What's New

Past News You Can Use: 2001

• December 2001
• November 2001
• October 2001
• September 2001
• August 2001
• July 2001
• June 2001
• May 2001
  
  
• Past News You Can Use: 2002
• Past News You Can Use: 2003
• Current News You Can Use

December 2001

Bilingual Website Updated

The National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), is a national organization whose focus is exclusively on the education of language-minority students in American schools. NABE's Web site now has a new look and is easier to navigate. The site is searchable and offers information on NABE's recent activities, policy, legislation, links, resources, and a discussion forum. Visit the NABE Web site at: www.nabe.org.

Publications from the Department of Education

Free education publications (books, brochures, and videos) are available from ED Pubs, the U.S. Department of Education Publications Center. Thousands of free titles are available, and ED Pubs has something for everyone---teachers, parents, students, administrators, policymakers, educators, researchers, journalists, librarians, and others.

Free products include guides for parents and students and statistical reports. In addition, ED Pubs offers a number of products in Spanish and other languages. To place your order or find out about available titles, call ED Pubs toll-free at (877) 433-7827. You can also search the ED Pubs catalog and order on-line at: www.ed.gov/ about/ ordering.jsp.

Careers in the Arts

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts now has a new listserv that focuses on careers in the arts for people with disabilities. Career in the Arts listserv members will receive announcements about jobs, funding opportunities, and information about training programs across the nation. Also, listserv members will receive a quarterly newsletter on Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities. Subscribe at http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/ user_guide/ commcent/ artsedge.html (scroll down to check the appropriate listserv).

Inclusion Conference

The PEAK Parent Center and the Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE) are hosting a conference on School Reform and Inclusive Education January 17-19, 2002 in Denver, Colorado. This conference focuses on the concurrent topics:

For more information, go to: www.peakparent.org/ pages/ InclConf2002.html.

Nominate Deserving Youth for the International Yes I Can! Awards

For over 20 years, the Foundation for Exceptional Children has sponsored the Yes I Can! Award Program to recognize children and youth with disabilities who have achieved in the award categories of: academics, arts, athletics, community service, employment, extracurricular activities, and independent living skills. Winners receive a bronze statue engraved with their name, and will be recognized at the Council for Exceptional Children's annual convention, to be held in New York City. All nominees will receive a certificate of achievement.

For more information and nomination forms, please visit: www.cec.sped.org/ fd/ yicapp.html or call Melanie Keyes at the Council for Exceptional Children at (703) 245-0607.

The deadline for nominations is January 8, 2002. Recognize a deserving children or young person today!

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Reauthorization Public Forums

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will hold a series of public forums to solicit comments on the upcoming reauthorization of IDEA. The following information is on the last forum in the series:

OSERS offers the following suggestions to those who wish to provide comments at these forums:

• Focus on systemic, rather than child-specific, issues.
• Organize remarks according to the following format: What is the problem? Why is it a problem? What solutions do you propose?

Remarks are limited to 5 minutes so that everyone will have the opportunity to share their remarks with OSERS. Stipends for the cost of childcare will be provided by the host Regional Resource Center (RRC) at each site for these forums. To receive the stipend, contact the host RRC prior to the meeting for information and procedures. Interpreters will be available.

Improving America's Schools Conferences

The last of the Eighth Annual Regional Conferences on Improving America's Schools (IAS) will be held December 17-19 in San Antonio, Texas. The IAS conferences are an important part of the ongoing partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and the nation's educators, families, and communities. For more information, go to: www.ncbe.gwu.edu/ iasconferences.

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November 2001

Disaster Preparedness for Individuals with Disabilities

The attacks of September 11 have had a great impact on everyone, and there are concerns about disaster preparedness in the disability community. The National Organization on Disability (NOD) provides people with information about this issue. NOD is also committed to working with other agencies and organizations to improve communication and solutions for the future. For more information, visit the NOD Web site: www.nod.org.

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS)

The Early Childhood Research Institute collects publications on childhood and early intervention resources. These publications have been developed for children with disabilities and their families plus the service providers who work with them. Some of these publications are available in Spanish and 15 other languages.

