Friday, June 27, 2014
Blog # 4
Autism along with many other known learning disabilities have required the Federal and State governments to implement a staggering number of new laws. These laws accommodate individuals with disabilities and allows them to have the opportunities to achieve their goals and lead productive lives. In many ways, these laws equal the playing field so that all students can develop equally taking unique needs into consideration. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a federal education law that requires public schools to serve the educational needs of students with disabilities. This federal mandate requires that each state issue regulations that guide the implementation of the law within each state. For students who qualify under a learning disability, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that the school provide special education service to that student. Most importantly, each student will have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) created around the student’s specific needs. This ensures that every student with a disability gets a quality education tailored to his or her needs. For an individual with autism who can have difficulties in social interactions, verbal and non-verbal communications but excels in visual skills, music, math, and art, it is essential to have an individual learning program based around their specific needs in order to ameliorate these areas without causing any long-term harm. By implementing Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirements into the education system, it has provided individuals with Autism and any other learning disability a chance to succeed in their education and expand on the basics. This is incredibly important considering the fact that a person’s level of education determines the path he or she will take in life. Unfortunately, in the past, many brilliant children with autism and other serious disabilities have been left behind and forgotten by the education system. These forgotten children often ended up leading unproductive lives and failed to contribute to society because of they were not able to achieving their full potential. “As of 2011, more than 6 million school-age children in the United States receive special education services as a result of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. More than forty percent—some 2.2 million—are students identified with a specific learning disability.” Without this federal program, schools would be unable to accommodate the individual learning needs and learning styles of these 2.2 million children. Another benefit to this federally mandated program is that it provides parental involvements guidelines to aid the families in their child’s educational development. Having a child with such disabilities creates financial and emotional burdens on the family. This law aims to facilitate the lives of these families by enabling parents to have a deep level of participation that includes but is not limited to being present at all of the meetings concerning their child, examination of school records, independeant evaluations, and a voice concerning all placement decisions. The State and Federal governments have a responsibility to continue creating and advancing laws that enable equal opportunities for children with disabilities in order to create a brighter future for children, families, and this nation.
Resource: "What Is IDEA." National Center for Learning Disabilities. NCLD Public Policy Team, 12 Oct. 2014. Web. 20 June 2014.
Blog #3:
The internet has many resources to find out about anything and anytime. As my research continues along about autism, I've come across many different organizations that specify in the study and the medical research as well as the solutions towards autism. There aren't any specific individuals who are important researchers or scholars, but there are researchers who are not really known but do great work. One of the organizations that really stood out to me would be Autism Speaks Organization. It was founded in 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, who are grandparents of an autistic child. They have a friend whos name is Bernie Marcus, who donated $25 million dollars to help launch this organization. Since then, Autism Speaks has been the leading organization world wide when it comes to Autism and it's causes, prevention, treatments etc. One of the great things that this organization does is raise awareness across the board about this disorder. They also aid and provide for families that are affected by this disorder and help them get through it by meeting their needs. This organization has hired thousands of professionals to reach the primarily goal of changing the future for all the individuals that are having a really tough time with autistic disorders. It also wants to bring the autistic community together speaking in one voice to make sure that they are heard for many reasons, one would specifically by political, but I'll get into details about that in my next post. Personally I think that this is an amazing organization for many different reasons. It tries in all it's ways to reach out to as many people as possible that are affected and most importantly be there as a resource for people. They have amazing teams of doctors, and professionals from different fields trying to find a solution. They are dedicated and will not stop until they find a solution. They are interactive and active with the autistic community. They started off strong with a great financial boost, and they continue getting the funds they need to do what they are doing. This organization is using all the resources out there to find a cure to this disorder and use all the resources available to connect with everyone by having their own research team, own news team, so what ever information is leaked it, is coming straight from the organization. Their work is respected and legitimate and most importantly it is personal. The founders were personally effected by this disorder which shows that they truly care about this cause and will treat every individual as if they were their grandchild because all these individuals are going through the same struggle, which is not an easy one. This organization is well known all over the world, I support and am for this organization and trust the solutions they come up with, even if they take a long time, I know the time and effort was taken.
Resource: "Home | Autism Speaks." Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks, n.d. Web. 21 June 2014.
