Conference targets achievement gap

Parents of the disabled learn advocacy skills

Keith P. Jones was keynote speaker at the Federation for Children with Special Needs annual conference yesterday. Jones, who has cerebral palsy, has spent years pushing for changes in educational policy and public attitudes toward the disabled. (David Kamerman/Globe Staff)

The blustery, snowy morning didn't prevent more than 850 parents and advocates from gathering at the World Trade Center yesterday for the Federation for Children with Special Needs annual conference. After all, these people are used to overcoming adversity.

"If airports are a microcosm of the challenges we have in society, then we're all doomed," joked keynote speaker and community activist Keith P. Jones after telling a story about trying to fly from Baltimore to Boston with his wheelchair.

Fortunately, things aren't quite that bad. The passage of the Federal No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 launched the age of school accountability and made districts responsible for the educational outcomes of all students, not just those in the mainstream.

Though progress is being made, the achievement gap between students with disabilities and the overall population still exists, state Board of Education Chairman Paul Reville told the group.

"We need to rededicate ourselves to those factors that make a big difference in improving the quality of teaching and learning in our classrooms," said Reville, the father of two daughters with special needs.

But in a time where public dollars are short, parents have to sometimes fight for what their children deserve. And navigating the bureaucracies of specialists and school districts can be a daunting task.

"You're like a deer in headlights at first," said Sudbury mother Carol McCarthy, whose 10-year-old son has a variety of special needs.

That's where the federation comes in. Organized in 1974 as a coalition of parent groups representing children with a variety of disabilities, the advocacy group connects parents with the resources they need and educates them on a variety of issues.

Though the disabilities might differ, the annual conference brings together a population that's facing the same challenges, said Richard J. Robinson, the group's executive director.

"People come here and they network and then they begin to connect," he said. "When you meet someone who truly understands your needs, they're able to empathize . . . . Sometimes, just being heard makes a critical difference."

Three dozen breakout sessions were held over the course of the day, with topics ranging from special education law to techniques to deal with behavioral challenges.

"There's a tremendous amount of information here," said Cathy Tobin, a Milton mother of two children with disabilities. "Even in conversations between the sessions, there's something to be learned."

Though building community was the theme of this year's conference, some say that the general population can also learn from the example set by those with special needs.

For example, the Federation includes people with all types of disabilities because as Robinson said, "It's important to understand the needs of others." Childcare was provided, and breakout sessions were held in five languages - English, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, and American Sign Language.

"There are some lessons here that we could learn," Reville said in an interview after his talk. "You look at what they've done with individualization, parental involvement, partnerships. . . . We're in a one-size-fits-all model."

Preparing every child to reach his or her full potential can only benefit society as a whole, Jones said.

"What is the vision of our community? Ultimately, the lifeblood of our community is a healthy, educated, well-motivated, highly engaged populous. We cannot do that if we chronically undereducate, chronically undermotivate, chronically underprepare a whole segment of our populous."

Tania deLuzuriaga can be reached at deluzuriaga@globe.com.

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