May 2012
Catch all our news of "what's new"!
We can’t list all that’s new at NICHCY in that little What’s New? space on our home page! So we’ve created this offshoot page, where you can quickly see (and connect with) the fruits of our labors in 2012. This includes new…
- Disability-related resources
- Blogs from NICHCY
- Dissemination resources
- eNews You Can Use
New Disability-Related Resources
Education and Disability Law Articles
posted April 26, 2012
We’ve added a new section to NICHCY’s website! It’s devoted to bringing you full-length articles on special education and disability law. Find legal articles on IDEA, Section 504, state laws, and other topics.
Desarrollando el IEP de Su Hijo
posted December 13, 2011
We’ve updated the Spanish version of our popular Developing Your Child’s IEP to reflect the requirements of IDEA 2004. This detailed look at the components of the IEP and how it’s developed is sure to help Spanish-speaking parents participate effectively in writing an IEP that works for their son or daughter.
The Facts about Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities
posted November 8, 2011
We answer 10 commonly asked questions that families and educators of students with disabilities have about charter schools. We also offer links to state-specific resources that can help you better understand how charter schools work in your individual state.
Preguntas Comunes de los Padres sobre los Servicios de Educación Especial
posted November 1, 2011
We’ve updated the Spanish version of our popular Questions Often Asked by Parents about Special Education Services to reflect the requirements of IDEA 2004. Good for Spanish-speaking parents new to special education!
“Co-Teaching” | Research Summary 81 | posted October 3, 2011
Describes the major points of Scruggs, Mastropieri, & McDuffie’s 2007 Co-Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms: A Metasynthesis of Qualitative Research. This article examines the results of 32 qualitative studies of co-teaching implementation. The findings section includes Requirements for Successful Co-Teaching. (Also see below.)
Co-Teaching: General and Special Educators Working Together | posted October 3, 2011
Our companion page to Research Summary 81 (above), which will connect you with more information on effective practices in co-teaching.
For families, educators, administrators, parent training centers, and other stakeholders.
DisAbilityConnect, our App for Android smart phones | posted August 2011
Download the app for free to your Android and use it to find resources in your state. It’s a mobile adaptation of our State Resource Sheets.
“What Works” | Research Summary 80 | posted August 2011
Describes the findings of Do Special Education Interventions Improve Learning of Secondary Content? A Meta-Analysis. And the answer is yes, there are special education interventions that improve learning. The meta-analysis reports on 7 interventions that really work with students. (Also see below.)
Using “What Works” | posted August 2011
Our companion page to Research Summary 80, which will connect you with more information about those 7 interventions.
Video: How to Use NICHCY’s Website | posted May 2011
To help you become familiar with our new website design, we’re pleased to offer a crash-course video that points out key areas to explore.
New to Disability? | posted April 2011
Added as part of our website redesign, the New to Disability? page offers great information and resources for families and educators just entering the world of disability.
Starter Set of Resources on LRE | posted March 2011
Children with disabilities are to be educated in the least restrictive environment (LRE). This “starter set of resources” will help you educate students in the LRE. The webpage now has separate sections on: reflecting on the meaning of LRE (least restrictive environment), availability of accessible materials, building instructional capacity and skill of educators, federally funded TA centers, and LRE materials from individual states.
Rare Disorders Fact Sheet | posted February 2011
Revised and updated for 2011, the fact sheet now includes the following sections: organizations addressing rare disorders, genetics and genetic disorders, the Human Genome Project, laws you may not have heard of, orphan drugs, and the undiagnosed condition.
New Blogs from NICHCY
LD in Your Classroom: 7 Tips for Teachers | posted May 15th, 2012 | By Kori Hamilton. Learning disability is a general term that describes specific kinds of learning problems. A learning disability can cause a person to have trouble learning and using certain skills. The skills most often affected are: reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning, and doing math. This blog has 7 great ideas for how teachers can better support their students with LD.
