INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL CENTERS A national network of fourteen Instructional Material Centers for handicapped children has been established by the Division of Research, Bureau of Education for the Handicapped, U.S. Office of Education. They collect instructional materials and aids such as Braille books, test kits, tapes, and recording devices. The Centers also engage in research and development aimed at devising improved teaching materials for the handicapped. Institutes and workshops are held at the Centers to familiarize teachers with the use of special educational materials. Handicapped children and youth served by the Centers include the mentally retarded, seriously emotionally disturbed, crippled, speech-impaired, hard of hearing, deaf, and visually handicapped. The Centers and Center Directors are listed below. CENTER-DIRECTOR AND REGION SERVED 1. Michigan State University, Room 216 Erickson Hall, East Lansing, Mich. 48823; director Mrs. Lou Alonso; phone 517/353-7810; Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. 2. University of Wisconsin, 2570 University Avenue, Madison, Wis. 53706; director Dr. LeRoy Aserlind; phone 608/262-4910; Wisconsin and Minnesota. 3. American Printing House for the Blind, 1839 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, Ky. 40206; director Mr. Carl Lappin; phone 502/895-2405 ext. 20; National. 4. Colorado State College, Greeley, Colo. 80631; director Dr. William Reid; phone 303/351-2681; Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Utah. 5. Department of Special Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction, 726 South College, Springfield, Ill. 62706; directors Mrs. Lenore Powell; phone 217/525-2436; and Mrs. Gloria Calovini, 410 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Ill. 60615; phone 312/427-3387; Illinois. 6. University of Texas, 304 West 15th Street, Austin, Tex. 78701; directors Dr. William Wolfe, Dr. Claude Marks; phone 512/GR1-3146; Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. 7. University of South Florida, Tampa, Fla. 33620; director Dr. Marvin Gold; phone 813/988-4131; Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina. 8. University of Oregon, 1612 Columbia Street, Eugene, Oreg. 97403; director Dr. Wayne Lance; phone 503/342-1411, ext. 2021; Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, and Washington. 9. University of Kentucky, 641 S. Limestone Street, Lexington, Ky. 40506; director Dr. Edward Blackhurst: phone 606/258-9000, ext. 2764; Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and West Virginia. 10. University of Southern California, School of Education, 17 Chester Place, Los Angeles, Calif. 90007; director Dr. Robert McIntyre; phone 213/749-3121; California, Nevada, and Arizona. 11. Boston University, School of Education, 765 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Mass. 02215; directors Dr. Donald Maietta and Dr. Harold Ruvin; phone 617/353-3266; Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Rhode Island. 12. George Washington University, Department of Special Education, 820 20th Street, NW., Washington, D.C. 20006; director Dr. Raymond Cottrell; phone 202/676-7200; District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. 13. University of Kansas, School of Education, Lawrence, Kan. 66044; director Dr. Robert Ridgeway; phone 913/UN4-3034; Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. 14. New York State Department of Education, Bureau for Physically Handicapped Children, Albany, N. Y. 12201; director Mr. Raphael Simches, phone 518/474-3995; New York State. NEW AND EXPANDED PROGRAMS FOR EDUCATION OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AUTHORIZED IN 1967 . a promise of a richer future for these handicapped youngsters and new hope for their parents."Harold Howe II, U.S. Commissioner of Education, January 12, 1968. NEW AND EXPANDED PROGRAMS FOR EDUCATION OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AUTHORIZED IN 1967 New legislation passed by the 90th Congress will provide more and better educational services to handicapped children, their parents and teachers as a result of amendments to Title VI, "Education of Handicapped Children," of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and key changes in Titles I and III of the Act, which will increase the participation of handicapped children in these programs. The new programs, or major expansions of existing programs under Title VI will increase research and demonstration activities, bring services to deaf-blind children, assist school systems in beginning new programs and in planning educational strategies through new regional resource centers. This legislation will also provide instructional materials specifically designed for children with sensory, emotional and intellectual disabilities. New recruitment and information dissemination activities will attract more teachers and related specialists to the field of special education for the handicapped. Following is a description of the new facilities and services which will become available under the new provisions: REGIONAL RESOURCE CENTERS Regional Resource Centers will provide teachers and other school personnel with educational evaluation and assistance in developing specific eductional strategies. In addition to providing direct services to the children, parents, and teachers involved, the Centers will function to disseminate modern educational approaches. Schools that do not have special programs for the handicapped (about one-half the Nation's school districts) will now receive assistance to develop special education programs. Appropriations authorized for this program amount to $7.5 million for fiscal year 1968. For fiscal year 1969, $7.75 million has been authorized, and for fiscal year 1970, $10 million has been authorized. CENTERS AND SERVICES FOR DEAF-BLIND CHILDREN This program provides a major breakthrough in response to the needs of thousands of children affected by the rubella epidemic of several years ago, which resulted in approximately 20,000 to 30,000 babies being born with one or more handicapping conditions. It