murderball (quad rugby). Many of the entries read like short articles or stories, providing historical and bibliographic references.

The hundreds of pieces in this volume add up to a very impressive account of the remarkable, imaginative world of sports for those with physical disabilities.

ary achievement, richly layered with insights into the psychological, social and cultural history and impact of a specific disability.

NOTE: If your local bookstore doesn’t have a book mentioned in Quest, usually it can be ordered through the store by providing the author’s name, title and/or publisher. Often, books also can be ordered online. Reviewed books are not available through MDA.

 

Sports and the Physically Challenged: An Encyclopedia of People, Events, and Organizations, by Linda Mastandrea and Donna Czubernat, 175 pages, 2006, $75. Greenwood Press, www.greenwood.com.

If you love watching, learning about or participating in sports, you’ll find something of interest in this encyclopedia. Entries cover champion athletes with disabilities, specialized equipment, organizations and sports ranging from fishing to

Elegy for a Disease: A Personal and

Cultural History of Polio, by Anne

Finger, 290 pages, 2006, $25.95. www. stmartins.com, St. Martin’s Press.

This is that rare type of book about living with a disability that St. Martin’s has published several times in recent years — a personal history which is also a liter-

Adolescents, Education and Planning

The Special Needs Planning Guide: How to Prepare for Every Stage of Your Child’s Life, by John W. Nadworny and Cynthia R. Haddad, 336 pages with CD-ROM, 2007, $29.95. Brookes Publishing, www.brookespublishing.com.

The authors, both active in national parent and advocacy groups, present financial planning information in chronological format. Besides financial support, the book looks into the emotional, family, legal and health aspects of planning, and incorporates valuable resources and practical solutions.

Using Assistive Technology to Meet Literacy Standards, by Sherry L. Purcell, Ph.D., and Debbie Grant, M.A., 300+ pages per book (three-book set), 2007, $49 per book, $129 for the set, includes PDF on CD. Attainment Co., (800) 327- 4269, www.attainmentcompany.com.

These three volumes, geared toward educational levels K- 3, 4-6 or 7-12, are intended to help parents and teachers set literacy goals and objectives for students who use assistive technology (AT) in the classroom. They also serve as an IEP (Individual Education Plan) guide.

More than a decade ago, fed-

eral regulations mandated that AT principles be applied in classrooms, but exactly how that should be done remains a point of uncertainty for many schools.

The authors note that although “ technology” may refer to augmentative communication devices and state-of-the-art computers, it also includes pencil and paper. They emphasize that low- or no-tech options (a slide-on pencil grip, for example) may benefit students the most because they’re more reliable than high-maintenance electronic systems.

 

Promoting Health Care Transitions for Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs and Disabilities, by Cecily L. Betz and Wendy M. Nehring, 328 pages, 2007, $34.95. Brookes Publishing, (800) 638-3775, www.brookespublishing.com.

The National Center for Health Statistics reports that more than 9 million U.S. children have special health care needs. This book is driven by the premise that when those children reach adulthood, they often face difficult transitions from pediatric care to adult medical care.

The authors, who have academic and

nursing credentials, address those challenges in a text that’s appropriate not only for health care professionals and educators, but also parents.

The solutions they offer include developing workable health care transition plans from start to finish; helping families locate and select adult medical and health care providers; and assisting young people with obtaining accessible accommodations in school and at work.

 

Real Work for Real Pay: Inclusive Employment for People With Disabilities, by Paul Wehman and others, 368 pages, 2006, $39.95. Brookes Publishing, www.brookespublishing. com.

This multiauthor book provides chapters on best practices, policies and tools that support positive change in the workplace. It emphasizes moving away from the segregation of workers with disabilities, and using technology, business partnerships and better strategies to increase inclusive work opportunities that can lead to real independence.