Education | SMAHeadlines.com

Author’s style and “robots” inspire students

March 16, 2011

Author’s style and “robots” inspire students

Volunteertv.com | March 15, 2011

Cool hip tunes blasted the library at Claxton Elementary School as author Sigmund Brouwer of Nashville, entertained the students with his Rock -n-Roll Literacy Show.

He says, “Good songs, like good stories make you feel something. That’s my pitch to kids. Grab a story and you get lost in it like you get lost in a good song.”

One of the students Connor Murphy has been reading a series of bBouwer’s books called Robot Wars.

“They are about a kid (in a wheelchair) who can control robots through his brain, and solves the mysteries through his brain,” according to Brouwer.

Lise Murphy says, “It’s been wonderful, “it’s been a great addition to his Christmas gift.”

Connor’s mom says the books were a Christmas gift Connor enjoyed so much, the family tracked down Brouwer to visit the school.

“Connor got hooked on them, he and my husband read them nonstop for about two months.”

Lise says Connor can easily relate to the stories, he has Spinal Muscular Atrophy and lost most use of his muscles, but has plenty of brain power, like the boy in the books.

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Leave a Comment » | Education, Technology, Tennessee, United States | Tagged: education, technology, tennessee, united states | Permalink
Posted by stronwi

Disabled kids, educators rally at the Capitol

March 10, 2011

Disabled kids, educators rally at the Capitol

Times Union | March 10, 2011 | By Casey Seller

An estimated crowd of 600 disabled students, family members and educators joined legislators this morning in the well of the LOB to call on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to pull back on an element of his budget proposal that would change the way “4201″ schools are funded. New York has 11 state-supported private schools that work with 1,500 student who are blind, deaf, or fall within an additional range of disabilities.

Under the current system, 10 percent of the cost of each pupil is covered by the local school district, while 90 percent is picked up by a discrete state appropriation distributed by the Education Department. Cuomo’s budget proposal would require the local district to pick up the tab, as is the case with other special education schools. The state would then reimburse 85 percent of the remaining cost, throwing the remainder back on the district. The end result would be a 13.5 percent reduction in state spending on the schools on average, although the cut sustained by each school would be up to the individual district.

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Leave a Comment » | Advocacy, Education, Inspiration, Legislation, New York, United States | Tagged: advocacy, education, inspiration, legislation, new york, united states | Permalink
Posted by stronwi

Disability no barrier to top scorers Low, Rifaat

February 21, 2011

Disability no barrier to top scorers Low, Rifaat

The Sun Daily | February 21, 2011 | By Shirlyn Preeta

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 21, 2011): Being disabled was no barrier for success for Low Hong Ping and Mohd Rifaat Hussin, who were both top scorers in last year’s Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination.

Low, from SMK St John, Kuala Lumpur who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, scored four As in the STPM examination.

“I studied two hours everyday consistently. Besides that, I always pay attention during all lessons in school,” said Low after the results were announced today.

Low added that he did not attend any tuition classes but his family, teachers and friends were always there to give him support and encouragement, which led to his success today.

“I am planning to further my studies in economics and be a successful economist one day,” added Low.

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2 Comments | Education, Inspiration, Malaysia | Tagged: education, inspiration, Malaysia | Permalink
Posted by stronwi

Network of caregivers shuttles children and families through the complex world of critical and life-ending illness

February 17, 2011

Network of caregivers shuttles children and families through the complex world of critical and life-ending illness

Monterey County Weekly | February 17, 2011 | By Adam Joseph

Cynthia Guzman was diagnosed with sulfite oxidase deficiency, a rare metabolic disorder, when she was only 6 days old. Doctors predicted she would die within a few months.

“We cried a lot,” says her father, Jose. “They said they weren’t going to be able to do anything.”

Seven years later, Cynthia is living in North Salinas and, according to her doctors, is the world’s longest-living sulfite oxidase deficiency patient. She can’t walk or talk, nor can she breathe, swallow or eat on her own. Someone has to keep an eye on her at all times to make sure she doesn’t suffocate on her saliva. Her team of pulmonary, neurology and gastrointestinal specialists at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford have no idea how long she’ll live.

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Posted by stronwi

Online system allows boy to attend class

January 8, 2011

Online system allows boy to attend class

thedailystar.com | January 8, 2011

In discussing the special arrangements for teaching Grand Gorge kindergartner Dylan Utter, Mary Lucas, Roxbury Central School Committee on Special Education chairwoman, said that this is the first time the school has dealt with such a situation. Utter is unable to attend class because of the effects of spinal muscular atrophy.

