Futurity Minnesota Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities Report to Congress: Number of Students with Disabilities in Regular Classrooms Increases The number of students with disabilities attending school. in regular classrooms increased 6.1 percent between the 1985-86 and 1989-90 school years to nearly 1.6 million, reported the U.S. Department of Education in its Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. These students represent one-third of nearly 5 million children with disabilities receiving special education and related services that year. The two-thirds students with disabilities who were not in regular classrooms were in resource rooms (35 percent), special classes (25 percent), special schools (5 percent), residential facilities (0.8 percent) and homes or hospitals (0.7 percent). Other report findings included: While more that 78 percent of the students with speech or language impairments attend regular classrooms, only 7 percent of students with mental retardation do. " o States still experience significant shortages of personnel to serve young children with disabilities, saying they need an average of one additional teacher for every 6 currently employed.. o Within 3-5 years after high school, 20 percent of students with disabilities are functioning independently in living arrangements, social relationships and work. Another 43 percent operate independently in at least 2 of these categories. However, many work at relatively low-skill, low-paying jobs. A limited number of free copies of the report are available: Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 3532 Switzer Building, U.S. Department of Education, 330 C! Street, SW, Washington, DC 20202. For Your Information: As per a request from Ms. Julie Beckett, the Katie Beckett waiver- will now be known as the "Deeming Waiver. " Source Education Update' Continuing Education Tool of Arc/Georgia and PEP. June 1993-January 1994, 'p. 14.] February" 1994 Council Member, Pat Burns, Killed. in Air Disaster On December 1, 1993, on her return home to Grand Rapids after attending a meeting" `of the Minnesota Governor's `-/ ` Planning "Council on Developmental Disabilities, Patricia A. Bums was killed in a plane crash near the Chisholm/Hibbing Airport. , Pat was an advocate on behalf of people with epilepsy, serving as the community outreach coordinator for the Epilepsy Foundation of'; Minnesota--North Central Office. Pat participated in Partners in Policymaking training in 1990-1991. Her accomplishments and contributions to her community were many: she served as a citizen advocacy coordinator for the Head Injury Association, served on the Board of Advocates Against Domestic Abuse, worked as a volunteer - with First Call For Help, and was a member of the United Way of 1,000 Lakes Speakers Bureau. Pat's participation on the Council will be greatly missed. Our gratitude for knowing Pat and our condolences are extended to those who were close to Pat, particularly her husband Gray, her daughters Cathy and Cheryl, and her grandson Jason. ~Inside This Issue; Confronting Fetal Alcohol Sydrome o Inclusive Schools o National Center on Home of Your Own' National Home of Your Own Alliance Established The Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Department of Health arid Human Services, Washington, D. C., recently awarded a five-year cooperative . agreement with the University of New Hampshire to promote person-owned and controlled housing and support for - people with disabilities throughout the - United States. The establishment of the ~ National Home of Your Own Alliance at the University of New Hampshire is a collaborative effort with North Carolina University's Center for Accessible Housing, .Temple University, ad the United Cerebral Palsy Associations. The Alliance will work to facilitate ` broad-based systems change at state and national levels, partnerships between public and private agencies and foundations concerned with housing, and significant increases in person controlled and owned housing for people with disabilities. "Like most adults, people with develop- mental disabilities typically want and need their own home where they. can be themselves and make choices about what they do, when, and with whom, " said . Jay Klein, project coordinator. For further information, contact: Institute on Disability, Heidelberg Harris Building, 125 Technology Drive, Durham, New .Hampshire 03824-4724. 603/862-Q550. Funds Available to Serve Victims of Crimes More than one million dollars ;S available through the Minnesota Department of Corrections for community programs to serve battered women, abused children, and victims of sexual assault or other crimes.. Nonprofit or Local government agencies can apply for grants for the twelve-month period beginning July 1, 1994. Range of awards: $27,M)0 to $35,000. Funded programs will be eligible to apply in 1995. Application deadline: March 11, `1994. Contact: Margaret..Miller, Department of Corrections, `Victim Services Unit, 300 Bigelow Bldg, 450 North Syndicate Street, St. Paul, MN 55104. 