Saturday, March 25, 2017

New Brunswick NEEDS An Adult Autism Center Yesterday!!!



NB needs an adult autism centre. Autism for some is a serious disorder with major challenges. Some adults get sent to Campbellton a small town with a shrinking population on our Northern Border. Some live in hospital wards. 

A centre in Fredericton could provide permanent residential care and treatment for those most in need, in a central location near NB's autism expertise, and oversight and training for a network of group homes with autism trained staff in communities around the province. NB has to stop drinking empty community cliches and start providing real, evidence based facilities with trained staff for all persons in NB with autism who need such accommodation.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Fantastic Speech By Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny - St Patrick Was An Immigrant




Irish PM Enda Kenny did not cower behind a wall. He went to the US and spoke truth to power. The US is a nation of immigrants with many millions of Americans tracing their roots to poverty stricken Irish immigrants who have, with their descendants contributed much to America and the world.

Thank You Taoiseach Kenny!

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Informed Alternatives To The Extreme Inclusion Theme of the UNB Law Equality in Education Symposium



L: Yude  M. Henteleff, C.M., Q.C., L.L.D. (Hon.)     R: Harold L. Doherty 
at the Atlantic Human Rights Centre Inclusion Conference
Crowne Plaza Fredericton-Lord Beaverbrook, June 14, 2012 

In the picture above I had the privilege of standing with Yude M. Henteleff C.M., Q.C., L.L.D. (Hon) at the 2012 Atlantic Human Rights Centre Inclusion Conference Crowne Plaza Fredericton-Lord Beaverbrook.  I thought of Mr. Henteleff as I listened to the speakers at the Equality in Education Symposium on the legal implications of the Moore decision conducted at the UNB Law School.

Although I am a graduate of the UNB Law School, was a speaker at the Atlantic Human Rights Centre Inclusion Conference 5 years ago, participated as the Autism Society New Brunswick representative, and offered a dissenting perspective on inclusion practices in NB, during the MacKay, Ministerial Committee and Porter-Aucoin (NBACL) Inclusion reviews, have written extensively as a dissident critic of Gordon Porter's & NBACL.s extreme everybody in the mainstream classroom philosophy which NB civil servants imbibed for 3 decades and were expressly soaked in by the previous government in an invitees only secretive Inclusion Review at the infamous "Larry's Gulch" , I was not invited to speak at the UNB Law Equality in Education Symposium.


Meeting of Senior Department of Education Officials With Gordon Porter And Other Advocates of Extreme Everyone In the Mainstream Classroom Inclusion June 20, 21, 2012
Information from CANADALAND web site.

I found out about the UNB Law Equality in Education Symposium the morning it was starting and went hastily to offer some questions to the speakers who were primarily on board with NB's extreme inclusion philosophy and listened as the occasional speaker spoke of the accommodation of students like my son who require instruction outside the mainstream classroom using the pejorative term of "segregation".

I offered a detailed description to a speaker who appeared via skype or some such similar program of the harm my son suffered in one of the mainstream classrooms and the lack of such harm and the benefit to him of an alternate learning environment that respected his specific severe autism and cognitive challenges. He referred to my son's experience as anecdotal which technically it is but it is also amply substantiated by school records, evidence spanning his entire school career.

One speaker did address one of the most significant cases in Canadian Jurisprudence in terms of disabilities and education. Lawyer and former Minister of Education Kelly Lamrock gave an excellent presentation on the Moore decision of the Supreme Court of Canada: Moore v. British Columbia (Education),2012 SCC 61, [2012] 3 S.C.R. 360 which was delivered very diplomatically but spoke of a positive right to a meaningful education of students with disabilities.

Another speaker that the UNB Law School might have considered though would have been Mr. Yude Henteleff above who has long been a distinguished advocate for the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada. The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada participated as an intervener in that case. with Mr. Henteleff participating as the volunteer lead counsel on their behalf at each stage of the proceeding. He has delivered an excellent presentation on the decision in the Moore case:


I encourage everyone interested in inclusion and disabilities, including UNB Law Students, Professors and contracted Lecturers and in particular anyone who is interested in looking past NB's borders where the Porter-NBACL extreme all in the classroom philosophy is accepted as gospel to read Mr. Henteleff's analysis of the Moore decision. In the event that they choose not to I offer this very important excerpt:


"By imposing one standard, namely that the fully inclusive classroom meets all needs, academically, physically, socially, emotionally, behaviourally and cognitively of all students with special needs, is the perception that one size fits all. That is not borne out by research or by case law. Such a standard is therefore discriminatory, as was made clear by the SCC in its decisions in Kapp23 Eaton24 , Meiorin25, Grismer26, Mercier27 and most recently Moore28 .  

