Education and Science Research

Do you wonder if an accommodation could help your child with dyslexia or another learning disability? Have you heard about modifications and wonder if they could help your child with autism, learn how to read? This article will discuss accommodations and modifications for children with a disability, who receive special education services.

Accommodations for testing or for academics are defined as helping a student be able to participate, in testing or academics. The type of accommodations, depend on the child’s disability and educational needs. Below will be discussed accommodations that are available to be used, though this list is not exhaustive!

Modifications for testing or for academics are defined as, changing the test or academics, so that the child with a disability can participate in the testing or academics. Below will be discussed types of modifications that can be used.

Modifications:
1. The curriculum can be modified so that the child with a disability can participate in academics. For Example: If a child is in 2nd grade the reading curriculum may be modified to help a child learn to read that is reading below grade level.

2. The expectations can be modified if a child cannot reach the same level as the children in their class or grade.

3. Instead of regular district and state wide testing, the testing could be an alternative type of testing or reliance on a portfolio.

4. Use a different spelling list than the list that the class is using.

Accommodations:

1. Directions read aloud and repeated.

2. Large Print Version of Test

3. Point to answers on a test, give oral answers (good accommodation for children with Dysgraphia-inability to write), or tape record answers.

4. Use computer for assignments or tests. (also good for children with Dysgraphia).

5. Take test in another room 1-1. (good accommodation for a child with attention difficulties).

6. Extended time on testing and assignments.

7. Test taking over several days (good accommodation for a child with ADHD).

8. Seat student in quiet area or near a study buddy.

9. Shorten assignments and reduce homework.

10. Increase immediacy of rewards.

11. Allow student to stand at times while working.

12. Allow use of a calculator for Math.

13. Send daily/weekly progress reports home.

14. Praise compliant behavior and give immediate feedback for good behavior.

The difference between accommodations and modifications is that accommodations help a child with a disability learn from the same curriculum, and participate in testing; modifications are actually changing the curriculum or the testing. If you think your child could benefit from accommodations or modifications bring it up at your child’s IEP meeting, and make sure that it is written in your child’s IEP.

Are you the parent of a child with autism or other disability? Would you like to know what an advocate does in the special education process? Do you wonder if a special education advocate could help you in fighting for needed services, for your child? This article will explain what the role of a special education advocate is, and whether they could help you advocate for a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for your child.

There is currently no certification for special education advocates! This is the reason why it is sometimes difficult to find one that is knowledgeable, and has expertise in special education.

The role of a special education advocate is to:

1. Have a working knowledge of state and federal laws that cover special education, and know how to use them to advocate for children. Federal law is Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Each state is required to have a law that must comply with IDEA.

2. Understand different types of disabilities and have experience advocating for children of different disabilities

3. Take time to know the child, and work with the parent to determine what services and placement a child needs, and advocate for them! This may require the parent getting an independent educational evaluation with a qualified evaluator.

4. Educate parents as to research based practices, as well as best practices. IDEA requires, that curriculum and programs be scientifically research based, which parents need to understand.

5. Have knowledge of different school districts and also how to advocate with different personalities of special education personnel. People are all different and the advocate must understand the best way to deal with the different personalities.

6. Act in a professional manner, whenever possible, to help parents get needed special education services and placements for their child. A good advocate is firm and refuses to back down when intimidated by special education personnel.

7. Teach parents advocacy skills so that they may learn how to advocate for their child!

A special education advocate can be extremely helpful in advocating for your child. If you think an advocate could help you check out your local disability organizations, and see if they have an advocate on staff. Check organizations such as a Center of Independent Living, Parent Training and Advocacy Centers (available in all states). If you hire a private advocate make sure you check their credentials, and make sure that they have experience with children with your child’s type of disability. This will ensure that the advocate understands what your child needs, and will be able to advocate for them.

So you want high business ethics? Well, that may just be a pipe dream if the data from existing universities is confirmed through actual behaviors.

In 2005, Duke University released one report that revealed over 75% of high school students admitted to cheating. That number climbs to over 90% if copying by sharing homework is included.

An extensive article in the San Francisco Chronicle by Regan McMahon published on September 9, 2007 shows the depth of cheating and the potential impact to the business world within the secondary education world.

And the graduate world is also a mecca for cheating students. A report published in 2006 by the Academy of Management Learning and Education journal suggested that 56% of the MBA students admitted to cheating. These are potentially the future business leaders. Other reports released have suggested that soon to be lawyers and teachers also practice cheating on a consistent basis.

The American business economy has already experienced the affects of bad business ethics. When people point the finger at companies such as Enron and Arthur Anderson, the unethical behavior was not caused by the organization, but rather these individuals were already unethical. Again, the belief that everyone does it was probably not far from their conscious actions.

The excuses for cheating are many just like in the work place where business ethics are violated on a daily basis. However, what is interesting to note is that when everything is peeled away, the belief that everyone does it whether they do or do not is driving this cheating behavior.