This Web site has a database of materials that describe culturally and linguistically appropriate practices for early childhood/early intervention services. The site includes descriptions of books, videotapes, articles, manuals, brochures and audiotapes. New materials will be added each month through the year 2002. Go to: http://clas.uiuc.edu.

Revamped and Updated Litigation Log

IDEA Practices has updated its Litigation Log. Over 50 cases with links have been designated into 15 categories. These cases were chosen for their importance and impact on the policy, practice, and delivery of special education as IDEA '97 is interpreted by the courts. Examples of categories include:

• Discipline/Suspension/Expulsion
• Early Childhood
• Eligibility
• Evaluation/Re-evaluation
• FAPE/Placement
• IEP/IFSPs/Methodology
• LRE/Mainstreaming/Inclusion
• Medical Services/Related Services
• Services to Private School Students

Access the log at: www.ideapractices.org/ litigationlog.htm.

The U.S. Department of Education Launches Redesigned Web Site

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) recently launched a redesign of its Web site. "The new www.ed.gov is part of what will be an ongoing effort to make the information and the resources of the Department of Education available, as well as understandable, to policymakers, government leaders educators, parents, and students alike," commented Secretary of Education Rod Paige.

DOE's Web site is consistently ranked among the top 10 most-visited government Web sites, with an average of more than 1 million visitors each month. Secretary Paige said, "This new redesigned site can help reduce the time teachers, parents, and others spend looking for information so they can spend more time using it to help children learn." Visit the new site at: www.ed.gov.

New Telecommunications Access for People with Hearing Loss and Speech Difficulties

The familiar calling shortcuts of 911 and 411 have now been joined by 711. 711 is a new system that offers access to nationwide telephone relay services (TRS) for people who have any degree of hearing loss or speech difficulty. Dialing 711 connects persons to their local relay service. This is a free service.

An example of TRS is when a text telephone (TTY) user contacts a voice telephone user through a TRS provider (or relay center). A communications assistant at the relay center then places the call to the voice user and relays the conversation by transcribing spoken content for the TTY user and reading text aloud for the voice user.

The 711 service became available nationwide on October 1. Dialing 711 should work regardless of whether TTYs or standard telephones are used. This includes VCO, HCO, STS and Spanish Relay.

Persons unable to reach their state TRS from their telephone can inform the FCC's Consumer Center at 1.888.CALL.FCC (voice) or 1.888.TELL.FCC (TTY), or by e-mail at access@fcc.gov. Visit the FCC's Consumer Information Bureau at: www.fcc.gov/cib.

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October 2001

OSEP Letters of Clarification

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education now has a link to policy documents on its Web site at: www.ed.gov/ offices/ OSERS/ OSEP/ Policy/ policy_letters/.

These documents include selected OSEP memoranda as well as letters of clarification describing the Department's interpretation of IDEA and/or the regulations that implement IDEA. The letters OSEP has posted to date span from July 1, 2000 to March 31, 2001. Correspondence for January through June of 2000 will be posted sometime in the future.

The posted letters are organized broadly by the quarter in which they are posted. Within that grouping, they are then organized by the part of the IDEA that they address, such as Section 612 (State Eligibility) or Section 615 (Procedural Safeguards), rather than by the dates they were issued. For example:

• Interested in knowing more about the participation of children with disabilities in assessments? See the January 17, 2001 OSEP memorandum on the subject, posted in the First Quarter 2001 listings at: www.ed.gov/ offices/ OSERS/ OSEP/ Policy/ 1q2001pl/.

• Want to know more about mediation? OSEP's memorandum of November 30, 2000 discusses this important subject. It's posted in the Fourth Quarter 2000 listings at: www.ed.gov/ offices/ OSERS/ OSEP/ Policy/ 4q2000pl/.

• There's an interesting discussion regarding disability harassment in OSEP's July 25, 2000 letter, posted as part of the Third Quarter 2000 listings at: www.ed.gov/ offices/ OSERS/ OSEP/ Policy/ 3q2000pl/.

