DECEMBER 2010 Disabilities Thread

[LimitedRecourse]

Project BRAIN, a program of the Tennessee Disability Coalition has exciting news to share with you about an upcoming conference opportunity.

On February 22, 2011, we are hosting a one day TBI conference titled: Concussion / Mild TBI within Our Schools & Community. The attached file includes the Exhibitor / Sponsor form along with the Conference Registration. The site of the event is the newly re-opened Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN. The renovations are beautiful and we are certain you will enjoy your visit.

The conference committee is committed to making sure this a premier event in Tennessee. To this end, we feel it is important to embrace this chance to invite you as Exhibitors to not only "attend" but to have you join us for the day. The exhibitor tables will be along the perimeter of the room and the classroom style seating arrangement is for everyone to use.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Sarah Sampson @ [e-mail] or give us a call @ 615-515-8616.

Can't wait to see you in February!

Conference Committee!

PS Our conference will be a pre-cursor to Tennessee's Annual Special Education Conference which has approximately 1400+ attendees each year. If you would like additional information about their "Request for Proposal" or Exhibitor opportunities, contact us and we will make sure you get connected to the conference organizers.

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Job Coach

Job Description/Requirements: A Job Coach serves as a coach who works as a provider for those consumers designated in need of continuous, part time or occasional support during the assessment, pre-placement process, job placement or employment. The Employment Specialist will be part of a mental health treatment team and will serve the program participant in our offices, in the community and on the job site as part of the consumer’s individualized employment program. The Job Coach will help train the consumer/employee and help him/her to maintain employment. The Job Coach will sometimes act as an intermediary between the employer and the consumer. The Job Coach may also assist the Department Coordinator in job development activities helping to identify possible jobs for the client. This is a part time position.

1. When job coaching, the Job Coach will be available to work the same days and hours as the consumer.

2. The Job Coach will complete all written reports, including daily job coach reports, within 24 hours of service.

3. Establish good job coach skills that include but are not limited to: assessment, establishing consumer's strengths, weaknesses, crisis intervention, stabilization skill building, advocacy regarding employment situation.

4. Required to be flexible and available in the event of a crisis or emergency on a 24 hour 7/7 day schedule.

5. Attend all trainings and general staff meetings, as well as team meetings as needed.

6 Comply with all Lifecare Family Services policies and procedures.

7. Teach or assist in the training of jobs search skills and other classes on an individual or group basis.

8. . Comply with the federal confidentiality law, HIPPA regulations, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation regulations and policies in all other applicable regulations to protect the rights of the consumer.

9. Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. High School Diploma or GED.

2. Experience working with and/or sensitivity towards individuals with mental illness. And other disabilities.

3. Must have reliable transportation and ability to transport clients when needed.

4 Ability to use word processing-mail and Internet on a PC.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATION: Tennessee Peer Support Specialist Certification

This position will be open until filled. Please email a resume and cover letter to:

Ross Winetsky
Coordinator, Peer Support and Supported Employment
Lifecare Family Services
Nashville, Tennessee
[e-mail]

[LimitedRecourse]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
[phone], extension 2330
[phone] (Cell)
[e-mail]

National Federation of the Blind Commends House for Passage of Safety Legislation

Washington, D.C. (December 16, 2010): The National Federation of the Blind today commended the United States House of Representatives for passing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act (S. 841), which will protect the blind and other pedestrians from injury as a result of silent vehicle technology.

Because blind pedestrians cannot locate and evaluate traffic using their vision, they must listen to traffic to discern its speed, direction, and other attributes in order to travel safely and independently. Other people, including pedestrians who are not blind, bicyclists, runners, and small children, also benefit from hearing the sound of vehicle engines. New vehicles that employ hybrid or electric
engine technology can be silent, rendering them extremely dangerous in situations where vehicles and pedestrians come into proximity with each other.

