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In this new Fordham Institute paper, analysts examine public data and find that the national proportion of students with disabilities peaked in 2004-05 and has been declining since. This overall trend masks interesting variations; for example, proportions of students with specific learning disabilities, mental retardation, and emotional disturbances have declined, while the proportions of students with autism, developmental delays, and other health impairments have increased notably. Meanwhile, at the state level, Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts have the highest rates of disability identification, while Texas, Idaho, and Colorado have the lowest. The ratio of special-education teachers and paraprofessionals to special-education students also varies widely from state to state—so much so that our analysts question the accuracy of the data reported by states to the federal government.

Special education used to be a place—sometimes a separate school, more often a classroom down the hall where students labeled as such disappeared for hours at a time, out of sight and out of mind for the typical classroom teacher. That’s still sometimes the case, but increasingly, special education is front and center in the regular education classroom, and the population of students with individualized education plans has shifted away from those considered learning disabled.

Fewer students have been diagnosed with learning disabilities, but more students are being diagnosed with autism. “You’re not sending a child somewhere when you provide special ed. You’re providing them a service,” says Mary Watson, director of the Exceptional Child Division in the North Carolina Department of Education. “Special education is not a place; special education is individualized instruction with supports and services.”

Click here to register for this event What: This session provides a new perspective on diversity by showing how children with special needs (including ADHD, learning disabilities, and autism) can be looked upon in a more positive way by seeing each person in terms of their strengths rather than their weaknesses.   Dr. Armstrong will examine findings in evolutionary psychology, neuropsychology, anthropology, and other fields to show that what we regard as “disabilities” in our culture may have at other times and cultures been considered assets and advantages.  Using this new and inclusive concept of “neurodiversity” Dr. Armstrong argues for a radically new approach to special education based upon deep respect and the celebration of natural brain differences. When: Thursday, June 16, 2011 10:30am - 11:30am Mountain Time

Dick Swanson has super powers. He's got perfect pitch, always has. He'll start singing Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" and even nail that "da-da-da" guitar part at the beginning. He'll burst out with a deep baritone rendition of a '70s classic like Neil Diamond's "September Morn," astonishing bystanders. He knows shadows. He checks the Missoulian every day, in print, to get the times for sunrise and sunset, and from there he knows where and when a certain triangle will fall across a wall or a tree trunk will become a diagonal across a sidewalk.

Click here to visit the Fringe Films website for more information on this program What: Fringe Films of Missoula is offering summer acting acting class that will encourage kids on the spectrum to explore the skill of acting, reacting and self-expression. Where: Downtown Dance Collective Missoula, MT When: June 13 through July 27, 2011 Programs: Program A: Ages 5 - 8; Tuesdays- 1- 2 p.m. Program B: Ages 9 - 12; Mon & Wed - 1-2 p.m. Program C: Ages 13 -19; Mon & Wed - 2:10 - 3:40 p.m. Fees: $80.00 for Program A. $140.00 for Program B. $180.00 for Program C. $40 dollar deposit due by May 15th. Balance due by June 7th. Please contact us for scholarship information: fringe@fringefilms.org | 406.531.3841

He knows nearly every dinosaur and the era they came from, but gets so frustrated by handwriting that he struggles to complete book reports. The 8-year-old Berwyn resident already has developed plots for three more “Star Wars” sequels, but sometimes lacks the social skills to effectively communicate with his classmates and teachers.

For most of his life, music critic Tim Page felt like an outsider. Restless and isolated, he was overstimulated and uneasy around others. Finally, when he was 45, Page was diagnosed with Asperger's, a syndrome that falls within the autism spectrum. As Page explains in the prologue of his new memoir, Parallel Play: Life As An Outsider, the diagnosis came as a relief: "Here, finally, was an objective explanation for some of my strengths and weaknesses," he writes.People with Asperger's often struggle to interact with groups and understand social norms. Page describes himself growing up as a "very lost little kid" who acted out in school by making faces at teachers and being aggressive with the other students. His ability to connect to others didn't improve with age.

It's not okay to dismiss bullying by saying "children are cruel." And losing the fight against it can be tragic.

For the coming months, Pat's parents will live in separate states so that he can attend a school where he won't be bullied and mocked.

Much of the growing prevalence of autism, which now affects about 1 percent of American children, according to federal data, can be attributed to Asperger’s and other mild forms of the disorder. And Asperger’s has exploded into popular culture through books and films depicting it as the realm of brilliant nerds and savantlike geniuses. But no sooner has Asperger consciousness awakened than the disorder seems headed for psychiatric obsolescence. Though it became an official part of the medical lexicon only in 1994, the experts who are revising psychiatry’s diagnostic manual have proposed to eliminate it from the new edition, due out in 2012.

Stone, 33, is blind and autistic, and in recent weeks has used leaf raking as a way to earn enough money to go somewhere she absolutely despises: the dentist.

The Mountaintop couple developed an application for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch that helps track behavior in autistic children. Called Behavior Tracker Pro, it was approved this summer by Apple as an "app" and was placed on the iTunes Web site, where it can be downloaded for $9.99. It has been downloaded more than 400 times, and the pace of downloads is increasing.

Navigating College is an introduction to the college experience from those of us who’ve been there. The writers and contributors are Autistic adults, and we’re giving you the advice that we wish someone could have given us when we headed off to college. We wish we could sit down and have a chat with each of you, to share our experiences and answer your questions. But since we can’t teleport, and some of us have trouble meeting new people, this book is the next best thing.

A technology originally developed to locate stolen vehicles will now help Flathead County law enforcement agencies locate missing Alzheimer’s and dementia patients as well as children with autism and Down syndrome. In a press conference Friday at the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Search and Rescue Coordinator Brian Heino unveiled the local introduction of Project Lifesaver. The project, established in 1999 by the 43rd Search and Rescue Company of the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office, uses radio transmitter bracelets manufactured by LoJack to locate those at-risk individuals who have wandered off from families or caregivers.

All parents endure stress, but studies show that parents of children with developmental disabilities, like autism, experience depression and anxiety far more often. Struggling to obtain crucial support services, the financial strain of paying for various therapies, the relentless worry over everything from wandering to the future — all of it can be overwhelming.

We are a nonprofit foundation created to help families acquire items beneficial to their children that insurance companies don't cover. We also provide educational items such as sensory friendly school supplies to families and emergency kits with sensory items for evacuations to schools. Each family can fill out one application per calendar year and can request up to $500 (including shipping costs) worth of materials. All items will be ordered directly from the vendor and no funds will be sent to the families. Please see our family application for guidelines.

At age two, Thomas Ledbetter was diagnosed with Autism and was not expected to be able to speak; however, thanks to a great support system and an incredible amount of work on his part, he managed to overcome many of the obstacles in his life. Thomas experienced bullying throughout elementary and middle school and decided to channel these negative experiences and feelings into positive graphic design.

It is not often you see a young man with such a passion for inclusive education. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Miles Kredich, a teenager with a twin brother who has autism. Watch this short (8 minute) documentary that gives a history of special education and gives a great case for inclusive education. Share this widely with your social networks.

All parents endure stress, but studies show that parents of children with developmental disabilities, like autism, experience depression and anxiety far more often. Struggling to obtain crucial support services, the financial strain of paying for various therapies, the relentless worry over everything from wandering to the future — all of it can be overwhelming.