant journalist and has contributed chapters to several books. Lets say you were asked to write an informational article on Spinal Muscular Atrophy with the assistance of Mike Phillips. Design an outline of the topics and content information you would include in your article about Mike Phillip's Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Then, write a rough draft of the article. and share it with a friend. Don't forget to identify the audience, age level, vocabulary, style, tone, sentence length, and visual aids.

Special Proyect 1

TASK 1

After having read the five parables namely: The Good Samaritan, The Lost Coin, The Lost Sheep, The Prodigal Son and The Parable of the Treasure in the Field, select one of these parables and design an illustrated and animated PowerPoint presentation intended for visually impaired children, deaf-mute children, children with speech deficiencies and children diagnosed with autism.

Then, plan a cooperative group work picture story book, concept book or an informational book activity based on the PowerPoint Parable you designed. Make sure you and the following disabled children: a child diagnosed with autism, a child diagnosed with speech deficiencies, a visually impaired child and a child in a wheelchair collaborate in the design process of the picture story book, concept book or an informational book activity. Remember, state clearly how these children work together to elaborate the type of book you chose to create.

Definitions

Autism (as defined by IDEA) means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects educational performance. Characteristics often associated with autism are engaging in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to changes in daily routines or the environment, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term autism does not apply if the child's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has emotional disturbance. A child who shows the characteristics of autism after age 3 could be diagnosed as having autism if the criteria above are satisfied.

Deaf-Blindness (as defined by IDEA) means concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.
Deafness (as defined by IDEA) means a hearing impairment so severe that a child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

Developmental Delay occurs when a child's development progresses at a slower rate than most children. This is often seen as a delayed achievement of one or more of a child’s milestones. A developmental delay can affect a child’s physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development

Dyslexia is the inability to attain language skills proportionate with their intellectual ability. The students face problems arise in the area of processing information and having the ability to reproduce it in an understandable fashion. Individuals having dyslexia may demonstrate problems in any of the areas of reading, writing, spelling, or math calculations.

Hearing Impairment (as defined by IDEA) means impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance but is not included under the definition of “deafness.”

Inclusion: students with disabilities are included in the general education classroom/ program to the extent possible . Any support services that student needs will be provided by this setting.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( IDEA) was first enacted in 1975 as the Education for all Handicapped Children Act. It is a comprehensive law that governs the education of students with disabilities. The current version of the law was amended in 2004 (referred to as IDEA 04 or PL108-446). For more information about the IDEA, go to the U.S. Department of Educations’ IDEA website at http://idea.ed.gov/.

Individualized Education Program (IEP): is a legal document designed by a team of educators, specialists, and the child’s parents/ guardians that outlines the child’s learning / behavioral goals and objectives. This document must be updated at least every 12 mths;however, an IEP team meeting can be called by any member of the team at anytime. The IEP includes a description of the child’s present level of education performance and identifies annual goals and objectives along with methods for assessing progress toward goals and objectives. In addition, the IEP includes any necessary supports, accommodations, adaptations and/or related services.

Learning Disabled (LD) As currently defined in IDEA, the term refers to a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage (IDEA).

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) refers to the concept that children with disabilities should be educated to the maximum extent possible with children who are not disabled while meeting all their learning needs and physical requirements. The type of setting is stipulated in a child’s IEP.

Section 504 is a component of the US Rehabilitation Act of 1973 , and protects the rights of individuals with disabilities in program and activities that receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education. Section 504regulatiosn require a school district to provide a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE)to each qualified student with a disability who is in the school districts jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. This may be defined as regular or special education services. Section 504 does require development of a plan, usually referred to as a 504 plan, although this written document is not mandated. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) of IDEA may be used as the 504 plan. Typically, a student who needs 504 services needs accommodations and/or related services but does not need special placement or instruction from a special education teacher.

Speech or Language Impairment (as defined by IDEA) means a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Academic Accomodations for Students with Disabilities

Educators who have students with disabilities in their classrooms may feel somewhat uncertain in the process of identifying students special needs and about the type of accomodations students require to benefit from a non discriminatory and least restrictive learning environment. After having read the article Academic Accomodations for Students with Disabilities, I now realize how helpful I can become as an educator to create conscious awareness to collegues about strategies we can employ to assist both students with disabilities and the school administration to improve services and programs intended for students with disabilities. The author of this article, Barbara Gross offers key strategies for novice and experienced teachers to assist students with disabilities in their classrooms. It also provides the school administration with helpful information to improve facilities and to construct better infrastructures for students with disabilities.

