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Randolph charity brings autism education to China
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Posted by sylvia on Monday, August 03, 2009 (21:50:17)
Randolph Herald By Fred Hanson
On their first trips to China in 1992, Helen and Karen McCabe met Zhang Ge, an 8-year-old girl with autism.
Helen McCabe, an assistant professor of education at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York state, would frequently travel to China to do research, her sister Karen said.
“Over the years, she kept meeting more kids with autism, and she realized they didn’t have any services for kids with autism or any disabilities,” Karen McCabe said.
After years of talking about it, the sisters formed The Five Project 18 months ago. The purpose of the charity is to bring information about autism to families and educators in China as well as to help develop services for people with autism and other disabilities there.
Karen McCabe said that, unlike the United States, there are few special education programs in China’s public schools. There are some private programs, which charge tuition.
“A lot of them are doing the best they can with what they have, which isn’t a lot,” Karen McCabe said.
Since both sisters speak Chinese, “we have an ability to help people that we wouldn’t have in other countries,” said Karen McCabe, who also works for the Randolph Community Partnership.
Based for now at Karen McCabe’s Fitch Terrace home, the charity has translated some materials on autism, a developmental disability that impairs social interaction and communication, and distributed them in China.
They’ve held workshops for parents and caregivers as well as teachers in Beijing and Nanjing, and have also formed a support groups for families of people with autism and another for young adults with mental illness and their families.
Karen McCabe said they hope to raise enough money eventually to take other American experts in special education to China and allow Chinese educators to receive training in the United States.
“It’s one thing for us to explain it,” Karen McCabe said. “It’s another thing for them to come over here and see it.”
The Five Project gets its name from Zhang Ge’s love of the number. Now 24, she works shelving books in the the library of a community center in Nanjing.
A yard sale to benefit the project will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 1 Priscilla Ave. in Scituate. The rain dates are the following weekend.
More information is available at TheFiveProject
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Local women start autism school
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Posted by sylvia on Monday, August 03, 2009 (17:41:38)
The News Herald By Donna Vavala
When Cindy Bacot's son, Nicholas, was diagnosed with autism in 2000, she could not help but get interested in the disability that makes it very difficult for those afflicted to learn.
Bacot (pronounced BAY-co) decided she wanted to start a school devoted to reaching children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental delays.
"The time was never right until 1½ years ago," Bacot said. "It took me that long to find the right location and put teachers in place."
The freestanding building that will be used for the academy is in Lynn Haven, on the corner of 12th Street and State 77. It will open in August and follow the public school calendar.
The exterior of the building belies its 2,600 square feet of space. There are 10 rooms, three restrooms, a kitchen and two offices. The best part is that the owner, who does not wish to be identified, has leased the building to the academy for five years for free and will offer an option to buy after that.
"It used to be a beauty salon," Bacot said, indicating the long cabinet along one wall that used to be beauty stations. Now, the counter holds computers.
The small classrooms have hand-painted murals featuring jungle scenes, and Bacot is hanging wallpaper with an underwater theme in the main room. Walls are being painted, carpets are being cleaned and a fenced playground is planned for a portion of the parking lot behind the building.
The renovations are coming from the school owners' pockets, and they're doing the work themselves.
"It's a labor of love," Bacot said.
Bacot, who is a social worker, partnered with Susan Thomas, who has taught in public schools for 30 years, and has a master's degree in mental health counseling. They hired three teachers and plan to cap enrollment at 10 children in grades one through seven. Bacot said she wants to keep the teacher-student ratio low for ultimate learning.
"Every student that comes in will have an assessment done to determine their current skills," she said. "We will use the applied behavior analysis, which is the only scientifically approved educational treatment for autistic children. It addresses education, social skills and functional skills. The higher-functioning kids will have access to computers."
The academy also will utilize Switched on Schoolhouse programs, which offer three-dimensional multimedia video clips to capture the children's attention.
"The best thing about it is, the program won't let them move on until they have mastered a program," Bacot said. "Our whole mission is to give the children the skills they need to go back into the classroom. We don't want to keep these kids long-term."
The academy will provide speech, occupational therapy and other services through local agencies.
Tuition is set at $15,000 a year, which Bacot said is the average amount the state's McKay Scholarships are worth that fund tuition for special education students. The school is in the process of ob-taining a 501(C)3 status, and Bacot said she wants to get the school accredited.
A commercial-size van will be available to take students on field trips to places such as the Junior Museum, Gulf World, local parks and the mall, where they will learn how to purchase items and make change. Bacot said fundraisers will be held to finance the trips.
Although public schools offer autism programs, Bacot said she believes there will be a demand for her school's services.
"I've already gotten an e-mail and a zillion phone calls, so I really think we're going to have a waiting list before you know it," Bacot said.
Bacot is happy her son, now 12, will be a student at her school, but she said he has mixed feelings about it.
"He said, ‘Mom, I don't think it's a good idea to spend so much time together,'" Bacot said.
Learn more
For more information or to register at Bacot Academy, call Cindy Bacot at 248-1118.
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New School for Autistic Kids
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Posted by sylvia on Monday, August 03, 2009 (09:41:20)
WCAX By Keagan Harsha
15-year-old Kavon Kramos couldn't even say his own name two years ago.
But the eighth-grader is now stringing together complete sentences with the help of a computer.
"I'm amazed with Kavon's growth, Jake's growth. It's incredible what they learned," says teacher Stephanie Betit.
