by Bryan Post, PhD Adopted at the age of six months, Joseph was a fussy and sometimes hard to soothe infant. Feeling as though this was just normal infant difficulties with the adjustment of adoption, Pat and Robert paid it little attention. When Joseph reached the age of two and began to bite the other children in daycare, they chalked it up to the dreaded two-year old stage of which everyone assumes to be okay. Though the biting never quite ceased that year, with a few modifications, Jose

by Christine Dugan Based on the U.S. Department of Education's 2002 report to Congress on IDEA the number of students with autism in U.S. schools has increased by 1354% in an eight-year period from 1991-1992 to 2000-2001 (as cited by the Autism Society of America, 2003). This increase is almost fifty times higher than all disabilities (excluding autism), which has increased in the U.S. by 28.4%. From 1991-1992 to 2000-2001 school years, the number of students with autism that are being serv

by Linda Simpson This article is a continuation of Part II: IEP Meeting Success Are you a parent of a child with a learning disability? The deck is stacked against you for achieving a quality, special education IEP. Learn how to get the best possible program for your child. 1. In Part II, study the "IEP Success Method." (Gather data from experts that present evidence of a deficit, list the student's needs due to the deficit, document the legal rights to these services, and o

by Lisa Harp It is estimated that there are over 2.5 million people who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. The majority of these are boys. As a mother of a boy and a teacher, I have seen first hand the evidence of this, and I have to ask why we, as a nation, are content to medicate these beautiful, brilliant children instead of questioning the methods of teaching and choosing alternative educational settings for them. Wouldn't it be easier to reform our educational system tha

by Lisa Simmons 1. Read last year's IEP - It's important to review what came out of last year's plan. Was it successful ? Did the methods of instruction work ? Did the measurement process used really tell you if progress was being made ? Were the goals & objectives really functional for your child? Also try to think back to the actual meeting -- what part of the discussion did you feel least prepared for ? Remembering will help you prepare better this time around! 2. Update your advocac

by David Palmer, Ph.D. School's in session - and although most of their parents don't realize it, millions of early elementary age kids are being screened, tested, and sorted in an attempt to find those who need gifted education support services to flourish. While it may seem that gifted kids should be able to do well in any setting, parents, researchers, and specialists who advocate for this sometimes overlooked group point out that many of our brightest child minds become bored, frustra

by Susan du Plessis Deer momee and dadee I bo not wont to do to shool eny more becouse the children ar lafing at me. I canot reed pleese help me your sun david David is not a dunce. In fact, according to the evaluations of a few professionals, he is rather intelligent. Yet he certainly has a problem, and he shares his problem with millions of other children and adults. David is dyslexic. The term "dyslexia" was introduced in 1884 by the German ophthalmologist, R. Berlin. H

by Paul Counts Your son or daughter could be very bright, but when it comes to reading orally your child may struggle to sound out new words or when writing misspells many words. This will cause lower grades. This scenario is very typical for a child that is affected with central auditory processing disorder; a learning disorder where the brain isn't properly processing auditory information. A person affected by Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) can often have nearly perfect he

by David Palmer, Ph.D. ADHD or Gifted? What Parents Need to Know By David Palmer, Ph.D. Author of the newly released, Parents' Guide to IQ Testing and Gifted Education: All You Need to Know to Make the Right Decisions for Your Child. If you have a bright, bouncy child and you (or a well-meaning teacher) suspect attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ... beware! Many experts believe that ADHD is often over-diagnosed or misdiagnosed. Characteristics of ADHD may be shown by many

by David Palmer, Ph.D. Bright Kids with Learning Problems When IQ and Achievement Don't Match Up By David Palmer, Ph.D. Author of the newly released, Parents' Guide to IQ Testing and Gifted Education: All You Need to Know to Make the Right Decisions for Your Child. When some parents think of high-achieving or gifted students, what comes to mind is a child who shines in every aspect of life - one who can be expected to get straight A's in school, have tons of friends, and be a star in