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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 14:22:22 GMT -5
A Mother's Plea for Help in TN Dear. Gov. Haslam: My son Dustin (Dusty) is 25, but he cannot speak or write. Therefore, I am writing this plea on his behalf. Dusty is my only child. When he was about 3 years old, his doctor informed me and my late husband that Dusty had severe mental delays. Since then, Dusty has been diagnosed with trisomy 15, which is characterized by profound mental retardation with autistic characteristics. He also has severe seizure disorder and has 250-300 seizures each month, some of which can become life-threatening. Before and after the worst seizures, Dusty is in such excruciating pain that he runs around screaming and bashing his head against walls, doors and any hard object he can reach. He has also developed Todd’s paralysis, a neurological condition characterized by a period of being partially or completely paralyzed. He has been paralyzed for as much as a month at a time. ... Our time has run out. Starting July 1, Dusty’s services will be limited to one personal assistant at a time and capped at 215 hours monthly. The only alternative I have been offered is to place my son in a residential facility. Ironically, if my son goes to a supportive living facility, it will cost the state more money. To read more: mk1.netatlantic.com/t/11510482/8696096/104821/0/ |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 14:23:07 GMT -5
Disability Cuts Will Shatter Lives We all sometimes make mistakes that unintentionally harm others. The test is whether, when told we have made a mistake, we are willing to change course. When it is the government that makes a mistake, it is especially important for officials to correct it, because the government’s mistakes affect thousands of people. Our state has made such a mistake. Will officials now make it right? Last year, TennCare cut funding for the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. It’s not that the funding wasn’t needed. The state faced a budget shortfall, and officials looked for savings wherever they could find them. To reach the savings goals set by TennCare, DIDD made painful decisions. The agency decided to cut support services for several hundred families across the state. Those cuts take effect in the next few days The families who are about to be cut struggle faithfully to care at home for loved ones with serious disabilities. They include heroes like Nancy Hollis and her late husband, Jim, who have devoted their lives to the loving care of their son, Dusty. Although Nancy and other families give 110 percent of themselves, the needs are so great that they need DIDD’s support to care for their loved ones at home. Their selfless love embodies the very best of Tennessee family values. That is why the Tennessee Justice Center last month named Nancy Hollis a Mother of the Year. To read the complete editorial from the Coalition's Assistant Director Donna DeStefano: mk1.netatlantic.com/t/11510482/8696096/104822/0/ |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 14:24:00 GMT -5
Hot Off the Press - Summer 2011 Coalition Quarterly This issue includes articles about: The Affordable Care Act - In depth review A Washington, D.C Adventure in Advocacy - Project BRAIN Long-Term Care, plus Waiver Changes in TN Featured Program - Family Voices Featured Coalition Member - TN Health Care Campaign Download the Issue in PDF: mk1.netatlantic.com/t/11510482/8696096/104823/0/ |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 14:24:56 GMT -5
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 14:28:15 GMT -5
Common-Core Tests to Have Built-in Accommodations By Nirvi Shah When Michael Hock was a special education teacher, he spent hours slicing quarter-inch slits in the center of index cards so that his students could use them to isolate individual words and sentences while taking standardized tests. When a new generation of tests—the common-core assessments—is unveiled in a few years, special education teachers should be able to put away their index cards and all the other shortcuts and homemade solutions they have created over the years to make paper-and-pencil tests accessible for many students with disabilities. That’s because the new, computerized tests will have accommodations for most students with disabilities built right in. Using $360 million in federal Race to the Top money, two state collaboratives are designing tests for the new common standards in mathematics and English/language arts that have been adopted by 44 states and the District of Columbia. The federal government expects the tests to be ready by the 2014-15 school year. The two groups tasked with developing the common-core assessments have been thinking about students with disabilities from the time they first won the grants from the U.S. Department of Education to design the tests. That’s a sharp departure from what’s been the norm in standardized testing, which has been to consider accommodations for students with disabilities as an afterthought. “We’re not even thinking about accommodations anymore” in the traditional sense, said Mr. Hock. He is now the director of educational assessment for the Vermont Department of Education and co-chair of the accessibility and accommodations work group for the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium—one of the two groups developing the new tests. The other test consortium, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, will soon launch an accessibility-and-fairness technical working group, said Laura M. Slover, the senior vice president of Achieve and the project manager for the Washington-based nonprofit organization’s work with the consortium. more: www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/06/03/33tests_ep.h30.html?tkn=SXYFTL7UjtPCta5vQJhu3oChGkBG5ExzAofO&cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2 |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 14:29:15 GMT -5
