Serial: &quot;Education of the Handicapped,&quot; Vol. 16, No. 14

Serial: "Education of the Handicapped," Vol. 16, No. 14

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Title (Dublin Core): Serial: "Education of the Handicapped," Vol. 16, No. 14
Description (Dublin Core): Biweekly publication which contains articles about the Americans with Disabilities Act and legislation regarding funding for education for individuals with disabilities.
Date (Dublin Core): 1990-07-04
Date Created (Dublin Core): 1990-07-04
Congress (Dublin Core): 101st (1989-1991)
Topics (Dublin Core): See all items with this value Food handling; See all items with this value HIV-positive persons; See all items with this value People with disabilities--Education; See all items with this value People with mental disabilities--Education
Policy Area (Curation): Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Creator (Dublin Core): Capitol Publications, Inc.
Record Type (Dublin Core): serial (publication)
Names (Dublin Core): See all items with this value United States. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; See all items with this value United States. Education for All Handicapped Children Act; See all items with this value United States. Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986; See all items with this value United States. Rehabilitation Act of 1973; See all items with this value Young Adult Institute & Workshop (N.Y.)
Location representation (Dublin Core): See all items with this value New York
Publisher (Dublin Core): Capitol Publications, Inc.
Rights (Dublin Core): http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/
Language (Dublin Core): eng
Collection Finding Aid (Dublin Core): https://dolearchivecollections.ku.edu/index.php?p=collections/findingaid&id=23&q=
Physical Location (Dublin Core): Collection 003, Box 578, Folder 10
Institution (Dublin Core): Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Archival Collection (Dublin Core): Robert J. Dole Senate Papers-Legislative Relations, 1969-1996
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EDUCATION OF THE HANDICAPPED

The independent biweekly news service on legislation, programs and funding for special education

Vol. 16, No. 14
July 4, 1990

In This Issue
Congress Ready For Final Votes On Rights Bill for Disabled ....... Page 2
House Bill May Signal Brighter Future For Special Education Funding .... Page 3
Developmental Disabilities Bill Would Give College Programs More .. Page 4
Senate Okays Williams For OCR Post ............... Page 4
N.Y. Group Trains Disabled Youths For Mainstream Jobs ........... Page 5
Research Briefs ............... Page 7
Acceptance Low For Hispanic Learning Disabled ...... Page 8
Special Education Funding Alert ... Page 8

Transition Major Issue In Upcoming EHA Conference

Programs that help disabled students make the transition from school to work and independent living likely will be the biggest issue conferees face when they meet on House and Senate bills to reauthorize discretionary special education programs.

(in box) EHA Reauthorization
With a conference slated to convene after the July 4 recess, Congress is heading into the home stretch in its efforts to reauthorize the Education of the Handicapped Act's (EHA) discretionary programs.

Both the House and Senate reauthorization bills would fund demonstration programs on transition for disabled students.

But the House bill would also require all schools to spell out transition services in each disabled student's individualized education program (IEP) by age 16 (EOH, June 20).

No Skills

Transition Services are "by far the most important issue" in the conference, said Paul Marchand, governmental affairs director for the Association for Retarded Citizens.

Disabled students "are coming out of high school with diplomas and no work skills at all," said Justine Maloney, a member of the Learning Disabilities Association of America's executive committee.

In addition to transition services, conferees will decide the fate of a House proposal that would fund demonstration projects in which ombudsmen would resolve special education disputes.

The demonstrations would supplement the standard hearing process schools and parents currently follow. While that process was designed to protect disabled students' interest, Maloney said it often leads to extended legal battles.

"It's a no-win situation for everybody," said Maloney, adding that the ombudsmen project
(more)

(page 2)

Page 2
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Transition Major Issue in Upcoming EHA Conference (Cont.)

could show schools and parents a new way to resolve special education disputes.

Martha Ziegler, director of the Technical Assistance for Parents Programs (TAPP), said her group would like to see some ombudsmen demonstration programs, but it opposes the House plan to base some demonstrations in schools.

In another provision, conferees will have to reconcile different proposals regarding students with attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Different Categories

Under the House bill, ADD students would be considered for special education under the category of "health impairments."

While the Senate bill does not address the issue, a Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee report says ADD students should receive services under EHA's learning disability category, as is currently done.

Under the current system, ADD students who are not learning disabled may be shut out of special education, contends one parent group, Children with Attention Deficit Disorder.

But the National Association of State Directors of Special Education and the Council for Exceptional Children say the existing categories provide for sufficient service to ADD students.

While lobbyists hope to retain sections from both bills, the House took longer to develop its reauthorization plan and its version has more general acceptance.

"The House, in certain instances, did take matters that were already in the Senate bill and developed them further," said Joe Ballard, director of governmental relations for the Council for Exceptional Children. ###

Congress Ready for Final Votes On Rights Bill For Disabled

With the last sticking point removed, Congress is expected to vote soon after the July 4 recess on the final version of a bill that would force employers to accommodate employees with disabilities.

The Senate could vote as early as July 10 on S.933, the Americans with Disabilities Act, which would require employers to accommodate disabled workers.

Last week, House-Senate conferees eliminated a controversial House amendment that would have allowed employers to transfer food service workers--including school cafeteria employees--with AIDS or other contagious diseases out of food handling jobs (EOH, June 6).

Health and civil rights groups opposed the amendment, arguing that AIDS is not spread through contact with food.

While the food service industry endorsed the proposal, the National Association of College and University Food Services is not concerned that conferees killed it, said Clark DeHaven, the group's executive director.

Supporters of the food service amendment acknowledged that it addressed fears about AIDS, but DeHaven said that on college campuses people are well-informed that AIDS is not spread by casual contact.

President Bush has signaled his support for the bill. ###

Update: "'To assure the Free Appropriate Public Education of All Handicapped Children:' The Twelfth Annual Report To Congress on the Implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act" will not be available until late August from the Clearing house on Disability Information,
Education Department, 330 C. St. SW,
Washington, D.C. 20202-2524 (EOH, April 11)

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Published by Capitol Publications, Inc., (ISSN: 1094-2212 1101 King St., P.O. Box 1453 Alexandria, VA 22813-2053; Editorial: (703)689-4100; Circulation: (703)739-6444 • Publisher: Helen Hoart • Associate Publisher: Cynthia Carter • Executive Editor: Joe McGavin • Production Manager: Rosette Graham • Marketing Director: Lisa Anthony • Marketing Staff: Robin Gardocki • Customer Service Manager: Liz Soper • Affiliated with Education Daily • Annual subscription rate: $220. Multiple-copy rates available. Back issues: $10 each. Published every other Wednesday. Copyright 1990 by Capitol Publications, Inc. Permission to photocopy for use is granted through the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) for a $2-per-page fee to be paid directly to CCC, 27 Congress St., Salem, Mass 01970. Fee Code: 0194-2212/9082. Address special reprint requests to Permission Editor, Capitol Publications, Inc.

(page 3)

July 4, 1989 • Education of the Handicapped
Page 3

House Bill Offers Hope For Special Education Funding Hike

Tucked into the House's new comprehensive education bill, H.R. 5115, is a policy statement that offers a ray of hope for increased special education funding.

Although the $1 billion bipartisan bill introduced approved by the House Education and Labor Committee last week would not provide the dollars, a passage in the bill may signal a new mood in Congress to increase the federal share of special education costs.

The bill states that "It is the policy of the United States ... to fulfill, by the year 2000, the commitment made by the United States in 1975 to provide 40 percent of the costs of educating children with disabilities, with at least 25 percent of such costs being provided by 1995."

Unfulfilled Promise

Although P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, promised that the federal government would pay up to 40 percent of the average per-pupil expenditures for special education by 1982, the actual amount never has exceeded 12 percent and currently stands at 7 percent.

This year, lobbyists are pushing for a $1.2 billion increase in special education funding, which would increase the federal share to 15 percent (EOH, March 28).

While the language in H.R. 5115 would not provide more funding, it offers a glimmer of hope for such a hike, advocates say.

Democrats and Republicans are showing "a growing commitment to get us closer to that 40 percent mark," said Joe Ballard, director of government relations for the Council for Exceptional Children.