"The National Federation of the Blind commends the United States House of Representatives for the wise and decisive action taken today to preserve the right to safe and independent travel for the blind," said Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind. "The blind, like all pedestrians, must be able to travel to work, to school, to church, and to other places in our communities, and we must be able to hear vehicles in order to do so. This bill, which is the result of collaboration among blind Americans, automobile manufacturers, and legislators, will benefit all pedestrians for generations to come as new vehicle technologies become more prevalent. We hope that President Obama will sign this legislation into law before the close of the year."

"The trend toward putting more environmentally friendly, quiet vehicles on the road has unintentionally jeopardized the safety and independence of the blind and other pedestrians," said Representative
Edolphus Towns, the sponsor of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, who spent many years teaching travel with a white cane to the blind. "This bill will prevent many injuries while still allowing more clean vehicles on our nation's roads." "I understand the safety concerns of blind pedestrians with these quiet automobiles; I have heard the same concerns from senior citizens in my district, and I appreciate the threat to children, bicyclists, and runners," said Representative Cliff Stearns, the original
Republican co-sponsor of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act. "I deeply appreciate the support of all parties in working for the passage of this important safety legislation."

[LimitedRecourse]

The Arc and the Autism Society Announce Collaboration on the Autism NOW Center
Thursday, December 16, 2010

Organizations to assist U.S. government's national resource and information center for all affected by autism and developmental disabilities: The Arc and the Autism Society collaborate on Autism NOW: The National Autism Information and Resource Center, a National Initiative of The Arc and funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. The partnership will include the engagement of the Autism Society in several aspects of the Center’s activities, including participation on the National Advisory Committee, providing information and referral services through the Autism Society’s AutismSourceTM national contact center, and utilizing the Autism Society’s chapter network to disseminate information to the broader autism community about the Autism NOW Center’s activities and resources.

“We are thrilled that Autism Society will play such an important role in the operations and outreach of the Autism NOW Center,” stated Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc. “The Arc and Autism Society working together will ensure that more families connected to autism and other developmental disabilities have more meaningful resources and solutions for their needs.”

“We are looking forward to working with The Arc on Autism NOW to ensure that individuals on the autism spectrum and their families get the help they need in finding quality resources,” said Lee Grossman, President and CEO of the Autism Society. “We applaud the Administration on Developmental Disabilities for responding to the community’s call for this much needed national resource and are pleased to contribute to it.” The Autism Society has provided information and referral services to the community through AutismSource since 1971. Families can access AutismSource at www.autismsource.org, submit an inquiry through www.autism-society.org/asa_contact or by phone at 1-800-3Autism.

In October, The Arc received an award of $1.87 million for fiscal year 2010 to establish a national resource and information center on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. In collaboration with several key partners, The Arc is implementing an innovative and dynamic initiative to engage and leverage a national network of disability, aging, military, and family organizations to deliver information and resources relevant to individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities. More information about the Center will be posted at www.autismNOW.org before the end of the year.

[LimitedRecourse]

Is protecting the progress made for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities still on your list? How about coming to Capitol Hill to cultivate new champions among the more than 100 new Members of Congress elected in November?

Here’s the easiest way to check those items off. Register now for the 2011 Disability Policy Seminar February 14-16 in Washington, D.C. Hurry, you only have until January 11 to take advantage of special room and registration rates. This year’s Seminar will be held in a new location at the Grand Hyatt on H Street NW. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to stay in this convenient central location for low rates you won’t find at other nearby hotels.

Don't Wait! Hotel room block and special rates end January 11!

The Arc
1660 L Street, NW, Suite 301 | Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: [phone] | Toll free: 800.433.5255 | Fax: [phone]
www.thearc.org

[duke]

Dec 20, 2010 10:30:30 GMT -5 LimitedRecourse said:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
[phone], extension 2330
[phone] (Cell)
[e-mail]

National Federation of the Blind Commends House for Passage of Safety Legislation

Washington, D.C. (December 16, 2010): The National Federation of the Blind today commended the United States House of Representatives for passing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act (S. 841), which will protect the blind and other pedestrians from injury as a result of silent vehicle technology.