In Barbara Gross' hardcopy text "Tools for Teaching," she starts with an alarming yet realistic statement which is :

Students who have a disability, particularly a learning disability, are a rapidly growing population on college campuses. Though it is difficult to obtain accurate figures, between 3 and 10 percent of college students report having physical or learning disabilities that require compensatory classroom teaching accommodations (City University of New York Committee for the Disabled, 1988; Project EASI, 1991; Smith, 1989). Such accommodations are neither difficult to provide nor distracting to the rest of the class. In fact, many of these accommodations may make learning easier for all your students.

A. Strategies to Assist Students with Disbilities are summarized as follows:

1. Ask your students to notify whether they have any special needs at the beginning of each semester. The teacher can make a general announcement: "Any student who feels that he or she may need accommodations for any sort of physical or learning disability, please speak to me after class, make an appointment to see me, or see me during my office hours." This is a good strategy since students don't feel stigmatized. It would be helpful to to explain the course requirements and identify the type of accomadations the student will need when you meet with a student, explain the course requirements and ask what classroom modifications would aid the student.

2. Remember that disabled students are students first, disabled second. Some able bodied people may feel somewhat uncomfortable when meeting with disabled students, yet Gross expresses that we shouldn't worry about hurting the feelings of a student who is blind by mentioning the word see. Students who are blind "see" ideas or concepts, just as students who are deaf "hear" what someone means and wheelchair users "walk" to class. Gross also suggests that physical assistance should be given upon student request.

3. Be flexible about attendance and promptness to class. Teachers should be aware that students who use wheelchairs may encounter physical barriers in getting to class on time (broken elevators, late van transportation). Other students who are disabled or take medication may sometimes feel fatigued or have difficulty concentrating. Therefore, teachers should try to distinguish students' physical problems from apathetic behavior. (Source: City University of New York Committee for the Disabled, 1988)

4. Be sensitive to "nonvisible" or "hidden" disabilities. Gross identified three principal types of disabilities that may not be immediately visible:
Learning disabilities may limit students of average or above-average intelligence from easily and dependably processing various types of information. The author states that learning disabilities are not a reflection of a student's intelligence, physical or emotional health, or cultural or socioeconomic background. She suggests teachers to employ different instructional modes to improve learning for such students by allowing them to master material that may be inaccessible in one particular mode. Most college students will know which forms or modalities of learning work best for them. (Sources: City University of New York Committee for the Disabled, 1988; Smith, n.d )

Mild to moderate sensory deficits (low-level vision, slight hearing impairment) should be accommodated by providing suitable seating arrangements and proper room lillumination.

Chronic disabilities (diabetes, seizure disorders, cardiac or respiratory conditions, lupus, cancer, AIDS) may interfere with stamina, attention span, and alertness. The attendance and performance of affected students may be erratic, and they may need flexibility in the scheduling of assignments.

Gross recommends that instructors should check with on campus disabled students program for advice and guidance. Staff members can answer questions and provide helpful information about disabilities and academic accommodations.

B. Physical Access for Studenst with Disabilities

1. Ensure classroom access. Instructors should identify buildings on campus taht have entrances that are accessible to students who use mobility aids (wheelchairs, canes, crutches, and walkers).

2. Observe seating needs. Instructors must provide appropriate seating ( desk or chair) that is near the door for students who use canes, crutches, or walkers. Access to these seats should be flat: no steps, no uneven surfaces. Wheelchair users need flat or ramped access, and classroom tables or desks must have enough clearance for them to get their legs underneath. Lab tables and computer consoles should be set up so that wheelchair users can comfortably reach the equipment.

3. Make seating available for students' in-class aides. Students who are disabled usually locate and hire their own aides (note takers, lab assistants, readers), often through referrals from the campus disabled students program. Teacher may announce to the class that a note taker is needed or by referring qualified tutors and lab assistants to students who are disabled. The student and aide will reach their own arrangements about the type of help needed.

4. Ensure access to out-of-class activities. Instructors should sensitive when answering questions of access when planning field trips, assigning lab and computer work, and recommending visits to museums, attendance at off-campus lectures and dramatic presentations.

C. Effective Teaching Practices for Students with Disabilities that take Lecture and Laboratory Courses

1. Follow good teaching practices. Instructors can plan techniques that will help both able and disables students. For example: Open each session with a brief review of the previous session's material and an outline of that day's topic. Conclude each session with a summary of key points.