612/642-0251, or 1-800-657-3679. It's -Time for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome to Come Out of the Closet by Evy Ahlberg . Society must confront Fetal Alcohol,, Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) so that the connection to everyday life can be understood by everyone. This has to happen so that prevention efforts can move forward with more conviction and so that understanding and help for persons already born affected can be more appropriate and widespread. There is also a need for a definition of fetal alcohol exposure that takes into account the broad range of expression which is seen as a result of that exposure~ , Persons with FAEWe at the greatest psycho-social risk because they don't usually have. any noticeable physical characteristics. They we less likely @ k identified, and if they are it may" come to o Me. Meanwhile their behaviors are viewed as -willful and' 'they and their parents get blamed instead of helped. o Conservative national estimates suggest that one out of 350 births in the united states result in fetal alcohol effects FAE). Prenatal alcohol exposure has been associated with low birthweight, increased infant mortality and increased birth anomalies. Research and clinicians suggest little has been done to intervene, treat, and prevent problems associated with fetal alcohol exposure due to the significant role alcohol plays in society, ` past and present. Yet, we know that continued heavy use, binge drinking and drinking two drinks a day during pregnancy, can cause permanent . irreversible problems over the course of the exposed person's lifetime. FAS and FAE are entirely "preventable. It is also time we start to work on our denial surrounding alcohol use so we can make connections and talk about identification and diagnosis. Where a diagnosis is not possible, due to lack of a history, then we can talk about possibilities of "organicity" and proceed with "what if?" A diagnosis or identification of fetal alcohol exposure is a beginning. It is a beginning for learning more about exposure and what that can do. These first steps will lead toward greater understanding and better solutions by caregivers, teachers, educational planners, social service personnel) physical and mental health care providers, law enforcement agents, and employers" in particular and everyone else in general. There will also be a greater potential for the - affected person to fare better with enhanced self-knowledge (they have a problem, they're not the problem.) After understanding and awareness comes different solutions and hope. Important first steps have already been made in Minnesota. The Minnesota Consortium on Fetal Alcohol Exposure is a group of concerned parents and professionals who have been meeting for over a year. The consortium is aimed at helping parents and professionals find help for individuals, . families, and school problems related to prenatal exposure to chemicals. The Consortium meets monthly in the Twin City area with its next meeting . scheduled for February 28, 1994, and March 28, 1994. people are. encouraged to attend. Contact the office listed at the end of this article for more information. The Consortium publishes a newsletter: Voices: Creating Pathways of Hope. . .a fetal alcohol exposure newsletter (December 1993). Subscription cost: $10.00. Contact: Minnesota Consortium on Fetal Alcohol Exposure, c/ o 1205 6th Street, NE, Minneapolis; MN 55413. 612/378-1777" ~ [Consortium member Evy Ahlberg is a nurse from Minneapolis.] ) .- Inclusive School Communities in Minnesota The features on this page are contributed by the "Together We're Better Program", a collaborative program of the Institute on Community Integration (University of Minnesota) and the Minnesota Department of Education. The Institute on Community Integration serves as Minnesota's approved University Affiliated program, funded in part by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Washington, D.C. A Story of Success! by Connie Kotonias (Micky's Mom) ,. At age 14, Micky has undergone a major life transition to the Lincoln Junior High School in Hibbing. As I braced myself for this change, I imagined the worst possible scenarios. . but, much to my delight, the school year started out smoothly. We were very fortunate to have a pupil support assistant who had previously worked with Micky. The staff had done their homework and the basic components were in place and ready. Through the 5th and 6th grades Mickey was fully included in regular education classes with her typical classmates. The challenge of educating a student with multiple disabilities in an inclusive model was new for the junior high staff. Students We Micky were previously educated in another town and were never really known in their own communities. Understanding our commitment to inclusion, the staff began putting together a. program that would meet Micky's individual needs while valuing our philosophy of inclusion. Why was Micky's transition to junior high a success? Certainly it helped to have some ,consistency, such as her pupil support assistant and friends. Then, there was a collaborative team process that included parents and a willing attitude by everyone that, "We can do it!" We had the support of the school principal. Most of all, the team valued Micky's unique communication style, and they took the time to listen to her dreams and desires for herself. Our enthusiasm contagious, for Micky is challenged to attain