Thursday, September 22, 2011

Inclusive Early Childhood Education: Essential for All Children

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Inclusive education is an academic and social asset to all children, with and without disabilities. Research shows that the instruction methods that are typical of inclusive education, such as peer tutoring, cooperative learning groups, and differentiated instruction, are beneficial to all learners and help to enhance learning. So why wait until your child is in elementary or high school to reap these benefits? As with nearly anything in life, the earlier your child is introduced to new and exciting things, the more readily they will incorporate what they learn into their lives and benefit from it. Enrolling your child in a well run inclusive preschool will put your child in an early learning environment that is stimulating, not just for children with delays and disabilities, but for every child.
Educators and parents frequently hear about the benefits of inclusion for children with disabilities, but we hear much less about what children with typical development might gain. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recognizes the following commonly identified benefits for each group of learners.
Benefits of Inclusion for Students With Disabilities
- Friendships
- Increased social initiations, relationships and networks
- Peer role models for academic, social and behavior skills
- Increased achievement of academic and IEP goals
- Greater access to general curriculum
- Enhanced skill acquisition and generalization
- Increased inclusion in future environments
- Greater opportunities for interactions
- Higher motivation and expectation to learn
- Increased school staff collaboration
- Increased parent participation
- Families are more integrated into community


Benefits of Inclusion for Students Without Disabilities
- Meaningful friendships
- Increased appreciation and acceptance of individual differences
- Increased understanding and acceptance of diversity
- Respect for all people
- Preparation for adult life in an inclusive society
- Master activities by practicing and teaching others
- Greater academic outcomes
- All students needs are better met
- More resources for everyone

Currently there is no research that shows any negative effects from inclusion when it is done appropriately with the necessary supports and services for students. To the contrary, studies show there is no reduction in the amount of time allocated to instruction or classroom activities, individual attention to each student, or test scores and grades. (York, Vandercook, MacDonald, Heise-Neff, and Caughey, 1992)
Since “inclusion” is a bit of a buzzword these days how can you tell if a preschool is really inclusive and provides good instruction to all of it’s students? Research from the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin suggests parents look for:
- Students are sitting together: no particular students are isolated or alone with an adult.
Even if a child has an aide, the child should spend most of their time interacting with other students. The aid is there to facilitate the child’s inclusion, not take the place of peers.
- Each student has a role to play in his or her group activities. Roles should be assigned based on the child’s particular skill set.
- All students are frequently asked for responses and encouraged to participate in class discussions.
- Children who don’t speak should participate using the communication techniques and tools they can use such as nods, picture devices, sign language, etc.
- Attitudes and communication about ALL students focuses on individual strengths and abilities, not deficits.
- Each teacher works with all the students. Families can speak to any teacher, not just the teacher with the special education background, for a progress update or an answer.
- School leaders (directors, principles, etc) support and demonstrate a commitment to inclusion.
- Special education assistants/paraprofessionals are part of the overall teaching team, not just working with one student with a developmental concern.
- Teachers and administrative staff work as a team.
- Students do more work than the teachers through group activities, discussion, interaction, hands-on experimentation and exploration.
- Students are seated so they can work together, rather than so that all desks that face the teacher.
- All students work on the same curriculum, but at a variety of levels of complexity.
- There are a variety of ways to participate in activities: verbally, written, by using assistive technology; yes/no/I don’t know; choice of two or three options.
- Students have multiple ways to demonstrate what they know: posters, skits, written essays and papers; art work, etc.
- Every student has opportunities to share his/her gifts, abilities and passions in ways that are appropriate and comfortable for that individual.
- Evaluations are offered in a variety of ways such as multiple-choice exams, verbal quizzes or projects.
- Therapies and special instruction are integrated into regular activities throughout the school day rather than as separate functions outside the classroom activities.
- All students are encouraged to and participate in extra-curricular and social events at school.
- Each student has some time to talk about themselves and what they like.
- Students feel they are part of a community and belong at their school.
- Classmates are involved in helping other students and in cooperative learning.
Clearly inclusion is a valuable asset, but there are a number of other features, which parents should considering when choosing a preschool for their child.
- Family involvement. Young children are greatly influenced by their homes and their parents and caregivers. Parent involvement usually translates into the child retaining more of what they are learning in school and the ability for them to translate their newfound knowledge into their every day life. Parents who regularly communicate with the teachers have regular opportunities to discuss their children’s development. When parents understand how their children grow and develop, they are better able to provide the best start for their children.
- Educated staff. Knowledgeable staff are dedicated and engaged staff. Teachers credentialed in regular and special education, and with backgrounds in child development, music and movement, motor, speech and language specialist etc., will have the knowledge to create an exceptional preschool experience for your child. These diverse educational backgrounds bring a unique perspective to the classroom which h helps the teachers recognize the individual needs of each child and respond to these needs through the curriculum.
- Small classes allow each student to receive the individual attention needed. Teachers also have more time to plan the quality and relevant curriculum and activities. Small classes also give each child more opportunity to form a bonding relationship with the teachers and other students.
- Values individual differences. Children have different personalities, needs, abilities, and likes, dislikes. Preschools that respect and embrace the uniqueness of each child encourage self-confidence, respect, acceptance, open-mindedness, curiosity and a host of other qualities that are essential in this increasingly global world.
We are fortunate to live in a time when inclusive education is available to children with and without special needs. Take this opportunity to make sure your preschooler receives the best academic and real life education available to them. Consider the lifelong benefits all children derive when educated side-by-side children with a broad range of abilities in an inclusive classroom.
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Co-authored by Janel Astor, M.A. Ed. and Wendy Kuehnl