Actual Bill> www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111s841enr/pdf/BILLS-111s841enr.pdf

For the geriatric crowd the equivalent of Harley straight pipes.

[LimitedRecourse]

Announcement:

The Advisory Council for the Education of Students with Disabilities will be meeting on January 10, 2011 in the Hardison Building Auditorium (TPS Campus, 1252 Foster Avenue, Nashville, TN 37243.) The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. A tentative agenda and other meeting materials will be sent out as they become available.

Note: There will be an opportunity for limited public input during the Advisory Council Meeting. Please contact the Secretary of the Council at 615-741-2851 or the Council Chair at [e-mail]. The time will be scheduled on a first come-first serve basis.

Future meeting dates will be: April 11, July 11 and October 10, 2011.

Directions:

Coming West on I-40: Come to Exit 213 (Spence Lane) on I-40/24 West, go to top of ramp and turn left onto Spence Lane and go to stoplight; turn right onto Murfreesboro Road. At second stoplight (in front of Jack-In-the-Box) turn left onto Foster Ave.

When you reach the TPS campus, proceed past the main entrance (there is a brick sign for the TPS campus). Continue past the Center for Adoption and the Anna Russell Cole Auditorium. Turn into the campus at the south entrance (there will be an entrance sign to Nashville School of the Arts), and the Hardison Building will be directly in front of you. Park in the lot to your left after you enter the campus (please do not park on the grass). On the right side of the building, you will see an entrance with a sign that says “Training and Conference Room.” Enter at this entrance and proceed straight down the hall to the auditorium.

Coming West on I-24: Go to Exit 52 (Murfreesboro Road) to light at end of ramp and turn left onto Murfreesboro Road. At second stoplight (Jack-In-the-Box) turn left onto Foster Ave.
When you reach the TPS campus, proceed past the main entrance (there is a brick sign for the TPS Complex). Continue past the Center for Adoption and the Anna Russell Cole Auditorium. Turn into the campus at the south entrance (there will be an entrance sign to Nashville School of the Arts), and the Hardison Building will be directly in front of you. Park in the lot to your left after you enter the campus (please do not park on the grass). On the right side of the building, you will see an entrance with a sign that says “Training and Conference Room.” Enter at this entrance and proceed straight down the hall to the auditorium.

Coming East on I-40 / South on 65/24 / North on 65: Follow signs for I-40 East toward Knoxville. Go to Exit 212 (Fesslers Lane) on I-40/24 East. Go to light at top of ramp and turn right onto Fesslers Lane. Go to second stoplight (Murfreesboro Road – Carl Black Chevrolet) and turn left. Get into far right hand lane and go to second stoplight (Jack-in-the-Box); turn right onto Foster Avenue.
When you reach the TPS campus, proceed past the main entrance (there is a brick sign for the TPS Complex). Continue past the Center for Adoption and the Anna Russell Cole Auditorium. Turn into the campus at the south entrance (there will be an entrance sign to Nashville School of the Arts), and the Hardison Building will be directly in front of you. Park in the lot to your left after you enter the campus (please do not park on the grass). On the right side of the building, you will see an entrance with a sign that says “Training and Conference Room.” Enter at this entrance and proceed straight down the hall to the auditorium.

PLEASE DO NOT PARK ON THE GRASS. THANK YOU!

Jessica Harbison, ASA II
TN Department of Education
Division of College & Career Readiness
Office of Data Management
710 James Robertson Pkwy.
Nashville, TN 37243
615.532.6275 phone
615.532.9412 fax



This email and any files transmitted with it contain PRIVILEGED and CONFIDENTIAL information and are to be read and used only by the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient of the email or any of its attachments, please be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, alteration, dissemination, distribution, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email or any attached files is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please immediately destroy it and all attachments and notify the sender by reply email or contact the sender at the telephone number listed.

