Not-So Special Olympics?

According to this article, in recent years Special Olympics (SO) has made a rule that “ lateral (side view) neck X-rays [must] be obtained for individuals with [Down Syndrome] DS before they participate in the SO's nationwide competitive program. Further, SO has asserted that “those participants with radiologic evidence of [a spinal cord condition called Atlantoaxial Instability, also known as] AAI are banned from certain activities that may be associated with increased risk of injury to the cervical spine....”

Special Olympics is geared towards giving the opportunity for individuals to participate in athletics who normally couldn’t. We think that baring them from playing sports just because they may have a medical condition that may be dangerous in sports defeats the purpose of SO. Sports in SO are purposely modified to allow individuals with all kinds of disabilities to participate. Many individuals with Downs Syndrome have heart conditions. However, SO does not bar them from participating due to that fact alone. Why should Atlantoaxial Instability be any different? Not only are the X-ray screenings of “…unproven value in detecting patients at risk for developing spinal cord injury during sports participation” they seem to run against the core values of SO—allowing all students the opportunity to play regardless of their disability. What do you think about Atlantoaxial Instability screenings and its role in determining participation or nonparticipation in Special Olympics?

Deaf-Blind placement in school settings

The term Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is one that we have become very familiar with in our program.  Basically from the state's perspective LRE is typically as close to the general education classroom setting as possible.  This means to minimize pullout and outside services as much as possible. 

Many debate the controversy or LRE as to mainstreaming, inclusion, special classes or schools.  We would like to address this controversy in regards to the Deaf-blind student. 

Here are some articles about this controversy
Interpreters hired for the classroom or job setting
Deaf education in Utah  (start at the bottom of page 44 and read to page 47)
Eligibility requirements for Deaf-Blind  (go to page 3 of the pdf)

We think that one must consider the meaning of 'restrictive'.  A deaf-blind student in a mainstream setting would be restricted in their learning, especially if there is no qualified interpreter provided.  Having the deaf-blind student attend a special school with interpreters and aides would allow the student the freedom to use their natural language of sign.  There are many factors to consider such as finances for attending the school and location of school.  We understand that the decision is on an individualized basis that the IEP team must discuss and consider.  This is not a cookie-cutter situation.

What is your interpretation of "Least Restrictive" in the case of a deaf-blind student?

The "R" Word

A big controversy in the world of special needs is the use of the words “retard” and “retarded.” These words are often used by the world as a means of degrading someone or often used to make fun of someone.

In August of 2008 a movie called “Tropic Thunder” directed by Ben Stiller came out and caused a stir. In this movie the term “retard” was used often. Dreamworks Studios along with director Ben Stiller did not understand why there was such a problem from this. This article explains this controversy further.

The National Down Syndrome Congress boycotted this movie and This article explains their feelings about the issue in more depth. At a Northwest Down Syndrome Association social, Corinne met some teenage siblings and friends of kids with Down Syndrome who had stood outside theaters holding signs to protest the movie.

Our group’s opinion of these words is that it totally depends on the context that the words are used in. If using these words in a professional manner such as in eligibility criteria and diagnosis it is appropriate although certain states, including Utah, are shying away from this term by renaming the disability as Intellectual Disability instead of mental retardation. If using these words as a way to put someone with disabilities down then obviously it is not acceptable at all. We are bothered when others use the word in their daily vocabulary to describe something or someone, but we usually do not make a big deal about it. We probably would not watch the movie, but we would not actively and publicly protest the movie.

What are your thoughts or feelings with the use of the words “retard” or “retarded?”

Would you boycott a movie based solely on your feelings about this term?

Posted by: Down Syndrome Group: Christina, Carrie, Corinne, Camille

What kind of plastic surgery would you have?

Recently, parents have been choosing to have plastic surgery performed on their children with Down Syndrome, even as young as 3 years old, to eliminate the distinguishing physical facial characteristics that a person with Down's exhibits.