pro vides for the establishment and operation of Centers for deaf-blind children. The Centers will provide comprehensive diagnostic and evaluation services; programs for education, orientation and adjustment; and consultative services for parents, teachers, and others working with the deaf-blind. In addition, where appropriate, Centers will include programs for training teachers and related specialists, and research and demonstration programs. The bill authorized an appropriation of $1 million for fiscal year 1968, $3 million for fiscal year 1969, and $7 million for fiscal year 1970. RECRUITMENT OF PERSONNEL AND INFORMATION ON EDUCATION OF THE HANDICAPPED Under this program grants or contracts may be authorized to improve recruiting of educational personnel and dissemination of information concerning educational opportunities for the handicapped. Grants or contracts may be made to public or nonprofit private agencies, organizations, or institutions. This program is intended to encourage students and professional personnel to work in various fields of education of handicapped children through developing and distributing imaginative or innovative materials, to assist in recruiting personnel for such careers, or publicizing existing forms of financial aid which might enable students to pursue such careers. The information program is intended to disseminate information about programs, services, and resources for the education of handicapped children and to provide referral services for teachers, parents, and others interested in the handicapped. Authorized appropriation for this program is $1 million for fiscal year ending June 30, 1968, and for each of the two succeeding fiscal years. EXPANSION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE ALL HANDICAPPED CHILDREN This provision extends the existing Captioned Films program of the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped which was formerly limited to the deaf. This new provision will permit the execution of research in the use of educational media for children with all types of handicaps, and the production and distribituon of educational media for the use of children, their parents, and other persons directly involved in work for the advancement of the handicapped. In addition, the program can support training of persons in the use of educational media for the instruction of the handicapped. Under this program, the handicapped are defined as deaf, hard of hearing, mentally retarded, speech impaired, visually handicapped, seriously emotionally disturbed, crippled, or other health impaired persons. The authorization for this program was $8 million for fiscal year 1968, $8 million for fiscal year 1969, and $10 million for fiscal year 1970, and each succeeding fiscal year thereafter. TITLE I FUNDS FOR CHILDREN IN INSTITUTIONS FOR THE HANDICAPPED The formula for support of educational activities for children in State-operated or supported institutions for the handicapped has been amended to provide increased support for this program commonly called the P.L. 89-313 program for the handicapped. Under the new law, State agencies will receive a maximum grant for the children they are educating through State-operated or supported schools. In fiscal year 1968, this amendment will provide approximately $9 million in additional funds for new personnel, instructional materials, and other programs which reach into the State schools to aid the retarded, emotionally disturbed, deaf, etc., and bring education and hope to the children in these schools. EARMARKING TITLE III OF ESEA A major source of new support for innovation and for implementation of the newest in educational methodology related to education of the handicapped has been made available by specifying that 15 percent of the funds of Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act be used for these purposes. This provision, which becomes effective July 1, 1968, is expected to provide approximately $30 million for that year on projects which will help bridge the gap between research findings and everyday classroom activities. A change in the basic formula of Title III, effective in fiscal year 1969, will assign 75% of the appropriations for Title III to the States under a State plan formula. Twenty-five percent will be reserved for projects approved by the Commissioner of Education. The funds reserved for the Commissioner will be available in fiscal year 1969, for the support of new awards. In fiscal year 1970, funds reserved for the Commissioner will be used only to support the continuation costs of previously awarded projects. The intent of the new formula is to transfer control of approval for all projects to the States. The 15% of the funds "earmarked" for the handicapped will apply to both the funds reserved to the States and those to the Commissioner. SCHOOLS FOR INDIAN CHILDREN OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNDER TITLE VI The Act authorizes participation of children on Indian reservations, serviced by schools operated by the Department of Interior, in its grants-to-States program for improvement of education of the handicapped. RESEARCH IN EDUCATION OF THE HANDICAPPED The program for research and related purposes in education of the handicapped was extended and expanded to include authority to conduct research, and to award contracts for research, in addition to the grants which previously have been awarded. An intramural research program will be developed to support and complement the broader extramural program. The program will be designed to assure optimum utilization of funds; to study methods of improving the administration of the extramural program; to conduct or arrange for specific research activities and surveys which are national in scope; to replicate promising research activities; and to allow staff members to maintain their research skills and pursue individual research interests. The Act authorizes the Commissioner of Education to contract, as well as provide grants to, private educational or research agencies and organizations. This change will allow the research program to take |