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www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/dec/18/ut-reaches-out-with-program/

UT reaches out with program aimed at student with intellectual disabilities, autism. Curriculum will allow students with disabilities to attend. By Megan Boehnke

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Students with intellectual disabilities and autism will soon be able to attend the University of Tennessee through a special program allowing them to work jobs on campus, sit in on courses and possibly live in dorms. At the end of the two-year curriculum, the students would graduate with a certificate and the education to help them tackle full-time jobs and live independently, said David Cihak, an associate professor of special education. The program is funded through tuition paid by the students and a $321,683 grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant is expected to be renewed for four more years, after which the school hopes the program will be self-sustaining. UT is one of 27 programs in 23 states receiving a portion of the $10.9 million in funding meant to ensure that students with disabilities are not left behind.

"I'm really impressed that the federal government has said this is an important group of people and we want to put this money toward this program," said Liz Fussell, the program coordinator and director of UT's Connections for Disability and Employment. The program will be modeled after one that started at Vanderbilt University in 2009 and, if successful, could be implemented at other four-year and two-year colleges across the state, said Fussell, who serves on a statewide task force that focuses on the postsecondary education needs of students with disabilities. To be eligible for UT's new program, students have to have graduated from high school with a special education degree and be in their 20s, said Cihak.

"These are folks who are fully capable of being employed and who have good social skills," Cihak said. "They won't need to wait on adult services to take effect, which often has an 18-month waiting list." Students will likely audit classes that pique their interest and hold jobs on campus, though they could include off-campus jobs in the future. "That's the whole point of internships - they can go to work and the next day after work, we can say 'What happened?' and work through any issues," Fussell said. "Maybe they say, 'I wanted to speak to somebody today but didn't know how.' Or, 'Somebody said something to me and I didn't know how to respond.' So we could work through that and next time they can improve."

Students will also get specialized courses on independent living, including how to manage finances, clean their homes and manage transportation. Fussell and Cihak also hope the campus community will embrace the students and will invite them to participate in social events. "Their goals are the same as all UT students. They want to be successful and gainfully employed with a world knowledge," Cihak said.
Organizers will be surveying students and faculty to find out how receptive they would be to having students with intellectual disabilities in their classrooms, Cihak said.

Megan Boehnke may be reached at 865-342-6432.

[LimitedRecourse]

new.thedailytimes.com/Blount_Life/story/Birth_to_Three_Blount_County_Center_serves_gamut_of_special_needs_id_005920

Birth to Three Blount County Center serves gamut of special needs By Linda Braden Albert [e-mail]

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of a two-part series on LTVEC Birth to Three in Blount County, which is losing a significant percentage of state funding due to budget cuts. Part one was published Dec. 5.

An essay by Emily Perk Kingsley, “Welcome to Holland,” poignantly explains how having a baby is like planning a trip of a lifetime to Italy. You buy guide books, make plans, excitedly anticipate the day when you step off the airplane. Then, suddenly, you find that your plane to Italy has landed in Holland — your child is born with a disability — and all the plans must be rearranged to accommodate this strange place you did not expect to visit. But, Holland has its own special sights to see and if you spend your life mourn for Italy, you might just miss them.

Christie Bales knows what Kingley is saying — her daughter, Courtney Bales, now 14, was born with cerebral palsy. Thanks to the “travel agency” of LTVEC Birth to Three’s Blount County Center, and the “travel guides” who work closely with the non-typically developing children and their families, Courtney received instruction, through therapeutic play geared to her specific needs, to ready her for success in school and in life.