The internet has many resources to find out about anything and anytime. As my research continues along about autism, I've come across many different organizations that specify in the study and the medical research as well as the solutions towards autism. There aren't any specific individuals who are important researchers or scholars, but there are researchers who are not really known but do great work. One of the organizations that really stood out to me would be Autism Speaks Organization. It was founded in 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, who are grandparents of an autistic child. They have a friend whos name is Bernie Marcus, who donated $25 million dollars to help launch this organization. Since then, Autism Speaks has been the leading organization world wide when it comes to Autism and it's causes, prevention, treatments etc. One of the great things that this organization does is raise awareness across the board about this disorder. They also aid and provide for families that are affected by this disorder and help them get through it by meeting their needs. This organization has hired thousands of professionals to reach the primarily goal of changing the future for all the individuals that are having a really tough time with autistic disorders. It also wants to bring the autistic community together speaking in one voice to make sure that they are heard for many reasons, one would specifically by political, but I'll get into details about that in my next post. Personally I think that this is an amazing organization for many different reasons. It tries in all it's ways to reach out to as many people as possible that are affected and most importantly be there as a resource for people. They have amazing teams of doctors, and professionals from different fields trying to find a solution. They are dedicated and will not stop until they find a solution. They are interactive and active with the autistic community. They started off strong with a great financial boost, and they continue getting the funds they need to do what they are doing. This organization is using all the resources out there to find a cure to this disorder and use all the resources available to connect with everyone by having their own research team, own news team, so what ever information is leaked it, is coming straight from the organization. Their work is respected and legitimate and most importantly it is personal. The founders were personally effected by this disorder which shows that they truly care about this cause and will treat every individual as if they were their grandchild because all these individuals are going through the same struggle, which is not an easy one. This organization is well known all over the world, I support and am for this organization and trust the solutions they come up with, even if they take a long time, I know the time and effort was taken.
Resource: "Home | Autism Speaks." Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks, n.d. Web. 21 June 2014.
Blog post #2:
WebMD has written a recent special report on Autism called: "Autism Cases on the Rise; Reason for increase a Mystery" One of the main questions that everyone is asking is simply "What are the reasons that autism is increasing?"
Studies show that during the 1970's and the 1980's, one out 2,000 children was diagnosed with autism. Now, researchers show that one out of 150 children of specifically the age eight years old, has autism. This is besides all the other syndromes and disorders that are similar to autism, there are different numbers for those individuals who are diagnosed with them. These numbers speak and reflect only autistic children. Another question that researchers are bringing to the table would be "Is autism truly on the rise, or do the new statistics simply reflect the growing awareness of the condition, the expanded definition, and other factors?"
I found that to really be an interesting question because it might be true, that the statistics for the awareness is rising very much as opposed to the actual disorder. Us humans, especially when it comes to medical cases, we forget the facts start measuring things such as awareness than the solid cases of individuals that do have this disorder.
But from the previous number of 1 out of 150 children has autism, that statistic speaks for itself and says a lot more than awareness. There is a significant increase. Over the years there have been studies of the number of autistic cases, during the early 1990's the number of cases and the type of cases were stable, but when coming closer to the year 2000 and after that, the cases increased and there began to be an instability with these cases due to how quickly the numbers rose. Some researchers say that the reason of the increase could mainly be because of the definition, that it keeps changing and a kid that is considered to be autistic today, could have just been considered retarded a decade ago. Causes of autism are mainly genetics and from biological characteristics. They are all found inside the individual but these faults are visible clearly outside the individual. Based on my opinion I think that first the definition of autism should be stabilized, not every case is the same like the other. It's like looking at some one who has a stomach ache, they're stomach is in pain because of something they ate that is has their stomach acids reacting in a different way, different people, but same foundations to the case. When it comes to autism, there are thousands and thousands, but not only are they different people, but different cases as well. Once a definition is set and this disorder has stable specifications, then maybe the numbers might change. It's great that there is much awareness on this topic like there should be, but the awareness should not be measured and taken to accountability on why there is an increase.
Resource:"Autism: Cases on the Rise; Reason for Increase a Mystery." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 20 June 2014.
WebMD has written a recent special report on Autism called: "Autism Cases on the Rise; Reason for increase a Mystery" One of the main questions that everyone is asking is simply "What are the reasons that autism is increasing?"
Studies show that during the 1970's and the 1980's, one out 2,000 children was diagnosed with autism. Now, researchers show that one out of 150 children of specifically the age eight years old, has autism. This is besides all the other syndromes and disorders that are similar to autism, there are different numbers for those individuals who are diagnosed with them. These numbers speak and reflect only autistic children. Another question that researchers are bringing to the table would be "Is autism truly on the rise, or do the new statistics simply reflect the growing awareness of the condition, the expanded definition, and other factors?"
I found that to really be an interesting question because it might be true, that the statistics for the awareness is rising very much as opposed to the actual disorder. Us humans, especially when it comes to medical cases, we forget the facts start measuring things such as awareness than the solid cases of individuals that do have this disorder.
But from the previous number of 1 out of 150 children has autism, that statistic speaks for itself and says a lot more than awareness. There is a significant increase. Over the years there have been studies of the number of autistic cases, during the early 1990's the number of cases and the type of cases were stable, but when coming closer to the year 2000 and after that, the cases increased and there began to be an instability with these cases due to how quickly the numbers rose. Some researchers say that the reason of the increase could mainly be because of the definition, that it keeps changing and a kid that is considered to be autistic today, could have just been considered retarded a decade ago. Causes of autism are mainly genetics and from biological characteristics. They are all found inside the individual but these faults are visible clearly outside the individual. Based on my opinion I think that first the definition of autism should be stabilized, not every case is the same like the other. It's like looking at some one who has a stomach ache, they're stomach is in pain because of something they ate that is has their stomach acids reacting in a different way, different people, but same foundations to the case. When it comes to autism, there are thousands and thousands, but not only are they different people, but different cases as well. Once a definition is set and this disorder has stable specifications, then maybe the numbers might change. It's great that there is much awareness on this topic like there should be, but the awareness should not be measured and taken to accountability on why there is an increase.
