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Kids
with Special Needs Focus of NETV and NPRN March
18 Programs and Call-In
State and federal laws mandate that Nebraska's
public schools provide services for children with
"special needs." How are these children
identified? What services and resources are available
to assist them and their families? What happens
when they leave the structure of the school system
and need to transition into life beyond school?
These
and other questions will be explored Thursday,
March 18, on the Nebraska ETV Network and Nebraska
Public Radio Network (NPRN). Nebraska ETV will
present "Nebraska Connects: Special Needs
Kids," a live, one-hour call-in, along with
two related documentaries. NPRN will air a special
report. The programs will raise awareness, answer
concerns and provide information about resources
that are available for children with special needs
and their families.
The
evening begins at 7 p.m. CT (6 MT) with "Lost
Dreams," a Nebraska ETV documentary that
profiled three young people with disabilities
(two with cerebral palsy and one with learning
disabilities). It focused on the day-to-day lives
of three families: Tim and Kathy Peterson of Juniata,
parents of Laura, then a second-grader with cerebral
palsy; Al and Martha Hingst of Lincoln whose son,
Ben Becker, has a learning disability and was
preparing to make the transition from school to
work; and Paul and Janeen Hopgood of Lincoln whose
daughter Sierra lives with cerebral palsy.
The
live call-in "Nebraska Connects: Special
Needs Kids," following at 8 p.m. CT (7 MT),
is divided into two half-hour segments with a
changing panel of local experts in the field of
special needs. The first half-hour focuses on
mild disabilities. A short documentary segment
featuring Bryce Kohl, a seventh grader in Lincoln,
who receives tutoring in reading and other life
skills, introduces the mild disabilities portion
of the program. The second half-hour, on severe
disabilities, begins with a follow-up on one of
the students profiled in the previous program
-- Laura Peterson of Hastings, who today is a
senior at Hastings High School, works part-time
at Burger King, and plays Special Olympics basketball.
A
panel including specialists from the Nebraska
Department of Education, PTI Nebraska (Parent
Training and Information) and the Barkley Memorial
Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will
discuss the topics and respond to viewers questions.
Viewers
may call with questions or comments toll-free
to 1-800-676-5446, or send them via e-mail before
or during the program to neconnects@unl.edu. For
additional information and links to a wide array
of resources visit our program Web site at mynptv.org/ne_connects/special_needs.
A
videotaped version of "Nebraska Connects:
Special Needs Kids" airs on NETV on Tuesday,
March 23, at 9 p.m. CT (8 MT). It repeats on NETV2
on Friday, March 26, at 11 a.m. CT (10 MT) and
4 p.m. CT (3 MT) and on Saturday, March 27, at
11 p.m. CT (10 MT).
Concluding the evening at 9 p.m. CT (8 MT), "Normal
for Us: The Miller Twins " presents the inspiring
story of an extraordinary family. Fritz and Cindy
Miller of Soldotna, Alaska, have five children,
two of whom are quadriplegic twin girls. Their
fierce determination to accommodate their children's
special needs and include them in every activity
leads to unique achievements in the face of enormous
challenges.
As
part of "Nebraska Connects: Special Needs
Kids, " NPRN will report on "18-to-21"
programs in Nebraska (for young people 18 to 21
years of age) that help students with mild and
moderate mental disabilities make the transition
between high school and adult living. Hope Stockwell
will visit such a program in Grand Island, where
participants receive job training at a local hotel
and learn life skills at a training apartment.
The report, to be broadcast Thursday, March 18,
at 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. CT (5:30 and 7:30 MT), also
will examine how rural areas, where 18-to-21 programs
aren't available, help their students make the
transition.
"Nebraska Connects" is a Nebraska ETV
Networks initiative designed to connect viewers
with resources and engage audiences in an ongoing
dialogue about topics of interest to Nebraska's
individuals, businesses, families and communities.
"Lost Dreams," "Nebraska Connects:
Special Needs Kids " and "Normal for
Us: The Miller Twins " are all closed-captioned
for hearing-impaired viewers.
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