Monday, September 19, 2011

Palo Alto Medical Foundation educator earns President's Award Becky Beacom honored for 30 years of volunteer servic

All of us at Abilities United were delighted to present 30-year volunteer, Becky Beacom, with the President's Volunteer Call to Service Lifetime award. Read the comments of congratulations from the community to Becky on the Palo Alto Online post of the following article. You deserve this award and many more Becky! Thanks for being so involved in the local community including Abilities United!

Abilities United proudly presented Becky Beacom, a 30 year volunteer with Abilities United, the President’s Volunteer Service Call to Action Lifetime Award http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/tg/pvsainfo/dspAboutAwards.cfm for her 4,000+ hours of volunteer work as the instructor of the Pre-Natal Fitness Class offered at the Abilities United Betty Wright Swim Center. http://www.AbilitiesUnited.org/BWSCwelcome

In addition to being a lifelong volunteer at Abilities United, Becky is a renowned health educator with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation where she oversees their prenatal education and numerous community outreach programs and is founder and leader of the SHARE Committee, a collaboration of home, school, and community to ensure a sense of wholeness and well-being for the youth of Palo Alto. She gently, calmly, and insightfully shares her knowledge on anything from bike safety to teen risk behavior to child rearing. Her voice is one of reason and empathy.  Becky lives with her husband in Palo Alto and is the mother of two young-adult children. 

The Lifetime Award is a very unique and prestigious award as it takes many years of consistent and continual volunteer work for one individual to donate over 4,000 hours of community service. Although President Obama wasn't present, Becky received an official letter, certificate and pin from President Obama and the White House.  Staff and participants were present to congratulate Becky.

Becky’s commitment to Abilities United began in 1981 when she was looking for a pool for mothers-to-be to exercise in throughout the year. The warm water and indoor pool at the Abilities United Betty Wright Swim Center (BWSC) was the perfect match, and Becky has held her weekly pre-natal fitness class ever since finding this jewel. Prenatal exercise was the arena where Becky found her passion for health education and disease prevention. Even though her career has led her to work on a variety of health issues, her volunteer work at the Abilities United has allowed her to stay in touch with expectant mothers; a population near to her heart; and warm water, a medium that she adores. Becky says, “I look forward to my Saturday mornings and am so grateful for the relationships that I’ve enjoyed over these years.” 

In fact, it is that close connection that she makes with her students that keeps them coming from near and far, week after week, to her Saturday morning class. Most students take her health education and movement class from the end of the first trimester all the way until a week or two before their due date. What Becky knows is, “it is such a relief to be in a non-weight bearing environment, floating on a noodle, suspended in the water, particularly as the pressure intensifies and the body becomes increasingly tired.” 

