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News- Page 24
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Education : Student with Asperger's Syndrome succeeding at Marshall
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Posted by Sylvia on Sunday, February 22, 2004 (02:26:24)
WV Gazette 21/02/2004
By Jennifer Bundy
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Andrew Reinhardt is a Marshall University freshman who aspires to study math and physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, yet his mother is afraid to let him cross a busy street by himself.
Her fear is justified.
Although Andrew is academically ready for college -- he scored a 27 on the ACT and had a combined SAT score of 1140 -- Asperger's Syndrome makes it difficult for him to cope with daily life.
He is able to attend college with the help of a program at Marshall's Autism Training Center designed for students with autism spectrum disorders like Asperger, a neurological condition characterized by normal intelligence and language development with deficiencies in social and communication skills.
The Marshall program was founded by the family of its first student, Lowell Austin, now a sophomore. It is intended to help people like Andrew, a bright young man with big ambition who otherwise might not have attempted college.
Andrew's goal in life is to develop an engine that operates faster than the speed of light.
"I want to be the next Albert Einstein,'' the 18-year-old says with an enthusiastic smile.
He has wanted to go to college since he was in elementary school. But, as he relaxes in the center's lounge, he says, "I probably wouldn't go to college at a place that didn't have a place like this.''
The center offers Andrew counseling, a space to take tests away from distractions and help navigating the bureaucracy and social world of college.
It's working for Andrew.
After his first semester, he ended up on the Dean's list with a 3.6 GPA. He has been hired as a math tutor this spring.
Andrew in many ways is like any other freshman. It's only if you look closely do you see telltale signs of an autism spectrum disorder.
He doesn't like crowded rooms or paths.
When he goes somewhere, he is single-minded, walking quickly with his head down, body leaning forward as if into a strong wind.
He sometimes pays no attention to what's going on around him, thus his mother's fear of him crossing streets.
He forgets things, like books and pencils -- he can go through three boxes in a semester.
He doesn't like working on projects with other students.
"I'm not very good with the social thing,'' he says in a tone that implies he is simply stating an interesting fact.
Sociology was his favorite class last semester because it made "everything social concrete instead of abstract. It's my way of learning about the social world.''
Math professor John Drost says Andrew was an above average student in his precalculus class last fall.
"I think he interacts well with the other students. I'm not sure the other students get him,'' Drost said. "I think they think there is something a little different about him, but they don't know exactly what.''
Andrew's goal is to live in a dorm next year. Until then, he commutes every weekday with his mother, who also is a Marshall student, from her father's home in Kitts Hill, Ohio. On weekends they return to their own home in Beckley.
Andrew's advice to other college students with Asperger Syndrome is to ask for support.
"They have a voice,'' he says, "and they need to use it.''
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Education : Marshall program helps autistic children attend college
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Posted by Sylvia on Sunday, February 22, 2004 (02:21:01)
WV Gazette 21/02/2004
By Jennifer Bundy
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Lowell Austin and his uncle, Howard, had a special bond.
The man with the doctoral degree in artificial intelligence from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the boy with Asperger's Syndrome played ball together and roughhoused like friends.
Howard Austin, who spent his career trying to develop cognitive skills in machines, was fascinated by how one child could have both extremes of human intelligence.
Lowell is advanced in some areas and far behind his peers on others - hallmarks of his autism spectrum disorder that is characterized by normal intelligence and language skills, but marked deficiencies in social and communication abilities.
When Howard Austin died in April 2001, his family wanted to create a memorial and turned to Marshall University. The family's only connection to Marshall was they had heard about its Autism Training Center and that it was in West Virginia. Howard Austin and his siblings grew up in Athens, Mercer County.
With a $50,000 contribution, the family asked the center to create a program that could serve as a national model to help people with autism attend college. The family would later add $25,000.
"Marshall had all the parts of the puzzle,'' said Lowell's mother, Linda Austin. "They just hadn't put it all together.''
Although Lowell would become the program's first student, his father said the donation was made with no strings attached.
"There was no quid pro quo,'' said Larry Austin, an Alexandria, Va., lawyer and banker. "We were happy when he was accepted, but it was not preordained.
"We wanted them to have the freedom to design the program as they saw fit,'' he said.
What's been created since the 2002-03 school year is a program where Lowell and the two other students with Asperger's Syndrome are supported, not coddled. They are required to meet and maintain the university's academic standards.
