New Web Site to Help Early Educators Respond to
Young Children Who Struggle with Learning

www.RecognitionandResponse.org

Online Chat Scheduled for October 24, 2006

New York , NY – October 1, 2006 – Some young children show signs that they may not be learning in an expected manner, even before they begin kindergarten. A new Web site, RecognitionandResponse.org, is being launched this month to provide free information and resources as part of a multi-partner initiative. The National Center for Learning Disabilities ( NCLD ), in collaboration with national and state organizations, is managing the launch and expansion of the site. The conceptual framework for the Recognition and Response system was developed by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute of UNC (FPG) in collaboration with NCLD , the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Communication Consortium Media Center, and key state partners in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland and New Jersey (see below).

As early as age three, some young children exhibit problems in areas such as language development, phonological awareness, perceptual-motor abilities, and attention. While some of these concerns resolve themselves over time, some may be precursors of learning disabilities. Formal identification of learning disabilities generally does not occur until second or third grade. However, there is much that can be done to meet the needs of all young learners, including those who show unexpected signs of frustration with learning.

RecognitionandResponse.org is a comprehensive online resource that provides early learning professionals with information about the Recognition and Response approach, as well as a menu of resources to help educators address the needs of young children in the year before kindergarten, and tools for effective communication with parents. The Web site is divided into several sections, such as Recognition (screening and assessment), Response (evidence-based instruction and interventions), Transitioning to Kindergarten, Parent Engagement, Policy, and Readings and Resources. Easy-to-read articles, checklists and fact sheets provide action-oriented information, while policy statements, legislative summaries and research papers offer background material that can help early learning professionals integrate the Recognition and Response system into their programs.

“We cannot wait for children to fail before we intervene,” insists James H. Wendorf, executive director of NCLD . “Setting children up for educational success means giving them all the tools they need to learn as early as possible.” Intervening early can both prevent academic problems for many students who experience learning difficulties and help to distinguish students that actually have learning disabilities from those whose underachievement can be attributed to other factors such as inadequate instruction.

Online discussion scheduled for October 24, 2006 from 3:00-4:00 pm ET . For more information, join an online chat with the developers of the Response and Recognition framework. Mary Ruth Coleman , Ph.D. and Virginia Buysse , Ph.D. will share the thinking and research behind this approach to early education. The online discussion can be accessed by visiting www.RecognitionandResponse.org.

The state partners for the Recognition and Response project and Web site include the Arizona Literacy and Learning Center , the Association of Children for New Jersey , the Connecticut Department of Education, The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation ( Miami-Dade , Florida ) and the Maryland Committee for Children. The Web site and program initiative are funded by grants from the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation. Additional funding for NCLD is provided by the Cisco Systems Foundation.

The National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that the nation’s 15 million children, adolescents and adults with learning disabilities have every opportunity to succeed in school, work, and life. NCLD provides essential information to parents, professionals, and individuals with learning disabilities, promotes research and programs to foster effective learning, and advocates for policies to protect and strengthen educational rights and opportunities. NCLD 's Web site was named a 2006 Official Honoree in the prestigious Webby Awards competition. For more information on NCLD , please visit http://www.ld.org/.

To download this press release in MS Word, click here.