President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education

President Bush has created a 16-member Commission on Excellence in Special Education. In announcing the formation of the Commission, the President said, "It is imperative that special education operate as an integral part of a system that expects high achievement of all children, rather than as a means of avoiding accountability for children who are more challenging to educate or who have fallen behind."

The Commission's duties include collecting information and studying issues related to Federal, State, and local special education programs. Its goal is to recommend policies for improving the educational performance of students with disabilities. The Commission must report its findings and recommendations no later than April 30, 2002.

Members include: Terry Edward Branstad of Iowa, who will serve as Chairman. Adela Acosta of Maryland, Steve Bartlett of Texas, Paula C. Butterfield of Pennsylvania, Jay G. Chambers of California, W. Alan Coulter of Louisiana, Thomas Albert Flemming of Michigan, Jack M. Fletcher of Texas, Douglas H. Gill of Washington, David W. Gordon of California, Nancy S. Grasmick of Maryland, Bryan C. Hassel of North Carolina, Douglas Carl Huntt of Ohio, Michael J. Rivas of Texas, Cheryl Rei Takemoto of Virginia, and Katie Wright of Illinois.

The following members of the Commission will serve ex officio: Elizabeth Ann Bryan of Texas, Edward Sontag of Virginia, Robert Pasternack of New Mexico, Reid Lyon of Maryland, and Wade F. Horn of Maryland.

Improving America's Schools Conferences

The Eighth Annual Regional Conferences on Improving America's Schools (IAS) will be held October 17-19 in Mobile, Alabama; November 13-15 in Reno, Nevada; and December 17-19 in San Antonio, Texas. The IAS conferences are an important part of the ongoing partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and the nation's educators, families, and communities. For more information, go to: www.ncbe.gwu.edu/ iasconferences.

Reauthorizing IDEA

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will hold a series of public forums to solicit comments on the upcoming reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Three of these forums will be held in conjunction with the Improving America's Schools Conference, while the other four are scheduled in other cities. These forums will provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to make verbal or written comments on what is working under IDEA and what needs to be changed. The schedule and location of the forums are:

For more information, please contact Michele Rovins at the Federal Resource Center for Special Education at (202) 884-8210 or mrovins@aed.org, or Jim Button at the U.S. Department of Education at (202) 205-8239 or james.button@ed.gov.

Diversity Resources for People Working with Young Children

As our country becomes more culturally diverse, it is important that we expand knowledge and skills to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services and supports to children and families. Through a topical page on Diversity, the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System (NECTAS) is highlighting OSEP-funded early childhood projects and the innovative ideas and strategies they use in order to make their services culturally and linguistically appropriate. Visit the Diversity page at: www.nectas.unc.edu/ diversity/ diversity.asp.

IdeaDEPOT updated

The IdeaDEPOT is a Web-based offering of the IDEA Partnership Projects that provides listings of resources on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including online documents, print materials, videos, CD-ROMs, links to Web sites, and more. IdeaDEPOT has recently been redesigned and now has a searchable database entitled "Professional Development Resources". The database contains 200 resources that provide policy and practice guidance about IDEA, plus promising practices in special education. Resources in this database have been formally reviewed and approved by the Office of Special Education Programs(OSEP) as being consistent with IDEA. These OSEP reviewed materials contain accurate information and reflect the intent of the law. Visit IdeaDEPOT at: www.ideapractices.org/ IDEAresources/ resources.asp.

Inclusion

The National Institute for Urban School Improvement's mission is to support inclusive urban communities, schools, and families for successful urban education. They believe that it is essential for educators to expand their perspective to include all children. To accomplish this mission, the Institute makes a wide range of publications available in English and in Spanish on its Web site.

The Institute is also a key participant in National Inclusive Schools Week, which will be celebrated in schools and classrooms throughout the country during the first week in December. The purpose of the Week is to highlight the progress of our nation's schools in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, while offering educators, students, and parents an opportunity to discuss what else needs to be done to ensure that their schools successfully educate all children.

Kicking off the celebration, the Institute is currently offering a free on-line forum for teachers and parents called Using Children's Literature to Build an Inclusive Community. The forum continues from October 15 through November 2. Participate on-line at: www.edc.org/urban/.