"We would support any mechanism that would shake P.L. 94-142's funding out of the decade long doldrums of the 7 to 10 percent range," added Paul Marchand, governmental affairs director for the Association for Retarded Citizens.

A hike to 40 percent would be ideal, but "we'll take what we can get," added Justine Maloney, a member of the Learning Disabilities Association of America's executive committee.

But Marchand said it's important for Congress not to ignore special education funding beyond the basic state grants in Part B of EHA.

Other Needy Programs

States are deciding year by year whether to remain with the early intervention program for children from birth through age 2 based on federal funding, he said, and at the current funding level, "many states will not bite."

Most states are scheduled to fully implement their early intervention systems next year, if they stay with the program.

In addition, Congress would need to add about $100 million to its preschool funding to give states $1,000 per child, the maximum authorized by P.L. 99-457, the 1986 Education of the Handicapped Act amendments.

Literacy Program Includes Disabled

While the congressional appropriations panels decide just how much to give special education, another part of H.R. 5115 also could channel money to people with disabilities.

The bill would establish a National Institute for Literacy that would conduct research and demonstration projects on a variety of topics, including the needs of adults with learning disabilities.

Maloney said such research could help point out the ties between illiteracy and disabilities.

If an adult has gone through school and not "cracked the literacy code," she said, "it's got to be more than just not paying attention and lousy teachers."

In addition, H.R. 5115 would provide student loan deferral and forgiveness for future teachers, which could help head off the shortage of special education teachers.

The bill is expected to reach the House floor July 12 or 13. ###

(page 4)

Page 4
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Developmental Disabilities Bill Gives More To University Programs

A Senate panel passed a bill last week that would reauthorize personnel training and advocacy funds for developmentally disabled students.

The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee passed S. 2753, a bipartisan bill that would reauthorize through 1994 a variety of state grants, university-affiliated programs and advocacy efforts under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act.

For fiscal 1991, S. 2753 would authorize $18.4 million for university-affiliated programs, currently funded at almost $13.2 million, a staff member from the Senate Disability Policy Subcommittee said.

The programs provide support and training for developmentally disabled people and the professionals and volunteers who work with them, with the goal of increasing their independence and productivity.

Protection and advocacy groups, currently receiving almost $20.5 million in federal funds, would be authorized for $27 million in 1991 under the Senate bill.

State grants, which could be used both to develop comprehensive service plans and implement those plans, would be authorized at $81.3 million in fiscal 1991, a significant hike from the current $62 million appropriation.

The Bush administration is proposing level funding for the developmental disabilities programs. Sen. Dave Durenberger, R-Minn., introduced that bill, S. 2704, earlier this month, but it is expected to bow to the new bipartisan bill.

The law was last reauthorized in 1987 (EOH, Nov. 11, 1987). ###

Senate Confirms Williams To Head Office For Civil Rights

The Senate on Friday approved Michael Williams to head the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights.

By voice vote, the Senate confirmed Williams as assistant secretary two days after the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee endorsed him for the job.

The Treasury Department's current deputy assistant secretary for law enforcement, Williams will bring to OCR a law enforcement background in both Washington, D.C., and his native Texas (EOH, April 11).

However, Williams is stepping into a firestorm building for the past decade between the civil rights community and OCR, which is charged with enforcing civil rights laws--including the 1973 Rehabilitation Act--in schools and colleges that receive federal funds.

OCR's critics have praised Williams' background, but they warn that incomplete investigations and slow complaint follow-ups have become standard operating procedure at OCR.

In an interview Friday, Williams said he does not anticipate making large-scale changes in OCR's operations, but he said he will not hesitate if changes are warranted.

"I think it would be a fair assertion that any office can be improved," Williams said. "I think it would be unfair to say that the place is a can of worms. It's my assessment that that office has done a fair job in protecting the rights of parents and students."

Senator Expecting Change

Williams assumes his new post under pressure from a leading lawmaker. At a May hearing
on his nomination, Sen. Paul Simon, D-Ill., told Williams he will try to abolish OCR if the agency does not make significant progress in the next few months (EOH, June 6).

The senator told Williams he wants a report on his desk sometime early next year detailing the changes Williams plans to make. If he does not like what he sees, Simon said, he will introduce legislation to abolish the office. ###

(page 5)

July 4, 1990 • Education of the Handicapped
Page 5

New York Group Helps Train Disabled Youths For Mainstream Jobs

School programs under the wing of a New York City business council are helping disabled young people land mainstream jobs.

With Labor Department funds, six community groups run the programs, which this year are
helping some 200 disabled 16- to 24-year-olds at five high schools move from school to work.

(in box) Innovations)

The students, variously disabled, "used to be earmarked for no employment whatsoever, but they are now being integrated into the mainstream work place," said Danny Gartland, assistant director of operations for the New York City private industry council (PIC).

When the program began in 1984 with roughly the same number of students and about half its current funding, job placement rates were about 5 percent and retention rates also were abysmally low.

But in 1985 the PIC devised a central strategy resulting in a single source of funding, one chain of command and consistent program standards. Most of the project's funding--about $730,000 last year--comes from the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA).

Now, job placement rates are 52 percent and retention rates 46 percent for all the PIC's participants in programs for the disabled.

Young Adult Institute

One of the community groups the PIC subcontracted with operates one of the nation's most innovative JTPA-funded school-to-work programs for disabled youths.

The Young Adult Institute (YAI) program works with public schools on an "open-entry,
open-exit" system in three-month cycles year-round. This year, the program is serving 68 disabled students ages 16 to 21 at a cost of $7,000 to $8,000 per student.

YAI holds classes in the schools five days a
week; half the day is spent on job skills training and the other half on "employability behavior skills." The employability skills, developed from a survey of more than 700 employers in the area, include punctuality, proper dress, correct social behavior on the job, teamwork, taking criticism well and asking for help.

Students like the program so much they cut their other school classes but show up on the days they have YAI courses, said Michael Kramer, YAI's director of employment initiatives. "We give them something that's real--that has a definite outcome--something that's meaningful for them."

Hands-On Experience

For 10 days, students can sample work they might be doing. For example, they may work in the school cafeteria in preparation for a food-service job.

Most of the jobs the students eventually land
are as housekeepers, porters and other entry-level service and retail jobs. However, the less handicapped students usually receive more highly skilled jobs, such as clerical and office positions in financial institutions, where they earn up to $20,000 a year.

The placement rate for all YAI students is about 63 percent, Kramer said. Once placed, the students are "shadowed" by job coaches for a month or more.

YAI also operates a one-day workshop for business people "to sensitize them and help break down barriers" in hiring the disabled, Kramer said. "The receptivity of the business sector has changed. We see that as one of our major roles, effecting social change as well as finding jobs for these students."

A National Model

In its effort to find competitive employment for the disabled, YAI provides a model for other school-to-work programs.

In March, the Education Department, in its annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act, urged educators to improve work opportunities for the disabled, saying that more than half the students are unemployed a year after they leave school (EOH, March 28).

For more information, contact Bo Young, Resources Development, New York City Private Industry Council, 19 Rector St., New York, N.Y. 10006; (212)742-1000. ###

(page 6)

Page 6
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Senate Panel Okays $22 Billion Head Start Reauthorization Plan

A Senate panel passed a bill last week that would double Head Start funding next year and fund programs to ease children's' transition to elementary school.

The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee unanimously passed H.R. 4151, which would authorize $22 billion to continue the Head Start program for five years.

The bill would gradually increase authorization for Head Start to $7.6 billion in fiscal 1994, enough for the program to serve the estimated 2.5 million eligible children, with 10 percent of the seats reserved for preschoolers with disabilities.

In May, the House passed its version of H.R. 4151, which would authorize slightly less--$20.3 billion--over five years to expand Head Start (EOH, April 11).

The Senate panel accepted House language in H.R. 4151 on several non-Head Start programs, but it substituted its own Head Start reauthorization plan, originally contained in S. 2229.

In addition to reauthorizing Head Start, the Senate's version of H.R. 4151 would continue the Follow Through program for five years and create a new Head Start Transition Project to help low-income children adjust to elementary school.

