When children with learning challenges are identified, the educational community in the United States diligently applies a well-established model of remediation that has, for the most part, yielded positive results. Research, however, has demonstrated that the American perception of disability may vary from those in Eastern cultures. These cultural differences can play a significant role in the failure to achieve learning success on behalf of children from the Middle East, North Africa, and Southwest Asian (MENASWA) families. It is critical for the school community to recognize and acknowledge these differences and bring them into alignment in order to meet these students' learning needs. Learning Challenges for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Students With Disabilities is an essential reference publication that identifies ways in which CLD families can be involved with schools to help build educators' cultural competence and explores the idea of disabilities as a social model with a focus on strengths rather than a medical model focused on needs and weaknesses. Featuring coverage on a wide range of topics including racial identity, leadership wisdom, and family-school collaboration, this book is ideally designed for educators, principals, administrators, curriculum developers, instructional designers, policymakers, advocates, researchers, academicians, and students.

Providing all students, particularly those with learning disabilities, with the skills necessary to succeed in school and, by extension, the real world is vital in today's educational landscape. Due to this need, innovative language and literacy tools have been developed to support these students in their learning endeavors and ensure they are receiving the best education possible. Cutting-Edge Language and Literacy Tools for Students on the Autism Spectrum covers the root causes of the language and learning challenges in autism, their consequences for language acquisition and literacy, and a variety of tools and strategies for addressing them, from teaching technologies to assistive technologies. Drawing on what the most current evidence shows about the nature of autism and which therapies and technologies are most successful, the book reviews the efficacy of existing language therapies, literacy strategies, and assistive technologies. Covering topics such as speech deficits, language learning, comprehension, and assistive communication tools, this reference work is ideal for clinicians, behavioral specialists, speech-language pathologists, special educators, researchers, academicians, practitioners, scholars, educators, and students.

Issues of cultural identity and cultural heritage are at the heart of contemporary discourses in many parts of the world. They are used to identify and address the inequalities by marginalized groups; however, they also feed the re-nationalization and ethno-purist fantasies. But what exactly is culture? In this volume, the authors explore how culture is conceptualized and practised by young people in eight countries in numerous and very diverse contexts - schools, interest clubs, organizations and informal youth groups. The chapters show that concepts of culture vary widely within and across sites, regions and countries, highlighting the common, as well as particular, challenges that notions of identity and heritage pose for young people who often aspire to an inclusive and open society

Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) is an Orientation and Mobility (O&M) curriculum which focuses on the foundational techniques necessary to develop future independence for students who are blind or visually impaired. The ABCs of Structured Discovery Cane Travel for Children addresses essential non-visual concept development, techniques and mobility skills needed to travel efficiently, gracefully and safely within a myriad of natural environments while using the long, white cane with a metal tip as the primary mobility tool. This curriculum utilizes transformational knowledge and problem-solving opportunities through teachable moments to develop personal reflection and mental mapping which can be utilized post instruction. These students maximize their cognitive intrinsic feedback while completing everyday mobility tasks. Parents and instructors of children who are blind or visually impaired will comprehend the essentials of SDCT by reading The ABCs of Structured Discovery Cane Travel for Children; in addition, they will receive a treasure trove of O&M skill-building activities.

This book is designed to be a valuable resource for all educators who seek to gain a better understanding of learning disabilities, effective classroom practices, and meeting the instructional, emotional, and social needs of struggling students. Educators will benefit from the extensive research provided in the book and they will gain a thorough understanding of the importance of creating, supporting, and maintaining valuable interventions and how to do so effectively.

This book is about the social condition of Deaf people, told through a Deaf woman's autobiography and a series of essays investigating how hearing societies relate to Deaf people. Michel Foucault described the powerful one as the beholder who is not seen. This is why a Deaf woman's perspective is important: Minorities that we don't even suspect we have power over observe us in turn. Majorities exert power over minorities by influencing the environment and institutions that simplify or hinder lives: language, mindsets, representations, norms, the use of professional power. Based on data collected by Eurostat, this volume provides the first discussion of statistics on the condition of Deaf people in a series of European countries, concerning education, labor, gender. This creates a new opportunity to discuss inequalities on the basis of data. The case studies in this volume reconstruct untold moments of great advancement in Deaf history, successful didactics supporting bilingualism, the reasons why Deaf empowerment for and by Deaf people does and does not succeed. A work of empowerment is effective if it acts on a double level: the community to be empowered and society at large, resulting in a transformation of society as a whole. This book provides instruments to work towards such a transformation.