One of the more comprehensive studies on Inclusion in Canada was conducted by Professor A. Wayne MacKay, Professor of Law of Dalhousie University on behalf of the Government of New Brunswick, titled "Inclusive Education: A Review of programming and Services in New Brunswick" publication date March 15, 200629 . He makes it very clear that flexibility, not simply adherence to dogma, is important in dealing with this issue. He also makes it very clear that a one-size-fits-all approach does not belong in an inclusive education system and that a broad definition of inclusion is an important foundation to any initiative taken in that regard. At pp. 5, 6, 20, 22 and 39 of his report, he makes it clear that integration of every student with special needs in the mainstream classroom is not a universal remedy. "

Ideally I would like to see the UNB Law Equality in Education Symposium continued with a second symposium which brought perspectives other than the extreme beliefs which has been sold as THE ONLY inclusion in NB education circles for years. Such a symposium would be well served to invite Mr. Yenteleff as lead or featured presenter.

In the alternative I hereby humbly offer myself to address any interested staff, speakers or members of the public at a speakers hour if they would accept me as a humble but well informed individual capable of, and willing, to challenge with solid information the monolithic belief system that inclusion means inclusion for all in the mainstream classroom. Far from being inclusive it is exclusive and discriminates against those whose needs may require a learning environment and methods of instruction outside the mainstream classroom.

In any event I sincerely hope that all interested parties read the paper by Yude Henteleff from which I have quoted above and the legal authorities Moore, Eaton and others that he cites therein. I also state that although I was disappointed with the lack of diverse perpective I am glad that the subject of inclusion, education and disabilities was raised for discussion by the UNB Law School.

Saturday, March 11, 2017

New Brunswick Education Exclusion Philosophy



A bite mark on Conor's hand. Conor would bite his hand regularly in the regular classroom. The biting ceased when his learning was provided in quiet locations outside the regular classroom. The bite mark above actually occurred while he was receiving instruction in a small area near an office in High School and the phone rang for a prolonged period because the occupant was absent. The school nurse attributed the bite to an infection. I took him immediately to see our family Doctor who concluded it was not an infection but was a bite mark. The picture above was taken the next day AFTER the swelling had gone down a bit and the individual teeth marks could be seen. Noises including a phone ringing, or the many sounds and other sensory and cognitive challenges of the mainstream classroom can be harmful for some with autism disorders. It is necessary to look at the evidence to see what works for the individual student and not rely on a philosophical belief system. A SIMPLE inclusion philosophy fails to accommodate learning needs of ALL students and results in exclusion of SOME from a true learning experience.

I had the opportunity recently to attend a workshop at the UNB Law School in Fredericton at which speakers commented on inclusive education and disability issues. As a graduate of the UNB Law School I was very disappointed that for the most part the presentations were yet one more obedient salute to NB's extreme "everyone in the mainstream classroom" philosophy, a philosophy described by NBACL icon Gordon Porter as "simple", and which actually excludes some with diverse needs from receiving a safe and meaningful education. For some students their autism disorders are not always simple. I wasn't able to stay for every presentation and it is also possible that I missed a point or two during the full day but I did not hear any single speaker address the need for evidence based approaches to educating children with disabilities. No consideration was shown for those who actually NEED an education outside Gordon Porters mainstream classroom. (An excellent presentation by lawyer and former Education Minister Kelly Lamrock on the implications of the SCC decision in the Moore case hinted at a possible need to re-evaluate possible implications.of that decision for NB education and its inclusion policy)

NB's SIMPLE Inclusion Philosophy

                                


        Gordon Porter leads a session on inclusive education at
             the Greenwood Inn and Suites on Thursday, April 12, 2012 Diane Crocker

The picture by Diane Crocker above and accompanying quotes are from the Newfoundland paper the Western Star article, "Inclusion in the classroom ‘simple,’ says educator", (with highlighting added by me for emphasis-HLD):

"CORNER BROOK — Gordon Porter believes inclusion is the most natural thing in the world. The educator and director of Inclusive Education Initiatives presented a session on inclusive education at the Greenwood Inn and Suites on Thursday. Porter, who is also the editor of the Inclusive Education Canada website inclusive education.ca, spoke to parents, educators and agency professionals who deal with children with special needs at the pre-conference for the Newfoundland and Labrador Association for Community Living Conference taking place in the city today and Saturday. The session was sponsored by the Community Inclusion Initiative. Porter’s session revolved around the theme of parents and teachers working together to make inclusion work.“It means kids go to their neighbourhood schools with kids their own age in regular classes,” said Porter.“If you’re seven years, old you go to the school just down the street. You go in a class with other seven-year-olds, and you’re supported if you have extra needs. “It’s so simple, it’s that simple,” said Porter."


