Television show looks at special education

From: Billings Gazette, MT - Feb 5, 2005

RIVERTON - "GRADE A: Leave No Child Behind in Wyoming Special Education," which airs Thursday at 7 p.m. on Wyoming Public Television, takes a look at one of the most controversial areas of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

The program examines several key special education programs throughout the state. In Wheatland, the Wyoming Department of Education has set up a model demonstration program with four deaf students. The Children's Developmental Services of Campbell County in Gillette serves as a demonstration site for a preschool approach in which students with disabilities are taught side by side with students who don't have disabilities. Nearly all interventions are handled in the regular classroom.

"Grade A" host Ben Gose also travels to Casper to find out how Natrona County, one of the largest districts in the state, is handling the challenge.

Insights into the complexities of this requirement are provided by experts around the state, including Nance Shelsta, director of the special education unit at the Wyoming Department of Education; Terri Dawson, director of the Parent Information Center, which informs parents about their rights under special education law; and Liz Simpson, an assistant professor of special education at the University of Wyoming.

"Special Education" repeats on Wyoming Public Television on Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. and Feb. 14 at 10:30 p.m. Wyoming Public Television can be found on various television channels across Wyoming. For more information, check local listings, or go to www.wyoptv.org for a complete schedule of channel numbers.

Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.