The new program, proposed by panel Chairman Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., would fund demonstration programs that would extend Head Start's nutrition, health and other services into the early elementary grades.

"All too often, schools have not addressed the non-educational needs of students and their families," Kennedy said. "This transition is essential to their success in school."

The transition program mirrors existing Follow Through demonstration projects. Kennedy offered the new program because of language in both House and Senate Head Start bills that would change Follow Through, tying it to the Chapter 1 program for disadvantaged students.

The bill would provide $20 million each fiscal year for the transition project, which would award grants to schools and Head Start agencies. The bill aims to fund at least one demonstration project in each state.

"The transition projects, we feel, are an important model to extend the Head Start principles to elementary school," said Patty Cole, staff assistant for the Senate Children, Family, Drugs and Alcoholism Subcommittee.

For Follow Through, the bill would hike funding authorization from $7.2 million this year to $20 million in fiscal 1991, and then $10 million more each year through 1994.

A committee aide said the Senate may consider H.R. 4151 soon after its July 4 recess. Staffers expect an easy conference if the Senate passes its bill. ###

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(page 7)

July 4, 1990 • Education of the Handicapped
Page 7

Research Briefs

• Adapt Classrooms To Suit Many Learning Styles: It's relatively easy to define learning styles and not too hard to survey students to find out how they learn best. What may be difficult is adapting the individual classroom to accommodate each style.

One middle school special education teacher transformed her resource room into a learning-styles center by giving each student an inventory to determine his or her preferred style, then making the appropriate changes in the way she taught and in the room.

Her instructional changes included offering all lessons in visual and auditory form for different learners, using index cards for practice and review for tactile learners, and posting questions and materials around the room for kinesthetic learners, who need to travel while they think.

Using creativity instead of money, she:
• Used the computer as a divider between desks to create study nooks. Headphones at one study nook hooked up to a recorder for those who need music to study; the other nook has headphones with no music for those who need silence.
• Set up an informal corner, using a chair that flips out into a small bed, for groups to study on.
• Arranged rows of desks in a semicircle near the board for conventional instruction, a style some students prefer.
• Set up a round table for student group work and teacher/student conferences.
• Lowered the thermostat, because most students expressed a preference for a cool room. Students who like it warmer wear warmer clothes.
• Compiled individualized resources in an
expanding file. The materials include puzzle
cards to help visual learners and sandpaper so
tactile learners can practice spelling and math
by drawing on the paper with their fingers. ·

Students add to the file as they learn about their own needs.

The result: The learning-styles center has become a place in which students feel they have choices and a sense of power over how they learn.

For more information, see "Implementing Learning Styles Theory In An L.D. Resource Room," Middle School Journal. Vol. 21, No. 5, May 1990, 4807 Evanswood Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43229, (614)848-8211. ###

• Cooperative Learning Wins Some, Loses Some: Before you jump on the cooperative learning bandwagon, you may want to think about whether to include students with disabilities.

A recent review of the research suggests that cooperative learning is a mixed bag for special education students. Such activities do seem to help interactions between disabled and nondisabled students, but they are no guarantee of academic improvement for disabled students.

Some studies reported that special education students didn't suffer from working in small groups, but they didn't outperform those working individually. Other studies reported significant increases in disabled students'
achievement after teachers brought cooperative learning tactics into class.

The varied task structures and methods of prize-giving in these studies made a difference in achievement, making it difficult to find factors leading to success.

The review did conclude, however, that in cases in which students rely solely on each other for practice, feedback and instruction, they need a high-ability student in their group to facilitate learning.

For more information, see "Cooperative Learning: Does It Improve The Academic Achievement Of Students With Handicaps?" Exceptional Children. Vol. 56, No. 5, February 1990, 1920 Association Dr., Reston, Va. 22091, (703)620-3660. ###

(page 8)

Page 8
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Acceptance Low For Hispanic Learning Disabled, Researcher Says

Improving the low social status of Hispanic students who are learning disabled (LD) would help them become part of the regular classroom, a researcher says.

Hispanic LD students are much less likely to be popular and twice as likely to be rejected than their peers, researcher Herbert Ochoa found in a study of 800 regular and 60 Hispanic LD fourth- and fifth-graders.

"We should not say that all LD students are not accepted, but the majority are not," said Ochoa, a professor at the University of Texas Pan-American in Edinburg. "Like Anglo LD pupils, Hispanic LD pupils tend to have lower acceptance as a group."

Target Social Skills

Ochoa, who conducted the study for his doctoral dissertation at Texas A&M University in College Station, said the study means schools should address both academic and social skills when they integrate LD students.

The children in Ochoa's study labelled their peers as belonging to one of six status groups in the classroom and at play: popular, controversial, average, neglected, rejected and other.

At play, only 5 percent of the Hispanic LD students were popular, compared with 18 percent of their peers. For work, the popularity of nondisabled students stood at 19 percent, while only one LD student was popular.

At work and play, 16 percent of the nondisabled students were "rejected" by their peers, but 30 percent of the LD students fell into that category for play and 32 percent for work.

Overall, the students rated 58 percent of their nondisabled classmates either popular or average. But only 42 percent of the Hispanic LD students received one of those ratings for play, 47 percent for work.

Ochoa hopes to conduct further research to determine why a few LD students are popular.

For more information, contact Herbert Ochoa, University of Texas-Pan American, College of Education, Department of School Services, University Drive, Edinburg, Texas 78539, (512) 381-3466. ###

Special Education Funding Alert

• Technology-Related Assistance: The Education Department will fund demonstration and innovation projects to extend technology-related assistance to disabled people.

Model delivery projects include two demonstrations of the use of peers with disabilities; two models to provide technology-related assistance for employment; and two model projects using technology to gain access to direct support services.

Research and development projects include one to adapt mainstream technology to meet specialized needs of people with disabilities and another to develop devices to enhance their transportation.

Loan projects include demonstrations of the viability of loans for the lease or purchase of technology-related assistance for work-related purposes, loans for adults, children or elderly individuals with disabilities, and methods to assess people with disabilities as candidates for loans.

Deadline: Aug. 6.

Amount: $1.5 million, including $750,000 for six model delivery projects averaging $125,000; $300,000 for two research and development projects averaging $150,000 and $450,000 for three loan demonstrations averaging $150,000.

Eligibility: Nonprofit and for-profit entities.

Contact: For applications, contact Peer Review Unit, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Education Department, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20202, (202)732-1207.

For program information, contact Carol Cohen, Room 3420, same address, (202)732-5066. ###; (page 1)

EDUCATION OF THE HANDICAPPED

The independent biweekly news service on legislation, programs and funding for special education

Vol. 16, No. 14
July 4, 1990

In This Issue
Congress Ready For Final Votes On Rights Bill for Disabled ....... Page 2
House Bill May Signal Brighter Future For Special Education Funding .... Page 3
Developmental Disabilities Bill Would Give College Programs More .. Page 4
Senate Okays Williams For OCR Post ............... Page 4
N.Y. Group Trains Disabled Youths For Mainstream Jobs ........... Page 5
Research Briefs ............... Page 7
Acceptance Low For Hispanic Learning Disabled ...... Page 8
Special Education Funding Alert ... Page 8

Transition Major Issue In Upcoming EHA Conference

Programs that help disabled students make the transition from school to work and independent living likely will be the biggest issue conferees face when they meet on House and Senate bills to reauthorize discretionary special education programs.

(in box) EHA Reauthorization
With a conference slated to convene after the July 4 recess, Congress is heading into the home stretch in its efforts to reauthorize the Education of the Handicapped Act's (EHA) discretionary programs.

Both the House and Senate reauthorization bills would fund demonstration programs on transition for disabled students.

But the House bill would also require all schools to spell out transition services in each disabled student's individualized education program (IEP) by age 16 (EOH, June 20).

No Skills

Transition Services are "by far the most important issue" in the conference, said Paul Marchand, governmental affairs director for the Association for Retarded Citizens.

Disabled students "are coming out of high school with diplomas and no work skills at all," said Justine Maloney, a member of the Learning Disabilities Association of America's executive committee.

In addition to transition services, conferees will decide the fate of a House proposal that would fund demonstration projects in which ombudsmen would resolve special education disputes.