Family time

The Bales family became involved in the Birth to Three program after moving to Blount County from North Carolina in 1997. Courtney was 1 year old then. “She engaged in play with children here and learned so much,” said Bales, who became lead teacher at Birth to Three after Courtney and her twin sister, Ashley, entered kindergarten. Birth to Three accepts peer students, those who are typically developing children, in addition to the disabled children. Courtney’s twin sister, Ashley, was the first peer in the program beginning at age 2. The twins’ older sister, Alexis, also was allowed to be involved and is now planning to seek a degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Tennessee after graduating from Maryville High School. Although Birth to Three focuses on the children, both the special needs children and their peers, it is a valuable asset for the families of the disabled students, as well. Pam Potocik, director of Birth to Three in Blount, Loudon and Monroe counties, said, “There is nothing like meeting another parent who is in the same place as you are. The center provides this opportunity for them.” The center gives parents a chance to have a break for those few hours the children are under the supervision of the compassionate, caring staff. Potocik said, “The state has no respite care program for these parents. Every parent has to have a break,” to run errands, to have a cup of coffee with friends, to simple take a leisurely shower.

A different country

Jeffrey and Kimberly O’Connor, of Maryville, have seen the benefits of Birth to Three firsthand since their son, Shane, was born in 2008 with Down syndrome, a cleft palate and cleft lip. “Basically, once we found out Shane had Down syndrome, people just came out of the woodwork that knew different programs,” said Jeffrey O’Connor. “I think that’s how we found out about Birth to Three.” He described the staff at Birth to Three as very compassionate. “They help Shane a lot, and they’ve helped us a lot, too,” he said. “They observe him and give us little progress reports and help us with his development. Being with other kids, typical children and special needs kids, is making him a more well-rounded person.” Because of Shane’s cleft palate and cleft lip, his eating habits are very different from those of the other children. O’Connor said, “They help him with his eating. They will use little spoons, special spoons for him to try. They have different cups to let him try, to see which one he adapts to the best because of his mouth surgeries and stuff of that nature.” It took Shane longer to learn to hold his head up, to sit up, due to the Down syndrome. O’Connor said, “Most Down syndrome kids don’t have the muscle control of normal kids. They are incredibly strong, but they don’t sit up well by themselves. They have to be propped up.” O’Connor has been very pleased with Shane’s progress at the center and the support the family has received, as well. He said, “They have helped us so much, and help him. They’ve got a lot of information that we use. They have connections all over the state, all over the county. They know people who have Down’s syndrome that we can talk to and they help us with the problems he’s having, the problems we’re having with him, and the problems we’re having with ourselves because we have a child with Down’s. It’s a major adjustment.”

Community project

Pam Potocik started the Birth to Three program 30 years ago through the Little Tennessee Valley Education Cooperative with a three-year grant. When those funds were used up, the community was asked to step in and keep the services going. United Way of Blount County was the first to fund the program, and continues to do so, and the state of Tennessee has funded it since 1984. Birth to Three has been under the umbrella of the Department of Education for four years, receiving 65 percent of its funding from this organization. The 2010-2011 budget is $212,688. As reported in the first story in this series, the Blount County Birth to Three Center is in danger of closing its doors due to state budget cuts. As of Jan. 1, 2011, the Blount County center will lose 41 percent of its state funding — $49,500 — and the state has mandated that the remaining funds should be used strictly for the home-based component of the program. Potocik was notified of this change on Nov. 17. This means that the 36 students and their families who benefit from the center’s services will be receiving only home-based services. Potocik said she was told the rationale was that “it is easier to keep cleaner data if the services are offered in the home.” “We have to face the fact that the state has cut $1 million across the board,” she said. “If there’s no money, there’s no money. But what concerns me is that the nature of this program has changed. To be told that by Jan. 1 we must have this in place gives me grave concerns about the local community not having a voice. I understand the need for budget cuts, but ...”
Children at the center receive a whole gamut of services, both in socialization and learning experiences. Bales said the center component is also valuable in that occupational, physical and speech therapists observe the children and make recommendations on how to best tailor the individual plan to each child’s needs. This will no longer be the case if the center closes its doors — if savings are used up and no other resources discovered, it will remain open only through March. “We need to find that group of people to take us on as a cause,” Bales said. “Most people with typically developing children don’t know the value of what we do. There is a whole world of things the average, normal family doesn’t even think about.” Jeffrey O’Connor agreed. He said closing the center and having strictly home-based services “is terrible. It’s absolutely terrible. ... The only thing I can say is, if (lawmakers) had a child with special needs like the children do in this program, they would guarantee the funding is there for these kids.”

