by Common Ground | Nov 13, 2012 | Capitols
The U.S. Department of Education has announced new steps to help close the achievement gap for students with disabilities by moving away from a one-size-fits-all, compliance-focused approach to a more balanced system that looks at how well students are being educated,...
by Common Ground | Nov 13, 2012 | Capitols
A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that charter schools nation wide enroll a lower percentage of students with disabilities than traditional public schools. In school year 2009-2010, the most recent year for which data are available,...
by Common Ground | Nov 13, 2012 | Capitols
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) received more complaints about disability-related issues from 2009-2011 than ever before. OCR enforces civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, national origin, sex, disability and...
by Common Ground | Nov 13, 2012 | Capitols
A report released by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention suggests that victims of school bullying, many of whom are students with disabilities, are often distanced from learning, disadvantaged academically, and are...
by Common Ground | Nov 13, 2012 | Capitols
The U.S. Department of Education has reaffirmed the need for school districts to consider ‘least restrictive environment’ when determining work placements for students with disabilities during the transition years. In a letter issued in response to an...
by Common Ground | Sep 21, 2012 | Parents, Professionals, Q&A, Teachers
An assistive technology (AT) device is used to maintain or improve the functional capabilities of a student with a disability. An assistive technology service assists in the selection, acquisition, or use of an AT device, and incorporates evaluations, modifications,...
by Common Ground | Sep 19, 2012 | Features
“One exciting trend in the AT marketplace is the use of off-the-shelf consumer electronics in the classroom to assist students with a wide range of learning differences.”By Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D. From iPads to iPhones, we are living in a world in...
by Common Ground | Apr 16, 2012 | Letters
Dear Editor: Now is an historic time in New Jersey education. Parents—including parents of students with disabilities—should be aware of the opportunity to fundamentally transform New Jersey’s public school education system to the benefit of all students, including...
by Common Ground | Apr 16, 2012 | Parents, Professionals, Q&A, Teachers
“Children with apraxia often have family members who have a history of communication disorders or learning disabilities. This observation and recent research findings suggest that genetic factors may play a role in the disorder.” Apraxia of speech (called...
by Common Ground | Apr 16, 2012 | Capitols
The New Jersey Department of Education has issued a corrective action plan for a north Jersey school district. The order is in response to a complaint investigation initiated by a non-attorney advocate last fall. According to the report, students placed in a...
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