Employment for People with Disabilities

RecruitABILITY is a new service of disABLEDperson.com. It is dedicated to "Bridging the Disability Divide" in employment. People with disabilities can post their resumes and browse the job postings for free. There is also advice and resources on other job search strategies. Employers may search the posted resumes at no cost. For more information, go to: www.disabledperson.com/ recruitability.asp

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September 2001

Talking with Children about the Terrorist Attacks

The U.S. Department of Education has created a Web site that provides ideas for adults and educators on how to help children talk and think about the terrorist attacks: www.ed.gov/ inits/ september11. The information is also available in Talking with Children about the Terrorist Attacks in Spanish.

Spanish Resources on Autism

Autismo.com is a parent-run Web site that has the latest information on topics related to autism, available in Spanish (some resources are also available in English). There are articles and book chapters from leading researchers, resource lists, a searchable library, an electronic bulletin board, and links to other organizations.

Teacher Appreciation Month

October is Teacher Appreciation Month at Borders Books! To honor educators in their communities, Borders collects printed information from various community and national groups and makes it available to educators at no fee. In addition, Borders also offers teachers a 20% discount for all items purchased throughout October. ("Teachers" includes teachers, retired teachers, principals, school librarians, and homeschoolers who teach pre-school through 12th grade.) For information about events in your area, go to: www.bordersstores.com.

A Place for Kids with Special Needs

KidNeeds.com is a Web site that has many features which provide help to children with special needs, plus their families and caregivers. You can find professional opinions under several diagnostic categories: developmental disabilities, neurological impairments, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, medical concerns, emotional and behavioral concerns, language and communication, growth and development, and technology.

Disability Mentoring Day

The American Association of People with Disabilities, together with the U.S. Department of Labor and the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities, is the national host of Disability Mentoring Day: Career Development for the 21st Century (DMD), to be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2001. DMD lets students spend part of a day visiting a government agency or business and have one-on-one time with mentors. The day is meant to help students draw a connection between school and work and look into possible careers. Resource materials and more information are available on AAPD's Web site at: www.aapd-dc.org, or you may contact Jonathan Young or Jessa Steinbeck at (800) 840-8844. There is also a Question and Answer page at: www.dol.gov/ _sec/ programs/ ptfead/ dis_mentor.htm.

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August 2001

National Guidelines for "Health, Mental Health and Safety in Schools"

Feedback needed! Poor health, safety concerns, environmental conditions, plus psychological and social problems, are considered by educators as risk factors for children's underachievement. A set of national guidelines is available for public review and feedback until September 20, 2001 at www.nationalguidelines.org. Feedback is being sought from parents, concerned citizens, and school personnel. The project is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration and coordinated by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses.

Disability and Exercise

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) believes that exercise is for everybody and that everyone can reap benefits from regular physical activity. NCPAD's goal is to encourage and support people with disabilities who wish to increase their overall level of activity and participate in some form of regular physical activity. The Web site offers: searchable directories; fact sheets on a variety of physical activities for people with disabilities; bibliographies on selected topics about physical activity and disability; discussion groups; and on-line media presentations, including examples of how to adapt exercise and physical activity equipment.

If you know of an existing program emphasizing youth physical activity and disability in your community, let NCPAD know. One of their initiatives is to create a searchable database of all such programs in the U.S. for their Web site.

National Center on Physical Activity and Disability
1640 West Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 60608-6904
(800) 900-8086  V/TTY
E-mail: ncpad@uic.edu
web: www.ncpad.org

Section 504: The Other Service Option for Students with Disabilities

Section 504 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and prohibits discrimination based on disability. Special education and/or related services are available to students who meet the definition of disabled under Section 504. A guide entitled, Section 504: The Other Service Option, A Comparison with Special Education, was distributed at the IDEA Partnership Summit and is available to individuals who wish to order it. The guide is pragmatic and dispels the many myths surrounding Section 504. Parents can familiarize themselves with the eligibility and placement process under Section 504, how it should be implemented in comparison to IDEA, and the responsibilities of the school district to children who are classified as disabled under Section 504. This guide is available for free from the Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center.

Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center
Utah State University
1780 North Research Parkway, Suite 112
Logan, UT 84341
(435) 752-0238
(435) 753-9750  TTY
(435) 753-9750  fax
E-mail: cope@cc.usu.edu
Web: www.usu.edu/mprrc

Another resource on Section 504 comes from the Council of Educators for Students with Disabilities, and can be found on-line at: www.504idea.org.

The Council of Educators for Students with Disabilities
9801 Anderson Mill Road, Suite 239
Austin, TX 78750
(512) 219-5043
E-mail: dave@rlmedlaw.com
Web: www.504idea.org

Reading Website

WETA launched a new Web site in August: www.readingrockets.org. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. There are many articles for parents, teachers, and others who may be helping children who have difficulty with reading. ReadingRockets.org provides information on learning to read and strategies to provide support for those children who need the help at home, school, and in the community. The information is practical, and there are resources for parents, teachers, tutors, and others involved in helping children have success with reading.

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July 2001

President Bush Announces Nominee for Special Education

Education Week reported that President Bush has announced his selection to head the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). Robert Pasternack, New Mexico's state director of special education, is the nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Department of Education. If confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Pasternack would oversee the enforcement of federal special education laws and regulations. He would also be involved in any reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Read the full story at: www.edweek.org/ ew/ ewstory.cfm? slug = 42web _appoint.h20

Mediation Web Site Redesigned and Expanded

The Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution (CADRE) has redesigned and expanded its Web site to make it easier to navigate and more user friendly. On the redesigned site, you'll find a state database for users seeking basic information about their state's special education and early intervention mediation systems. There is also a new publication aimed at family members called Special Education Mediation: A Guide for Parents. For more information, contact:

Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE)
PO Box 51360
Eugene, OR 97405-0906
(541) 686-5060
(541) 686-5063  fax
E-mail: CADRE@directionservice.org
Web: www.directionservice.org/cadre

Information on Emotional Disorders

If you're interested in information on emotional disorders for children and youth, here are several resources you might try:

• The American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is an organization of psychiatrists. They offer fact sheets online.

  American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  3615 Wisconsin Avenue NW
  Washington, DC 20016-3007
  (202) 966-7300
  (202) 966-2891  fax
  Web: www.aacap.org

• The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) has chapters throughout the U.S. Although they have no one on staff who speaks Spanish, they offer several publications in Spanish.

  National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
  Colonial Place Three
  2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300
  Arlington, VA 22201-3042
  (800) 950-6264; (703) 524-7600
  (703) 524-9094  fax
  E-mail: helpline@nami.org
  Web: www.nami.org

• Programs under Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) [www.samhsa.gov] offer information in English and Spanish. These programs include:
  
  • National Institutes of Health [www.nih.gov]
  • Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health at Portland State University [www.rtc.pdx.edu]
  • Knowledge Exchange Network (KEN) [www.mentalhealth.org]
  
  
• The Bilingual HealthinMind Web site offers information in both English and Spanish, organized around the diagnostic categories of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision). [www.mentesana.com]

Mental Health Network

The Center for Mental Health in Schools is launching a practitioners' email listserv to enable those concerned with mental health in school to network electronically whenever they like. This will allow for sharing practices and asking for information about how others are proceeding. If you or any colleagues would like to join the listserv, send the center an e-mail at: smhp@ucla.edu. For more information, contact:

UCLA School Mental Health Project/Center for Mental Health in Schools
P.O. Box 951563
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563
(310) 825-3634
(310) 206-8716  fax
E-mail: smhp@ucla.edu
Web: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu

National Summit

In June the IDEA Partnerships, four national projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education, sponsored "Partners Make A Great IDEA: A National Summit on the Shared Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act." Over 650 people attended the summit, including families, teachers, related service personnel, advocates, legislators, school board members, principals, state directors of special education, and others involved in implementing IDEA. The summit focused on five major topics related to IDEA implementation: school climate and discipline, including children with disabilities in standards based reform, family involvement in special education, overidentification of culturally and linguistically diverse children in special education, and personnel issues. Experts, researchers, and local teams presented on these topics and on emerging issues. The "framing papers" used for each of these topics and additional summit materials are available at: www.ideainfo.org/ summit.htm.

