News Desk (LD News: November 2006)

NCLD's Bill Ellis Teacher Preparation Award Winner Announced
On November 10, at the 57th Annual International Dyslexia Association Conference, Joyce Bannerot, Principal of Popham Elementary School in Del Valle, Texas was awarded the 2006 Bill Ellis Teacher Preparation Award.

For more on this year's Bill Ellis Award Winner, click here.

Many Schools Not Fully Adopting Comprehensive Reform Models
A new report from the Rand Corporation indicates that many schools enacting comprehensive reform models do not fully adopt all recommended practices, often due to a lack of personel 'buy-in' and administrative support. As a result, major efforts to improve student achievement often fall short. 

To read the full report, click here.

E-Learners Report Higher Engagement than On-Campus Learners
The 2006 National Survey of Student Engagement, offering a wide array of data on higher education, suggests among its findings that distance learners report higher engagement and developmental gains than on-campus learners, students spend far less time studying than faculty members say is necessary for success in the classroom, and women are less likely than men to interact with faculty outside of the classroom.

To download a PDF of the full report, Engaged Learning: Fostering Success for All Students (56 pages), click here.

College Students Not as Tech-Savvy as They Seem
According to an evaluation of student responses to ETS's Information and Communication Technology Literacy Assessment, despite the tech savvy impression of today's college students, many lack the critical thinking skills to utilize the internet and advancing technologies to be successful.

For a full article, click here.

Teens Continue to Increase and Vary Technology Use
According to a new report from Pew Internet and American Life Project, 87% of 12- to 17-year-olds use the Internet, an increase of 27% in the past four years. Teens also report an association between e-mail and the "adult" world, used for corresponding with teachers, while other devices, such as instant messaging and text messaging, are their main source of networking with peers.

For more information, click here.

New Reading Programs Help Adolescents Read and Write in Large Classrooms
Two new reading programs, Fusion Reading and Xtreme Reading, are testing the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) by engaging larger groups of high school students in motivation and goal-setting reading activities. SIM has been used for nearly 30 years in small-group instruction in order to help students read and understand large volumes of complex reading materials and express themselves in writing.

For more on SIM, click here. For more on Fusion Reading and Xtreme Reading, click here.

State-Led Online Learning Programs Examined
A recent report examining online learning environments finds that 38 states now feature state-led online learning programs, policies regulating online education, or both. The report also focuses on several other online learning issues, including program models, funding, professional development, program tracking, and accountability.

To download a PDF of the report (137 pages), click here.

"30 Voices of LD" Competition
NCLD is looking for works of art, photography, poetry, videos, essays, short stories, websites, blogs, etc. that express what life is like for individuals with LD.  Three $500 grand prizes will be awarded for outstanding works from each one of the following age groups: Children (Ages 4-13), Teens (Ages 14-17), and Adults (Ages 18 and older). Additional selected submissions will be showcased on our Web site and at our 30th Anniversary benefit.

Click here to find out more details and how to enter NCLD's 30 Voices of LD Competition.

Web Site Celebrates Inclusive Schools
National Inclusive Schools Week, from December 4-8, is dedicated to the celebration and support of schools that provide quality educational opportunities to students of diverse populations, including those with disabilities, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and English language learners.

To visit the site, click here.

New Learning Disabilities Research Center Established
The Kennedy Krieger Institute has been awarded a $9 million grant from the National Institute of Health to establish a Learning Disabilities Research Center. The Center will work to deepen understanding of learning disabilities in children grades three through eight in order to develop effective educational interventions that improve national literacy.

For more information, click here.

Study Summarizes the Performance of Students with LD in the U.S.
This report, with data from the National Longitudinal Transitional Study 2, summarizes the performance of students with learning disabilities in our nation's schools. Among its findings, the study indicates that a majority of students with LD receive academic accommodations such as extended time for tests but rarely receive specialized devices or training to support academic progress, and that students with LD typically receive whole group instruction and earn grades of B's, C's, and D's in coursework. 