Emphasize new or technical vocabulary by presenting it visually (on the chalkboard, an overhead slide, or a handout) as well as orally. Describe( verbalize) all visual examples (board work, demonstrations, props). Give students opportunities for questions, clarification, and review. (Sources: McGuire and O'Donnell, 1989; Smith, n.d.; Wren and Segal, 1985)

2. Be aware of students' cassette recorders. Some students who cannot take notes in class may routinely record lectures. Gross suggests that instructors should speak clearly and position oneself close enough to the microphone as the instructor explains what is being written or demonstrated on the board. Students with hearing disabilities may ask you to wear a lapel microphone, linked to a headset that amplifies your voice.

3. Face the class when you are speaking. Deaf or hearing-disabled students who read lips cannot follow the lecture or conversation when your back or head is turned. Gross states that people who are deaf can read only 30 to 40 percent of spoken English by watching the speaker's lips. Understanding can increase through facial expressions, gestures, and body language. (Sources: Fisher, 1985; Smith, n. d.)

4. Hand out written lists of technical terms for students who are deaf or hearing-disabled. Unfamiliar words are difficult to speech read and interpret. If possible, supply a list of these words or terms in advance to the student and interpreter. (Source: Smith, n.d.)

5. Make reading lists available in advance. Students who rely on readers or need Braille, large-print, and tape-recorded books will appreciate as much notice as possible. By midsemester, many students with disabilities try to obtain the reading lists for the courses they anticipate taking the following term.

D. Class Participation
1. Arrange for classroom participation or an alternative activity. Students who cannot raise their hand to answer or ask questions may feel isolated or ignored in class. Gross recommends that instructors should inquire about how these students prefer to be called on during the first private meeting. Some students may prefer to meet periodically with you before or after class to ask questions about course content.

2. Speak to and look at the student with disability in class discussion. In talking to deaf or hearing-disabled students, acknowledge the interpreter's presence but look at and address the student. When talking to a student in a wheelchair for more than a minute or two, it is best to sit down so that you can talk at eye level. (Source: Smith, n.d. )

3. Repeat comments or questions from participants as necessary and, as needed, identify the person who is speaking. The instructor should name the person who is speaking and repeat questions or comments spoken by other student so the student can follow the discussion. (Source: Smith, n.d.)

4. Listen attentively when a student with a speech disability is speaking. Do not finish a student's sentences or interrupt. Never pretend to understand if you are having difficulty doing so. Instead, repeat what you have understood and allow the student to respond. (Source: National Center for Access Unlimited, 1992)

5. Give options for oral presentations, if needed. Students who wish to give their presentation without assistance should be encouraged to do so. But some students will want to give the presentation with the help of an interpreter, and others may want to write out their presentation and ask an interpreter or another student to read it to the class.

E. Acacdemic Assistance: Written Materials and Exams

1. Ensure that students get the academic help they need to succeed in your class by getting academic tutoring aid for students with learning disabilities. Although a student may have an in-class aide (a note taker, sign- language interpreter, amanuensis), these aides are not academic tutors.

2. Make the computer disks available to students. If you prepare your syllabus, assignments, or handouts on a computer, give copies of the disk to students who might need them. Students who are blind or partially sighted can take the disk to an adaptive computer that will prepare copy in Braille. If your campus is networked, you may be able to send the material through electronic mail, eliminating the need for disks. Use a computer or photocopying enlarger to prepare large-type hard copy versions of your reading lists and other handouts for students who are partially sighted.

3. As appropriate, encourage students to use computers. Students with learning disabilities and students with reduced manual dexterity can benefit from drafting and revising their papers on a computer. Students with dyslexia and similar information-processing disabilities should be encouraged to use computers that have spell-checking features or to work with a proofreader or editor during the preparation of their final copy. Students who are partially sighted can use large point sizes on their computer screen and then reformat the text when they print out their papers.

4. Provide appropriate test-taking conditions. Federal law oblige institutions to provide academic accommodations. Some students with physical or learning disabilities may need one or more of the following kinds of accommodations to complete their exams:
An in-class aide to read the test orally or to take down the student's dictated answers to exam questions
A separate room that provides better lighting or fewer distractions or that houses special equipment (computer console, video magnifier, text-to-speech converter)
An extended exam period to accommodate a student's slower writing speed or need to dictate answers to an aide or to equalize a student's reduced information-processing speed
Option of substituting an oral exam for a written exam, or a written exam for an oral exam, or a multiple-choice exam for an essay exam
Option of having exam questions presented in written or oral form
You and the student should agree early on how the student's progress in the course will be evaluated.