a heightened level of expectations from others and from herself. Instead of a time of change and turmoil we have been truly excited to be involved in a positive, productive effort to develop a plan that builds on Micky's abilities. The future seems a little brighter and everything is possible with the support of a fine team of regular and special educators. Publications Creating .Inclusive School Communities... a learning series for people working together for educational change, 1993. This longitudinal staff development series "was designed to guide small groups of people in learning about the whys and hews of creating and inclusive school community. The laming sessions are designed to be both interactive and reflective with a proactive change emphasis. Five topics were identified as priorities for this learning series. Each topic is organized into a learning module that consists of a Facilitator Guide; a Participant Guide (to be copied for each participant); and paper copies for making transparencies.. ~ o "Module 1: A shared agenda for general and special educators, establishes a foundation for understanding, and is a prerequisite for Modules 2-5 (one 3-hour session). $10.00. - .\ Module 2: Curriculum as everything students learn in school (five 1.5-3 hour session). $20.00 . Module 3: Classmates learning to be members of caring communities (one 2-3 hour session). $10.00. Module 4: Adults working and learning together on collaborative teams (two 3.'5 hour sessions). $15.00. Contact: Publications office, Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, 109 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. 612/624-4512. Learning From One Another [Setting: A Second Grade Classroom in Minnesota] Two of Steve's friends were helping him take ,off his. boots and put on his shoes. Steve, who does not speak, kept kicking them off. After - awhile his friends became-frustrated and went to the teacher and said, `Mr. T., Steve keeps kicking off his shoes. No matter what we say he won't keep them on. Mr. T. went to Steve and repeated the effort to put Steve's shoes on, accompanied with a stem, `Steve, you have to keep your "shoes on. " Mr;T. put them on. Steve kicked them off again. - `" Mr. T. looked at the shoes again, and to his " surprise everyone was trying to put them on @e wrong feet! Mr. T., Steve, and his friends broke down and laughed. Mr. T. said to Steve, "Hey you were right Steve, they were ` on the wrong feet! Steve gave one of his delightful smiles. " Anonymous Contributor Events March 18, 1994 (9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.) " `Building Bridges by pushing Down Walls will feature Reed Martin who will talk about . the future of special education. Location: Holiday Inn, 1000 Gramsie Road, ShoreView, .- MN. Contact: Lory Perryrman, Learning Disabilities of Minnesota, 400 Selby Avenue, Suite D, St. Paul, MN 55102-4508. 612/222- 2696, ext. 105, or 1-800-488-4395, toll-free. March 19, 1994 Strategies for Success Workshop will he held at the Earle Browm Center, University of Minnesota--St. Paul Campus, sponsored by the Association for Childhood Education International--Minnesota Branch. Contact: M.J. Savaiano, 612/825-5409 or Marybeth Doyle, 612/624-0871. April 1-2, 1994 ` Regional Paraprofessional Conference will be held- at Mankato, presented by Mankato State University and the Statewide Paraprofessional ~and Direct Service Staff Task Force. Contact Bob Miller, 507/389-5653. . Mark Your Calendar May 24)-21, 1994: The 1994 Self-Advocacy Conference will be held, at the Radisson Hotel Metrodome, 615 Washington Avenue, SE, Minneapolis. Contact: Ronald Kaliszewaki, Coordinator, 309 West Floral Drive, . . Shoreview, MN 55126-2307. 612/484-7360. Lending Library The following resources are available on 1-; publication for three weeks; videotapes (VHS 1/2" cassette for `Two weeks the only cost to the ; borrower is the return postage. Publications: 1) Literacy and Inclusion." Conference Proceedings of "You Will Only Learn What You Already Know" (January, 1991), Inclusion Press. This booklet summarizes presentation by John McKnight, NW University, Evanston, IL, on meaning of community, inclusion, and empowerment. 2) Don't Pass Me By: Writings from the Street, Collected by Gary O. Bunch, Inclusion Press (1991). This booklet share-s success stories about "Beat the Street, " a literacy approach by and for people who live on the streets, and how after Learning to read become contributing members. Videotape: Early Childhood: A Policy of Inclusive Education (23 minutes), Minnesota Department of Education, 1992. Examples from several schools in Minnesota illustrate the positive impacts made in the lives of children and their families through a policy of inclusiveness. Videotape (Two productions on one `cassette): 1) Supported Employment: More Than Just a Job ((27 minutes), stories about "real working New Hampshire; and 2) A Waiting Workforce: Ready, Willing and Disabled (26 minutes), Vocational Education, Ohio State University, emphasizes an untapped national resource and the potential of people with disabilities in the labor force. Who Pays? Financial Resources Conferences Scheduled Regional conferences will be held throughout the state to describe and update information about financial resources for individuals with special needs and their families. The primary objective are to explore private and public resources and services, eligibility criteria, and strategies to access such resources and services. . All sessions are scheduled between 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. CM the following numbers to request more information about your area: February 7, 1994 February 8, 1994 February 17, 1994 March 8, 1994 & March 23, 1994 March 29, 1994 April 1, 1994 April 12, 1994 April 20, 1994 St. Paul 612&43-3490 Minneapolis 612-643-3490 Alexandria 218-739-7585 Rochester " .