The best part of the class, though, may be the social outlet as well as the invaluable opportunity for the mothers-to-be to focus on themselves and their own health for an hour. Even with their diverse backgrounds and ages coming from all over the Bay Area, the women bond on a very deep, sensitive level. 

Becky sees the prenatal class as having real value today as well, “Women today are facing greater demands. They are stepping into careers and motherhood, often simultaneously. Women should develop healthy fitness habits during their pregnancy so that they will continue these changes into the new life they are creating.” 


The President¹s Volunteer Service Award
http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/tg/pvsainfo/dspAboutAwards.cfm
is issued by Points of Light Institute and the Corporation for National and Community Service on behalf of the President of the United States to recognize the best in American spirit and to encourage all Americans to improve their communities through volunteer service and civic participation. The award is given to individuals, families and groups that have demonstrated outstanding volunteer service over a 12-month period. Individuals who complete 4,000 or more hours of volunteer service over the course of their lifetime will be recognized with the President¹s Call to Action Award.





Friday, September 16, 2011

Abilities United Aquathon raises $132,000 and counting!


A big “Thank You” to all the swimmers, volunteers, and cheerleaders for participating in this year’s Abilities United Aquathon and for making it such a success! We hope you enjoyed the event. We especially want to recognize the team captains for pulling all the swimmers together, and the following wonderful volunteers:
Vickie Yamaoka for organizing the food table – which is a huge job!
Bern King, the official photographer of the event.
Chris Ream--isn’t he a wonderful emcee!
Jon Rothmann, KGO Newstalk 810, award host.
Susan Roy, former Olympic swimmer, award presenter.
Doug Tao, Video Tao, for providing our audio service.

One Brick volunteers
Homestead Interact Club volunteers
Sharkie for always entertaining the crowd and creating great photo ops!
We are still in fundraising mode as we have a number of large trophies in the office waiting for homes for the year.
We’ve extended the fundraising date until 5 pm Friday, Sept. 30. Now is the time to encourage your donors to apply for matching gifts through their companies. It can double your donation amount! If you send us copies of the forms, we will add the match to your totals as a pledge.
Help us get to $200,000 by September 30th!
Our congratulations to the following teams for their placement in the speed category:
Adult Teams1st Place: Webcoracle 135 laps
2
nd Place: Sue Nommi’s Speedos 132 laps
3
rd Place Cisco Bommarito Barracudas 128 laps

Family/Community/Kids Teams1st Place: BWSC Rehab 90 laps
2
nd Place: Jack’s Divers 79 laps
3
rd Place: BWSC Rec 74 laps

Special thanks to the Abilities United Aquathon sponsors:
Nvidia
Oracle
Lockheed Martin
IntuitWebcor Builders
CFOs2go
MarketRiders
Milk Pail Market
Montreux Equity Partners
Mulcahy
Family Dentistry
SRI
As well as inkind donors:
Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing
Costco · Esther's German Bakery - Los Altos
Hobee’s Restaurant · House of Bagels
Izzy’s Brooklyn Bagels · La Baguette
Odwalla · Peet’s Coffee and Tea - Palo Alto
SJ Sharks · Verisign
Finally, special thanks to Sunnyvale Sun photographer, William Gerth for spreading the word about Abilities United and the Aquathon. Read the article and see the photo in the September 16 Sunnyvale Sun
Several team captains have already begun to strategize for next year, so we expect some very close competitions in 2012!
Thanks again for your support and for contributing so much energy and fun to the Aquathon!

Linda & Jo

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Abilities United Receives New Vans