AD/HD in Your Classroom: 10 Tips for Teachers | posted May 1st, 2012 | By Lisa Küpper. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is a condition that can make it hard for a person to sit still, control behavior, and pay attention. Parents and teachers do not cause AD/HD, but there are many things that both parents and teachers can do to help a child with AD/HD. This blog has 10 great ideas for doing just that!
Expertise at Your Fingertips | posted April 17, 2012 | By Lisa Küpper. The internet has put information at our fingertips, but it is nearly impossible to check out every organization that claims to have expertise in the area of Special Education. Do not fear – TA&D is here! The Office of Special Education Programs provides this support and expertise by funding a collection of centers called the Technical Assistance and Dissemination Network.
Five Strategies to Increase Reading Comprehension With Your Child With Special Needs |posted April 3, 2012 | By Jennifer James. Many parents of children with special needs are working to increase reading comprehension with their child. It’s not uncommon for children with special needs to struggle with understanding what a story (or even a paragraph) is about, who the main characters are, what the setting is, what the problem or moral is, and/or what the function of a story is. How do you help?
Differentiated Instruction in Today’s Classrooms | posted March 20, 2012| The IRIS Center is a national center that provides high-quality resources about students with disabilities for college and university faculty and professional development trainers. Visit IRIS’ website to find free, online, interactive training enhancements that translate research about the education of students with disabilities into practice
Bridging Home-School Communications: Helping Parents Begin Conversations with Teachers | posted March 6, 2012 | Gayle Hernandez began her teaching career 18 years ago. Her passion is teaching kindergarten, promoting inclusion, and building classroom and school communities. Her blog offers some practical tips to help parents improve communication between families and teachers.
Website Supports Literacy For All Children! | posted February 21, 2012 | Gail Leslie, of the National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness, introduces us to a new website designed to support literacy instruction for children with disabilities, especially those with complex needs and sensory issues. These children often need intensive and thoughtful learning experiences to provide them with the skills needed to insure their quality of life. The website is loaded with strategies, practical examples, and resources.
Top 10 Most Ridiculous Comments Heard at an IEP Meeting | posted February 7, 2012 | Dennise Golberg shares some of the most ridiculous comments heard in IEP meetings. Oh, these fly in the face of everything the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act stands for!
My Story | posted January 24, 2012 | Read David Egan’s story of inclusion, thoughtful transition planning, and meaningful employment. David, who has Down syndrome, has been working for 14 years, is an athlete and a public speaker, and has testified before the U.S. Senate.
Finding What Works for Children with Special Needs | posted January 10, 2012 | The What Work Clearinghouse guest blogs on its review of three programs designed to meet the needs of students with emotional disturbance. Were the programs effective? Come find out!
Implementing Inclusion in Charter Schools | posted December 20, 2011 | Guest blogger Dr. Chloe Marshall describes the ways in which she supports inclusive practices in one urban charter school.
“No Boundaries” Education | posted December 13, 2011 | Guest bloggers Patricia Ralabate and David Gordon describe how using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles right from the start can help educators make lessons more accessible to all students.
Inclusion in Action: Good Morning! | posted November 29, 2011 | Guest blogger Nicole Eredics takes us inside her inclusive classroom and describes how she immediately engages her students.
Who Can Help? | posted November 15, 2011 | Elaine Mulligan gives a crash course in how to find help in your state by using NICHCY’s State Organizations Search!
Forming Inclusive Classrooms | posted November 3, 2011 | Guest blogger Gayle Hernandez shares the kinds of thinking, planning, and communication that become second nature to truly inclusive teachers.
All About the IEP | posted October 18, 2011 | NICHCY’s own Elaine Mulligan, on key parts of the IEP and the team that develops it.
Join the Conversation at #SpEdChat | posted October 11, 2011 | Guest blogger Dennise Goldberg of SpecialEducationAdvisor.com shares a weekly online Twitter conversation about special education.
Confessions of a Bad Co-Teacher | posted October 6, 2011 | NICHCY’s project director, Elaine Mulligan, with confessions of a shady co-teaching past.
Parent Primer: Placing Special Needs Children in the Inclusive Class | posted September 29, 2011 | Guest blogger Nicole Eredics, with suggestions for parents on supporting the inclusive education of their child.