She didn’t know of a similar situation in the Otego-Northern Catskills Board of Cooperative Educational Services district.

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Leave a Comment » | Education, New York, Technology, United States | Tagged: education, new york, technology, united states | Permalink
Posted by stronwi

Gift to grandson now helps other children

January 6, 2011

Gift to grandson now helps other children

Newsnet5.com (ABC) | January 6, 2011| By Alicia Booth

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio – Ron Soroka was racking his brain trying to figure out a way for his young grandson to enjoy trains, but little Jack’s spinal muscular atrophy prevented him from playing with toys other kids could.

Then, an idea came to Soroka out of nowhere.

“One morning, believe it or not, at three in the morning, I woke up and I said you know, I have an old N guage (small train and train track) in the basement, I’m gonna dig it up,” he said.

Nine months later, Soroka had constructed an elaborate train activity table that his grandson could access from his wheelchair. It was specially-designed to help Jack with his motor skills while having fun.

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Leave a Comment » | Adapted Toys, Education, Ohio, United States | Tagged: adapted toys, education, ohio, united states | Permalink
Posted by stronwi

Disabled Students Declare Independence, by Design

January 2, 2011

Disabled Students Declare Independence, by Design

The Chronicle of Higher Education | January 2, 2011 | By Katherine Mangan

Until he went off to college, Leo Kullander relied on his parents and brother around the clock to help him with routine tasks like getting up in the morning, dressing, and using the bathroom.

Now the 20-year-old sophomore, majoring in engineering physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, enjoys a measure of independence unheard of for most students with severe physical disabilities.

Mr. Kullander has spinal muscular atrophy, a disease that causes muscles to degenerate and weaken to the point that many with the condition, like him, use motorized wheelchairs.

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Leave a Comment » | Education, Illinois, Inspiration, United States | Tagged: education, illinois, inspiration, united states | Permalink
Posted by stronwi

For Lee, the loving care of a mother has no limit

December 31, 2010

For Lee, the loving care of a mother has no limit

Korea JoongAng Daily | January 1, 2011

For the last 21 years, Lee Won-ok brought her paralyzed son to school, picked him up after class, and even waited outside the classroom in case a medical emergency occurred.

For over two decades, Lee’s dedication to her son Shin Hyeong-jin’s education had no limits. Since doctors told Lee that they did not expect her son to see his second birthday, the pair have battled through a lot to overcome his limitations.

Now 27, Shin wrote his last exam on Dec. 20. He is set to graduate from Yonsei University with a computer science degree in February.

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2 Comments | Education, Inspiration, South Korea | Tagged: education, inspiration, south korea | Permalink
Posted by stronwi

Six-year-old remains active despite Spinal Muscular Atrophy diagnosis

December 20, 2010

Six-year-old remains active despite Spinal Muscular Atrophy diagnosis

Quad-Cities Online | December 18, 2010 | By Laura Anderson

Ella Christopher sat at her kitchen table, scribbling a crayon back and forth on a coloring book page.

“This is what we do every day after school,” said her mother, Amy Christopher.

Things are a little better now for the Eldridge family, but they aren’t easy. Ella, 6, was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, type 2, when she was 14-months-old.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a progressive, neuro-muscular disease that causes progressive weakness, Ms. Christopher said. “She basically atrophies.”

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Leave a Comment » | Education, Equipment, Iowa, United States | Tagged: education, equipment, iowa, sma, spinal muscular atrophy, united states | Permalink
Posted by stronwi

iPad is Truly Magic, Revolutionary for Disabled Boy

December 19, 2010

iPad is Truly Magic, Revolutionary for Disabled Boy

tom’s Guide | December 19, 2010 | By Marcus Yam

Touch screen devices existed long before Apple decided to utilize the technology for its iPhones, iPods and iPads, but its iOS devices have hit the mainstream in a capacity to reach everybody – and we mean every body.

Those with disabilities that keep them away from computing through traditional inputs, such as the dexterity-requiring keyboard and mouse, often find much to like about touch screens. Touch screens make it simple, as the user simply must touch or flick to navigate.

7-year-old Owen Cain from Brooklyn, NY has suffered from spinal muscular atrophy Type 1, a debilitating motor-neuron disease, since infancy. Doctors say that he would be paralyzed for life and that he would die at about two years of age.

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