For Information -

What: Blount County Birth to Three, an Early Intervention agency serving children between the ages of birth to 3 who have special needs and their peers
Where: 422 Ellis Ave., Maryville
Telephone: [phone]
On Facebook: Search for “Blount County Birth to Three”
To Donate: Tax-deductible donations may be sent to LTVEC Central Office, 1094 Mulberry St., Loudon, TN 37774; checks can be made to LTVEC with the note on the memo line indicating Blount Birth to Three

Originally published: 2010-12-18 20:26:10
Last modified: 2010-12-18 22:20:09

[LimitedRecourse]

January 25, 2011 – Autism Orientation Workshop will be held in Oak Ridge (Anderson County) at the Emory Valley Early Learning Institute, 728 Emory Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.

February 8, 2011 – Autism Orientation Workshop will be held in Chattanooga (Hamilton County) at the Siskin Center, 1101 Carter Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402.

Please help us spread the word far and wide and Happy Holidays from ASA-ETC!!

Brook Dickerson
Executive Director, ASA-ETC
2890 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, TN 37920
[phone] Phone/Fax (call before faxing)
[e-mail]
www.asaetc.org

[LimitedRecourse]

We are writing to let you know that the White House Internship Program’s summer 2011 application has been posted. The application deadline is Sunday, January 9. We hope that you can share the information with student leaders across your network. For more information and to apply, please visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/internship.



This program will mentor and cultivate young leaders of today and tomorrow and I’m proud that they will have this opportunity to serve…I want to commend all who apply for their desire to help through public service to forge a brighter future for our country.” —President Barack Obama, May 22, 2009

President Obama believes in the capacity of young people to move America forward. He is committed to providing young leaders from across the nation an opportunity to develop their leadership skills and fostering a continued commitment to public service through the White House Internship Program. This hands-on program is designed to mentor and cultivate today’s young leaders, strengthen their understanding of the Executive Office of the President and prepare them for future roles in public service.

To learn more about the program, please visit whitehouse.gov/internships.

How To Apply: Go to: www.whitehouse.gov/internships

A completed application includes: two essays, three letters of recommendation, resume

The deadline for the Summer 2011 White House Internship Program is January 9, 2011

The White House · 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW · Washington DC 20500 · 202-456-1111

[LimitedRecourse]

VSA Tennessee Costuming Workshop

Attention all young people with Autism. There is a very unique and exciting opportunity that is being offered. VSA Tennessee is partnering with the Human Sciences Department at Middle Tennessee State University to offer a Costuming Workshop.
During this Workshop, participants will begin by learning the process of hand rendering a design concept for a cape and hat for a super hero costume. The participants will then use state of the art technology to transfer these hand renderings to computer drawings. From this point, the costumes will be created using felting and high tech sewing machines.

The entire design department of MTSU will be involved in this process and they will share knowledge with the participants from concept to marketing and display. The final products that are created during this workshop will be on display on professional mannequins at the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall in Nashville on April 12th as part of the VSA Tennessee 10 year anniversary. Selected items will also be part of a style show.

Participation in this program is FREE and open to the first 20 applicants. The program will run from 10am-3pm on Saturday, March 19 and Saturday April 9.

To register or for more information, please contact VSA Tennessee at [e-mail] or [phone].