Some parents and plastic surgeons feel like plastic surgery would enhance the quality of life in their children. It would reduce stigmas and provide more normalized opportunities in life. If parents agree, the following article explains the pros to this procedure.

http://www.ds-health.com/psurg.ht

On the other side of this argument, parents have been extremely outspoken against the idea of tampering with a child's natural appearance. This oftens happens when the child is either too young or low functioning to understand the consequences of this decision. Plastic surgery inhibits the personal rights of the child, and is just trying to change their appearance to make them more "normal". The following article explains this opinion.

Cosmetic surgery for Down Syndrome Child

If you would like to know more, here is a survey from parents of children with Down Syndrome, and their opinions on this issue.

Hearing Parental Voices: survey

While interviewing a special education professional, her opinion was such that the facial features were not as important as their personal hygiene habits, and dressing. If the parents spent the time and money to get plastic surgery, why wouldn't they just spend that money on teaching and dressing instead.

We think they're cute.

We think that if the plastic surgery was for a functional purpose then it would be beneficial. An example of this would be the tongue reduction surgery. This would be appropriate if ithe child's communication was hindered by the small mouth cavity. We do not believe that it is ethical to change a child's appearance without their agreement (if they understand), and that they are individuals that deserve to not have their individuality tampered with.

If you were to have a child with Down Syndrome, would you choose to have plastic surgery done? Why?

Special Education Inclusion

Despite the clarifications in IDEA, the issue of inclusion and special education is a controversial one; one that parents, districts, and even courts cannot seem to agree on. These articles discuss special education inclusion and gives cases representing both sides. Please read Ken Marlborough’s explanation of special education inclusion here . Also, please read at least the introduction, two court decisions (preferably 1 or 2 plus 4 or 5), and the research and conclusion sections of this article .

As you read, please consider these three questions:
1. What do you think of the “inclusionists” claim “that segregated programs are detrimental to students and do not meet the original goals for special education”?
2. How was the approach by Success For All different than that of the inclusionists? Which argument to you agree with?
3. Do you think cost should be a factor?

As a group, we think that those we dubbed “inclusionists” tend to be biased and are not focused on the education of the child with the disabilities. For example, Marlborough’s concluding sentence is: “Thus schools can create a cooperative learning environment and promote socialization.” Is socialization the main goal here? No! At the same time, we do think that the parent’s opinion should be regarded highly as long as it is balanced by the opinion of the student assistance team – with all having the learning of the student as first priority.

Concerning cost of inclusive versus non-inclusive settings, we think that this can be a big issue. Looking at the court cases, the courts’ responses do not always favor just one side. Recognizing the importance of managing expenses and the limitations of schools, we recommend that cost be considered, but it should not be the deciding factor.

Under-representation for the Deaf-Blind Community

Abigail Breslin has been cast to potray Helen Keller in the Broadway production of The Miracle Worker which has been an uproar in the Deaf and Deaf/blind community.  The advocacy groups have opposed the casting and have been disagreeing with the producer's decision since she was cast.  There is more controversy with the community because the director's perspective focuses more on the teacher Anne Sullivan instead of  Helen Keller.  This is the director's main argument on casting Abigail Breslin.

The Deaf and Deaf/blind community is upset because a deaf/blind actress was not considered for casting for the role and they felt as a community this robbed the story of it's message and robbed a great opportunity to use an actress from the community.

Here are two articles that describe the controversy:

Article about "Miracle Worker" controversy

Article about the director 

This is a Youtube video from a Deaf women who feels a deaf/blind actress should have at least been taken into consideration.  She also says a hearing actress was taken into consideration because she was famous and that would bring more money into the play.

A DEAF perspective

This is the general community's response to the article the day after it was written:

New York Times readers respond

Our group felt that if the Deaf/blind community is denied opportunities to represent their community what can they do to work and express themselves as a whole?  We felt the casting should have represented a more accurate role and expressed accommodation for the actress choice since this movie is about "Miracle Workers."
Do you think a Deaf/blind or Deaf actress should have been cast and do you think this is a realistic expectation from the Deaf/blind community?

