http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-982304.mp3
Albany, NY – OPENING BILLBOARD & EDUCATION HEADLINES - Glenn Busby (:45)
NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RESEARCH IN DISABILITIES EDUCATION
PROFILE STORY: JENNIFER -
The U.S. Department of Education has just released its latest data on students with disabilities in higher education.
As of the 2009 academic year, 88% of two and four-year institutions reported enrolling students with disabilities.
Specific learning disabilities were the most common (31%), followed by Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (which were counted separately) at 18%, then mental or psychiatric conditions at 15%. About a tenth of the reported learning disabilities were related to physical health and illness. Students who have trouble seeing accounted for 3%.
The survey also revealed deficits between the needs of students with disabilities and what their colleges are providing. For example, while nearly every college has a main website, only 24% of them said they accommodated disabled users "to a major extent."
About half of institutions cited financial barriers to training faculty and staff to accommodate various disabilities and buying "appropriate technology" for students with impairments.
Our first segment today is a profile of Jennifer. She decided to pursue an advanced degree to study the brain, after her own brain surgery several years ago. Jennifer has a rare form of epilepsy which makes her sensitive to light. She once struggled to stay in school. But minor accommodations have helped her excel.
Allison Dunne reports. (10:06)
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BRAIN READING COMPUTERS LEARN TO DETECT SOME DISABILITIES -
One of the biggest developments of the past decade has been the emergence of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or FMRI. This tool allows researchers and doctors to see patterns of activity inside people's heads.
The idea is to train computers to recognize types of brain activity and say things like, "that's a brain that's reading a sentence", for instance. It may sound a bit like mind-reading, but it could provide educators with critical information.
Radio Netherland's, Laura Durnford, speaks with Dr. Tom Mitchell at Carnegie Mellon University, where he chairs the Machine Learning Department in the School of Computer Science.
Laura Durnford reports. (6:54)
THE ACADEMIC MINUTE
"LEARNING TO READ" -
A new report from the National Center for Learning Disabilities says too few students with learning disabilities graduate from high school. But the report also indicates early intervention strategies appear to be reducing the overall number of students identified as having a learning disability. Given partial credit for that reduction - is an improvement in the way reading is taught.
This week's Academic Minute professor reveals why there's a limited window of opportunity to teach reading comprehension.
Dr. Gary Brannigan is a Professor of Psychology at the State University of New York, College at Plattsburgh.
The Academic Minute is hosted by Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, a celebrated philosopher and medical ethicist, and President of Mount Holyoke College.
Segment Run Time: (2:30)
*(Attention Listeners! For more Academic Minutes, we invite you to visit our archives at: http://www.wamc.org/academic-minute.html .)*
SHOW CLOSE - Glenn Busby. (1:30)