New Federal Guide Issued for
People with Disabilities Seeking to Work

Three federal agencies released a new guide explaining rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that apply to individuals with disabilities. The document, A Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment, was the result of a joint effort involving the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). This guide outlines available accommodations for people seeking work.

The SSA plans to make more than 150,000 copies of the guide available, in English and Spanish, to recipients of Social Security disability benefits who are seeking employment. Additionally, EEOC and DOJ will offer a limited number of copies of the guide upon request. All three agencies have the guide available on their Web sites.

For information on work support, contact:

Social Security Administration
(800) 772-1213
(800) 325-0778  TTY
Web: www.ssa.gov/work

For more information about the ADA, contact:

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
(800) 669-4000
(800) 669-6820  TTY
Web: www.eeoc.gov

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
(800) 514-0301
(800) 514-0383  TTY
Web: www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm

Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs) Network
(800) 949-4232  V/TTY
Web: www.adata.org/dbtac.html

For free information about many types of reasonable accommodations, contact:

Job Accommodation Network
West Virginia University
P.O. Box 6080
Morgantown, WV 26506-6080
(800) 526-7234  V/TTY
Web: http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu

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June 2001

Emergencies and Special Needs Children

At times children with special needs may require emergency care. Their chronic conditions can present special problems to the medical staff caring for them. Their needs can be unique or unusual, and the medical professionals who know them may not be available in an emergency. How can a parent prepare for such a situation?

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians have developed a 2-page form to be filled out by the child's doctor and used in the case of an emergency. Then, when an emergency arises, parents can share the form with the emergency professional, who then has an overview of the child's needs.

The form is available online from the American Academy of Pediatrics at: www.pediatrics.org/ cgi/ content/ full/ 104/ 4/ e53 or the American College of Emergency Physicians at: www.acep.org/ library/ index.cfmd/ id/ 468.htm.

The American Academy of Pediatrics
141 Northwest Point Boulevard
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098
(847) 434-4000
(847) 434-8000  fax
E-mail: kidsdocs@aap.org
Web: www.aap.org

American College of Emergency Physicians
1125 Executive Circle, I
Irving, TX 75038-2522
(800) 798-1822.
E-mail: info@acep.org
Web: www.acep.org

A Special Education Guide for Principals

The National Association of Elementary School Principals, in collaboration with the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and the Local Implementation by Local Administrators (ILIAD) project, has developed "Implementing IDEA: A Guide for Principals." The guide is easy to read and written for building principals in elementary and middle schools. It is intended that principals use the standards and guidelines to assess quality practices and guide program improvement in special education.

To download a copy, go to: www.ideapractices.org/ principalsguide.htm.

To order a hard copy, contact ILIAD on its toll free number: (877)232-4332.

Information on Learning Disabilities

The Schwab Learning Center has information about learning disabilities on its website. The information helps guide parents through the learning disability journey so they can be more effective advocates for their children. Visit Schwab: www.schwablearning.org.

Information is also available in Spanish. From Schwab's main page, click on "Usted Habla Espanol?"

Schwab Learning Center
1650 S. Amphlett Boulevard, Suite #300
San Mateo, CA 94402
(650) 655-2410 (ask for the Information Center)
Web: www.schwablearning.org

Transition Resources

Creating opportunities for youth with disabilities to achieve successful futures is the mission and goal of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition. The Center works with national, state, and local agencies and organizations to help them prepare youth with disabilities to:

• leave high school prepared to successfully participate in postsecondary education
• enter meaningful employment and
• live independently within their communities.

The Center also offers a new E-news service. To subscribe, go to: http:// ici.umn.edu/ ncset/ subscribe.html.