Resource:"Autism: Cases on the Rise; Reason for Increase a Mystery." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 20 June 2014.
Blog Post #1
The topic that I would like to do furthermore research on would be autism. According to the Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development, autism is defined as "
a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social relations and communication and by rigid patterns of behaviour in affected individuals" . This disorder has increased cases by the year. The reason why it is so important is because although the there is research to point to how it develops or why some individuals have it and not others, there are those cases that are not the typical autistic case. I personally, have a few cousins that have autism. At first, because I was much younger, I did not know why they were acting the way they were. I feel embarrassed and disrespectful now thinking about it, but I should have been aware, asked the appropriate questions, but at the same time, those adults around me, did not take the time to explain it to me. Now that I study more on this topic I understand the different behaviors and I know more than I knew then, and I can actually communicate with my cousins. Autism is everywhere, and it is spreading, it's starting to become relevant to a lot more people than before. It's very important to be educated and to educate people about this disorder because there will come a time when one will come across with some one who has autism, and instead of acting awkward and impolite, they will know how to handle things much better. Autistic individuals are not monsters. They are no different than you and I. They think, they feel, and they are well aware of what is surrounding them. What differs them from "normal" individuals, is that their thought process, learning process is much slower, and they have difficulties. That was not by choice, but unfortunately how it happens to some. They should be treated with care and respect, same way we all care and respect one another. Although there is a fear of the widespread of autism, at the same time there is no solid evidence for this matter for a few reasons such as; the definition is constantly changing to what autism really is, difficulties of comparing older and newer cases, methods of estimating that cases have evolved. For the most part, autism primarily happens through genetics and biological characteristics. As I was reading about autism and why it is important and relevant, a quote by Debra Ginsberg, a writer, caught my eye, she said “Through the blur, I wondered if I was alone or if other parents felt the same way I did - that everything involving our children was painful in some way. The emotions, whether they were joy, sorrow, love or pride, were so deep and sharp that in the end they left you raw, exposed and yes, in pain. The human heart was not designed to beat outside the human body and yet, each child represented just that - a parent's heart bared, beating forever outside its chest.” This quote defines the struggles that a parent goes through seeing their child struggle through this disorder because it is not easy. It's a hard disorder to have, and even a harder one to witness, but hopefully as medical research advances, so will the cure to this disorder.
Resource:"Autism in Children." Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development. McGill University, n.d. Web. 18 June 2014.
The topic that I would like to do furthermore research on would be autism. According to the Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development, autism is defined as "
a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social relations and communication and by rigid patterns of behaviour in affected individuals" . This disorder has increased cases by the year. The reason why it is so important is because although the there is research to point to how it develops or why some individuals have it and not others, there are those cases that are not the typical autistic case. I personally, have a few cousins that have autism. At first, because I was much younger, I did not know why they were acting the way they were. I feel embarrassed and disrespectful now thinking about it, but I should have been aware, asked the appropriate questions, but at the same time, those adults around me, did not take the time to explain it to me. Now that I study more on this topic I understand the different behaviors and I know more than I knew then, and I can actually communicate with my cousins. Autism is everywhere, and it is spreading, it's starting to become relevant to a lot more people than before. It's very important to be educated and to educate people about this disorder because there will come a time when one will come across with some one who has autism, and instead of acting awkward and impolite, they will know how to handle things much better. Autistic individuals are not monsters. They are no different than you and I. They think, they feel, and they are well aware of what is surrounding them. What differs them from "normal" individuals, is that their thought process, learning process is much slower, and they have difficulties. That was not by choice, but unfortunately how it happens to some. They should be treated with care and respect, same way we all care and respect one another. Although there is a fear of the widespread of autism, at the same time there is no solid evidence for this matter for a few reasons such as; the definition is constantly changing to what autism really is, difficulties of comparing older and newer cases, methods of estimating that cases have evolved. For the most part, autism primarily happens through genetics and biological characteristics. As I was reading about autism and why it is important and relevant, a quote by Debra Ginsberg, a writer, caught my eye, she said “Through the blur, I wondered if I was alone or if other parents felt the same way I did - that everything involving our children was painful in some way. The emotions, whether they were joy, sorrow, love or pride, were so deep and sharp that in the end they left you raw, exposed and yes, in pain. The human heart was not designed to beat outside the human body and yet, each child represented just that - a parent's heart bared, beating forever outside its chest.” This quote defines the struggles that a parent goes through seeing their child struggle through this disorder because it is not easy. It's a hard disorder to have, and even a harder one to witness, but hopefully as medical research advances, so will the cure to this disorder.
Resource:"Autism in Children." Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development. McGill University, n.d. Web. 18 June 2014.
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