"If I didn't have the support, I wouldn't have been where I am right now,'' said Lowell, a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in sports marketing.
No one knows how many college students have Asperger's Syndrome. Many go undiagnosed or are simply perceived as "a little bit strange,'' said Lars Perner, an assistant professor of marketing at San Diego State University who has the disorder.
And no one knows how many people in the general population have autism.
Some studies suggest it might affect at least 40 per 10,000 U.S. children. That is 10 times higher than estimates a decade ago, which many scientists think reflects better diagnosis. The exact cause is unknown, although both genetics and environmental factors are suspected of playing a role.
"Some of these students might be able to get into college because of fairly strong academic credentials and a reasonable academic showing. That may not mean they will be able to stay in college,'' said Perner, author of a guide to selecting a college in a recent issue of "Asperger's Digest.''
As researchers learn more about autism and public school services for autism improve, more autistic students are graduating from high school academically prepared for college, said Kim Ramsey, who directs Marshall's program. "The problem is, social and daily living issues are interfering.''
Marshall's program offers tutoring, individual counseling, a space to take tests away from distractions, help navigating the bureaucracy and social world of college and a lounge to hang out. Once students learn how to manage college life, they can use those skills to obtain and keep jobs.
"We see ourselves as safety net,'' Ramsey said.
Lowell was the program's only student its first year. His experience was such a success that two more students were admitted this year: Andrew Reinhardt, 18, of Beckley and David Fair, 23, of Weirton. Lowell and Andrew are now excelling. David is having a more difficult time because, as he admits, he never studies.
Stephen Shore, who is finishing his doctoral degree in special education at Boston University and has been diagnosed with "atypical development with strong autistic tendencies,'' said there is a need for programs like Marshall's.
"In some ways, looking back on things, I realize now I made a lot of my own accommodations,'' said Shore, author of "Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome.''
He asked for extensions on tests, shared notes and bought notes from note taking services.
People with autism spectrum disorders "have been going to school for years on their own.
"I think they would do much better, there would be a much higher rate of success if this type of program were available. It is a needed thing,'' Shore said.
Marshall's program may expand up to 10 students, but it will remain small by choice. The goal is not for all students with autism to attend Marshall, but for the program to become a model for other colleges, said center Director Barbara Becker-Cottrill.
"The true goal is for students to have the ability to attend the university of their choice. Our work will be working with other universities on how to establish a program such as this on their own campuses.''
Marshall may begin doing that as early as this fall, she said.
The program has been a lifeline for Lowell, his family says.
"I have seen such a growth in him, his confidence, his ability to face a situation, ... his conversational skills,'' said his aunt, Ellen Austin Friend of Athens.
He participates in clubs. He is the equipment manager for Marshall's football team. He lives in a dorm, without a roommate.
"Without the help, I wouldn't have made it to college,'' Lowell said. "I wouldn't have lived like a normal student.''
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Education : Changes approved for Early Childhood program
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Posted by Sylvia on Sunday, February 22, 2004 (02:08:28)
Review Appeal 21/02/2004
By Carole Robinson
With a special education population explosion in Williamson County, the Williamson County Board of Education, in a slightly divided vote, approved changes in their Early Childhood and prekindergarten programs Monday night after a lengthy discussion with school officials.
Four parents addressed the board during the public comment segment of the meeting requesting the programs remain as is, but assured improvements in the program to serve more children and a cost savings of $700,000 appeared to have swayed all but three board members.
Janet Shouse, the parent of an autistic child, questioned the validity of reducing the number of hours special needs children would be served under the new program and using at-risk children as peer mentors.
Dennie Pickard spoke of the benefits of the full-day program to her now high school daughter. “The services she received set the tone for her education,†Pickard said.
But school officials assured board members that lunch, snack and nap breaks in the full-day program reduced quality instruction time. The addition of speech/language therapists assigned to each site and dedicated occupational therapists meant improved services, which will also be extended to all students rather than just those with designation in the Individual Education Plan.
Officials felt change was needed because of the large number of families with special education children moving to Williamson County, Interim Director of Schools Dr. David Heath said.
“The (special ed) population is exploding. We saw the need to serve more children,†Heath said.
Special ed coordinator Carol Hendlmyer agreed. “We are one of the fastest-growing districts in Tennessee. We have (special needs) children come into our district every single day.â€
School officials, feeling pressure from No Child Left Behind, also felt compelled to help at-risk preschool children get a leg up before they entered school. The current program only serves 10 at each site, or 60 districtwide.