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
Institute on Community Integration (UAP)
University of Minnesota
Pattee Hall
150 Pillsbury Drive SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 624-2097
(612) 624-9344  fax
E-mail: ncset@icimail.coled.umn.edu
Web: http://ici.umn.edu/ncset

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May 2001

Spanish Language Television Program

Univision is the largest national broadcasting network for the Spanish speaking world, and NICHCY will be part of an upcoming show. The program, "Retos y Triunfos en el Aprendizaje: Niños con Problemas Emocionales" ("Challenges and Triumphs in Learning: Children with Emotional Disorders"), is scheduled to air at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 20th, 2001.

There is also a Chat scheduled for Tuesday, May 22nd at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time (4:00 p.m. Pacific time) on www.univision.com. You can talk online with experts around the country, including NICHCY's bilingual information specialist, about issues and concerns related to disabilities and disability related issues.

May is Mental Health Month

Since the inception of Mental Health Month over 50 years ago, the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) has used the month of May to educate the American public about the importance of mental health and the reality of mental illness. NMHA, in partnership with the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, produces a comprehensive Mental Health Month and Childhood Depression Awareness Day planning guide. To order the 2001 guide, call (800) 969-6642 or e-mail NMHA at: infoctr@nmha.org. To learn more about Mental Health Month, visit: www.nmha.org/ may/ index.cfm.

Diploma Options and Graduation Policies for Students with Disabilities

For all students, the consequences of graduation and diploma policies last well beyond when the student leaves school. Since options are often limited for students with disabilities, the importance of these policies affects them even more. As more and more states and districts implement graduation tests, there are important questions to be considered, including:

• Is a standard diploma the only option available to students?
• Is there a type of diploma for students who do not pass the test but who meet other criteria?
• Is there another type of diploma available only to students with disabilities?
• If more than one type of diploma is available, what requirements should be aligned with each diploma option?

The report Diploma Options and Graduation Policies for Students with Disabilities, available from the National Center on Educational Outcomes, identifies many issues to consider and also provides suggestions for inclusive, fair diploma options and graduation policies. The report is available online at www.coled.umn.edu/ NCEO/ OnlinePubs/ Policy10.htm or by contacting NCEO directly:

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)
University of Minnesota
350 Elliott Hall
75 East River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 626-1530
(612) 624-0879  fax
E-mail: NCEO@umn.edu

Free Library of Open Captioned Videos

The Captioned Media Program houses a library of more than 4,000 videos. The videos are available to people with hearing loss, their teachers, or families. The videos are "open-captioned," meaning they will display the text with any TV/VCR (no special decoder device is necessary). The tapes cover a wide variety of topics and age levels.

There is no charge to use the lending library. The Captioned Media Program loans videos for up to one week at a time. The Captioned Media Program covers all costs, including postage for tape delivery and return. For more information, visit the Captioned Media Program Web site, www.cfv.org, or contact the Captioned Media Program office:

Captioned Media Program
National Association of the Deaf
1447 East Main Street
Spartanburg, SC 29307
(800) 237-6213
(800) 237-6819  TTY
(800) 538-5636  fax
E-mail: info@cfv.org

Web Site Connects Employers and People with Disabilities

The Employment Assistance Referral Network (EARN) unveiled www.EARNworks.com on March 1, 2001. This site links employers with vocational rehabilitation providers who have a pool of potential employees. EARN simplifies the recruitment process by matching job postings at qualified agencies with job-ready candidates.

EARN is a project of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP, formerly the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities). ODEP's mission is to increase the representation of people with disabilities in the workforce.

Employers can call 866-EARN NOW (866-327-6669) or e-mail projectearn@birchdavis.com for more information.

Guide to IDEA Mediation

The Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education's (CADRE) newest publication is a resource packet for implementing special education mediation. Implementing the Mediation Requirements of IDEA '97, written by Richard W. Zeller, Ph.D., contains an Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) question and answer document on the mediation requirements of IDEA. The publication is available online at www.directionswww.directionservice.org/ cadre/ idea/ mediationguide.pdf (Adobe Acrobat format) or by contacting CADRE directly:

CADRE
Direction Service
3411-A Willamette Street
PO Box 51360
Eugene, OR 97405
(541) 686-5060
(541)686-5063  fax
E-mail: cadre@directionservice.org

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