Volunteers in the News Palo Alto Patch September 8, 2011
Abilities United Receives New Vans
Local non-profit showcases donated vans Wednesday afternoon with balloons and ribbon cutting ceremony.
By Alejandro Lopez de Haro, reporter Palo Alto Patch
Local disabled residents have a new way to get around town.
Abilities United, a local non-profit that champions people with developmental and physical disabilities, is rolling out three new Ford vans after a successful fundraising campaign.
These vans will be of great help to the organization’s transportation needs for several of their activities, said Wendy Kuehnl, marketing director at Abilities United.
“These vans are essential because it gives participants a safe transportation mechanism to get to their various volunteer positions,” said Kuehnl.
One program that will see particular improvement is “Community Connections,” an Abilities United Adult Day Activities Program that allows volunteers with developmental and physical disabilities to participate as helpers at more then 30 local non-profits.
The vans are wheelchair accessible and can fit nine passengers. “These vans are essential because some participants are in wheelchairs and need special transportation,” said Kuenhl.
The Community Connects program is very important for Abilities United, said Kuenhl, because participants earn a lot of useful skills, and because the non-profits are able to witness first-hand the effectiveness of these volunteers.
“It allows participants an opportunity to develop social interactive skills and gives them a sense of accomplishment,” said Kuehnl.
The participants are often good at their jobs, and it is through these positive results that Abilities United wishes to change attitudes and misconceptions.
“The program shows to the general community that these individuals have a lot of abilities and do bring lot of value to the community,” said Kuehnl.
The organization had been operating the transportation element of their programs with a set of older vans. They had aged quite a bit and were in need of replacements.
“We have three other vehicles that are over ten years old and falling apart,” said Lynda Steele, Executive Director of Abilities United. “We had to replace them.”
The vans cost more then $150,000 and were sponsored by the Hedco Foundation, the Bothin Foundation, the Mercury News Wishbook Fund and other anonymous donors. A member of the Ford family was also instrumental in the procurement of the vans.
The quality of the Abilities United programs was stated as one of the mains reasons why sponsors decided to get involved.
“Abilities United found us and told us of their need,” said Roger Schwab, of Hedco Foundation. “It looked like a very good program and we decided it to contribute.”
The specific nature of the request and the help that it would provide was another factor that got some sponsors on board.
“It was so specific and worthy,” said Sue McAllister, coordinator of the San Jose Mercury News Wishbook Fund. “Without having this reliable transportation… you could see why it would be very tough for them.”
More then twenty of the participants from this program attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. All showed a lot of excitement and gratitude for the vans that would now take them to their diverse jobs. Some told Patch about the benefits that these vans would bring.
“It’s going to make thing easier for everybody,” said Mike Self, an active member of the Community Connects program. “They are nice and pretty cool.”
Other participants expressed approval for the wide variety of colors that were chosen for the vans.
“They are pretty colorful,” said Armando Santillano. “I like the purple one and the red one.”
Reposted with permission from Palo Alto Patch Story and photos are on
http://paloalto.patch.com/articles/abilities-united-receives-new-vans-for-disabled-residents#photo-7660121

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Motorized wheelchair helps San Mateo man maintain his independence

Ray Bogdan, a gentleman of 50+ years living with Cerebral Palsy, requires the use of a motorized transport to maintain his independence. Previously, he has been able to use an electric scooter to suit his transportation needs, and a manual wheelchair for moving around his home. However, in the time that he has worked with Abilities United ILS, his scooter has been in and out of the shop frequently, and is clearly no longer able to suit his needs. So, Wheelchairs of San Mateo initiated a request for Ray to receive a new, electric wheelchair, so that he may maintain his independence and continue to enjoy his outdoor excursions without the constant and necessary presence of support services.

One of Ray's ILS goals is to improve his ability to utilize and work with his support services, he and I made a series of phone calls, gathering and delivering information necessary to expedite this process. Eventually it came to a point where the Health Plan of San Mateo was uncertain if Ray qualified for this new wheelchair, as they had recently covered the purchase of his manual wheelchair.

It became necessary for ILS to advocate formally and directly for Ray, expressing his needs in a detailed and comprehensive letter that would illustrate the multitude of reasons Ray absolutely required this motorized wheelchair, and how a manual wheelchair would not suffice. An important focus of this letter was the progressively debilitating nature of his condition, and the increasing need he has for assisted mobility, out in the community and also in his own home.

The request was authorized! The doctors reviewing the case realized that the progressive debilitation of Ray's condition indeed warranted a more accessible mobility device. On Friday, August 12, Ray's new wheelchair (he calls it the Bently) arrived at his home in San Mateo. I saw him the following Wednesday, and he was showing off all the cool new tricks it could do, and had a smile clear across his face. I can't recall a time I've seen him happier, the chair is a dramatic improvement on his old scooter and is going to be essential in Ray's continued involvement in his Downtown San Mateo community.

Submitted by Drew Thorne
ILS Instructor