Kavon and Jake Vranos both have autism-- the only two kids at Marlboro Elementary school with the brain development disorder.
But both now need a new place to learn.
Eighth-grade graduation is just weeks away-- and their parents say there isn't a high school in the area that can adequately address their kid's specialized needs.
That's where Inspire comes in.
"We've dreamed of this type of program forever," says Jake's mom, Kathy Vranos.
Inspire is the name of a new school being built near Brattleboro for kids with autism.
Betit and Carol Ortlip will be the school's first teachers.
The 5,600 square foot farmhouse will become a home away from home for students in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
"There's going to be a living room, a kitchen," says Betit.
Unlike programs offered at most public high schools, the focus at Inspire will be on vocational and life training.
The students will live off campus, but will do their own laundry and shopping at school-- learning how to live independently.
"We'll have science, math, art, all of it in one in a business format for them," explains Betit.
"They're going to have jobs as soon as they get here. We're training them. We're going to have our own business right on site," says Ortlip.
The kids will help make pizzas for a Brattleboro business. They'll also be growing plants and herbs in their own greenhouse and creating window boxes that will be sold to businesses throughout the community.
"He loves coming here. He loves it," says Kathy Vranos.
Jake Vranos' parents Bill and Kathy are helping to open the school.
"Jake didn't have what he needed for the future and that means if it wasn't there for him, it wasn't there for many children in the area," explains Kathy Vranos.
The Vranos envision a day when students will live on the campus-- receiving 24 hour a day care and training all year long.
"He could have a measure of independence and dignity," says Kathy Vranos.
A dream come true for parents and teachers who are trying to make the world a better place for these kids-- one day at a time.
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Classmates Vote Autistic Boy Out Of Kindergarten
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Posted by sylvia on Monday, August 03, 2009 (09:33:15)
WFMY
A story out of Florida is raising eyebrows.
A five-year-old boy was kicked out of his kindergarten class because the other kids voted him out, Survivor style. Now a lawyer for the family says they're going to sue.
Alex Barton, who is autistic, hasn't been to Morningside Elementary School in Miami since May 21st.
He doesn't want to go back, not to any school.
"Because some people pick on me," Alex says.
He hasn't forgotten what happened to him that day. His classmates voted Alex out of the classroom.
Alex, who had not at the time been diagnosed as autistic, had been sent to the school office a couple of time that day for having his shoes on the wrong feet, throwing crayons and hiding under the table.
When he returned to the classroom the second time, the teacher, Wendy Portillo, brought alex to the front and asked each child, in her words, to tell Alex what they don't like about him. Portillo, does not deny any of this.
In the police report, Portillo says she felt if Alex heard from his classmates how his behavior affected them that it would make a bigger difference to him. Then the children voted
The St. Lucie County School District reassigned Portillo away from students while it investigates. Law enforcement officials say they will not file criminal charges because they found no evidence of emotional child abuse.
But the attorney representing the family notified the school board they are pursuing a civil action.
Alex was not in the exceptional students program because he'd only been going to Morningside since January and the school's evaluation of had not been completed.
His mother says she's not sure where Alex will be going to school in the fall but it won't be Morningside.
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College's autism unit hailed a success
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Posted by sylvia on Monday, August 03, 2009 (09:19:17)
Shields Gazette By Leah Strug
AN autism unit is reaping the successes of its first year with thriving students.
Interface, based at South Tyneside College, was set up last summer to help students with autism improve their communication, problem solving and social skills.
Five full-time students enrolled on the course, with several others accessing its facilities, and now the unit has proven to be a success through the development of these youngsters.
The youngest student is 17-year-old Michael Whittaker, who lives with his grandmother in North Shields.
Michael was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS) when he was 10, but attended a special unit within mainstream education until last year.
Although bright, Michael had difficulty meeting new people as he was unable to travel alone.
Michael enrolled on the Interface course, as well as signing up to study maths A-level.
Nicola Beldham, who heads up the Interface unit at the college, said: "When Michael came to us, he was very low in confidence.
"He wouldn't speak to people very much and had to be accompanied everywhere.
"At Interface, we help students build confidence by teaching them the social skills that others would learn instinctively.
"For example, we look at how close you should stand next to someone when talking to them or provide advice on which topics are suitable to start conversations with.
"Gradually, using these techniques, we have managed to build up Michael's confidence so now he can walk around college on his own and finds it much easier to speak to people.
"He has even set up a study group for his A-level maths course to help with revision."
Michael himself acknowledges his progress. He said: "I'm so much happier now that I've learned these independence skills at college.
"Interface has helped me to tackle many of my communication problems and has given me new strategies to cope.
"AS can often make me feel stressed or angry – when this happens, I go to the chill out room at college, where it's peaceful and I'm able to relax.
"I've also made a poster that I call my achievements board, showing all the things I've accomplished since coming here, such as learning to be more independent and finding it easier to talk to people.
"This helps me to understand how far I've come and makes me feel more positive about the future."
Ms Beldham added: "At Interface we aim to help autistic young people achieve their full potential and it's clear last year's intake has come on in leaps and bounds since joining us.
"Although it's only our first year in operation, I'm delighted with the start we've made and confident that we will continue to make a big difference to the lives of those who study with us in the future."
For more details on Interface, contact the information centre on 427 3900 or visit www.stc.ac.uk.
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