F. Assistive Instructional Technology

1. According to Gross, instructors must find out what technological aids the institution makes available for students with disabilities. For example, some campuses have talking calculators, speech-activated computers, Braille workstations, and reading machines for use by students who are blind or visually disabled. One university has experimented with "stenocaptioning," a stenography machine hooked up to a computer for helping students with hearing disabilities read from the computer as the lecturer speaks ("New Technology Boosts Hearing- lmpaired Students," 1992).

2. Make certain that adaptive computer equipment is available for students with disabilities. Teachers should get firthore information and/or advice on the the type of adaptive technologies disabled students need. For example: students with mobility problems need modifications of keyboards, mouthsticks and headwands for striking keys, and floppy disk guides that make it easier to handle disks. For students with visual disabilities, equipment includes speech synthesizers, Braille or large-print output devices, and screen-reading programs. Students with learning disabilities can benefit from special software. Berliss (1991) offers advice and information for making computer laboratories and equipment accessible. (Source: Project EASI, 1991)

3. If you assign films or videos, make sure they are close captioned. Check with your media center about the Captioned Films Program, which distributes captioned theatrical, short subject, documentary, and educational films. (Source: Smith, n.d.)

References as stated in Barabara Gross' article
Berliss, J. R. "Checklists for Implementing Accessibility in Computer Laboratories at Colleges and Universities." Madison: Trace Research and Development Center, University of Wisconsin, 1991.
City University of New York Committee for the Disabled. Reasonable Accommodations: A Faculty Guide to Teaching College Students with Disabilities. New York: Professional Staff Congress/City University of New York, 1988. (Available from Professional Staff Congress/City University of New York, 25 West 43rd St., New York, N.Y.)
Fisher, M. (ed.). Teaching at Stanford. Stanford, Calif.: Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University, 1985.
McGuire, J. M., and O'Donnell, J. M. "Helping Learning Disabled Students to Achieve: Collaboration Between Faculty and Support Services." College Teaching, 1989, 37(1), 29-32.
National Center for Access Unlimited. "Ten Commandments for Commu- nicating with People with Disabilities." In B. P. Noble, "When Businesses Need Not Fret." New York Times, June 7, 1992, p. F25.
"New Technology Boosts Hearing-lmpaired Students." National On-Campus Report, 1992, 20(10), 3.
Project EASI (Equal Access to Software for Instruction). Computers and Students with Disabilities: New Challenges for Higher Education. (2nd ed. ) Washington, D.C. EDUCOM, 1991.
Smith, D. G. The Challenge of Diversity: Involvement or Alienation in the Academy? Report No. 5. Washington, D.C.: School of Education and Human Development, George Washington University, 1989.
Smith, L. M. The College Student with a Disability: A Faculty Handbook. Sacramento: Health and Welfare Agency, California Employment Development Department, n.d.
Wren, C., and Segal, L. College Students with Learning Disabilities: A Student Perspective. Chicago: Project Learning Strategies, DePaul University, 1985 .
From the hard copy book Tools for Teaching by Barbara Gross Davis; Jossey-Bass Publishers: San Francisco, 1993. Linking to this book chapter from other websites is permissible. However, the contents of this chapter may not be copied, printed, or distributed in hard copy form without permission.
Available at the UCB campus library (call # LB2331.D37). The entire book is also available online as part of netLibrary (accessible only through computers connected to the UC Berkeley campus network). It is available for purchase at the Cal Student Store textbook department, the publisher, and Amazon. Note: Barbara Gross Davis is working on the second edition of Tools for Teaching.
Publications and Teaching Tips Office of Educational Development UC Berkeley

Taken from

http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/disabilities.html

What is Assistive Technology?

Assistive technology may be defined in different ways. It depends on the audience, the type of technology used, and the experience and orientation of the consumers and professionals involved.

Assistive Technology (AT) is "any item, piece of equipment, or product system whether acquired commercially of the shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." (Individuals with Disabilities
Education ACT (IDEA) 20, USC, Chapter 33, Section 1401 (25) US)

An assistive technology device is any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Examples include: Braille readers, motorized wheelchairs, and specialized keyboards.

It may also be defined as any item, piece of equipment or system that can help a disabled person work around or compensate for learning difficulties.

Another definition of assistive technology may be a system of no-tech, low-tech, and high-tech tools and strategies that match a person's needs, abilities, and tasks.

A formal, legal definition of assistive technology was first published in the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (The Tech Act). This act was amended in 1994; in 1998, it was repealed and replaced with the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 ("AT Act"). Throughout this history, the original definition of assistive technology remained consistent. This same definition was used in the Access Board's Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards, developed as required by 1998 amendments to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.