Although special education and its legal provisions under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) were designed to support all children with disabilities, it has created a litigious and bureaucratic environment that further marginalizes disabled and labeled children of color and their families. Falling short of a collaborative…

Special education teachers have a professional obligation to advocate for students with disabilities to ensure students receive a meaningful, individualized education. However, there are potential risks teachers may face when attempting to advocate. Given that effective strategies for advocacy are not always included in special education…

Thousands of children are living in stressful and dysfunctional situations. Scores of them reside in conditions replete with drugs or alcohol. As a court appointed special advocate (CASA), this author has advocated for children who have been abused or neglected and whose situations are involved in the courts, more specifically in the dependency…

The statistics of children and families experiencing military life and affected by deployment are astounding. Many children who have an uncle, aunt, brother, or other family member serving in the military live near a military duty station, but others live far from other military families. Caregivers and teachers of young children share a common…

Consists of a listing of public and private organizations in the United States and abroad that are interested in children's rights. Includes human rights commissions, church-sponsored groups, and groups that are part of the United Nations. Gives addresses and names of persons to contact. (DK)

This document provides answers to frequently asked questions on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the education rights of children and youth in homeless situations. The answers are general responses based on federal statutes, regulations, and guidance; relevant case law; and best practices from across the country. While the National…

The United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child is a major achievement in the struggle to extend human rights to children. Its antecedents include the efforts of Dan Mulock Houwer, Eglantyne Jebb, Gustave Ador, and the work and words of Janusz Korczak (pioneer in residential care and director of an orphanage in Warsaw between 1912 and…

Discusses the effects of war on children, the exploitation of children worldwide, and the current efforts of the United Nations to protect them. Suggests several classroom activities and an exercise based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to encourage student awareness. (DMM)

This book is an introduction to the problem of child sexual abuse. Written in simple and direct language, with illustrations to reinforce key points, the book offers the perspective of small communities and contains a section on how communities can organize to do something about the problem of sexual abuse. Intended for parents, teachers, family…

This practicum was designed to provide teaching professionals with advocacy information, skills, techniques, and resources in order to increase participant awareness and self-confidence, and, ultimately, their community involvement. The primary method used to address this goal was the development and presentation of three workshops. These were…

As a service to the community to protect the legal rights of students, this manual is designed to provide the legal information New York state parents and professionals need in order to become more effective educational advocates. It is not intended as a definitive legal resource, but rather as a guide for structuring a legally sound argument to…

Teacher education students surveyed about their perceptions of child advocacy indicated that to become successful advocates they needed to become more self-confident and politically aware and to be able to communicate effectively with knowledge of current issues, advocacy methods, and the political system. In order to facilitate the training of…

A more effective partnership for the advocacy of integrated educational options can be formed when parents and professionals work in concert. Eleven strategies for securing integrated options are offered, including working with the media, working within other advocacy organizations, influencing others in the school system, and consulting with…

A review of learning disabilities in gifted children provides definitions of "learning disabilities" and "giftedness", a classification of gifted students with learning disabilities, the importance of a multidimensional approach to identifying students with gifts/learning disabilities, characteristics, programming guidelines, teaching strategies,…

The text examines issues in the roles of allied health professionals serving disabled children and youth. An introduction by C. Del Polito reviews the effects of negative public attitudes toward people with disabilities and describes an advocacy project to serve allied health professionals. In unit 1, J. Barresi traces the history of public policy…