The Chattanooga Autism Center's PACT (Parent and Advocate Collaboration Team) meetings will be returning to the first and third Thursdays at noon at the TEAM offices. (This change is due to the Ready To Work summer program for young adults with Asperger's taking place on Wednesdays) All are welcome! Bring your lunch and find out how you can get involved! CHATTANOOGA AREA: Upcoming educational program: Monday June 6th from 6-8pm at the TEAM Centers offices. Light snacks will be provided. Questions and Answers with the Developmental Pediatrician: Dr. Rubin will field questions pertaining to developmental medicine. If it feels like there is never enough time to talk with your doctor or if you'd like another opinion on a topic that is important to you, please bring your questions and join other families in discussing a variety of topics. If you've got something to ask or just want to be part of the discussion, please RSVP to 622-0500 ext 1149 and let us know if you need to have childcare provided for you. We hope to see you there for this informal question and answer session. Save the Date: Get the Mow Down! Lawn mower races on Saturday June 25th at 4pm. A local group does lawn mower racing near Harrison, TN and they'd like to donate the proceeds to the CAC! (We, of course, do not condone racing lawn mowers at home for fun- but these adults do this recreationally and assume liability for themselves!) Come out and watch and support the CAC. There will be light concessions, games for kids and public awareness info about Autism available. A cheap night of entertainment for the whole family. Save the Date: Friday November 11th 2011 for the Connections Conference at 1st Centenary United Methodist Church in Chattanooga. For families in need of resources and information regarding disabilities. See the attached flyer for more information. TOMORROW: Check out the First Annual Rock and Ride Festival at Hozho Therapeutic Equestrian Services and Mystery Dog Ranch on Saturday June 4th 2011 at 9am. Live music, pony rides, face painting, hayrides, games. Check out the attached flyer for more details. PECS Basic Training in Chattanooga. July 18-19 2011. Learn how to appropriately implement the six phases of the PECS protocol, including teaching initiation, attributes, commenting and much more. PECS is much more than just using pictures… learn how to teach your students the power of communication! Cost: $395 for Professional and $295 for Parent. Workshop Hours: 8:00am – 4:00pm. This workshop offers 1.3 ASHA CEUs or 15.6 BACB CEUs at no additional cost! Training is appropriate for any parent or professional working with learners with autism, related disabilities and/or limited communication skills. Please visit our website at www.pecs.com for more information. Online registration is available. Alternately, you may register via phone at 888-732-7462. The office accepts checks and purchase orders through the mail. In addition purchase orders may be faxed to the office at (302) 368-2516. Payment must be submitted with registration form found at www.pecs.com . Stellar Pediatric Services is offering a large variety of summer camps and classes at their outpatient therapy clinic in Chattanooga. These specialized sessions are tailored to be fun and functional, promoting carryover to home, school, and community. Camps and classes for the summer include: •Multi-Sensory Handwriting Programs, grouped by age•Pre-Handwriting Skills for preschoolers•FUNtastic Fine Motor – Arts and Crafts for Fine Motor Development•Stellar Social Skills group•Reading, Rhyming, and Rocking! Pre-K language and literacy group•Sensational Speech•R’s R Us – A speech therapy group to work on the “R” sound•Jump Start Kindergarten •Jumping Beans - Have fun while gaining confidence and motor skills The clinic is staffed with experienced pediatric speech and occupational therapists who have been working in local schools throughout the year. Call 423-622-1551or hchristopher.homestead.com/index.html for more information. Support/Social groups for ASD- Night Owls at Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church. This program offers free of charge childcare for your special needs child and their siblings. The ratio of children to volunteers is 1:1. The program is the first Friday of every month. We also offer such events as Mom’s Morning Out. If you are interested please e-mail Betty: galbreth@bellsouth.net. Enjoy a night out! Awesome Autism Support Group is sponsored by Siskin Center in Chattanooga and meets monthly. For more information, contact Jackie Benkert at: (423) 886-5430. Group meets the 4th Monday of the month, 7 p.m. at the Ronald McDonald House next door to Erlanger. On facebook as: AwesomeAutism-please join! Family Share Support Group meets monthly for a meal. For more information and to RSVP, contact lifelineminstry@juno.com or (423) 622-4007. Social Group for Chattanooga Teens affected by Aspergers. Meets regularly, local parents have started this group. For information on next meeting, call (423) 544-9964. Greater Chattanooga Aspies (GCA) is a support & social group for adults with Asperger’s Syndrome/High functioning autism in the greater Chattanooga area. Regularly scheduled meetings will be the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6 – 8pm with a speaker the first hour and support group time the second hour. Their socials are monthly