At risk is defined as children with certain factors, from an extensive list that includes premature birth, parents’ level of education, limited English proficiency and socioeconomic conditions that have the potential to affect a child’s educational success.
These students are not identified as special ed, but with extra support they have been shown to thrive, Executive Director of Instruction Karen Hawkins said.
Changes in the program would allow 254 at-risk children to be served — more than four times the number under the current program.
But the big sell was the price tag. The cost to taxpayers to continue the program under current conditions adds up to $800,000. The new proposal, serving more children and an increase in services, will add only $100,000 to the program’s budget.
“If we do nothing tonight, we are going to have to come up with $800,000 for fewer children,†board member Sina Miller said. “If we make changes — $100,000, an increase of students — that’s a $700,000 difference.â€
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Education : Special ed reform addressed
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Posted by Sylvia on Saturday, February 21, 2004 (22:01:06)
The Stanford Daily 20/02/2004
By Ann Chin
In a talk last night in Wallenberg Hall, Dr. Alice Parker, the Assistant Superintendent of Special Education in the state of California, stressed the need to include all students — even students with learning disabilities — in the general education system.
“We shouldn’t have a director of Special Education,†she said. “We should have a director of general education.â€
Parker also argued that Special Education students should be expected to master state standards like all other students.
“If they’re not prepared for society, we’ve done students a disservice,†she said. “It doesn’t do anyone any good to not help them integrate into the world.â€
Parker gave a brief overview of the progress of Special Education services in California and then discussed recent policy issues, namely the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
IDEA, originally the Education for the Handicapped Act, was designed to provide disabled individuals with civil rights, due process and access to public schools.
The reauthorization of IDEA will be up for a floor vote in the Senate on March 22. New concerns involve streamlining the process of Individualized Education Programs and an early intervention model for children with learning disabilities. Though the bill has already passed in the House of Representatives, the Senate version is expected to be very different.
The goal of the No Child Left Behind Act was to guarantee children access to quality curriculum and the ability to demonstrate their skills while making adequate yearly progress. The law emphasized results and accountability.
Parker called it a “philosophical†piece of legislation that had good intentions but “fatal†flaws.
“We need to adjust the law so we look at progress over time for each individual,†she said.
Last year, there were 675,000 students receiving special education services in California alone.
Only recently has legislation on Special Education focused more on the quality of education for students rather than simply the opportunity to learn, Parker explained.
Before 1997, Special Education was “a separate curriculum based on different standards,†she said. “There was little relationship to general education programs and activities.â€
Now, it is designed to meet the student’s special needs within the general education curriculum.
Despite the country’s long history of poor outcomes for Special Education students, national policies appear to be headed towards standards based on accountability, Parker said.
“We’ve done a great job of reducing the number of students served in separate facilities and increasing the number of students who spend more time in regular classrooms,†she added.
The event was part of a speaker series jointly sponsored by the Human Biology department and Kids with Dreams, an organization aiming to improve opportunities for children with disabilities.
Some students at the event felt that many more students would have benefited from attending.
“I thought it was very informative, but it would be helpful if a lot more people came,†said junior Amanda Redmond. “People here are already interested in special education, but it would also be informative for people in general education.â€
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Education : Autism claims attention at schools
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Posted by Sylvia on Friday, February 20, 2004 (21:16:07)
AJC 18/02/2004
By Briget Gutierrez
Once, when Danny Ahlrich was in the throes of a toddler's tantrum, he rammed his head through a classroom window.
When he wasn't angrily pushing over a bookcase or banging his head on the floor, he withdrew and stared off for long periods at a time.
"When he was young — 3 and 4 years old — my son's behavior was just atrocious," Donna Ahlrich recalled. "I learned how to be patient from my son's teachers."
By the time he was 4, Danny had been diagnosed with autism, a neurological disorder that affects a child's ability to communicate, play and relate to others.
Gwinnett County Public Schools has seen an unexplained explosion in the number of students like Danny, now an eighth-grader at Shiloh Middle School in Snellville.
In the early 1990s, fewer than 50 students with autism were enrolled in county schools. This year, 689 are receiving services here — a more than tenfold increase in 10 years. Teachers are serving 150 more students with autism than they did last year, which makes these students one of the fastest-growing segments of the district's booming special education population.
Statewide, there has been a similar increase: from 287 students in 1992 — the first year state officials included autism as a separate eligibility category for special education — to 4,383 this school year.
