Online Disability Resources

Are you looking for disability related information you know you can trust? Or maybe you just want a quick list of good websites for information on learning disabilities. Now you can find all of this and more by visiting CeDIR's del.icio.us account! We've just started growing our list of resources, and we'd love to know what sites you find most helpful. Do you have a link you'd like to share? Leave us a comment, or fellow del.icio.us users can add the tag "for:cedir" to the link you'd like to share and we'll be able to review it!

Stigma

People with mental health issues often face stigma in their communities. The Mayo Health Clinic has an article that talks about the ways that individuals contribute to stigmatizing others:

• Labeling someone with a condition
• Stereotyping people who have that condition
• Creating a division — a superior "us" group and a devalued "them" group, resulting in loss of status in the community
• Discriminating against someone on the basis of their label

The article also has information on what individuals with mental health issues can do to help with the stigma. Nostigma.org is another good resource for people dealing with mental health issues and the people who love them.

CeDIR's directories for each county in Indiana list agencies and organizations for people with disabilities, and many counties will often list local mental health clinics.

National ADA Symposium

From May 12 to the 14th, the National ADA Symposium, which is the most comprehensive event on the Americans with Disabilities Act, will take place in St. Louis, Missouri. There will be presentations from the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Access Board and the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. The symposium also offers ADA training and updates to attendees and a variety of topical sessions and social activities for networking.

Check out their website at www.adasymposium.org to learn more about this event!

What Some Participants Say About the National ADA Symposium.

"This Symposium was invaluable. I found it very educational & thorough. The network of people was outstanding and impressive."

"I received clarification on many issues that were cloudy when I arrived."

"EXPO is such a great resource for products, services & contacts."

"Presenters were very knowledgeable and went out of their way to meet with people after presentations."

"Gave me a lot of new contacts and inspired me to get more involved in my community for the betterment of others with disabilities."

Video Series on Accessible Sidewalks

A series of videos on sidewalk accessibility previously available on DVD can now be viewed through the U.S. Access Board's website. Accessible Sidewalks is a four-part video developed by the Board to illustrate issues and considerations in the design of sidewalks. The series covers access for pedestrians with mobility impairments, including those who use wheelchairs, and pedestrians who are blind or have low vision. The videos are open captioned and incorporate running descriptive audio.

Check out these videos online at www.access-board.gov!

The series on DVD is still available free from the Board. To order a copy, send a request for the “Accessible Sidewalks DVD” with your mailing address to pubs@access-board.gov or call the Board at (202) 272-0011 (v) or (202) 272-0082 (TTY).

Check out the new IN*SOURCE online community!

From June 16th through the 20th, the Indiana Resource Center for Autism will host a Summer Institute entitled Educating and Supporting Individuals Across the Autism Spectrum, which will involve the discussion of functional behavioral assessments, structured teaching, communication programming, and more.

This is just one of the notices recently posted within IN*SOURCE's new online community, which is free for anyone interested. The Indiana Resource Center for Families with Special Needs has created this interactive community so that, once an account is made, individuals can talk about autism, special education issues, and learning disabilities with other members. Take a look at it today to see what's new! For more information, please visit www.myinsource.org.

Social & Communication Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Social & Communication Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Early Identification, Diagnosis, & Intervention, edited by Tony Charman and Wendy Stone, discusses the assessment, understanding, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. The research of experts in the field is presented to highlight the most recent advances in the treatment of ASD. Charman and Stone's latest book have received a number of positive reviews, including the following from Samuel L. Odom, PhD. of the School of Education at Indiana University: "Charman and Stone have recruited foremost authorities to summarize in clear and considerable detail what the science shows, the clinical implications of existing knowledge, and the directions toward which we need to move in further research. This book is destined to be a truly influential contribution for autism researchers, clinicians, graduate students, and policymakers." To find out more about treating ASD during the first five years of a child's life, check out Social & Communication Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders today at CeDIR.