with TBD dates, times, & activities. For more information, contact Scott Kramer at: GCAspies@gmail.com or go to: www.meetup.com/G-C-As CLEVELAND: JUNE 23 – 24, 2011 – 2011 Lee University Southeastern Autism Symposium with Keynote Speaker Sondra Williams. It will be at Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Cost is $75. For more information contact: Hariett Cannon at: (423) 614-8192 or harriettcannon@university.ed MORRISTOWN: Autism Orientation at Manley Baptist Church on Thursday September 1st 2011 from 6:30-8:30. Please see attached flyer for more information or to RSVP. Volunteer Opportunities We have a number of volunteer opportunities to pass along to you and hope that you will respond to this email if you'd like to sign up to help with any of these events. Upcoming community event that we would like to exhibit the Chattanooga Autism Center poster board and information about ASD. As well as info on Art and Autism and activities for children. We need volunteers to sign up for shifts to man the booth and hand out information about our center and encourage them to sign up for our email distribution list. We will provide all of the needed items: folding table, CAC board, flyers, pamphlets, children's activities etc: Thursday and Friday June 23 and 24 at the LUDIC conference at Lee University. Annual conference on Autism where we hope that the Cleveland and Chattanooga Autism Center's can be represented. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ We will need a few volunteers to help out at the lawn mower races on Sat June 25th as well. We'll need some folks to help with concession sales and parking possibly. We hope to sell some lemonade and watermelon etc which we hope to get donated. If you'd like to volunteer day of or help get these things donated, please let me know. Thank you very much for considering to help out the CAC! Melanie Chakwin -- Chattanooga Autism Center Where the Pieces Come Together ChattanoogaAutismCenter.org |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 14:57:48 GMT -5
AFP Webinar: A Federal Perspective Join us for a Webinar on June 8: The webinar is free, but advanced registration is required. Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: www2.gotomeeting.com/register/184221107 Join the Alliance for Full Participation for an update on policies and programs impacting integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities moderated by Julie Petty, Alliance for Full Participation Speakers: Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy & Sharon Lewis, Commissioner, Administration on Developmental Disabilities Title: AFP Webinar: A Federal Perspective Date: Wednesday, June 8, 2011 Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. System Requirements - PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 14:58:56 GMT -5
Please help spread the word about the next Live Response Webcast, June 22, 2011 at 2pm EST. This program will highlight FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) and explain the importance of including people with access and functional needs in emergency and disaster planning. The program will include both captions and an ASL interpreter. You can access the program on June 22 at: terrorism.spcollege.edu/Broadcasts/LRBroadcast.aspx . A live chat during and after the program will discuss this very important topic. Please join us. If you have any questions, let me know. Thanks, C Chris Littlewood Project Coordinator II St. Petersburg College Center for Public Safety Innovation National Terrorism Preparedness Institute CapTel 727.341.4109/ Fax- 727.341.4524 VP 727.498.2059 littlewood.chris@spcollege.edu www.facebook.com/CPSITraining |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 15:11:26 GMT -5
We have extended the registration deadline for our Summer Institute. TREDS SUMMER INSTITUTE: July 11th, 12th & 13th, 2011 "An Introduction to the Needs of Individuals with Combined Vision & Hearing Loss and/or Multiple Disabilities: Strategies, Interventions and Effective Interactions" 3401 West End Ave - Suite 460 (Conference Room) Nashville, TN 37203 Call TREDS at: 1-800-288-2266 OR email: Jennifer.L.Miller@Vanderbilt.edu Donna W. Consacro, BA, CEIM TREDS Project for Individuals with Combined Hearing and Vision Loss Educational Consultant Division of Developmental Medicine and Center for Child Development Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt 3401 West End Avenue, Suite 460 West Nashville, TN 37203 615-322-8279 or 800-288-2266 (TN only) Fax: 615-322-1277 donna.consacro@vanderbilt.edu www.TREDS-deafblindproject.com |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 15:14:09 GMT -5
SENSE Theatre, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and University School of Nashville invite you to a delightful evening of inspired entertainment on Friday June 17th and Saturday June 18th at 7 PM at the University School of Nashville (USN). Play by Blythe Corbett Music by Ed Bazel Lyrics by Blythe Corbett Directed by Catherine Coke Be a part of SENSE Theatre’s inaugural Nashville performance as young campers with autism spectrum disorders step into the footlights with youth actors from USN Theatre Guild. As the grand finale to their two-week camp of learning, skill building and friendship, the cast will take you on a whimsical, musical, and lyrical journey in “Bridges.” Be there and experience firsthand the promise of this special program. Tickets $10 available at: tinyurl.com/SENSE-theater-camp |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 15:15:30 GMT -5
STEP is posting two job openings:
The first is a full time position based out of the Nashville STEP office for Regional Coordinator, Middle TN.