Virtual Reality and TBI

One recent treatment that has been used with individuals with TBI is virtual reality. Virtual reality (VR) applications “allow the user to interact with, and become immersed in,
a computer-generated environment that simulates a real world environment.” As of right now, there is little research to support the success of virtual reality in treating TBI, but there is much anticipation that virtual reality will be a successful way of achieving positive outcomes in patients with TBI. Some of these outcomes include: assessing level of functioning in real-life situations, and being trained with consistent repetitions. For more information on this topic, please see sections 1, 3, 4, and 5 of this article. It discusses some of the benefits and potential issues concerning this treatment option. Do you think that virtual reality is a viable option for those with TBI?

Our group feels that because there have been so many advances in technology, virtual reality treatments will soon become an option that is affordable and very helpful to those with TBI. As technology becomes more advanced, virtual reality may certainly allow for great advances in the treatment of TBI, and could lead to vast improvements in the cognitive and life skills areas of a student with TBI. Although there still needs to be a lot of research done on this particular treatment option, we feel that it is certainly something that needs to be further studied in order to fully tap its potential as a treatment for those individuals with TBI.

Blame the Teletubbies

Recently, an economist from Cornell University named Michael Waldman has discovered a “link” between watching too much TV at an early age and autism. Read a news report regarding his ideas here.
Many parents have reacted negatively to this, as is evidenced in Barbara Fischkin’s article, which you can read here.
In another article, however, the actual results of research are conveyed.

What is your view? Do you think watching TV influences a child’s diagnosis of autism?

We think that there is not enough evidence to show a causal relationship between TV and autism. While research would suggest that the two coincide, it does not necessarily mean that all children who watch a lot of TV at a young age will have autism, nor that all children diagnosed with autism have watched a lot of TV. We agreed with the possibility that the third article presented when it stated, “that watching a lot of television before the age of three can trigger the development of autism in children who are already at risk for the disorder.”

We also think that Waldman’s cure of his child is bogus.

Autism and Medication

Yet another possible treatment for children with autism is medication. On the one hand, some parents feel they have seen vast improvements in their children's behavior since they have been on medication; on the other, some parents refuse medication, feeling that it would just be "doping up" their children.

This articleaddresses both sides: it is a mother talking about her personal experience with her child that has autism spectrum disorder. She talks about how she was very hesitant to use medication, especially because other parents would say it was just "doping" your child up so you don't have to deal with them. Eventually she medicates her son and sees drastic results that are good. She concludes by saying " individuals who are not familiar with these situations please reserve your judgement until you know more about each situation." (Britany Barnes)

This video details that the most common drugs used to treat autism, the SSRI series, which mostly consist of anti-depressants. In this video they state that these drugs have no proven effect on the effects of autism. A worried mother details her worries and concerns of possible side effects. It also features a doctor from Seattle Childrens Hospital. He outlines his disappointment in not seeing ANY results within his examination of the drugs effects. (Shelly Peterson)

This article is a mother's experience of refusing to medicate her autistic son. She believes intensive therapy will be the thing that helps her son learn to communicate, and she is a believer in the gluten-free casein-free diet. Her stand is that medication only treats symptoms of autism and she would rather give her son the resources to cope with his disability instead of medicating him. (Lauren Stevenson)

Our group feels that, for the most part, medication is ineffective--it only masks the problem. Parents should medicate their child only if necessary, and that medication should be used only temporarily and used along with teaching techniques (e.g. self-modeling).

In your opinion, is medication an effective treatment for children with autism? Under what circumstances should it be given?

Pre-Natal Scanning for Down's Syndrome

Pre-Natal Scanning for Down’s syndrome:

Scans are available during pregnancy that can tell you if your baby is at risk of being down with Down’s Syndrome. Doctors believe that it is a great advantage as it can help prepare parents for the expected health problems at birth, and know that extra care will be necessary. Some people believe that it leads to a greater amount of abortions as people do not “want to deal” with a child with disabilities. They believe it to unethical.

