AAMR F.Y.I.
July 2005, Vol.5, No.7

Visit http://www.aamr.org/FYI/ to access current and past issues of this monthly newsletter.


Dear AAMR Friends and Colleagues:

TEACHER SPEAKS OUT ON MANDATORY HIGH-STAKES TESTING FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
"Students with mental retardation, especially those who spend 60% of their day in a separate classroom, should absolutely not be expected to meet the same requirements of their peers who have mild or no disabilities," says Leslie Johnson, a special education teacher from Swainsboro High School in Georgia. Johnson’s article appears in the August issue of Mental Retardation.

Read "First, Do No Harm—An Argument Against Mandatory High-Stakes Testing for Students with Intellectual Disabilities" at http://www.aamr.org/Reading_Room/pdf/MRAug05highstakes.pdf

SUPPORTS INTENSITY SCALE TRAINING LAUNCHED
The American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) will have available shortly, a cadre of professional trainers for organizations, states, agencies, and counties to learn how to implement the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS). The first SIS Train the Trainer session was held in Baltimore in June. "Good training is key to the successful implementation of SIS" says Bruce Appelgren, Director of Publications at AAMR. SIS is a planning tool that calls for a new, positive approach to supporting persons with intellectual disabilities.org

Read more at http://www.siswebsite.org/page.ww?section=News&name=
Press+Release+Detail&pressrelease.id=7

Learn more about the Supports Intensity Scale at www.siswebsite.org

Questions? Email books@aamr.org


WALES STUDY PROVIDES INSIGHTS INTO ABUSE AMONG PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
A study conducted by the University of Glamorgan in Wales looked at whether best practices were evident in preventing abuse of people with intellectual disabilities. Some findings and implications cut across geographic boundaries. The report and recommendations made within are also available in an easy-to-read format written with the help of persons with intellectual disabilities.

Read a summary report of "Abuse of People with Learning Disabilities: Policy, Practice and Educational Implications in Wales" at http://www.aamr.org/Reading_Room/pdf/AbuseWales.pdf.

To access the report in an easy-to-read format, visit http://www.aamr.org/Reading_Room/pdf/AbuseWaleseasyformat.pdf


SOCIAL INCLUSION, ARE WE THERE YET? PRESENT YOUR THOUGHTS AT AN INTERNATIONAL SUMMIT IN MONTREAL IN 2006
The International Alliance for Social Inclusion Summit has issued a call for papers, deadline for which is October 17, 2005. The Summit is being organized in Montreal from May 2-5, 2006 by international organizations including, the World Health Organization, Inclusion International, and the American Association on Mental Retardation.

Learn more and download application forms at http://www.aamr.org/Events/call_for_papers.shtml


NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR U.S. BASED HEALTH RESEARCHERS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
The National Institutes of Health is providing funding to U.S. based researchers from developing countries to apply state-of-the-art knowledge to advance critical global health issues in their home country. The anticipated number of awards is ten to fifteen and the total amount to be awarded is $500,000. Find out more at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-05-082.html#SectionIV


INTERFAITH DISABILITY SUMMIT TO BE HELD IN WASHINGTON
A number of faith-based organizations are holding an interfaith disability summit in Washington on September 20. The Interfaith Summit precedes the Alliance for Full Participation meeting, one of the largest disability events held ever from September 21-23 at the Washington Hilton hotel.

To learn more about the Interfaith Summit, visit http://www.aamr.org/Events/2005/interfaith.pdf

To read about the Alliance, visit http://www.allianceforfullparticipation.org/main/

AAMR F.Y.I. is compiled by Anna Prabhala, Editor. Please submit comments, suggestions, tips, and news to annap@aamr.org

Access past issues of AAMR F.Y.I. at www.aamr.org/FYI/. To subscribe, visit http://www.responsetrack.net/aamr/sign_up

© Copyright 2005 American Association on Mental Retardation


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