http://www.ldonline.org/ en-us LD OnLine Administrator hourly 1 http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/%28Opinion%29_Working_Memory_and_Academic_Success Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:36:12 GMT A speech-language pathologist explains that 'working memory' refers to the ability of the brain to hold and manipulate verbal and visual information for brief periods of time. It works like a notepad to help store important information to carry out tasks. Working memory plays a key role in attention deficit disorders. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/%28Opinion%29_Working_Memory_and_Academic_Success http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Meet_the_Joneses%3A_How_Would_McCain%27s_Health_Care_Plan_Affect_the_Average_American_Family%3F Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:25:52 GMT Billy and Lourdes Jones of California say health care is the most important issue for their family. How would the McCain camp help the Joneses get health care? Ever since their daughter was diagnosed with ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, the couple has struggled to pay for their family's health care needs. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Meet_the_Joneses%3A_How_Would_McCain%27s_Health_Care_Plan_Affect_the_Average_American_Family%3F http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Gantos_Starts_Off_%27Cool_Brains%27_Series Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:24:48 GMT Jack Gantos' writing career got off to a stumbling start — in the first grade he was consigned to the "Bluebirds," which he later learned was the slow-reading group. Today, as readers of children's and young-adult books know, Gantos is a beloved figure, best-known for his serio-comic young-adult novels featuring Joey Pigza, a good-hearted kid whose attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is constantly getting him into trouble. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Gantos_Starts_Off_%27Cool_Brains%27_Series http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Burlington_Literacy_Council_Helps_High-School_Dropout_Pursue_Career_Goal Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:23:52 GMT When Talis Shawley used to jot down a note for his family they thought it was a puzzle. The spelling was off, the grammar disjointed, and his intended message lost. That was until he started taking classes at The Literacy Council of Burlington. The Oakville resident was diagnosed in Grade 5 with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and a learning disability with words. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Burlington_Literacy_Council_Helps_High-School_Dropout_Pursue_Career_Goal http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Tactile_Sensitivity_May_Challenge_ADHD_Kids Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:23:10 GMT Question: "My grandson's physical therapist says some of his difficulties may be because of extreme sensitivity on the soles of his feet. He is 10 and has Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder." Answer: "This boy may have tactile defensiveness," says Michelle Yoder. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Tactile_Sensitivity_May_Challenge_ADHD_Kids http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Students_with_Needs_Get_Help_as_AISD_Copes_With_Changes Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:21:57 GMT Evette Orren heard the rumblings. As school started, she listened to other Abilene Independent School District special education teachers who were concerned about changes being made — including reductions in staffing — in AISD's program aimed at helping students with needs ranging from learning disabilities to mental retardation. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Students_with_Needs_Get_Help_as_AISD_Copes_With_Changes http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Testing_for_special_education%3A_When%2C_Why%2C_and_How%3F Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:38:03 GMT Parents may wonder when to ask teachers whether their children qualify for special education services. Experts say the sooner the better. When the school follows through with an assessment, several different processes begin. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Testing_for_special_education%3A_When%2C_Why%2C_and_How%3F http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Helping_Your_Child_With_Special_Needs_ Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:37:18 GMT If you have a child with special needs, it's recommended that you view your role as your child's strongest advocate. Here are 10 tips for a successful school year for parents with children with special needs. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Helping_Your_Child_With_Special_Needs_ http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Explanation_of_Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:36:46 GMT ADHD is a condition of the brain that makes it difficult for children or adults to control their behavior. It affects about 4-12 percent of school-age children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. ADHD includes three groups of symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Explanation_of_Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Michael_Phelps_Shows_the_Way_for_Parents_of_ADHD_Kids Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:32:41 GMT Groups that work with ADHD youngsters and their families hope that the example of Michael Phelps — triumphing over the disorder to achieve success on the world stage — will remove some of the stigma attached to the condition. If so, it will be an achievement almost on a scale with his Olympic medals. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Michael_Phelps_Shows_the_Way_for_Parents_of_ADHD_Kids http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Mothers_Support_Parents_of_Special-Needs_Children_/26938 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:30:45 GMT When Kaitlyn Pierce was 8 years old, she was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. Her mother, Nikki Pierce, didn't know what to do. Pierce said it wasn't until she educated herself that her daughter was able to get what she needed. Now she helps coordinate the Special Students of Hernando Support Group, which works with the school board as a community partner with the exceptional student education department. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Mothers_Support_Parents_of_Special-Needs_Children_/26938 http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Special_Education_Still_Lags_In_District Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:30:10 GMT D.C. public schools continue to fall woefully short in meeting the needs of students with learning disabilities and physical or behavioral challenges, according to the report of a federal court monitor. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Special_Education_Still_Lags_In_District http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/%28Opinion%29_West_Emphasizing_Help_for_Dyslexic_Students Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:27:44 GMT The director of community relations for the West Aurora School District says if you ask several people to define "dyslexia," it's likely you'll get different — and misguided — answers. There are myths associated with the learning disability, and two West Aurora School District employees have led efforts in the district and beyond to dispel the misconceptions. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/%28Opinion%29_West_Emphasizing_Help_for_Dyslexic_Students http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Schools_Aim_to_Serve_Special-Needs_Students Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:49:07 GMT Two schools for kids with learning disabilities are coming to the Scottsdale area, starting to fill what officials say is a need for an underserved group. Leaders from both schools say they're designed to find the best learning methods for kids who "learn differently." The key, they say, is for instructors to find a learning method that works for each child instead of expecting every student to conform to one method. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Schools_Aim_to_Serve_Special-Needs_Students http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/New_Orleans_Schools_Prepared_For_Gustav Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:48:15 GMT In preparation for Gustav, New Orleans' Recovery School District employees shut down servers and secured student records. After hurricane Katrina, destroyed records posed challenges particularly for special-needs students when schools didn't have copies of their "individual education plan," or IEP, a required learning program. A number of students had a more difficult time getting services. This time, Recovery School District Superintendent Paul Vallas said the district sent students home with a copy of their records. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/New_Orleans_Schools_Prepared_For_Gustav http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/And_In_This_Corner Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:47:14 GMT While diagnosing emotional and behavioral disorders helps many children get the extra support they need to succeed in school, some North Shore parents wonder if diagnostic labeling has gone too far. When should we just let kids be kids, and when should we seek expert intervention to remedy those things that make them "different"? The answer isn't always easy. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/And_In_This_Corner http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/%28Opinion%29_Rifky_Wants_To_Read%21 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:46:44 GMT An expert in the Orton-Gillingham approach to teaching of written language looks at how reading problems affected seven-year-old Rifky. The author also explains what dyslexia is, and what parents should do if they suspect their child has dyslexia. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/%28Opinion%29_Rifky_Wants_To_Read%21 http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Waco%2C_TX_School_Faces_Impending_Closure Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:33:20 GMT Seventh grader Perry McGill and his mom want Wiley Middle School in Waco, TX to stay open. "In this school, mama, you can do a lot more things," he said. Among the many things Perry is referring to is getting the special instruction he needs as he has Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, (ADHD). "My son has been through so much. He's been all over. They have sent him from place to place," McGill said. Principal Kermit Ward said Perry is part of the 25 percent of students at Wiley Middle School with unique needs. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Waco%2C_TX_School_Faces_Impending_Closure http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Mothers_Support_Parents_of_Special-Needs_Children_/26798 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:32:54 GMT When Kaitlyn Pierce was 8 years old, she was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. Her mother, Nikki Pierce, didn't know what to do. She researched federal and Florida laws pertaining to special-needs students so she could learn what her child's rights were and how to ask for them. Pierce said it wasn't until she educated herself to learn how to ask that her daughter was able to get what she needed. http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Mothers_Support_Parents_of_Special-Needs_Children_/26798 http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Australia%3A_Why_is_ADHD_so_Under-Diagnosed_and_Treated%3F Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:32:23 GMT The child and adolescent component of the 2000 National Mental Health Survey reported a rate of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) of about 6 per cent, essentially identical to a recent analysis of data from throughout the world. Yet the highest rates of medication for ADHD in Australia are no more than about 1.5 per cent. What is happening to the other 75 per cent of young people whose lives and those of their families are impaired by ADHD? Are they even being identified, far less receiving behavioral or other intervention? http://www.ldonline.org/ldnews/Australia%3A_Why_is_ADHD_so_Under-Diagnosed_and_Treated%3F