The Desktop Desk helped a California student with DMD finish school despite diminished hand and arm strength
posted on October 1, 2011 - 8:15am
David Davison is a friendly, outgoing young man who loved attending school. But last year, as David’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy progressed, his arm and hand strength decreased to the point where he could no longer participate in many classroom activities.
Then one day, David’s special education class at Placer High School in Auburn, Calif., received a gift from a local service club: a new...
posted on March 31, 2011 - 10:35am
Looking for help as you prepare to meet with your child’s school about individual education plans (IEPs) or 504 Plans, both of which provide accommodations for students with disabilities? Well, you've come to the right place. The following list of IEP and 504 plan resources will help you get started and moving in the right direction.
If you can't print this list, contact your local MDA office to...
The PACER Center reviews several e-readers
posted on March 31, 2010 - 5:49pm
For people with reading-related disabilities, e-book readers can provide easy access to a world of literature and information. These portable devices store and read electronic books, and their accessibility features can include text-to-speech, audio-supported navigation, and enlarged print. Not all the devices offer all those features, however, so consumers need to shop carefully to find the e-...
posted on March 31, 2010 - 11:42am
Remember your elementary and middle school years? How often did adults ask you what you wanted to be when you grew up or where you wanted to go to college? These early educational years are the perfect time to plant seeds of self-purpose and self-advocacy.
Even freshman orientation is more complicated for students with muscle diseases — and their parents
posted on July 1, 2009 - 2:52pm
Imagine 800 middle school students arriving for freshman orientation at Trabuco Hills High School in Southern California.
All students are taking their first steps onto a campus four times the size of their current school, complete with swimming pool, tennis courts, a school store, vending machines and a gym with real wood flooring.
posted on July 1, 2009 - 2:34pm
Who doesn’t love recess? Remember those school days … you sat at your desk with your feet dangling from your chair, dreaming of the moment when the teacher would let you and your friends go to recess? Rain or shine, you got a well-deserved break from your daily routine, and you made the most of every second of it.
posted on April 1, 2009 - 3:08pm
Some students with muscle diseases have IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) and some have 504 plans. What’s the difference? Should parents be concerned if the school says their child doesn’t qualify for an IEP, and creates a 504 plan instead — or vice versa?
Not necessarily. As the accompanying chart and diagram shows, there’s a lot of overlap between the two plans. The key is for parents to be...