The demonstrations would supplement the standard hearing process schools and parents currently follow. While that process was designed to protect disabled students' interest, Maloney said it often leads to extended legal battles.

"It's a no-win situation for everybody," said Maloney, adding that the ombudsmen project
(more)

(page 2)

Page 2
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Transition Major Issue in Upcoming EHA Conference (Cont.)

could show schools and parents a new way to resolve special education disputes.

Martha Ziegler, director of the Technical Assistance for Parents Programs (TAPP), said her group would like to see some ombudsmen demonstration programs, but it opposes the House plan to base some demonstrations in schools.

In another provision, conferees will have to reconcile different proposals regarding students with attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Different Categories

Under the House bill, ADD students would be considered for special education under the category of "health impairments."

While the Senate bill does not address the issue, a Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee report says ADD students should receive services under EHA's learning disability category, as is currently done.

Under the current system, ADD students who are not learning disabled may be shut out of special education, contends one parent group, Children with Attention Deficit Disorder.

But the National Association of State Directors of Special Education and the Council for Exceptional Children say the existing categories provide for sufficient service to ADD students.

While lobbyists hope to retain sections from both bills, the House took longer to develop its reauthorization plan and its version has more general acceptance.

"The House, in certain instances, did take matters that were already in the Senate bill and developed them further," said Joe Ballard, director of governmental relations for the Council for Exceptional Children. ###

Congress Ready for Final Votes On Rights Bill For Disabled

With the last sticking point removed, Congress is expected to vote soon after the July 4 recess on the final version of a bill that would force employers to accommodate employees with disabilities.

The Senate could vote as early as July 10 on S.933, the Americans with Disabilities Act, which would require employers to accommodate disabled workers.

Last week, House-Senate conferees eliminated a controversial House amendment that would have allowed employers to transfer food service workers--including school cafeteria employees--with AIDS or other contagious diseases out of food handling jobs (EOH, June 6).

Health and civil rights groups opposed the amendment, arguing that AIDS is not spread through contact with food.

While the food service industry endorsed the proposal, the National Association of College and University Food Services is not concerned that conferees killed it, said Clark DeHaven, the group's executive director.

Supporters of the food service amendment acknowledged that it addressed fears about AIDS, but DeHaven said that on college campuses people are well-informed that AIDS is not spread by casual contact.

President Bush has signaled his support for the bill. ###

Update: "'To assure the Free Appropriate Public Education of All Handicapped Children:' The Twelfth Annual Report To Congress on the Implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act" will not be available until late August from the Clearing house on Disability Information,
Education Department, 330 C. St. SW,
Washington, D.C. 20202-2524 (EOH, April 11)

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(logo of Capitol Publications Inc)
Published by Capitol Publications, Inc., (ISSN: 1094-2212 1101 King St., P.O. Box 1453 Alexandria, VA 22813-2053; Editorial: (703)689-4100; Circulation: (703)739-6444 • Publisher: Helen Hoart • Associate Publisher: Cynthia Carter • Executive Editor: Joe McGavin • Production Manager: Rosette Graham • Marketing Director: Lisa Anthony • Marketing Staff: Robin Gardocki • Customer Service Manager: Liz Soper • Affiliated with Education Daily • Annual subscription rate: $220. Multiple-copy rates available. Back issues: $10 each. Published every other Wednesday. Copyright 1990 by Capitol Publications, Inc. Permission to photocopy for use is granted through the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) for a $2-per-page fee to be paid directly to CCC, 27 Congress St., Salem, Mass 01970. Fee Code: 0194-2212/9082. Address special reprint requests to Permission Editor, Capitol Publications, Inc.

(page 3)

July 4, 1989 • Education of the Handicapped
Page 3

House Bill Offers Hope For Special Education Funding Hike

Tucked into the House's new comprehensive education bill, H.R. 5115, is a policy statement that offers a ray of hope for increased special education funding.

Although the $1 billion bipartisan bill introduced approved by the House Education and Labor Committee last week would not provide the dollars, a passage in the bill may signal a new mood in Congress to increase the federal share of special education costs.

The bill states that "It is the policy of the United States ... to fulfill, by the year 2000, the commitment made by the United States in 1975 to provide 40 percent of the costs of educating children with disabilities, with at least 25 percent of such costs being provided by 1995."

Unfulfilled Promise

Although P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, promised that the federal government would pay up to 40 percent of the average per-pupil expenditures for special education by 1982, the actual amount never has exceeded 12 percent and currently stands at 7 percent.

This year, lobbyists are pushing for a $1.2 billion increase in special education funding, which would increase the federal share to 15 percent (EOH, March 28).

While the language in H.R. 5115 would not provide more funding, it offers a glimmer of hope for such a hike, advocates say.

Democrats and Republicans are showing "a growing commitment to get us closer to that 40 percent mark," said Joe Ballard, director of government relations for the Council for Exceptional Children.

"We would support any mechanism that would shake P.L. 94-142's funding out of the decade long doldrums of the 7 to 10 percent range," added Paul Marchand, governmental affairs director for the Association for Retarded Citizens.

A hike to 40 percent would be ideal, but "we'll take what we can get," added Justine Maloney, a member of the Learning Disabilities Association of America's executive committee.

But Marchand said it's important for Congress not to ignore special education funding beyond the basic state grants in Part B of EHA.

Other Needy Programs

States are deciding year by year whether to remain with the early intervention program for children from birth through age 2 based on federal funding, he said, and at the current funding level, "many states will not bite."

Most states are scheduled to fully implement their early intervention systems next year, if they stay with the program.

In addition, Congress would need to add about $100 million to its preschool funding to give states $1,000 per child, the maximum authorized by P.L. 99-457, the 1986 Education of the Handicapped Act amendments.

Literacy Program Includes Disabled

While the congressional appropriations panels decide just how much to give special education, another part of H.R. 5115 also could channel money to people with disabilities.

The bill would establish a National Institute for Literacy that would conduct research and demonstration projects on a variety of topics, including the needs of adults with learning disabilities.

Maloney said such research could help point out the ties between illiteracy and disabilities.

If an adult has gone through school and not "cracked the literacy code," she said, "it's got to be more than just not paying attention and lousy teachers."

In addition, H.R. 5115 would provide student loan deferral and forgiveness for future teachers, which could help head off the shortage of special education teachers.

The bill is expected to reach the House floor July 12 or 13. ###

(page 4)

Page 4
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Developmental Disabilities Bill Gives More To University Programs

A Senate panel passed a bill last week that would reauthorize personnel training and advocacy funds for developmentally disabled students.

The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee passed S. 2753, a bipartisan bill that would reauthorize through 1994 a variety of state grants, university-affiliated programs and advocacy efforts under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act.

For fiscal 1991, S. 2753 would authorize $18.4 million for university-affiliated programs, currently funded at almost $13.2 million, a staff member from the Senate Disability Policy Subcommittee said.

The programs provide support and training for developmentally disabled people and the professionals and volunteers who work with them, with the goal of increasing their independence and productivity.

Protection and advocacy groups, currently receiving almost $20.5 million in federal funds, would be authorized for $27 million in 1991 under the Senate bill.

State grants, which could be used both to develop comprehensive service plans and implement those plans, would be authorized at $81.3 million in fiscal 1991, a significant hike from the current $62 million appropriation.

The Bush administration is proposing level funding for the developmental disabilities programs. Sen. Dave Durenberger, R-Minn., introduced that bill, S. 2704, earlier this month, but it is expected to bow to the new bipartisan bill.

The law was last reauthorized in 1987 (EOH, Nov. 11, 1987). ###

Senate Confirms Williams To Head Office For Civil Rights

The Senate on Friday approved Michael Williams to head the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights.

By voice vote, the Senate confirmed Williams as assistant secretary two days after the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee endorsed him for the job.

The Treasury Department's current deputy assistant secretary for law enforcement, Williams will bring to OCR a law enforcement background in both Washington, D.C., and his native Texas (EOH, April 11).

However, Williams is stepping into a firestorm building for the past decade between the civil rights community and OCR, which is charged with enforcing civil rights laws--including the 1973 Rehabilitation Act--in schools and colleges that receive federal funds.