The second is a half time position for Transition Coordinator working under the TN TIME project, (Transition Information Made Easy)
Position descriptions and the application process is attached. Please feel free to share this information with those who may be interested. Please follow the instructions and send required information to jobs@tnstep.org
Sincerely,
Karen Harrison
Executive Director
STEP, Inc.
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 15:16:13 GMT -5
Join the Autism Society at the 42nd National Conference this July; Respite Care Now Open! Don’t miss the autism event of the year! Network with close to 2,000 professionals, parents and individuals with autism this July 6-9 at the national conference in Orlando, Florida. The conference offers over 100 sessions featuring speakers from around the world, including keynote addresses by Marcus Autism Center Director Ami Klin, mother and celebrated author Shonda Schilling and, from this year’s most popular autism documentary Wretches & Jabberers, Tracy Thresher, Larry Bissonnette and director Gerardine Wurzburg. Read more… support.autism-society.org/site/R?i=odfbtwIYEy5hLYzjdTH70A.. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 15:17:19 GMT -5
New Research May Lead to Improved Diagnosis of Autism Hem Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may provide an early and objective indicator of autism, according to researchers at Columbia University in New York City, who used the technique to document language impairment in autistic children. Results of their study appear online and in the August issue of Radiology. Read more… support.autism-society.org/site/R?i=LhKkflW8YT8ItUGbnD3Kng.. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 15:17:52 GMT -5
The Ultimate Guide to Assistive Technology in Special Education Families, teachers and therapists who are searching for information about how to use technology to help individuals who struggle with communication, literacy and learning will benefit from the practical, well-organized information in The Ultimate Guide to Assistive Technology in Special Education. The book presents a broad overview of the uses of assistive technology before helping readers zero in on powerful, cutting-edge technology tools they can use to improve students’ areas of weakness as well as to compensate for them. Read more… support.autism-society.org/site/R?i=1iDdlZp6sbUgeee0h0hrAw.. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 15:22:01 GMT -5
Making Sense of Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Create the Brightest Future for Your Child with the Best Treatment Options This informative book, written by developmental pediatrician James Coplan, leads parents step-by-step, from getting the initial diagnosis, to selecting the right therapies, to meeting their child’s needs over time. Read more… support.autism-society.org/site/R?i=6FHn84KsKxMs3ixQ9iawBg.. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 6, 2011 15:22:40 GMT -5
Music for Special Kids Music is a powerful means of engaging children with developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy. This lively music activity book shows how music can be an effective and enjoyable way to enhance the education and development of children with special needs. Read more… support.autism-society.org/site/R?i=mVktiWJsRWsukmodlO2LtA.. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 8, 2011 14:35:59 GMT -5
Published on NCWD/Youth (http://www.ncwd-youth.info) Home > Publications by Topic > Workforce Development > Helping Youth Develop Soft Skills for Job Success: Tips for Parents and Families -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Helping Youth Develop Soft Skills for Job Success: Tips for Parents and Families PDF Version: www.ncwd-youth.info/sites/default/files/infobrief_issue28.pdf Word Version: www.ncwd-youth.info/sites/default/files/infobrief_issue28.doc This InfoBrief discusses the importance of soft skills and offers strategies parents and families can use to help their child develop skills for employment success. Many parents of youth approaching adulthood worry about their child’s future. Whether youth have disabilities or not, parents want to know what they can do to help their sons and daughters decide on a career, support their job hunting, and succeed in the workplace. One way family members can help is by working with and encouraging youth to develop soft skills. Even though parents may not know this term, they will discover that they are familiar with these every day, common sense skills that are important in all aspects of life. Soft skills help youth