This belief that everyone does it is not only regulated to business ethics, but human behavior in general. Children complain to parents well so and so can do it. Adults complain to other adults about so and so doing something.

To change business ethics demands that the beliefs driving the attitudes demonstrated through the behaviors must be identify. Ignoring these beliefs will only make the current situation worse.

There were times when students had to travel to far ends of the world to seek knowledge. They had to travel for months or even years to reach that desired country or city. Time passed and distances became shorter with the invention of modern ways of traveling such as planes and railways. But the tradition of traveling to the cities or countries for better studies remained intact. Than a technological revolution came with the invention of ‘Computers’. In its early stages the computer had limited use but with the passage of time its usage became more consistent and later it became a very useful machine for every field of life. But still, the computer was not complete, till the time that ‘the internet’ made it a perfect machine.

Over the years people have argued about the use of internet. Many have claimed that it is a waste of time and a source of spoiling our new generation. This a conservative thought. The other faction, a more moderate one has claimed that it is a portal of knowledge. But our topic is not directly related to this argument although it has an indirect relation. With the passage of time, education over the internet has also gained much fame. There are two views on online education; one view is old school, which believes that education must be taken where it is suppose to be taken, that is at traditional colleges and universities, while the other view is new school and according to this view, students have the choice of doing whatever they desire and if they do not have the time or financial perks available to them, then they can easily acquire education through eLearning from any of the accredited online colleges and universities.

Our views can not be endorsed on anyone as both of them have some weak and some strong points. The old school theory claims that it is impossible for any teacher to transfer education and the whole of his or her years of experience on the internet. They further believe that at times it is not possible for teachers to provide individualized feedback considering that active learning is not possible through eLearning. This view claims that the equipment required to correspond with each other is not available to all the students or teachers which makes the acquisition of online education on all degree levels a bit more difficult. One strong argument put forward is that of the academic honesty of the online students. They have the tendency to go easy because they know that no one is going to question them. It is a part of human nature that unless we meet someone face to face, that person remains a stranger to us and same is the case with those who opt for online degree programs. There is no face to face interaction between the tutor and the student. An online student does not know the aspects of a true campus or a traditional classroom, which makes it difficult for them to learn the values of life and friendship. The old school theory claims that the internet offers other things, which are totally not suitable for the students and can spoil them and deter their concentration while studying.

The new school theory, which supports online education, claims that many of the pupils are not wealthy enough to go to conventional colleges or universities, for which they require an alternate style of study. They clam that studying through distance education courses saves time and cost. Another aspect is that numerous students live hand to mouth and if they go to an institute to study how would they work? This problem can easily be solved by studying online and working at the same time. Supporters of online education claim that if they study online, the students can learn whenever and whatever they need and they are not dependent on anyone. Many students cannot keep up the pace of combined study, but if they have the option of studying online they can study at their own pace and thus learning and the acquisition of an online degree can be adjusted in their busy schedules.

Both the sides have their views clear, and it is really hard to pick up a winner, but we do not have to pick up a winner, because the world is full of people with different kinds of needs and we do not have the right to force our views on them. The best way to co-exist is to respect other people’s views. So those who wish to study through a traditional institution can do so, while those who face some issues can always turn to accredited online colleges and universities to acquire their degrees through eLearning.

The following article provides vital information such as where to get ICSE Papers, what all question papers are available online, and the major amendments made by the ICSE board in the curricula.

The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education commonly known as ICSE conducts examinations for class 10 board. In India, many private and government schools are affiliated to ICSE board. ICSE Papers, as thought of are not that tough. What makes these papers easier is a good preparation. I firmly believe that if a proper preparation is done then nothing can stop you from getting a high score in the examination.

The fear that students undergo is the curiosity to know what do ICSE sample Papers look like. What are the questions, what is the time limit, how many question are there, what are the choices, etc. So the best way to reduce your anxiety is by solving the ICSE 10th Board sample Papers. These sample papers are very easily available online. There are various sites are available, from where you can easily download these and give yourself a good practice. These question papers are available for free. The papers that can be availed are English Literature, English Language, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, Hindi, and Computers. Other subjects are also available.

Other than question papers, some guess papers and samplers are also available. These samplers are prepared by retired college professors, teachers and lecturers. Making these helps students in great deal thereby providing the teachers with some extra earnings. These papers are specially designed so that they serve the purpose, which is to help students get an idea about how the question paper looks like.

According to a news report, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) is incorporating changes in its curriculum of ICSE and ISC examinations. All the changes will be in action from April 2010. The start has been made by adding a new subject to the syllabus of grades IX, X and XI. The new subject will be English Speaking and Listening Skills.

Another change implied by CISCE is that the students who fail in the second language in X board doesn’t need to write supplementary exams to be promoted to the grade XI.

The change being thought of is of clubbing the environmental education with other subjects. This change will come into effect from 2013.The board is planning to make the marking scheme centralised and as a step towards technological advancement they will have online registration for ICSE and ISC students for board exams.