OCR's critics have praised Williams' background, but they warn that incomplete investigations and slow complaint follow-ups have become standard operating procedure at OCR.

In an interview Friday, Williams said he does not anticipate making large-scale changes in OCR's operations, but he said he will not hesitate if changes are warranted.

"I think it would be a fair assertion that any office can be improved," Williams said. "I think it would be unfair to say that the place is a can of worms. It's my assessment that that office has done a fair job in protecting the rights of parents and students."

Senator Expecting Change

Williams assumes his new post under pressure from a leading lawmaker. At a May hearing
on his nomination, Sen. Paul Simon, D-Ill., told Williams he will try to abolish OCR if the agency does not make significant progress in the next few months (EOH, June 6).

The senator told Williams he wants a report on his desk sometime early next year detailing the changes Williams plans to make. If he does not like what he sees, Simon said, he will introduce legislation to abolish the office. ###

(page 5)

July 4, 1990 • Education of the Handicapped
Page 5

New York Group Helps Train Disabled Youths For Mainstream Jobs

School programs under the wing of a New York City business council are helping disabled young people land mainstream jobs.

With Labor Department funds, six community groups run the programs, which this year are
helping some 200 disabled 16- to 24-year-olds at five high schools move from school to work.

(in box) Innovations)

The students, variously disabled, "used to be earmarked for no employment whatsoever, but they are now being integrated into the mainstream work place," said Danny Gartland, assistant director of operations for the New York City private industry council (PIC).

When the program began in 1984 with roughly the same number of students and about half its current funding, job placement rates were about 5 percent and retention rates also were abysmally low.

But in 1985 the PIC devised a central strategy resulting in a single source of funding, one chain of command and consistent program standards. Most of the project's funding--about $730,000 last year--comes from the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA).

Now, job placement rates are 52 percent and retention rates 46 percent for all the PIC's participants in programs for the disabled.

Young Adult Institute

One of the community groups the PIC subcontracted with operates one of the nation's most innovative JTPA-funded school-to-work programs for disabled youths.

The Young Adult Institute (YAI) program works with public schools on an "open-entry,
open-exit" system in three-month cycles year-round. This year, the program is serving 68 disabled students ages 16 to 21 at a cost of $7,000 to $8,000 per student.

YAI holds classes in the schools five days a
week; half the day is spent on job skills training and the other half on "employability behavior skills." The employability skills, developed from a survey of more than 700 employers in the area, include punctuality, proper dress, correct social behavior on the job, teamwork, taking criticism well and asking for help.

Students like the program so much they cut their other school classes but show up on the days they have YAI courses, said Michael Kramer, YAI's director of employment initiatives. "We give them something that's real--that has a definite outcome--something that's meaningful for them."

Hands-On Experience

For 10 days, students can sample work they might be doing. For example, they may work in the school cafeteria in preparation for a food-service job.

Most of the jobs the students eventually land
are as housekeepers, porters and other entry-level service and retail jobs. However, the less handicapped students usually receive more highly skilled jobs, such as clerical and office positions in financial institutions, where they earn up to $20,000 a year.

The placement rate for all YAI students is about 63 percent, Kramer said. Once placed, the students are "shadowed" by job coaches for a month or more.

YAI also operates a one-day workshop for business people "to sensitize them and help break down barriers" in hiring the disabled, Kramer said. "The receptivity of the business sector has changed. We see that as one of our major roles, effecting social change as well as finding jobs for these students."

A National Model

In its effort to find competitive employment for the disabled, YAI provides a model for other school-to-work programs.

In March, the Education Department, in its annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act, urged educators to improve work opportunities for the disabled, saying that more than half the students are unemployed a year after they leave school (EOH, March 28).

For more information, contact Bo Young, Resources Development, New York City Private Industry Council, 19 Rector St., New York, N.Y. 10006; (212)742-1000. ###

(page 6)

Page 6
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Senate Panel Okays $22 Billion Head Start Reauthorization Plan

A Senate panel passed a bill last week that would double Head Start funding next year and fund programs to ease children's' transition to elementary school.

The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee unanimously passed H.R. 4151, which would authorize $22 billion to continue the Head Start program for five years.

The bill would gradually increase authorization for Head Start to $7.6 billion in fiscal 1994, enough for the program to serve the estimated 2.5 million eligible children, with 10 percent of the seats reserved for preschoolers with disabilities.

In May, the House passed its version of H.R. 4151, which would authorize slightly less--$20.3 billion--over five years to expand Head Start (EOH, April 11).

The Senate panel accepted House language in H.R. 4151 on several non-Head Start programs, but it substituted its own Head Start reauthorization plan, originally contained in S. 2229.

In addition to reauthorizing Head Start, the Senate's version of H.R. 4151 would continue the Follow Through program for five years and create a new Head Start Transition Project to help low-income children adjust to elementary school.

The new program, proposed by panel Chairman Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., would fund demonstration programs that would extend Head Start's nutrition, health and other services into the early elementary grades.

"All too often, schools have not addressed the non-educational needs of students and their families," Kennedy said. "This transition is essential to their success in school."

The transition program mirrors existing Follow Through demonstration projects. Kennedy offered the new program because of language in both House and Senate Head Start bills that would change Follow Through, tying it to the Chapter 1 program for disadvantaged students.

The bill would provide $20 million each fiscal year for the transition project, which would award grants to schools and Head Start agencies. The bill aims to fund at least one demonstration project in each state.

"The transition projects, we feel, are an important model to extend the Head Start principles to elementary school," said Patty Cole, staff assistant for the Senate Children, Family, Drugs and Alcoholism Subcommittee.

For Follow Through, the bill would hike funding authorization from $7.2 million this year to $20 million in fiscal 1991, and then $10 million more each year through 1994.

A committee aide said the Senate may consider H.R. 4151 soon after its July 4 recess. Staffers expect an easy conference if the Senate passes its bill. ###

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(page 7)

July 4, 1990 • Education of the Handicapped
Page 7

Research Briefs

• Adapt Classrooms To Suit Many Learning Styles: It's relatively easy to define learning styles and not too hard to survey students to find out how they learn best. What may be difficult is adapting the individual classroom to accommodate each style.

One middle school special education teacher transformed her resource room into a learning-styles center by giving each student an inventory to determine his or her preferred style, then making the appropriate changes in the way she taught and in the room.

Her instructional changes included offering all lessons in visual and auditory form for different learners, using index cards for practice and review for tactile learners, and posting questions and materials around the room for kinesthetic learners, who need to travel while they think.

Using creativity instead of money, she:
• Used the computer as a divider between desks to create study nooks. Headphones at one study nook hooked up to a recorder for those who need music to study; the other nook has headphones with no music for those who need silence.
• Set up an informal corner, using a chair that flips out into a small bed, for groups to study on.
• Arranged rows of desks in a semicircle near the board for conventional instruction, a style some students prefer.
• Set up a round table for student group work and teacher/student conferences.
• Lowered the thermostat, because most students expressed a preference for a cool room. Students who like it warmer wear warmer clothes.
• Compiled individualized resources in an
expanding file. The materials include puzzle
cards to help visual learners and sandpaper so
tactile learners can practice spelling and math
by drawing on the paper with their fingers. ·

Students add to the file as they learn about their own needs.

The result: The learning-styles center has become a place in which students feel they have choices and a sense of power over how they learn.

For more information, see "Implementing Learning Styles Theory In An L.D. Resource Room," Middle School Journal. Vol. 21, No. 5, May 1990, 4807 Evanswood Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43229, (614)848-8211. ###

• Cooperative Learning Wins Some, Loses Some: Before you jump on the cooperative learning bandwagon, you may want to think about whether to include students with disabilities.

A recent review of the research suggests that cooperative learning is a mixed bag for special education students. Such activities do seem to help interactions between disabled and nondisabled students, but they are no guarantee of academic improvement for disabled students.

Some studies reported that special education students didn't suffer from working in small groups, but they didn't outperform those working individually. Other studies reported significant increases in disabled students'
achievement after teachers brought cooperative learning tactics into class.

