Here's the latest article from the Special Needs Children site at BellaOnline.com.

Multiple Births and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art60818.asp

Recent discussion of the birth of octuplets to Nadya Suleman has included criticism and negative views of the higher risk of developmental disability and other special needs in 'multiple birth' babies. Families raising children with special needs are distrubed and alarmed by these prejudicial, hateful comments.

Sunday, February 8th was the first installment of the
"How's Your News?" show on MTV
Here is the full episode of this show:
http://www.mtv.com/ontv/see_you_sunday/

Sunday, February 8th was also "Autism Sunday"
advocating for the inclusion of individuals with
autism and families in their faith communities

From Bob at the down-syn list:

There's a preview of the original "How's Your News?" movie on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRtl1dZHpWo

Sprout Film Festival Information:
http://www.gosprout.org/film/sff2009/index.html

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From the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund:
Preserve Funding for Special Education in the Stimulus Bill
The House and Senate have passed economic stimulus bills and now
representatives from each chamber are meeting in conference to work out the
differences in order to present a final bill to President Obama.
While the House and Senate versions of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 allocate about the same amounts for education

-- $13 billion for K-12 special education and $13 billion (House) and
$12.2 billion (Senate) for programs under Title I of the Elementary Schools
Education Act (ESEA), the Senate bill gives with one hand and takes away
with the other:
The Senate version of the stimulus bill allows governors to ask the U.S.
Secretary of Education to waive both the "Maintenance of Effort" and
"Supplement not Supplant" requirements that are usually attached to federal
education funding.
Members of the Conference Committee need to know that it is critical that
they adopt the provisions in the House stimulus bill that protect funding
for special education and general education.

Please Call the Conference Committee Members Today!

Members on the Conference Committee must hear from you. We need to counter
the pressure that governors are putting on Congress to allow more
flexibility with the money meant for kids with disabilities.
The states are receiving very significant funding that will allow them
enough flexibility to save critical programs and save and create jobs.
Please call now. Parents, family members, and advocates can make a
difference in how this bill turns out. Kids with disabilities deserve and
need the additional funds that the House bill guarantees.

The Message:
1. Students with disabilities need the additional $13 billion for special
education in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to be restricted to spending on special education.
2. Do not allow states to supplant state education funds or waive local
maintenance of effort requirements. Honor the current federal educational
funding requirements and adopt the House education policy provisions.
3. Adopt the House language (not the Senate language) about Maintenance of
Effort and Supplement not Supplant in the final legislation that goes to
the President for signature.
The Members of the Conference Committee to Call:
House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA) 202-225-0100
Representative Charlie Rangel (NY) 202-225-4365
Representative David Obey (WI) 202-225-3365
Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) 202-224-3542
Senator Daniel Inouye (HI) 202-224-3934
Senator Max Baucus (MT) 202-224-2651
------------------
Sad News:

Dr. William I. "Bill" Cohen, 62, of Pittsburgh, died of a heart attack
on Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, while in-line skating with friends in Miami,
Fla.
Dr. Cohen was a developmental-behavioral pediatrician at the child development unit and director of the Down Syndrome Center, both located at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
Dr. Cohen was a member of the Clinical Advisory Board of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and the Scientific Advisory Board for the Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation.
Dr. Cohen was co-founder and co-chair of the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group (DSMIG), which produced the seminal healthcare guidelines for all persons with Down Syndrome, ages infant to 18 years old.
He also co-authored the book, "Down Syndrome: Visions for the 21 Century," published in 2002. For all of these visionary efforts, he was given a Clinical Service Award by the NDSS in 2004.
Countless people around the world will miss
his generosity of spirit, unwavering support, unconditional love and
endless lust for life.

Sign Dr. William Cohen's online guestbook at:
<http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/obituaries/?mode=view&obit_id=167043>

<http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/obituaries/?mode=view&obit_id=167043>
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Please visit specialneedschildren.bellaonline.com for even more articles of interest to families raising children with special needs.

Expressing Friendship with Valentines
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art40072.asp

Holiday Party Planning for Support Groups and Classrooms
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art47060.asp

Snapshots and Children with Delayed Language
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art60026.asp

Teaching Handwriting to Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51022.asp

Cutting with Scissors and other Fine Motor Skills
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52119.asp

Teaching Children About Money
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art58960.asp

Teaching Math Skills
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art38411.asp

IEP Preparation - Teacher Support
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art44746.asp

Universal Design for Learning - Access
to General Education Curriculum
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art50363.asp

Mothering Babies with Special Needs
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art50678.asp

Aversive Restraints and Seclusion in School
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art60315.asp

Preparing for Emergencies - Children with Special Needs
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art50320.asp

Homeschooling
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art45894.asp

Severe Weather Events and Children with Special Needs
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48466.asp

Winter Challenges for Children with Special Needs
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art46706.asp

Kawasaki Syndrome
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art60133.asp

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http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=57

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Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!

Pamela Wilson, Special Needs Children Editor
http://specialneedschildren.bellaonline.com