I have often criticized the closed minded thinking of those with good intentions who adhere to the philosophical approach of NB's extreme inclusion as it relates to some with severe autism disorders because it forces them, and some other students, to learn in mainstream classrooms without regard to cognitive, learning and sensory challenges of some students. NB's extreme inclusion policy does not permit a rational, thorough examination of the evidence and consideration of what is needed in terms of the appropriate learning environment for those who may require alternative locations to learn in a safe, humane and effective learning environment. In fact it excludes some from having an appropriate learning experience.

My son Conor's severe autism and related challenges led him to bite his hand every day in the mainstream classroom until he was removed at our request and placed in an empty classroom with a teacher aide and the biting ceased. His self injury was evidence that could not be ignored. Once placed in an alternative location the biting ceased and he was able to learn in an appropriate learning environment for him.


He has been educated in that fashion since then while receiving ample opportunity to participate in appropriate activities eg. swimming, appropriate school trips eg. to an apple orchard, resource centre start, lunch and finish each day. Meeting Conor's individual learning needs outside the mainstream classrooom has not excluded Conor from engaging in activities with other students as shown in the pictures of Conor engaged in school activities such as swimming, visiting apple orchards, running and so on:




Conor about to leave the diving board during a school swim period in Grade 9.
Conor loves the pool and with other students still loves to participate in the school swims.


Conor enjoying a school apple orchard adventure




Above Conor enjoying fun on the run at Leo Hayes High School


Some children have been sent home from NB schools for behavioural challenges after being given various time out options but without consideration being given to a different learning environment on a regular basis. Alternative learning environments to support disability based learning is stigmatized in NB as "segregation" with all the negative implications of the race based segregation that once existed in the United States. Learning in an appropriate learning environment outside the mainstream classroom for some with special needs is NOT akin to race based segregation. Rather it is an ACCOMMODATION of their diverse needs when required outside the regular classroom,

Conor's placement in a so called "segregated" location outside the mainstream classroom happened because of the clear evidence of harm Conor suffered by "inclusion" in a mainstream classroom. Not all cases are so clear but the evidence should be explored in appropriate cases. Students requiring instruction by different methods or in different locations than the mainstream classroom are not always so fortunate. Such accommodation does not equate with racial discrimination and it does NOT preclude participation in other activities with other students. The swim/dive, apple orchard and run activities are all examples of activities taking place at his neighborhood school with other students and he absolutely loves them. Look at his face and tell me, his father, that they don't.

Not all students have been so fortunate. It would be wise for the extreme inclusion advocates in this province to recognize that some, not all perhaps, but some could be accommodated and remain in school by accommodation in the manner my son has been accommodate because his parents were able to fight for that accommodation.

Failure to accommodate the environment based learning challenges of some students with special needs is not inclusion It is the exclusion of an evidence based approach that would further ensure that all students receive an education via the learning method, for some ABA based instruction as one example, necessary for them to learn and to learn in a safe, humane environment

Extreme inclusion for all in Gordon Porter's mainstream classroom vision is not inclusion at all. It is the exclusion of some students with diverse learning needs some of whom, and some of which, have to be accommodated outside the mainstream classroom.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Inconsistent staffing and its impact on service delivery in ASD early-intervention.


 2017 Feb 27;63:18-27. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2017.02.007. [Epub ahead of print]

Author information

  • 1Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Australia. Electronic address: R.Sulek@Griffith.edu.au.
  • 2Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Australia.
  • 3Autism Centre of Excellence, School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University, Australia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Inconsistent staffing (high turnover, casual workforce) is problematic in organisations, with the potential to impact both staff and services provided. Research has primarily focused on the impacts of inconsistent staffing in child welfare and community services with little evidence surrounding their ability to impact the outcomes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders attending early-intervention services.

AIM:

The aim of this study was to explore staff views regarding the impact of staff turnover on the delivery of group based early intervention for children with ASD.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES:

We conducted five focus groups involving 29 professional (e.g. teachers, behaviour therapists), para-professional (e.g. child care workers), and managerial staff to explore their views. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim for use in thematic analysis.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS:

Two central themes, comprising five categories emerged to encompass participants' views. "Impacts on Staff" accounted for the challenges existing staff felt when working with new and untrained staff in the centre. Participants also expressed concerns for the "Impacts on Service Delivery" that resulted from dynamic staffing, affecting fidelity of interventions and the program itself.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:

The findings suggest that lacking a consistent staffing structure is problematic when attempting to provide high quality early intervention services to children with ASD and suggest that future research should investigate the extent of inconsistent staffing, impacts of inconsistent staffing on providing intervention, and develop a range of tools to help measure these effects.