The varied task structures and methods of prize-giving in these studies made a difference in achievement, making it difficult to find factors leading to success.

The review did conclude, however, that in cases in which students rely solely on each other for practice, feedback and instruction, they need a high-ability student in their group to facilitate learning.

For more information, see "Cooperative Learning: Does It Improve The Academic Achievement Of Students With Handicaps?" Exceptional Children. Vol. 56, No. 5, February 1990, 1920 Association Dr., Reston, Va. 22091, (703)620-3660. ###

(page 8)

Page 8
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Acceptance Low For Hispanic Learning Disabled, Researcher Says

Improving the low social status of Hispanic students who are learning disabled (LD) would help them become part of the regular classroom, a researcher says.

Hispanic LD students are much less likely to be popular and twice as likely to be rejected than their peers, researcher Herbert Ochoa found in a study of 800 regular and 60 Hispanic LD fourth- and fifth-graders.

"We should not say that all LD students are not accepted, but the majority are not," said Ochoa, a professor at the University of Texas Pan-American in Edinburg. "Like Anglo LD pupils, Hispanic LD pupils tend to have lower acceptance as a group."

Target Social Skills

Ochoa, who conducted the study for his doctoral dissertation at Texas A&M University in College Station, said the study means schools should address both academic and social skills when they integrate LD students.

The children in Ochoa's study labelled their peers as belonging to one of six status groups in the classroom and at play: popular, controversial, average, neglected, rejected and other.

At play, only 5 percent of the Hispanic LD students were popular, compared with 18 percent of their peers. For work, the popularity of nondisabled students stood at 19 percent, while only one LD student was popular.

At work and play, 16 percent of the nondisabled students were "rejected" by their peers, but 30 percent of the LD students fell into that category for play and 32 percent for work.

Overall, the students rated 58 percent of their nondisabled classmates either popular or average. But only 42 percent of the Hispanic LD students received one of those ratings for play, 47 percent for work.

Ochoa hopes to conduct further research to determine why a few LD students are popular.

For more information, contact Herbert Ochoa, University of Texas-Pan American, College of Education, Department of School Services, University Drive, Edinburg, Texas 78539, (512) 381-3466. ###

Special Education Funding Alert

• Technology-Related Assistance: The Education Department will fund demonstration and innovation projects to extend technology-related assistance to disabled people.

Model delivery projects include two demonstrations of the use of peers with disabilities; two models to provide technology-related assistance for employment; and two model projects using technology to gain access to direct support services.

Research and development projects include one to adapt mainstream technology to meet specialized needs of people with disabilities and another to develop devices to enhance their transportation.

Loan projects include demonstrations of the viability of loans for the lease or purchase of technology-related assistance for work-related purposes, loans for adults, children or elderly individuals with disabilities, and methods to assess people with disabilities as candidates for loans.

Deadline: Aug. 6.

Amount: $1.5 million, including $750,000 for six model delivery projects averaging $125,000; $300,000 for two research and development projects averaging $150,000 and $450,000 for three loan demonstrations averaging $150,000.

Eligibility: Nonprofit and for-profit entities.

Contact: For applications, contact Peer Review Unit, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Education Department, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20202, (202)732-1207.

For program information, contact Carol Cohen, Room 3420, same address, (202)732-5066. ###; (page 1)

EDUCATION OF THE HANDICAPPED

The independent biweekly news service on legislation, programs and funding for special education

Vol. 16, No. 14
July 4, 1990

In This Issue
Congress Ready For Final Votes On Rights Bill for Disabled ....... Page 2
House Bill May Signal Brighter Future For Special Education Funding .... Page 3
Developmental Disabilities Bill Would Give College Programs More .. Page 4
Senate Okays Williams For OCR Post ............... Page 4
N.Y. Group Trains Disabled Youths For Mainstream Jobs ........... Page 5
Research Briefs ............... Page 7
Acceptance Low For Hispanic Learning Disabled ...... Page 8
Special Education Funding Alert ... Page 8

Transition Major Issue In Upcoming EHA Conference

Programs that help disabled students make the transition from school to work and independent living likely will be the biggest issue conferees face when they meet on House and Senate bills to reauthorize discretionary special education programs.

(in box) EHA Reauthorization
With a conference slated to convene after the July 4 recess, Congress is heading into the home stretch in its efforts to reauthorize the Education of the Handicapped Act's (EHA) discretionary programs.

Both the House and Senate reauthorization bills would fund demonstration programs on transition for disabled students.

But the House bill would also require all schools to spell out transition services in each disabled student's individualized education program (IEP) by age 16 (EOH, June 20).

No Skills

Transition Services are "by far the most important issue" in the conference, said Paul Marchand, governmental affairs director for the Association for Retarded Citizens.

Disabled students "are coming out of high school with diplomas and no work skills at all," said Justine Maloney, a member of the Learning Disabilities Association of America's executive committee.

In addition to transition services, conferees will decide the fate of a House proposal that would fund demonstration projects in which ombudsmen would resolve special education disputes.

The demonstrations would supplement the standard hearing process schools and parents currently follow. While that process was designed to protect disabled students' interest, Maloney said it often leads to extended legal battles.

"It's a no-win situation for everybody," said Maloney, adding that the ombudsmen project
(more)

(page 2)

Page 2
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Transition Major Issue in Upcoming EHA Conference (Cont.)

could show schools and parents a new way to resolve special education disputes.

Martha Ziegler, director of the Technical Assistance for Parents Programs (TAPP), said her group would like to see some ombudsmen demonstration programs, but it opposes the House plan to base some demonstrations in schools.

In another provision, conferees will have to reconcile different proposals regarding students with attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Different Categories

Under the House bill, ADD students would be considered for special education under the category of "health impairments."

While the Senate bill does not address the issue, a Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee report says ADD students should receive services under EHA's learning disability category, as is currently done.

Under the current system, ADD students who are not learning disabled may be shut out of special education, contends one parent group, Children with Attention Deficit Disorder.

But the National Association of State Directors of Special Education and the Council for Exceptional Children say the existing categories provide for sufficient service to ADD students.

While lobbyists hope to retain sections from both bills, the House took longer to develop its reauthorization plan and its version has more general acceptance.

"The House, in certain instances, did take matters that were already in the Senate bill and developed them further," said Joe Ballard, director of governmental relations for the Council for Exceptional Children. ###

Congress Ready for Final Votes On Rights Bill For Disabled

With the last sticking point removed, Congress is expected to vote soon after the July 4 recess on the final version of a bill that would force employers to accommodate employees with disabilities.

The Senate could vote as early as July 10 on S.933, the Americans with Disabilities Act, which would require employers to accommodate disabled workers.

Last week, House-Senate conferees eliminated a controversial House amendment that would have allowed employers to transfer food service workers--including school cafeteria employees--with AIDS or other contagious diseases out of food handling jobs (EOH, June 6).

Health and civil rights groups opposed the amendment, arguing that AIDS is not spread through contact with food.

While the food service industry endorsed the proposal, the National Association of College and University Food Services is not concerned that conferees killed it, said Clark DeHaven, the group's executive director.

Supporters of the food service amendment acknowledged that it addressed fears about AIDS, but DeHaven said that on college campuses people are well-informed that AIDS is not spread by casual contact.

President Bush has signaled his support for the bill. ###

Update: "'To assure the Free Appropriate Public Education of All Handicapped Children:' The Twelfth Annual Report To Congress on the Implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act" will not be available until late August from the Clearing house on Disability Information,
Education Department, 330 C. St. SW,
Washington, D.C. 20202-2524 (EOH, April 11)

(in box)
(logo of Capitol Publications Inc)
Published by Capitol Publications, Inc., (ISSN: 1094-2212 1101 King St., P.O. Box 1453 Alexandria, VA 22813-2053; Editorial: (703)689-4100; Circulation: (703)739-6444 • Publisher: Helen Hoart • Associate Publisher: Cynthia Carter • Executive Editor: Joe McGavin • Production Manager: Rosette Graham • Marketing Director: Lisa Anthony • Marketing Staff: Robin Gardocki • Customer Service Manager: Liz Soper • Affiliated with Education Daily • Annual subscription rate: $220. Multiple-copy rates available. Back issues: $10 each. Published every other Wednesday. Copyright 1990 by Capitol Publications, Inc. Permission to photocopy for use is granted through the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) for a $2-per-page fee to be paid directly to CCC, 27 Congress St., Salem, Mass 01970. Fee Code: 0194-2212/9082. Address special reprint requests to Permission Editor, Capitol Publications, Inc.