This article is about a parent of a child with Down’s Syndrome. She talks of the challenges other people’s opinions on the subject make. People ask her is she was “tested” during her pregnancy, and she has so poignant words to say on the subject:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/17/AR2005101701311.html

This web page has information about Pre-natal Screening and testing and why it should be done, read the sections labeled Preamble, and Screening tests:

http://www.ndsccenter.org/resources/position1.php

This web page has information about pre-natal screening and some of the issues scroll down to the 3^rd to last paragraph starting with “The screening tests establish”:

http://www.dreamessays.com/customessays/Critical%20Essays/5371.htm

We agree with the doctors who say that screening can lead to better medical care, and preparedness on the parent’s part. It would help the parents prepare with the financial, emotional, and physical demands that a child with disabilities is liable to bring. However, it does bring some people to make some decisions that we do not agree with. There is also the fact that screenings do not tell you for sure if your child will have the disease so it give you a false positive reading. Health insurance does not cover pre-natal screenings so we would be more inclined to have the screenings performed if they were covered by insurance seeing as they are rather expensive.

Considering the testimonial article and the pro and cons presented, do you think that pre-natal screening is an asset to pregnancy? Should it be required for all pregnancies?

Internet Safety

Post what you have learned from the Internet Safety Video assignment.

• Discuss one point you like/agree with, and one point you dislike/disagree with, and why. (2 points)
• Length should be about 1/2 page in length (approximately 100 words).

Health Care and Severe Disabilities

For a person who has a disability, or who has a family member with a disability, health care is really important. The need for medical attention among the disability community is usually higher and more consistent throughout the years, it is generally more expensive, harder to obtain, and sometimes, the solutions provided are even undesirable.
Ari Ne’eman talks about some instances where this has been the case and passionately defends the special needs population. Specifically, he mentioned the Community Choice Act, which was supported by Obama during his campaign, and how that would help people with disabilities get the health care they need. Unfortunately, according to Ne’eman, Obama is not following through, and Ne’eman calls for the integration of disabled citizens and the non-disabled citizens.
Read his article here: http://specialneeds08.blogspot.com/2009/08/disability-and-health-care-firsthand.html
This debate has recently been outside the walls of the White House: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsKkAAzZgNQ
More information on Obama’s health care plan can be found here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/health_care/plan/

Do Ne’eman and Laurna have a reasonable argument? Are the disabled being treated differently under Obama’s new plan?

I think that Ne’eman and Laurna’s concerns are valid. It is imperative that we ensure coverage for people with disabilities and the concern becomes even more real if that person is close to us. I know, as a future mother, that I would want to take every precaution to make sure that my child will have access to all the care he would need – without too much extra cost on my part. However, after reading President Obama’s plan, I feel that enough support is being given to those with special needs and that it would not be unreasonable difficult to obtain the needed coverage. Taking into account Ne’emans concerns, I also believe that there is a need for individualization in the process. Each individual needs to be considered on a case by case basis to determine what their specific needs are and the best way to satisfy those needs.

Gary McKinnon

Read the following articles about Gary McKinnon, a man from the UK diagnosed with Asperger's, and his legal involvement with the United States:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/160039.php

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/31/gary-mckinnon-loses-extradition-appeal

Given what you know and the following article describing the implications of Asperger's, (http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/aswhatisit.html) what do you think should be done regarding Gary MicKinnon's situation? Is it fair to extradite him? Should he be held responsible for his actions?

This seems similar to the discussion involving traumatic brain injury we had a few weeks ago, yet it is much clearer that Gary McKinnon was known to have Asperger's before he committed the crime, thus it is very likely that it could have influenced his actions to some extent. Any ruling in the United States will probably be more severe than one that might occur in the United Kingdom because the US is the victim in the situation. However, if Gary McKinnon is shown leniency for the sake of his high-functioning disability, it will set a precedent that could lead to some serious future implications. Convicts in the future could fake disabilities or people with actual disabilities could be exploited and used to do illegal things because those that exploit them feel confident that they won't be punished.

We feel that, because Gary's offense was repeated many times over again and because of the high-functioning nature of Asperger's, he must suffer some consequences. Because the ruling in the UK found it appropriate for Gary to be extradited, we feel that the government should follow through with extradition and trial. While this may seem harsh considering his circumstances, we feel it will teach him that there are serious consequences for serious actions--just like we would use consequences to teach our kids in the classroom--as well as setting necessary precedent that will protect others in the future.