Less than a generation ago, doctors considered autism to be relatively rare, striking fewer than one in 1,000 children. But in the early-to-mid-1990s, physicians started seeing more toddlers displaying autism's telltale signs: an inability to make eye contact and persistently delayed speech.
Some clinicians were so confounded by the number of children they were seeing that they contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to find out exactly how prevalent autism was. After conducting a population study, researchers found that in 1996 in five metro Atlanta counties, roughly three of every 1,000 children between the ages of 3 and 10 were afflicted with autism.
Some educators and experts say the increase can be attributed to the greater availability of school-based programs, earlier identification of children showing signs of autism and a broadening of the definition of autism, which now covers a wide spectrum of disorders ranging from children with profound intellectual disabilities to those with IQs in the gifted range.
But Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, lead author of the CDC study, said those changes can't account for the entire increase. Researchers don't yet know why the population is growing. Complicating the issue is the fact that autism's cause isn't fully understood. While there appears to be a strong genetic link, experts think environmental factors may also play a role.
"It'd be nice if we could discover why it happened," Donna Ahlrich said of Danny's autism. "But as a parent, you go through stages. One is, 'What caused this?' You sort of agonize over it. Then at a certain point you go, 'It doesn't matter why. It's here. We need to deal with it.' "
At Fort Daniel Elementary School in Dacula, three of the campus' eight special education classrooms are dedicated to students with autism.
Laura Williams' room looks like a typical primary classroom with an oversized calendar on the back wall, cubbyholes and hooks for the children's coats, and a story-time area with a rocking chair. But this class is far from typical. All eight of Williams' students have a mild form of autism.
At times, four adults are working in the room at once: Williams, two teaching assistants and a graduate student performing her student teaching. Although the students — kindergartners and first- and second-graders — are diagnosed with the same disorder, their abilities and needs vary wildly.
Darien Rowan, a slight boy with a serious face, communicates by pointing, grunting or using a portable touch-screen computer shaped like a lunchbox that verbalizes words he punches on the screen.
"Darien, what day is today?" Williams asked during a recent calendar lesson.
Darien turned to his computer and jabbed at the screen with his index finger.
"To-day is Fri-day," the machine announced in a computerized voice.
"Darien, tell me the full day," Williams responded.
"Uhhhh," he said, pressing the screen again and again and again. "To-day is Fri-day, Feb-ru-ar-y thir-teenth, two-thou-sand-four."
Years ago, special education teachers might spend their entire careers without ever teaching an autistic student. Now, schools are scrambling to find teachers and train them in the best ways to educate the autistic. Gwinnett County officials were so pressed to find teachers that they developed a special master's degree program in autism with the University of Georgia in hopes of luring new educators to the field and filling a critical need.
Within the next few years, officials hope to graduate 45 teachers ready to help children whose needs can range from toilet training to learning how to initiate a conversation to dealing with a change their daily routine.
The average cost of educating a special education pupil in Gwinnett is $22,072 this year, compared with $6,711 for a non-special education student. Officials couldn't say just how much it costs to educate a student with autism vs. a student with another disability.
But some educators say it is more costly simply because autistic children often need more services: speech therapy to help them learn to communicate, behavioral therapy to diminish repetitive or self-injurious behaviors, and additional teaching assistants.
In a few cases, a student's autism is so severe that he or she must be sent to a private facility such as the Marcus Institute in Atlanta, which provides intensive programs for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. This year, three Gwinnett students are attending the institute, at $345 a day.
Many parents praise the school system for providing the individual services their children need — at times the district sends staff to the child's home to work with parents — and for taking a proactive role in training teachers in the specific needs of autistic students. Gwinnett has such a good reputation, in fact, that many say families with autistic children move here just to attain the services.
Despite his wild tantrums as a boy, Danny Ahlrich has attended regular education classes since first grade. At Shiloh Middle, where two of his classmates also are diagnosed with a high-functioning form of autism, a teaching assistant sits in the back of the room ready to assist when needed.
Through the years, Donna Ahlrich said, her son has been "blessed" with teachers who were willing to try new things and ultimately brought out the best in him.
"When we found out Danny was autistic . . . we had visions of spending the rest of our lives in a group home," she said. "He's 14 now and he's discussing where he wants to go to college. Danny's not going to qualify for the HOPE scholarship, but that's OK. The fact that he's talking about it is amazing."
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