(page 3)

July 4, 1989 • Education of the Handicapped
Page 3

House Bill Offers Hope For Special Education Funding Hike

Tucked into the House's new comprehensive education bill, H.R. 5115, is a policy statement that offers a ray of hope for increased special education funding.

Although the $1 billion bipartisan bill introduced approved by the House Education and Labor Committee last week would not provide the dollars, a passage in the bill may signal a new mood in Congress to increase the federal share of special education costs.

The bill states that "It is the policy of the United States ... to fulfill, by the year 2000, the commitment made by the United States in 1975 to provide 40 percent of the costs of educating children with disabilities, with at least 25 percent of such costs being provided by 1995."

Unfulfilled Promise

Although P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, promised that the federal government would pay up to 40 percent of the average per-pupil expenditures for special education by 1982, the actual amount never has exceeded 12 percent and currently stands at 7 percent.

This year, lobbyists are pushing for a $1.2 billion increase in special education funding, which would increase the federal share to 15 percent (EOH, March 28).

While the language in H.R. 5115 would not provide more funding, it offers a glimmer of hope for such a hike, advocates say.

Democrats and Republicans are showing "a growing commitment to get us closer to that 40 percent mark," said Joe Ballard, director of government relations for the Council for Exceptional Children.

"We would support any mechanism that would shake P.L. 94-142's funding out of the decade long doldrums of the 7 to 10 percent range," added Paul Marchand, governmental affairs director for the Association for Retarded Citizens.

A hike to 40 percent would be ideal, but "we'll take what we can get," added Justine Maloney, a member of the Learning Disabilities Association of America's executive committee.

But Marchand said it's important for Congress not to ignore special education funding beyond the basic state grants in Part B of EHA.

Other Needy Programs

States are deciding year by year whether to remain with the early intervention program for children from birth through age 2 based on federal funding, he said, and at the current funding level, "many states will not bite."

Most states are scheduled to fully implement their early intervention systems next year, if they stay with the program.

In addition, Congress would need to add about $100 million to its preschool funding to give states $1,000 per child, the maximum authorized by P.L. 99-457, the 1986 Education of the Handicapped Act amendments.

Literacy Program Includes Disabled

While the congressional appropriations panels decide just how much to give special education, another part of H.R. 5115 also could channel money to people with disabilities.

The bill would establish a National Institute for Literacy that would conduct research and demonstration projects on a variety of topics, including the needs of adults with learning disabilities.

Maloney said such research could help point out the ties between illiteracy and disabilities.

If an adult has gone through school and not "cracked the literacy code," she said, "it's got to be more than just not paying attention and lousy teachers."

In addition, H.R. 5115 would provide student loan deferral and forgiveness for future teachers, which could help head off the shortage of special education teachers.

The bill is expected to reach the House floor July 12 or 13. ###

(page 4)

Page 4
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Developmental Disabilities Bill Gives More To University Programs

A Senate panel passed a bill last week that would reauthorize personnel training and advocacy funds for developmentally disabled students.

The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee passed S. 2753, a bipartisan bill that would reauthorize through 1994 a variety of state grants, university-affiliated programs and advocacy efforts under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act.

For fiscal 1991, S. 2753 would authorize $18.4 million for university-affiliated programs, currently funded at almost $13.2 million, a staff member from the Senate Disability Policy Subcommittee said.

The programs provide support and training for developmentally disabled people and the professionals and volunteers who work with them, with the goal of increasing their independence and productivity.

Protection and advocacy groups, currently receiving almost $20.5 million in federal funds, would be authorized for $27 million in 1991 under the Senate bill.

State grants, which could be used both to develop comprehensive service plans and implement those plans, would be authorized at $81.3 million in fiscal 1991, a significant hike from the current $62 million appropriation.

The Bush administration is proposing level funding for the developmental disabilities programs. Sen. Dave Durenberger, R-Minn., introduced that bill, S. 2704, earlier this month, but it is expected to bow to the new bipartisan bill.

The law was last reauthorized in 1987 (EOH, Nov. 11, 1987). ###

Senate Confirms Williams To Head Office For Civil Rights

The Senate on Friday approved Michael Williams to head the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights.

By voice vote, the Senate confirmed Williams as assistant secretary two days after the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee endorsed him for the job.

The Treasury Department's current deputy assistant secretary for law enforcement, Williams will bring to OCR a law enforcement background in both Washington, D.C., and his native Texas (EOH, April 11).

However, Williams is stepping into a firestorm building for the past decade between the civil rights community and OCR, which is charged with enforcing civil rights laws--including the 1973 Rehabilitation Act--in schools and colleges that receive federal funds.

OCR's critics have praised Williams' background, but they warn that incomplete investigations and slow complaint follow-ups have become standard operating procedure at OCR.

In an interview Friday, Williams said he does not anticipate making large-scale changes in OCR's operations, but he said he will not hesitate if changes are warranted.

"I think it would be a fair assertion that any office can be improved," Williams said. "I think it would be unfair to say that the place is a can of worms. It's my assessment that that office has done a fair job in protecting the rights of parents and students."

Senator Expecting Change

Williams assumes his new post under pressure from a leading lawmaker. At a May hearing
on his nomination, Sen. Paul Simon, D-Ill., told Williams he will try to abolish OCR if the agency does not make significant progress in the next few months (EOH, June 6).

The senator told Williams he wants a report on his desk sometime early next year detailing the changes Williams plans to make. If he does not like what he sees, Simon said, he will introduce legislation to abolish the office. ###

(page 5)

July 4, 1990 • Education of the Handicapped
Page 5

New York Group Helps Train Disabled Youths For Mainstream Jobs

School programs under the wing of a New York City business council are helping disabled young people land mainstream jobs.

With Labor Department funds, six community groups run the programs, which this year are
helping some 200 disabled 16- to 24-year-olds at five high schools move from school to work.

(in box) Innovations)

The students, variously disabled, "used to be earmarked for no employment whatsoever, but they are now being integrated into the mainstream work place," said Danny Gartland, assistant director of operations for the New York City private industry council (PIC).

When the program began in 1984 with roughly the same number of students and about half its current funding, job placement rates were about 5 percent and retention rates also were abysmally low.

But in 1985 the PIC devised a central strategy resulting in a single source of funding, one chain of command and consistent program standards. Most of the project's funding--about $730,000 last year--comes from the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA).

Now, job placement rates are 52 percent and retention rates 46 percent for all the PIC's participants in programs for the disabled.

Young Adult Institute

One of the community groups the PIC subcontracted with operates one of the nation's most innovative JTPA-funded school-to-work programs for disabled youths.

The Young Adult Institute (YAI) program works with public schools on an "open-entry,
open-exit" system in three-month cycles year-round. This year, the program is serving 68 disabled students ages 16 to 21 at a cost of $7,000 to $8,000 per student.

YAI holds classes in the schools five days a
week; half the day is spent on job skills training and the other half on "employability behavior skills." The employability skills, developed from a survey of more than 700 employers in the area, include punctuality, proper dress, correct social behavior on the job, teamwork, taking criticism well and asking for help.

Students like the program so much they cut their other school classes but show up on the days they have YAI courses, said Michael Kramer, YAI's director of employment initiatives. "We give them something that's real--that has a definite outcome--something that's meaningful for them."

Hands-On Experience

For 10 days, students can sample work they might be doing. For example, they may work in the school cafeteria in preparation for a food-service job.

Most of the jobs the students eventually land
are as housekeepers, porters and other entry-level service and retail jobs. However, the less handicapped students usually receive more highly skilled jobs, such as clerical and office positions in financial institutions, where they earn up to $20,000 a year.

The placement rate for all YAI students is about 63 percent, Kramer said. Once placed, the students are "shadowed" by job coaches for a month or more.