succeed in life no matter what they are doing. By improving these skills, a youth can enhance his or her social life, do better in postsecondary studies, and be more successful at finding and maintaining employment. Families can use several strategies to help develop soft skills. Which Skills are Needed to Succeed? In the 1990s, several initiatives attempted to classify the types of skills needed to succeed in the workplace and adult life. Included among these efforts were the 1991 Secretary of Labor’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) and the Equipped for the Future Framework (EFF), which was the result of a 10-year initiative by the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL). The NIFL effort is the most holistic in that it addresses some key foundational “hard skills,” specifically reading, writing, and math skills along with the important soft skills needed not only in the workplace but as members of families and society. From these 16 skills, 10 have been further validated for the purpose of developing entry level skills needed across all industry sectors. The EFF skills include: Communication Skills - Read with Understanding, Convey Ideas in Writing, Speak so Others Can Understand, Listen Actively, Observe Critically Interpersonal Skills - Guide Others, Resolve Conflict and Negotiate, Advocate and Influence Cooperate with Others Decision Making Skills - Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate, Solve Problems and Make Decisions, Plan Lifelong Learning Skills - Take Responsibility for Learning, Reflect and Evaluate, Learn Through Research, Use Information and Communications Technology Youth who have these skills are more likely to be hired and less likely to be fired¾giving them an important advantage in today’s job market. Read more by opening the PDF/Word Document. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 8, 2011 14:37:38 GMT -5
Webcast on Disaster preparedness for people with disabilities: The East Tennessee Technology Access Center will host a webcast on Wednesday, June 22nd at 2:00 p.m. on FEMA and DHS’ initiative, “Planning for the Whole Community.” A new division, referred to as the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination, has been working diligently since 2010 to redesign how emergency management defines and serves people with access and functional needs in our communities in the event of disasters. The new paradigm works toward the notion that all segments of American society will be integrated and served through a single and inclusive emergency management approach. The panelists will discuss important elements of the planning process; public communications needs for non-English-speaking people, visual- and hearing-impaired citizens, and others with disabilities; evacuation challenges; sheltering needs; and some of the work being done to aid in disaster recovery. The program also looks at legislation passed to aid in this cause and designed to bring disability and emergency management communities together. Confirmed speakers are Marcie Roth, Director Office of Disability Integration and Coordination; Richard Devylder, Senior Advisor for Accessible Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation; June Isaacson Kailes, Associate Director of the Center for Disability and Health Policy at Western University of Health Sciences. CEUs are available for first responders. The Webcast is free, but registration is required. Please call ETTAC at 865-219-0130 by June 21st. ETTAC is located at 116 Childress Street in Knoxville. Go to ETTAC’s website at www.discoveret.org/ettac and click on the Contact Us link to get a map and directions. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 8, 2011 14:40:49 GMT -5
TN Hands and Voices - Middle Tennessee - "Supporting Families without Bias - Deaf / Hard of Hearing"
We want to invite you to come to our next meeting. We are gathering new members and are actively planning some fun events for July/August.
July 14, 2011 6:00PM @ Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, Medical Center East, South Tower, 9th Floor, 1215 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232 ("Conference Room next to the elevator on 9th floor")
Contact: Cathi Hayes, Phone 615 936 5077 for more information
TN Hands and Voice has a chapter in East Tennessee and West Tennessee.
Our focus is the families and/or families with children that are deaf or hard of hearing,
thus remaining un-bias to the methods of communication they choose. We help network families with similar interest of communication. Provide support and guidance to families.