Chelation Therapy

Mercury was commonly found in vaccinations a few years ago. There have been many controversial issues debating whether mercury is a cause of autism. Some parents have resulted to using chelation as a form of therapy to help “cure” their children of autism. Many have felt that their child has benefited from the therapy. Chelation is "the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. For the most common forms of heavy metal poisoning — those involving lead, arsenic or mercury — the standard of care in the USA dictates the use of dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA)." (Wikipedia) However, some doctors find it dangerous and possibly deadly. This drug can remove essential nutrients from your body and cause possible kidney failure.

Through our research we have found these sites related to chelation therapy.

This site explains what chelation’s function is, and its possible risks.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5403420_chelation-therapy.html

Scroll down this webpage to part 2 to find a video related to chelation

http://www.dmsachelation.com/autism/

Use this information to answer the following question.

What would you do as a parent of a child with a severe case of autism? Would you result to trying to solve the disability by using chelation as a treatment?

TBI AND INCARCERATION

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a form of acquired brain injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. A person with a mild TBI may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms of mild TBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking. (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm)

Research has shown that there is an alarmingly high prevalence of inmates with TBI. According to an article we found on braininjury.org.au, “People with acquired brain injury remain the forgotten group in the criminal justice system. Indeed it seems that brain trauma is so common among the prison population that it is not considered outside the ordinary or subject to particular attention.” Some say that more thorough screening is necessary to ensure that inmates are incarcerated for the right reasons.

The opposing viewpoint is that since these individuals with TBI are more often than not involved in substance abuse, domestic violence, and other crimes that prison is the right place for them.

Do you think that Traumatic Brain Injury is sometimes the cause of incarceration? Why? Do you think different screening procedures should be instituted before incarceration?

Take a look at these articles for more information regarding this critical issue.

http://braininjury.org.au/portal/statistics/prison---our-best-treatment-for-acquired-brain-injury---fact-sheet.html

http://traumaticbraininjury.net/wordpress/?p=342

Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy teaches children with autism appropriate social behaviors they may not be able to acquire otherwise. The observer identifies what "triggers" inappropriate behavior, what reinforces that behavior, and then teaches the child an appropriate replacement behavior that serves the same purpose.

However, some believe that ABA does more than harm than good. Their argument is that the therapy teaches people with autism to mimic typical behavior with no understanding of it and suppresses natural behavior. The practice is barbaric, causing post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression later in life. Michelle Dawson, a person with autism, elaborates in this article (read "Ethical challenges to behavior analysis" section).

Dr. Michael Morrier of Emory University's Autism Center explains ABA here.

This website provides more information on ABA therapy.

In your opinion, is ABA an effective therapy for children with autism? Why or why not?

-Britany Barnes, Shelly Peterson, Lauren Stevenson, Cassie Stoneman, Mike Thomas

Vaccination Controversy

Through our personal study we have found that researchers’ perspectives on the causes of autism are not linked to MMR vaccinations, which fight against measles, mumps, and rubella. Their perspective is backed by many current case studies and research. However, many parents with autistic children claim that vaccinations can be the cause of their child’s autism. They have seen first hand the behavior changes in their children, close to the times of their vaccinations.

Watch this video of a mother’s viewpoint on this issue
http://www.wral.com/news/political/video/4528997/
Here is an article on the researchers’ point of view
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/03/AR2008090303396.html

Do you agree with current researchers’ perspectives indicating that vaccinations do not cause autism, or do you agree with some parents’ viewpoints that it does? What is your opinion? Why?

Is a technocentric approach inadequate?

In the article Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Curriculum-based Technology Integration Reframed, Harris, Mishra, and Koehlher make a case for why a technocentric (bottom of page 3) approach to technology integration is inadequate.  Explain what you think that they mean and whether you agree or disagree and why.  Your response requires you to understand their main argument and why the TPCK framework supports their argument.  Your response should be approximately 150 words (give or take.  I will not be counting the words but this will give you an idea of how in depth I want your response)