We are VERY excited about this program. It provides participants not only with a creative expression outlet, but with exposure to a profession that some may wish to pursue. It also allows participants to experience a college setting and the opportunity to work with college professors.

This program is made possibly by a special initiative from the VSA National Office.

[LimitedRecourse]

Handheld reading By Candace Blomendahl, STAFF WRITER
Published: Monday, December 20, 2010 8:18 AM CST

YORK — Third and fourth grade students at York Elementary School are improving their reading and literacy skills in all new ways.

When it’s time for their scheduled reading blocks, third and fourth graders pick up their assigned iPod touch from a cart they share among their classes. Jayna Nienhueser’s third grade class looks forward to their turn with the iPod touches every afternoon.

After each student picks up an iPod touch and earbuds, Nienhueser’s students find a comfortable spot in the classroom or in the pod just outside the classroom. This is their time to settle in and read.

Students use the iPod touches to record themselves reading what Nienhueser calls a fresh read passage, as it is the first time they have read it. They then listen to the recording and score themselves based on a rubric given to them by their teacher. The rubric scores students based on their level of fluency, expression, pacing and smoothness. Next, each student meets with a partner so they can evaluate someone else’s recording. Nienhueser said students have to be able to explain why they chose the scores they selected. The partners also take time to see if they agree with each other’s scores.

“The goal is to increase fluency because research says fluent readers are better at comprehension and understanding of what they are reading,” Nienhueser noted.

Students also have time to play reading games and use dictionaries on the iPod touches so they can become comfortable with using the devices. Nienhueser said her class gets very excited to use the iPods, and “everyone wants one for Christmas.”

In order to help improve students’ reading skills, YES partnered with Educational Service Unit #6 in Milford for the Reading in Hand grant. YES Principal Kris Friesen provided information regarding the grant.

The Reading in Hand grant states it is meant to improve reading achievement and literacy skills for K-6 students in four rural Nebraska schools with a large concentration of high poverty students and hi technology needs schools. In order to do this, the project uses proven and research-based reading instruction, intervention and assessment tools on mobile computing devices (iPod touches).

The project has specific goals and expectations that it hopes to achieve throughout the year by incorporating this technology into reading curriculums. By the end of the 2010-2011 academic year, the project hopes 100% of K-6 students will be reading at or above grade level. The grant information states that currently 30-50% of students read below grade level or benchmark.

Another goal of the project is for high-achieving K-6 students to demonstrate sustained growth in their reading skills. According to the grant’s baseline data, current reading practices are resulting in high-achieving students suffering declines in their reading achievement.

All YES teachers who are involved with the project are working with reading and literacy coaches at ESU 6 as well as with technology integration specialists for coaching, guidance and training.

YES chose to focus on its third and fourth grade students for this project, Friesen noted. The school received 120 iPod touches, four laptops and carts, which are all shared between the third and fourth grades during scheduled reading blocks. Friesen said fluency data is being collected, and teachers participating in the project traveled to ESU 6 on Dec. 14 to work on assessments of the data.

Nienhueser said they will most likely be testing students again in the spring and said it will be interesting to see if it is working how they think it should. However, even without formal testing, Nienhueser has already noticed an improvement in students’ skills.

For students, incorporating technology into their everyday lives at school just comes natural. Technology helps bring learning to life.

“Technology is their world, so they seem to be more engaged when it involves technology,” Nienhueser said.

Even though Nienhueser is now using this technology all the time, she said there is always more to learn.

“It’s a learning experience,” she said.

She said students can show her how to use something if she does not understand it, as they can figure it out even more quickly than she can. This technology engages students and involves them in the learning process. And it excites them every day to have the chance to learn through the world of technology.