TN Hands and Voices Mission - Our mission is to improve the social and academic experience of our children, students, and men-tees who are deaf or hard of hearing (d/hh). Whether we’re talking, cueing, signing, or combining, we all believe passionately in what we’re doing, and we’ve become strong advocates for our own kids and for each others. This approach has exposed us to many families using a wide variety of communication choices—all that have resulted in really successful kids. Conversely, we've seen many other kids and their families not reaching their goals via a particular mode or method. In every situation, the many variables are entirely unique to the child, the etiology, his or her family, their goals, the available resources, and a host of other considerations. As such, it is simply inappropriate and unproductive to impose a notion of methodological superiority over each other. We've come to understand that it is not the child who “fails” with a method, but the method that can fail the child and family. This perspective keeps us child- and family-focused—an essential value for a parent-driven organization.
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 9, 2011 12:59:48 GMT -5
Inviting you to contribute to our special annual issue of Breaking Ground devoted to the arts.
Do you write short stories or poetry? Do you paint, draw or take pictures? Then we’d like to see your work for possible publication!issue of breaking ground devoted to the arts
The editor will consider:
• fiction, up to 1,000 words, and poems, whether traditional or modern.
• photos and all other forms of artwork.
All entries must be submitted by June 15, 2011
Content is devoted to materials by or about persons with disabilities.
We’ll give contributors a prominent by-line, a biographical note and copies of the issue.
Please include your name, complete contact information and a two- or three-sentence biography with your submission.
Send your submissions to:
Ned Andrew Solomon /Managing Editor, Breaking Ground
Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities
Parkway Towers, Suite 130 • 404 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0228 • ned.solomon@tn.gov
Questions? call 615-532-6556
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 10, 2011 8:21:55 GMT -5
www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2824New Directions for Special Ed Mainstreaming, population shifts, early intervention and budget cuts create challenges and opportunities for district leaders. By Ed Finkel - June 2011 Special education used to be a place—sometimes a separate school, more often a classroom down the hall where students labeled as such disappeared for hours at a time, out of sight and out of mind for the typical classroom teacher. That’s still sometimes the case, but increasingly, special education is front and center in the regular education classroom, and the population of students with individualized education plans has shifted away from those considered learning disabled.
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 10, 2011 8:23:26 GMT -5
The Arc Tennessee is conducting an on-line survey to learn what topics self-advocates and family members would like to learn more about so that we can plan educational workshops for the coming fiscal year. Please take a brief moment to complete the survey and share your interests: You may open the survey in your web browser by clicking the link below: redcap.vanderbilt.edu/surveys/?s=v8jPrgIf the link above does not work, try copying the link below into your web browser: redcap.vanderbilt.edu/surveys/?s=v8jPrg If you prefer not to complete the survey on-line, you may contact our office, ask for me, and I will help get it completed. Thank you for your input! |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 11, 2011 10:51:41 GMT -5
The next PACT meeting will be on Thursday June 16th at noon at the TEAM Center offices.(This change is due to the Ready To Work summer program for young adults with Asperger's taking place on Wednesdays) All are welcome! Bring your lunch and find out how you can get involved! (One thing that we are interested in discussing is interest in working with an area movie theatre to provide a "Sensory Friendly" screening of current movies. This is done is other cities (Atlanta, Knoxville) and believe that it would be useful in our community too! A brief description of the Atlanta screening : "AMC Entertainment® (AMC)and the Autism Society of America have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment on a monthly basis with the"Sensory Friendly Films" program. In order to provide a more accepting and comfortable setting for this unique audience, the movie auditoriums will have their lights brought up and sound turned down, families will be able to bring in their own gluten-free, casein-free snacks, and no previews or advertisements will be shown before the movie. Additionally, audience members are welcome to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing - in other words, AMC's "Silence is Golden" policy will not be enforced unless the safety of the audience is questioned." Does this sound like something that would be useful for Chattanooga families? Let me know if you're interested in working on a project to make it happen!) Additionally, we've had a request