New Potentials: Rethinking Disability Through My Sister’s Eyes | posted September 22, 2011 | Guest blogger Lisa Tolentino, on growing up with a sister with developmental disabilities and our society’s need to change how we think about disability.
Love (Need) Data? ED Data Express Is For You! | posted September 15, 2011 | NICHCY’s project director, Elaine Mulligan, on the U.S. Department of Education’s ED Data Express site, an interactive web site that allows users to examine state-level data of many educational factors.
What Works: Effective Teaching Strategies for Students with Disabilities | posted September 8, 2011 | NICHCY’s project director, Elaine Mulligan, on the results of a recent meta-analysis that identified 8 classroom interventions that are effective with students with disabilities–and guidance on how to do them in your own classroom.
Arranging a Classroom to Create an Inclusive Learning Environment! | posted August 31, 2011 | Lots of suggestions here, from our guest blogger Nicole Eredics, an elementary educator who has spent over 15 years working in inclusive classrooms.
Learn to Implement Effective RTI for Mathematics! | posted August 22, 2011 | The IRIS Center guest blogs about using response to intervention to help students struggling with math and connects you with its STAR Legacy Module, RTI: Mathematics.
How Parents and Teachers Can Work Together in the Inclusive Classroom | posted July 26, 2011 | Guest blogger Nicole Eredics gives us a great list of strategies that parents can use to create a successful partnership with teachers in the inclusive classroom.
Maintaining Quality of Services on a No-Money Budget | posted July 2011 | Budgets are tight in schools these days, and it’s not going to get better any time soon. So how do you make the most of your education dollars?
New Resources in the Dissemination Initiative
Primarily for the centers and projects in the Technical Assistance and Dissemination network (funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education); the members of the Dissemination Community of Practice; and all those interested in improving their dissemination practices
Writing for the Web | posted September 7, 2011
Did you know that most folks don’t read on the web? They skim and scan for content. The 7 pages in our series Writing for the Web give a wealth of tips and suggestions for writing content that engages readers and connects them quickly with the info they seek.
NICHCY’s Dissemination Plan | posted July 2011
We hope that sharing our plan publicly will inspire other disseminators to create their own plans. Feel free to borrow from ours!
Steal These Dissemination Strategies | posted May 2011
All about dissemination strategies used by NICHCY that we are encouraging you to…um…steal and use in your own dissemination efforts.
Tips and Tools for Disseminators | posted April 2011
This landing page is the door into the resources that are emerging from the Dissemination Initiative launched by NICHCY in 2009. It’s evolving into a tool kit for disseminators and leads to such resources as our Guide to Using Facebook in Dissemination.
Tipsheet: Writing Plainly | posted March 2011
Make it easy for your readers to understand your message by writing in plain language. This tipsheet gives 10 plain-writing tips for starters. [PDF]
The Dissemination Initiative | launched in 2009
The Dissemination Initiative pages include great information for Technical Assistance and Dissemination projects on effective dissemination practices.
eNews You Can Use
Our monthly newsletter, always chockful of resources you can use to address disability issues and concerns. Sign up for the newsletter and receive it automatically via email, or access it here on our website. Each month features a special emphasis or topic, captured in italics below.
May 2012 | Teachers! We appreciate you!
April 2012 | Child safety ~ Safe and inclusive living and learning environments
March 2012 | Food for thought ~ Tools for healthy living
February 2012 | Leaping into action with one more day
January 2012 | Ring in the New Year with resources
December 2011 | Surviving school holidays
November 2011 | Accommodations and modifications
October 2011 | Addressing behavior issues
September 2011 | Getting organized for the new school year
August 2011 | Managing change
July 2011 | The power of community
June 2011 | Professional development at your fingertips this summer
May 2011 | Where to find reliable info on children with disabilities
April 2011 | Winding down the school year
March 2011 | Welcoming our new director!
February 2011 | Rare Disorders
January 2011 | Let’s Have a Great Year!
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