For more information, click here.

Employers Rate Entry-Level Job Applicants
A new study on corporate perspectives on the readiness of new entrants into the U.S. workforce indicates among its findings that nearly all employer respondents rate perspective employees with a high school diploma as "deficient" or "adequate" in overall preparations for the entry-level jobs they will likely fill, and the majority of employers rate applicants with a two or four year college degree as "adequate."

To download a PDF of the full report (64 pages), click here.

Representing Your Child Depends on Your State
A recent article from WrightsLaw discusses how your right to represent your child under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) depends on the state in which you live. Residents of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Puerto Rico can represent a child's IDEA rights at every stage of the process, while residents of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, or Tennessee cannot unless they use an attorney -- and without one, an individual can be prosecuted for the Unauthorized Practice of Law.

For a full article, click here.

Court Decision May Have Larger Effect on Standardized Tests in California
An Alameda County Superior Court judge has ruled that the national group administering the Medical School Admission Test must change its policies to give students with disabilities reasonable accommodations under California law, such as more time for tests or special assistive devices.   Disability rights advocates say this decision could have a ripple effect on the administration of many standardized tests in California.

For a full article on the decision, click here.

States Report Little Success for Proficiencies of Poor or Minority Student
The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation has released a report that finds that only eight states have boosted the percentage of poor or minority students who are at or above proficiency in reading, math, or science over the past 15 years. The report also finds that the most successful states display solid standards, tough accountability, and greater school choice in order to yield better classroom results. 

For the full report, click here.

Narrowing the Achievement Gap -- Interview with an Economist
New research on achievement gaps show that over 80% of students, when asked in the fall, say they plan to do their best all year long, but the only ones still with that mindset in the spring are those in high help classrooms. In an interview with Harvard Education Letter, economist Ronald Ferguson discusses his studies on this topic based on recent findings from Tripod Project surveys.

To read the interview, click here.

Examining the Effects of Extended School Hours
A recent report from the Center for American Progress examines the success of high schools that require extended learning days and how reform can be instituted on a larger scale in order to make the most of a longer school day. Added hours in existing extended learning schools focus on preparation for life after high school, utilizing extra time for internships or structured independent study.

To download a PDF of the report (38 pages), click here.

Free National Teleconference for Parents and Professionals
The LRE Part B Community of Practice will host a free national teleconference on December 5 from 2:30-4:00 p.m. EST focusing on strategies for parents to maximize their child's development and learning. Topics include research on family involvement in the special education process, strategies and resources for families, the intersection of IDEA and NCLB, and more.

For more information and to register, contact Vicki Hornus at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Diana Autin at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Pre-registration is required.

U.S. Department of Education to Host Web Cast on School Safety
In response to the recent White House Conference on School Safety, the U.S. Department of Education hosted a live Webcast on November 15 in order to help schools learn how to mitigate, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from a crisis.

To view the archived video Webcast, click here.

More Effective Writing Instruction for Middle and High School Teachers
The Alliance for Excellent Education Report has identified eleven components of writing instruction that have been shown to be effective in rigorous research studies. The components can be incorporated within writing strategies such as summarizing information, crafting complicated sentences, and writing in the content areas.  

To download a PDF of the full report (77 pages), click here.

Social Security Advisory Board Outlines Vision of Disability System
After three years of intensive study, the Social Security Advisory Board has issued a follow-up report outlining its vision of a disability system for the 21st century that is in alignment with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  

To read the Board's preliminary report is available electronically, click here.

Examining the Effects of Early Childhood Programs on Social Mobility
According to an article from the Fall 2006 issue of The Future of Children, increasing the educational effectiveness of early childhood programs and increasing participation rates will provide for greater gains in social mobility for low-income three and four years olds. 

For the full article from the National Institute for Early Education Research, click here.