[LimitedRecourse]

Investigator/Advocate
Disability Law & Advocacy Center of Tennessee
Date Posted: Friday, December 17, 2010

Position Description - Responsibilities and Requirements: Investigator/advocate sought to respond to allegations of abuse/neglect of persons with disabilities. Must possess excellent communication, interpersonal, writing, presentation, case-handling, and document review skills. Bi-lingual skills helpful. Minimum requirements include BA/BS in Social Work, Psychology, Social Sciences or a related human service field. MA/MS preferred. Experience working with persons with disabilities and conducting investigations preferred. Travel required throughout Middle TN. Persons with disabilities and members of racial/ethnic minorities encouraged to apply.

Job Type: Full-time
Job Categories: Social Services
Contact Information and Procedure:

Submit application letter and resume by January 7, 2011 to:
Disability Law & Advocacy Center of TN
2416 21st Avenue, South, Suite 100
Nashville, TN 37212. E.O.E.

Shelia Mullis PO Box 121257 2416 21st Avenue South, Suite 100 Nashville, TN 37212
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.DLACTN.org
Phone: [phone] x124
Fax: [phone]

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VSA Tennessee www.vsaartstennessee.org is currently working to set up a state-wide network which would help expedite the exchange of information across the regions, support sharing resources, and expedite the distribution of information about arts opportunities for individuals with and without disabilities.

Our first step in this process is to gather information on what programs and resources currently exist, and their strengths and weaknesses with regards to access to the arts. In order to do this, we have compiled some very brief surveys. The first is for anyone involved with a cultural organization, the second survey is for anyone involved with an organization that serves people with disabilities, and the third is for individuals such as artists or supporters of the arts who are not necessarily affiliated with an organization. Please take a few moments to provide your input via any of the three categories.

For those involved in Cultural Organizations, the link is www.surveymonkey.com/s/VSA_Tennessee_Arts_Network
For those involved with disability issues or organizations, the link is: www.surveymonkey.com/s/VSA_TN_Disability_Network
For individuals, the link is /http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Individual_Arts

Thank you so much!

Pamela Weston
VSA Arts TN
Network Assistant

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My name is Meghan Burke and I’m a doctoral student at Peabody College and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. We are starting up a study of parents of students with disabilities and we were wondering if you and/or your constituency might be interested in participating.

Our study will examine parent-school collaboration as it relates to parental and child characteristics. The study itself will involve the parent answering a survey about him/herself, the child with a disability, and the relationship with the school the child attends.

All together, the study will take about 20-30 minutes of time. The study is voluntary and anonymous. We hope that you will find this information useful and we are happy to forward the results of the study to you if you are interested in them.

Would you be interested in being in our study? If so, to complete the study, please go to the following website: tinyurl.com/2ednxtk

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Exceptional Foundation and On Our Own January Event:

January 22, 6-9 pm at the Exceptional Foundation, 1780 Moriah Woods Blvd. Suite 4 - Karaoke Night! Come enjoy some sandwiches and sing the night away with our friends from “On Our Own!” Cost is $10. Please RSVP by Thursday, January 20th by calling 901-387-5005 or emailing [e-mail].

Free Leadership Training for TN High School Students with Disabilities:

The Tennessee Youth Leadership Forum is a 4-day leadership training in early July, 2011 for high school students with disabilities from across the state, sponsored by the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities. Selected Student Delegates will participate in small group discussions, attend presentations by national and local speakers, tour the Capitol and meet with a Legislator. The goal is for students to learn to speak up for themselves, to begin giving serious thought to their lives after high school, and to develop skills related to becoming leaders in their communities. To apply students must complete an application in its entirety, which also includes essay responses and letters of recommendation. In addition, all applicants will be interviewed by phone or in person as part of the acceptance process. Application deadline is February 1, 2011. For any other information please contact: Ned Andrew Solomon Director, YLF,[phone] or [e-mail].

Kelli Polatty
Communications Manager
Down Syndrome Association of Memphis & the Mid-South
2893 S. Mendenhall Rd., Ste. 3
Memphis, TN 38115

901-547-7588 office
901-547-7589 fax
www.dsamemphis.org