YAI also operates a one-day workshop for business people "to sensitize them and help break down barriers" in hiring the disabled, Kramer said. "The receptivity of the business sector has changed. We see that as one of our major roles, effecting social change as well as finding jobs for these students."

A National Model

In its effort to find competitive employment for the disabled, YAI provides a model for other school-to-work programs.

In March, the Education Department, in its annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act, urged educators to improve work opportunities for the disabled, saying that more than half the students are unemployed a year after they leave school (EOH, March 28).

For more information, contact Bo Young, Resources Development, New York City Private Industry Council, 19 Rector St., New York, N.Y. 10006; (212)742-1000. ###

(page 6)

Page 6
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Senate Panel Okays $22 Billion Head Start Reauthorization Plan

A Senate panel passed a bill last week that would double Head Start funding next year and fund programs to ease children's' transition to elementary school.

The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee unanimously passed H.R. 4151, which would authorize $22 billion to continue the Head Start program for five years.

The bill would gradually increase authorization for Head Start to $7.6 billion in fiscal 1994, enough for the program to serve the estimated 2.5 million eligible children, with 10 percent of the seats reserved for preschoolers with disabilities.

In May, the House passed its version of H.R. 4151, which would authorize slightly less--$20.3 billion--over five years to expand Head Start (EOH, April 11).

The Senate panel accepted House language in H.R. 4151 on several non-Head Start programs, but it substituted its own Head Start reauthorization plan, originally contained in S. 2229.

In addition to reauthorizing Head Start, the Senate's version of H.R. 4151 would continue the Follow Through program for five years and create a new Head Start Transition Project to help low-income children adjust to elementary school.

The new program, proposed by panel Chairman Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., would fund demonstration programs that would extend Head Start's nutrition, health and other services into the early elementary grades.

"All too often, schools have not addressed the non-educational needs of students and their families," Kennedy said. "This transition is essential to their success in school."

The transition program mirrors existing Follow Through demonstration projects. Kennedy offered the new program because of language in both House and Senate Head Start bills that would change Follow Through, tying it to the Chapter 1 program for disadvantaged students.

The bill would provide $20 million each fiscal year for the transition project, which would award grants to schools and Head Start agencies. The bill aims to fund at least one demonstration project in each state.

"The transition projects, we feel, are an important model to extend the Head Start principles to elementary school," said Patty Cole, staff assistant for the Senate Children, Family, Drugs and Alcoholism Subcommittee.

For Follow Through, the bill would hike funding authorization from $7.2 million this year to $20 million in fiscal 1991, and then $10 million more each year through 1994.

A committee aide said the Senate may consider H.R. 4151 soon after its July 4 recess. Staffers expect an easy conference if the Senate passes its bill. ###

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(page 7)

July 4, 1990 • Education of the Handicapped
Page 7

Research Briefs

• Adapt Classrooms To Suit Many Learning Styles: It's relatively easy to define learning styles and not too hard to survey students to find out how they learn best. What may be difficult is adapting the individual classroom to accommodate each style.

One middle school special education teacher transformed her resource room into a learning-styles center by giving each student an inventory to determine his or her preferred style, then making the appropriate changes in the way she taught and in the room.

Her instructional changes included offering all lessons in visual and auditory form for different learners, using index cards for practice and review for tactile learners, and posting questions and materials around the room for kinesthetic learners, who need to travel while they think.

Using creativity instead of money, she:
• Used the computer as a divider between desks to create study nooks. Headphones at one study nook hooked up to a recorder for those who need music to study; the other nook has headphones with no music for those who need silence.
• Set up an informal corner, using a chair that flips out into a small bed, for groups to study on.
• Arranged rows of desks in a semicircle near the board for conventional instruction, a style some students prefer.
• Set up a round table for student group work and teacher/student conferences.
• Lowered the thermostat, because most students expressed a preference for a cool room. Students who like it warmer wear warmer clothes.
• Compiled individualized resources in an
expanding file. The materials include puzzle
cards to help visual learners and sandpaper so
tactile learners can practice spelling and math
by drawing on the paper with their fingers. ·

Students add to the file as they learn about their own needs.

The result: The learning-styles center has become a place in which students feel they have choices and a sense of power over how they learn.

For more information, see "Implementing Learning Styles Theory In An L.D. Resource Room," Middle School Journal. Vol. 21, No. 5, May 1990, 4807 Evanswood Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43229, (614)848-8211. ###

• Cooperative Learning Wins Some, Loses Some: Before you jump on the cooperative learning bandwagon, you may want to think about whether to include students with disabilities.

A recent review of the research suggests that cooperative learning is a mixed bag for special education students. Such activities do seem to help interactions between disabled and nondisabled students, but they are no guarantee of academic improvement for disabled students.

Some studies reported that special education students didn't suffer from working in small groups, but they didn't outperform those working individually. Other studies reported significant increases in disabled students'
achievement after teachers brought cooperative learning tactics into class.

The varied task structures and methods of prize-giving in these studies made a difference in achievement, making it difficult to find factors leading to success.

The review did conclude, however, that in cases in which students rely solely on each other for practice, feedback and instruction, they need a high-ability student in their group to facilitate learning.

For more information, see "Cooperative Learning: Does It Improve The Academic Achievement Of Students With Handicaps?" Exceptional Children. Vol. 56, No. 5, February 1990, 1920 Association Dr., Reston, Va. 22091, (703)620-3660. ###

(page 8)

Page 8
Education of the Handicapped • July 4, 1990

Acceptance Low For Hispanic Learning Disabled, Researcher Says

Improving the low social status of Hispanic students who are learning disabled (LD) would help them become part of the regular classroom, a researcher says.

Hispanic LD students are much less likely to be popular and twice as likely to be rejected than their peers, researcher Herbert Ochoa found in a study of 800 regular and 60 Hispanic LD fourth- and fifth-graders.

"We should not say that all LD students are not accepted, but the majority are not," said Ochoa, a professor at the University of Texas Pan-American in Edinburg. "Like Anglo LD pupils, Hispanic LD pupils tend to have lower acceptance as a group."

Target Social Skills

Ochoa, who conducted the study for his doctoral dissertation at Texas A&M University in College Station, said the study means schools should address both academic and social skills when they integrate LD students.

The children in Ochoa's study labelled their peers as belonging to one of six status groups in the classroom and at play: popular, controversial, average, neglected, rejected and other.

At play, only 5 percent of the Hispanic LD students were popular, compared with 18 percent of their peers. For work, the popularity of nondisabled students stood at 19 percent, while only one LD student was popular.

At work and play, 16 percent of the nondisabled students were "rejected" by their peers, but 30 percent of the LD students fell into that category for play and 32 percent for work.

Overall, the students rated 58 percent of their nondisabled classmates either popular or average. But only 42 percent of the Hispanic LD students received one of those ratings for play, 47 percent for work.

Ochoa hopes to conduct further research to determine why a few LD students are popular.

For more information, contact Herbert Ochoa, University of Texas-Pan American, College of Education, Department of School Services, University Drive, Edinburg, Texas 78539, (512) 381-3466. ###

Special Education Funding Alert

• Technology-Related Assistance: The Education Department will fund demonstration and innovation projects to extend technology-related assistance to disabled people.

Model delivery projects include two demonstrations of the use of peers with disabilities; two models to provide technology-related assistance for employment; and two model projects using technology to gain access to direct support services.

Research and development projects include one to adapt mainstream technology to meet specialized needs of people with disabilities and another to develop devices to enhance their transportation.

Loan projects include demonstrations of the viability of loans for the lease or purchase of technology-related assistance for work-related purposes, loans for adults, children or elderly individuals with disabilities, and methods to assess people with disabilities as candidates for loans.

Deadline: Aug. 6.

Amount: $1.5 million, including $750,000 for six model delivery projects averaging $125,000; $300,000 for two research and development projects averaging $150,000 and $450,000 for three loan demonstrations averaging $150,000.

Eligibility: Nonprofit and for-profit entities.

Contact: For applications, contact Peer Review Unit, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Education Department, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20202, (202)732-1207.

For program information, contact Carol Cohen, Room 3420, same address, (202)732-5066. ###

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