Preparing multilingual students with diverse learning needs and abilities to meet the demands of the Next Generation Learning Standards and the 21st Century workforce requires a re-envisioning of teacher preparation and classroom instruction. Multilingual learners with disabilities must be acknowledged for the assets they bring and engaged in classroom learning that is rigorous and relevant. This book addresses the historical context of the field, while also delving into the programmatic and pedagogical practices that will prepare students for success. It explores aspects of general education, special education and bilingual education, and how these fields intersect and overlap in districts, schools and classrooms. From the culturally and linguistically sustaining multi-tiered systems of support necessary in the general education and bilingual classroom, to the referral and identification processes, to appropriate service delivery models, this book addresses the apparent as well as the nuanced considerations that will assist educators in providing educational services to some of our most vulnerable students. This book particularly addresses the complex intersection of bilingual education and special education. It provides practical solutions to current dilemmas and challenges today's educators of multilingual learners with, without, and at risk for disabilities, face in the classroom. Addressing the needs of these students through an intersectional lens is paramount to closing the achievement gap that exacerbates the negative academic outcomes of culturally and linguistically diverse students with and without disabilities. It provides a comprehensive introduction to bilingual special education in today's educational landscape.

Intellectual disabilities can be difficult to detect in children prior to their school-age years. Throughout their lives, individuals with intellectual disabilities may require specialized care and support in order to lead healthy and fulfilled lives. The Handbook of Research on Diagnosing, Treating, and Managing Intellectual Disabilities is a pivotal reference source for the latest research on the effects of disabilities in intellectual functioning, examining the causes, treatment, and rehabilitation of such limitations in adaptive behavior. Highlighting empirical findings on the management of these disabilities throughout various stages of life, this publication is ideally designed for clinicians, researchers, special educators, social workers, and students actively involved in the mental health profession.

The greatest advantage of modern technology is its ability to improve the lives of all. In particular, new technologies have the potential to greatly mitigate cognitive, motor, and social impairments stemming from genetic or environmental factors. Recent Advances in Assistive Technologies to Support Children with Developmental Disorders raises awareness of disabled children and what can be done to help them grow and develop alongside their peers. Bringing together personal experiences with academic investigation, this book is an essential reference for doctors, pediatricians, pre- and primary school educators, and scientists working to enhance the impact assistive technologies have on the youngest members of society.

Educators are continually pressured to create interesting and educational lessons for students of varying learning abilities. While technology steadily improves classroom learning, education systems struggle to develop more innovative teaching methods for students with disabilities. Cases on Service Delivery in Special Education Programs compiles real-world case studies on successful classroom models and practices to provide rewarding learning environments for students with disabilities. Addressing topics such as behavior modification, social development, and teacher collaboration, this publication is an essential reference source for special education teachers, supervisors, directors, administrators, principles, and policymakers, as well as academicians and researchers interested in developing special education programs within school districts and classrooms.

Novice Teaching English as a Second or Other Language (TESOL) teachers are often surprised by the full range of issues their jobs involve, and learning how to successfully address these issues takes considerable skill and experience, built up throughout a teaching career. This book is about such critical incidents and how a problem-solving mindset can help. Complex issues covered in this book are often not adequately dealt with in teacher training. This book takes up "critical incidents" which fall into the gap between what the teacher has learned about in their course of study and the classroom realities they face. By directly reflecting on these particular incidents, teachers can be empowered to continue their own professional development. Each critical incident is based on actual experiences shared by novice TESOL practitioners and the book organizes these incidents in an easy-to-use, structured manner. Within connected themes, the text presents the incident from the teacher's point of view, provides the reader critical background questions, offers insight into how the teacher wrestled with the issue, and shares questions and engagement opportunities to further engage with the topics raised. TESOL educators frequently confront complex classroom issues due to the social, economic, political and cultural challenges that they and their students confront. This text offers an exciting and dynamic approach to assist with these on the way to becoming a stronger TESOL educator.