This video illustrates how essential early childhood inclusion is for all children, including those who cannot be in close proximity to other children because of health concerns. In this video, Kate Mathany describes how her daughter Getty virtually attends a typical preschool classroom every day using a VGo. In the first part, Kate introduces us to Getty and describes how the idea to use the VGo came about. In the second part, Kate is joined by Eileen Sedilko, Getty's preschool teacher, as they illustrate how Getty's school day works from both home and classroom perspectives. They discuss a range of topics including preschool inclusion, parent leadership, the use of adaptations, collaboration, teamwork, the benefits of inclusion for all children, families, and teachers. This video has important messages for families with children who cannot attend a preschool because of health reasons who are looking for solutions, for all those interested in early childhood inclusion, and for current and future early childhood educators. A presentation of the Desired Results Access Project, Napa County Office of Education, funded by the California Department of Education, Special Education Division. Produced by Larry Edelman.

To help engage and create our next generation of park visitors, supporters and advocates, we are kicking off the Every Kid in a Park initiative. The immediate goal is to provide an opportunity for each and every 4th grade student across the country to experience their public lands and waters in person throughout the 2015-2016 school year. 

The long-term effects of being bullied by other kids are worse than being abused by an adult, new research shows.Among a large group of children in England, those who were bullied were 60% more likely to have mental health problems as adults than were those who suffered physical, emotional or sexual abuse. And among a large group of children in the United States, the risk of mental health problems was nearly four times greater for victims of bullying than for victims of child abuse.

Twenty-two high school students with disabilities will attend a University of Montana seminar designed to facilitate a smooth transition to college July 20-23.“Movin’ on in Montana,” a collaboration between UM’s Disability Services for Students, the Rural Institute and Montana Vocational Rehabilitation, will bring together high school students from across the state to learn about disability rights, different expectations between high school and college, and how to use academic support. The students also will meet UM students with disabilities.

After months of political controversy over covering Montana’s uninsured, it’s time to applaud a smaller change that will make a lifetime difference for some disabled Montana tots.

The Obama administration wants to see more kids with disabilities — no matter how significant — participating in classrooms alongside their typically-developing peers. The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services are jointly seeking public comment this week on a draft policy statement encouraging greater inclusion for young children with disabilities.

Whether you participate in a public or private event to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day, on May 21, we encourage designers, developers, usability professionals, and everyone else to take an hour to experience first-hand the impact of digital accessibility (or lack there of).

For decades, frustrated parents and teachers have barked at fidgety children with ADHD to “Sit still and concentrate!” But new research conducted at UCF shows that if you want ADHD kids to learn, you have to let them squirm. The foot-tapping, leg-swinging and chair-scooting movements of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are actually vital to how they remember information and work out complex cognitive tasks, according to a study published in an early online release of the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. The findings show the longtime prevailing methods for helping children with ADHD may be misguided. “The typical interventions target reducing hyperactivity. It’s exactly the opposite of what we should be doing for a majority of children with ADHD,” said one of the study’s authors, Mark Rapport, head of the Children’s Learning Clinic at the University of Central Florida. “The message isn’t ‘Let them run around the room,’ but you need to be able to facilitate their movement so they can maintain the level of alertness necessary for cognitive activities.”

A mom shares her frustration:  “I’m exhausted, overwhelmed, and wiped out. My friends try to help but they just don’t understand. When I talk about my child’s illness, it makes them uncomfortable. Then I feel bad for burdening them. I feel so alone.”

A new clinic inside Orchard Elementary that promises to make health care more convenient for its students and families is now enrolling patients, the first of its kind to open in Billings and only the third in the state.

Howard said the area will give children a compact, accessible—it’s also accessible to people with disabilities—play space that can serve as a portal to the wider world of nature.

Recent advances in technology have the potential to improve the quality of life for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Here’s a look at four products in this space that caught our attention.

A multi-site study finds young children with autism spectrum disorder and serious behavioral problems respond positively to a 24-week structured parent training. The benefits of parent training endured for up to six months post intervention.

As a speech language pathologist, one of my greatest joys have been communicating and connecting with both children and adults with autism, specifically those who are nonverbal or minimally verbal. I have met countless individuals who are living in a silent world and have been waiting to be opened up so they could communicate and connect with others.

Researchers at the National Autism Center at May Institute today released the results of the largest systematic review to date of interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their findings identify 14 “Established Interventions” for children and adolescents that have the most research support, produce beneficial outcomes, and are known to be effective, and one Established Intervention for adults on the autism spectrum.