$07-285-7289 Hibbing 218-749-7701 St. cloud 612-255-4216 Bemidji ,2 N3-755~172 North Mankato 507-389-2501 Marshall 507-537-7162 - Sponsors: Regional Interagency Systems change Project (RISC); A System of Technology to Achieve Results (STAR); and Minnesota Children with Special Health Needs (MCSHN). Council Publications in Alternative Formats Please tell your friends and colleagues who do not read print that several publications by the Minnesota Governor's Planning Council. are now available in other formats, such as: 1) Futurity, on audiocassette and is available through DRAGnet and Children, Youth, and Family Consortium Clearinghouse (electronic bulletin boards); 2) Minnesotans Speak Out, Summa q of Town Meetings, audio cassette; 3) Shifting Patterns, publication in Braille and on audio cassette; and videotape with closed captions. See return address and telephones, below. 4) It's Never To o Early, It's Never To o Lute, videotape, is available with closed captions. # Bulk Rate U.S. Postage Paid DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION ~ Governor's Planning Council on Permit No. 171 St., Paul, MN Developmental Disabilities 300 Centennial Office Building 658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55155 Roger Strand, Editor J 612/296-4018 (Voice) 612/296-9962 (TDD) - 612/297-7200 (FAX TIME DATED MATERIAL /,. Futurity March 1991 Minnesota Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities . Vermont Closes Brandon Training School On November 17, 1993, the last Two residents of Brandon Training School (BTS) moved m their new homes in the community and Vermont became the second state operating, without a large public facility for people with developmental disabilities. Brandon Training School had been established as the "Vermont State School for Feeble Minded Children" in 1915. During the 1960s its population was 650 individuals. By 1982, BTS' census declined to 326 and continued to drop throughout that decade. According to Vermont officials, the closure of BTS is "the culmination of policy decisions made in the early 1980s to strengthen and expand the capacity of agencies to support people in local communities. " In June 1991, State officials decided to close BTS by November 1993, under a plan to create "a unified mental retardation system where no person has to living in an institution to receive the support and care s/h~ needs, " Over the following 29 months BTS residents left the facility for community" living arrangements, Vermont is now relying exclusively on its network of private, "non-profit community agencies to support people with mental retardation, making it the first state to have completely privatized the operation of publicly. funded services. In order to achieve a totally community-centered service delivery system, the Vermont Division of Mental Retardation has launched a number of initiatives aimed at strengthening and expanding crisis support services throughout the State as well as expanding personnel training efforts and the availability of family and in-home supports o ~ [Source: The Community Service Reporter, National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, Vol. 1, No. 1, January 1994.] Americans with Disabilities -Act Resource Center Available Minnesota is one of six states. included in the Great Lakes Disability and Technical Assistance Center, which provides Americans with Disabilities Act-related services including training, technical assistance, materials and a referral network. Coordination within states is through a steering committee, which in Minnesota is made up of 18 members. During the past year, the resource center has established a library network and information sharing via computer bulletin board. Topic specific video conferences are being planned which will utilize the satellite technical college network. For additional information about the ADA or the services of this ADA resource center, call: 1-800-949-4232 (voice and TDD). [Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Central Standard Time.] \ Risk Taking Is Free To laugh is to risk appearing the fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. TO reach. out? for another is to risk involvement. To expose feeling is to risk exposing your true self To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd is to risk their loss. To love is to risk nor being, loved in return. To live is to risk dying. To hope is to risk despair: To try is to risk failure. But the risk must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. A person who risks nothing, . does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing. They may avoid suffering and sorrow, bur [hey simply cannot [