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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The book, Teaching ELLs Across Content Areas: Issues and Strategies, is a unique, useful text written for K-12 teachers. This book is the culmination of the professional knowledge, expertise, and experience from the distinguished authors who represent the entire range of the content areas, including: language arts, science, mathematics, technology, arts, psychology, and Hispanic studies. The ELL school population has reached 5.3 million with the increase rate of 51 percent from School Yearr 1998-1999 to 2008-2009 (NCELA, 2012). By 2025, one out of four K-12 students will be ELLs (NEA Policy Brief, 2013). The NEA data states that the ELLs are the fastest-growing student populatio n group in our schools and providing them with high-quality services and programs is an important investment in America's future (NEA Policy Brief, 2013). With the fast growth of the ELLs in schools, basic information and strategies are needed by all K-12 teachers. This book provides useful information and strategies for all K-12 teachers in content classrooms. This book has three significances. First, the book provides the most needed information for K-12 teachers with issues and strategies that are important in content areas to help ELLs' success. With the fast growth of the ELLs in schools, K-12 teachers need this information in conte nt classrooms. Second, the book fills the gap related to teaching ELLs in content areas. There are some existing books with titles on teaching ELLs across content areas; yet, these books provide general information with fewer books that really address specific content topics. This book is unique because it has the dedicated chapters for specific content areas, e.g., Language Arts, Science, Math, Social Studies with issues and strategies in these respective contents as well as general information, e.g., L2 theories for teachers to know and work with ELLs. Third, the book is reader-friendly with carefullycrafted chapters. Each chapter begins with a scenario to catch the reader's attention, is followed by issues and strategies, and ends with a summary. A scenario begins with each chapter for teachers to get to know the ELLs with the content that focuses on the related information and teaching strategies. With the continued increase in the ELL school population, this book is intended helping all K-12 teachers in content areas have knowledge and stategies to better serve their ELLs.

More than ever, emerging technology is assisting individuals with autism in a variety of ways. However, many parents, schools, and special education professionals are not aware of the recent technological developments that are available to assist these individuals. Innovative Technologies to Benefit Children on the Autism Spectrum brings together relevant theoretical frameworks and empirical research concerning the emerging technologies that benefit individuals living with autism. This book is an essential reference source for parents, teachers, special educators, researchers, academics, and other professionals seeking relevant information on the emerging technological advances available for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders.

As new classroom resources are developed, educators strive to incorporate digital media advancements into their curriculum to provide an enriched learning experience for students with exceptional intelligence, as well as students in need of supplementary instruction. Though the resources exist, their effective use in the classroom is currently lacking. Cases on Instructional Technology in Gifted and Talented Education provides educators with real-life examples and research-based directions for the use of digital media resources in classrooms at all academic levels. This reference work will appeal to educators and researchers interested in enriching P-12 classrooms in order to extend student learning and promote effective e-learning in the classroom.

This much-needed volume is an edited collection of primary sources that document the history of bilingual education in U.S. public schools during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Part I of the volume examines the development of dual-language programs for immigrants, colonized Mexicans, and Native Americans during the nineteenth century. Part II considers the attacks on bilingual education during the Progressive-era drive for an English-only curriculum and during the First World War. Part III explores the resurgence of bilingual activities, particularly among Spanish speakers and Native Americans, during the interwar period and details the rise of the federal government's involvement in bilingual instruction during the post-WWII decades. Part IV of the volume examines the recent campaigns against bilingual education and explores dual-language practices in today's classrooms. A compilation of school reports, letters, government documents, and other primary sources, this volume provides rich insights into the history of this very contentious educational policy and practice and will be of great interest to historians and language scholars, as well as to educational practitioners and policymakers.

In 1987, when Pat Linkhorn found herself raising two daughters with special needs, she had to rely on letters to get the information she needed. These days, the process of finding information for children with disabilities is much more straightforward. In this collection of writings, Linkhorn shares a personal account of her experiences and offers advice on dealing with the various issues that she encountered through the years.Linkhorn hopes to help parents of special needs children find the humor amid the absurdity of life. Join her as she recalls navigating the choppy waters of serving as an advocate for her children and others with special needs. She offers advice on making decisions that benefit special needs children; dealing effectively with agencies, committees, and people; and telling your story in a way that generates attention.As the mother of one autistic daughter and another who was born prematurely and is blind, Linkhorn has dealt with and worked for numerous social and educational agencies devoted to helping special needs individuals for more than twenty years. No longer constrained by agency rules and guidelines, she is off the fence and she tells her tale of survival and victory and explains how the system really works.

Although there has been an increase in literature regarding children of color with disabilities, it mainly focuses on their experiences in one social context. Crises of Identifying: Negotiating and Mediating Race, Gender, and Disability within Family and Schools includes narratives on the familial and educational experiences in public, private, and institutional educational settings of five African American adults who have disabilities associated with blindness, cerebral palsy, and speech impairment. As a deaf African American female, the author and researcher also highlights her familial and educational experiences throughout the book as a frame of analysis. This book can serve as a literary resource to academics and educational programs and/or institutions as well as an informational guide to parents, teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals/ caregivers of children with disabilities regarding the significance of leadership, advocacy, activism, and identification development within familial and educational contexts on the experiences of children including the impact of complex dynamics that exist within and between families and schools. Hopefully, this book will provide parents, teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals with an understanding and comprehension of complexities concerning disability, gender, and race within family and schools including their association with crises of identifying, essentialist discourses, as well as power and privilege dynamics. This book consists of nine chapters which are organized into three parts. Part I focuses on background, rationale, theoretical and methodological underpinnings of the research this book is based on. Part II introduces the reader to the narratives of five African Americans with disabilities. Each narrative provides insights into the lived experiences and leadership qualities of two males and three females. Part III presents the concluding chapters of the book and highlights the significance of this research for the educational field including disability studies, teacher education programs, and special education.