KEYWORDS:

Autism; Early intervention; Inconsistent staffing; Staff turnover
PMID:
 
28254668
 
DOI:
 
10.1016/j.ridd.2017.02.007







Thursday, March 2, 2017

Fredericton's Autism Expertise No. 3: NB Autism Expert Paul McDonnell Ph.D.


Another source of Fredericton's autism expertise is New Brunswick autism expert Paul McDonnell Ph. D. professor emeritus (Psychology, UNB).  As the CBC interview from 2010 indicates he is a fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association, a founding member of the Canadian Autism Intervention Research Network and was a consultant to the UNB autism intervention training program since its inception.   Paul McDonnell also established a clinical autism practice in Fredericton: McDonnell, Cartwright & Associates

In addition to being an academic and practicing psychologist and a consultant in the establishment of autism intervention programs Paul McDonnell played a key role in providing guidance to autism parents, community and government leaders about the key concept of evidence based approaches to treating autism.  He appeared before interested groups in the Fredericton area where he gave demonstrations of the effectiveness of Applied Behaviour Analysis which has for decades been the primary evidence based intervention for treating and managing autism disorder challenges. The demonstrations and information he provided helped guide and motivate many parents including me to advocate for evidence based autism services with NB government officials.  The evidence based approach was a key element of the autism service successes enjoyed in our advocacy, during the years of the Bernard Lord and Shawn Graham governments.

In the 2010 CBC interview McDonnell drew the attention of the NB public to further needs particularly the need for autism specific adult services.  McDonnell proposed an autism network with group homes in communities around the province organized around an autism centre:

Paul McDonnell, September, 2010

"Our greatest need at present is to develop services for adolescents and adults. What is needed is a range of residential and non-residential services and these services need to be staffed with behaviourally trained supervisors and therapists. In the past we have had the sad spectacle of individuals with autism being sent off to institutional settings such as the Campbellton psychiatric hospital, hospital wards, prisons, and even out of the country at enormous expense and without any gains to the individual, the family or the community.

We need an enhanced group home system throughout the province in which homes would be linked directly to a major centre that could provide ongoing training, leadership and supervisionThat major centre could also provide services for those who are mildly affected as well as permanent residential care and treatment for the most severely affected.  Such a secure centre would not be based on a traditional "hospital" model but should, itself, be integrated into the community in a dynamic manner, possibly as part of a private residential development.The focus must be on education, positive living experiences, and individualized curricula. The key to success is properly trained professionals and staff."  

(Bold highlighting added - HLD)

Little interest in provision of autism specific adult services to address the adult autism services needs described by Professor McDonnell until Cathy Rogers was named as the Minister of Social Development in the Gallant government. Rogers appeared to show genuine interest in addressing these needs in a meeting between her with her senior advisers in attendance and McDonnell with myself and fellow parent autism Cynthia Bartlett on July 14, 2015.  In the meeting with Cathy Rogers Paul McDonnell provided provided a paper which elaborated on the autism network he had commented on in the 2010 CBC interview. Unfortunately Rogers was moved out of the position in a Liberal government cabinet shuffle less than a year later in early June, 2016.

Cathy Rogers was replaced as Minister of Social Development by former Minister of Justice and Public Safety Stephen Horsman and the newly named   Department of  Families  and Children as reported on CBCNB: Unfortunately in a meeting I had requested with Minister Horsman, and in subsequent correspondence, he has shown no interest in addressing the needs of autistic adults in NB. Horsman made it clear that, in his view, sending adults with severe autism from the south of the province where the overwhelming bulk of people including families reside  to NB's northern border far from most families (and the growing Fredericton autism expertise) to the  Restigouche Psychiatric Hospital in Campbellton a small community with a declining population:" is fine.  

Northern New Brunswick sees continued exodus, census shows


"The city of Campbellton took one of the biggest hits, losing 502 people, coming in at 6,883, compared with 7,385 in 2011, a 6.8 per cent decrease.
Dalhousie saw fewer people leave than Campbellton, at 386, but experienced one of the biggest percentage drops. The town's population was cut to 3,126, a decrease of 11 per cent."
Despite the lack of interest in evidence based, autism specific adult training, supervision and care shown by NB governments, and Minister Horsman in particular, NB autism expert Paul McDonnell has pressed on in his efforts to educate the public and governments about the need for  decent, humane care and services for  NB's autistic adult population and possible solutions.  To that end he is bringing an autism expert from the US, Dr. Gregory MacDuff, to speak during a 2 day session in May. Hopefully the current and future governments will acquire knowledge and understanding of,  and begin to address the needs and required services of, NB autistic adults with autism.