from a parent in Cleveland/Chattanooga to start a play group for kids ages 9-12 with ASD. Is anyone interested in this? Please let me know, and I'll connect you with this parent. CHATTANOOGA AREA: Save the Date: Get the Mow Down! Lawn mower races on Saturday June 25th at 4pm. A local group does lawn mower racing near Harrison, TN and they'd like to donate the proceeds to the CAC! (We, of course, do not condone racing lawn mowers at home for fun- but these adults do this recreationally and assume liability for themselves!) Come out and watch and support the CAC. There will be light concessions, games for kids and public awareness info about Autism available. A cheap night of entertainment for the whole family. Save the Date: Friday November 11th 2011 for the Connections Conference at 1st Centenary United Methodist Church in Chattanooga. For families in need of resources and information regarding disabilities. See the attached flyer for more information. PECS Basic Training in Chattanooga. July 18-19 2011. Learn how to appropriately implement the six phases of the PECS protocol, including teaching initiation, attributes, commenting and much more. PECS is much more than just using pictures… learn how to teach your students the power of communication! Cost: $395 for Professional and $295 for Parent. Workshop Hours: 8:00am – 4:00pm. This workshop offers 1.3 ASHA CEUs or 15.6 BACB CEUs at no additional cost! Training is appropriate for any parent or professional working with learners with autism, related disabilities and/or limited communication skills. Please visit our website at www.pecs.com for more information. Online registration is available. Alternately, you may register via phone at 888-732-7462. The office accepts checks and purchase orders through the mail. In addition purchase orders may be faxed to the office at (302) 368-2516. Payment must be submitted with registration form found at www.pecs.com . Stellar Pediatric Services is offering a large variety of summer camps and classes at their outpatient therapy clinic in Chattanooga. These specialized sessions are tailored to be fun and functional, promoting carryover to home, school, and community. Camps and classes for the summer include: •Multi-Sensory Handwriting Programs, grouped by age•Pre-Handwriting Skills for preschoolers•FUNtastic Fine Motor – Arts and Crafts for Fine Motor Development•Stellar Social Skills group•Reading, Rhyming, and Rocking! Pre-K language and literacy group•Sensational Speech•R’s R Us – A speech therapy group to work on the “R” sound•Jump Start Kindergarten •Jumping Beans - Have fun while gaining confidence and motor skills The clinic is staffed with experienced pediatric speech and occupational therapists who have been working in local schools throughout the year. Call 423-622-1551or hchristopher.homestead.com/index.html for more information. Support/Social groups for ASD- Night Owls at Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church. This program offers free of charge childcare for your special needs child and their siblings. The ratio of children to volunteers is 1:1. The program is the first Friday of every month. We also offer such events as Mom’s Morning Out. If you are interested please e-mail Betty: galbreth@bellsouth.net. Enjoy a night out! Awesome Autism Support Group is sponsored by Siskin Center in Chattanooga and meets monthly. For more information, contact Jackie Benkert at: (423) 886-5430. Group meets the 4th Monday of the month, 7 p.m. at the Ronald McDonald House next door to Erlanger. On facebook as: AwesomeAutism-please join! Family Share Support Group meets monthly for a meal. For more information and to RSVP, contact lifelineminstry@juno.com or (423) 622-4007. Social Group for Chattanooga Teens affected by Aspergers. Meets regularly, local parents have started this group. For information on next meeting, call (423) 544-9964. Greater Chattanooga Aspies (GCA) is a support & social group for adults with Asperger’s Syndrome/High functioning autism in the greater Chattanooga area. Regularly scheduled meetings will be the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6 – 8pm with a speaker the first hour and support group time the second hour. Their socials are monthly with TBD dates, times, & activities. For more information, contact Scott Kramer at: GCAspies@gmail.com or go to: www.meetup.com/G-C-As CLEVELAND: JUNE 23 – 24, 2011 – 2011 Lee University Southeastern Autism Symposium with Keynote Speaker Sondra Williams. It will be at Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Cost is $75. For more information contact: Hariett Cannon at: (423) 614-8192 or harriettcannon@university.edu MORRISTOWN: Autism Orientation at Manley Baptist Church on Thursday September 1st 2011 from 6:30-8:30. Please see attached flyer for more information or to RSVP. Volunteer Opportunities We have a number of volunteer opportunities to pass along to you and hope that you will respond to this email if you'd like to sign up to help with any of these events. Upcoming community events that we would like to exhibit the Chattanooga Autism Center poster board and information about ASD. As well as info on Art and Autism and activities for children. We need volunteers to sign up for shifts to man the booth and hand out information about our center and encourage them to sign up for our email distribution list. We will provide all of the needed items: folding table, CAC board, flyers, pamphlets, children's activities etc. Thursday and Friday June 23 and 24 at the LUDIC conference at Lee University. Annual conference on Autism where we hope that the Cleveland and Chattanooga Autism Center's can be represented. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ We will need a few volunteers to help out at the lawn mower races on Sat June 25th as well. We'll need some folks to help with concession sales and parking possibly. Additionally, we need to provided ice for the Coke Wagon. Please let me know if you'd like to donate ice or a monetary donation to purchase ice. We hope to sell some lemonade and watermelon etc which we hope to get donated. If you'd like to volunteer day of or help get these things donated, please let me know. Thank you very much for considering to help out the CAC! Melanie Chakwin -- Chattanooga Autism Center Where the Pieces Come Together ChattanoogaAutismCenter.org
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 11, 2011 10:52:15 GMT -5
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 11, 2011 10:53:22 GMT -5
www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20110606-BIZ-106060301By Michael McCord - news@seacoastonline.com June 06, 2011 2:00 AM DOVER — Neil MacGregor is accustomed to speaking to school kids who struggle with reading and writing disabilities. But MacGregor, the vice president for learner development with goQ Software in Dover, was taken aback recently when he was asked by a local fourth-grade student to speak at the elementary school in Madbury. The request came after the student, who struggles with dyslexia, began to successfully use the company's WordQ and SpeakQ software to read and write. The student didn't know MacGregor, but reached out to him. MacGregor gave a show-and-tell demonstration to the class and what happened, he said, was a remarkable display of potential realized.
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 14, 2011 15:20:33 GMT -5
USC UCEDD faculty, staff, and trainees have translated the CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” Autism Fact Sheet into multiple languages to reach underserved populations in CA. The USC UCEDD completed an extensive review process in developing these translations, consulting both parents and health care professionals. The Autism Fact Sheet provides a one-page tool for clinicians to share with families, to raise awareness about developmental delay, which may be related to autism or other developmental disabilities. The fact sheet encourages parents who have concerns about their child’s development to speak with their doctor. The Autism Fact Sheet is available in Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese from: uscucedd.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=455&Itemid=426. You can also contact Cary Kreutzer, MPH, RD at ckreutzer@chla.usc.edu to obtain copies or if you have any questions. English and Spanish versions of the fact sheet are available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/downloads.html. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 15, 2011 15:15:40 GMT -5
Open Doors Tennessee will be hosting their annual Canoe Fest on June 25th. Please consider joining us - you will have a great time!!!
This is a FREE event and is open to all families who have children with a disablility.
RSVP opendoorstn@gmail.com
Please see attached flyer for more details.
Thanks
Cheri Howlett
Open Doors Tennessee
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 15, 2011 15:16:36 GMT -5
OPEN DOORS JULY 7TH FAMILY OUTING: KENTUCKY SPLASH WATER PARK 1050 HWY 92 WEST , WILLIAMSBURG KENTUCKY 40769 /Phone# 606-549-6065 www.kentuckysplash.com Park hours: 11:00am - 7:00pm Admission cost: $10 per person (all ages) For more information visit their web site or contact me at early111@bellsouth.net/865-621-3661 Everyone is welcome to join us! Hope to see you all there, Barbara Early |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 16, 2011 14:57:47 GMT -5
Research Study: Expectations and Experiences of Fathers Who Have Parented Children With and Without Intellectual Disabilities
Study Summary: The purpose of this study is to explore the expectations and experiences of fathers of at least two children-- one developing as expected and the other having an intellectual disability.
Who Can Participate?: English speaking fathers of one child with and one child without an intellectual disability between the ages of 2 and 16 years.
What's Involved?: One 60-120 minute face-to-face interview
Benefits of Joining: Help researchers and other professionals working with fathers with children of differing. intelligence understand their unique needs
Flexible scheduling of interview time and complete confidentiality
'The principal investigator for this study is Jane K. Walker, RN, MSN, Nursing PhD student at East Tennessee State University
If you would like to volunteer for this study or request more information, please contact Jane K. Walker, RN, MSN by calling 865-805-2181. She can be reached by email at jane.walker@ws.edu
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jun 21, 2011 14:41:57 GMT -5
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