A Practical Guide to Early Childhood Inclusion

A practical guide to early childhood inclusion: effective reflection by Ann M. Gruenberg and Regina Miller is a Pearson textbook for special education teachers. The short text, approximately 250 pages, provides strategies for classrooms of preschool-to-elementary aged students. The authors cover assessment, curricular adaptations, play and social skills, arts and PE. Later chapters are full of case examples for everyday problem solving and structured activities.

Interested in this book? Indiana resident? Email us!

Not an Indiana resident? Find this book at your local library through WorldCat.

Transition Strategies for Adolescents and Young Adults Who Use AAC

Transition strategies for adolescents & young adults who use AAC is compiled by David B. Naughton, a professor of Educational and School Psychology and Special Education at Pennsylvania State, and David R. Beukelman, professor of Special Education and Communication Disorders at the University of Nebraska. The book covers every point of the transition process to adult life for individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication. The authors cite extensive research to recommend the best practices in post-high school transition, recreation and leisure, sexuality, literacy, employment, and medical/health transitions.

Interested in this book? Indiana resident? Email us!

Not an Indiana resident? Find this book at your local library through WorldCat.

A Special Mother

A special mother: getting through the early days of a child's diagnosis of learning disabilities and related disorders is by Anne Ford, a speaker and former chairman of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, in collaboration with playwright and novelist John-Richard Thompson. The book provides the tips and support that "Anne wishes she'd had years ago when she first received the news about her daughter and didn't know where to turn." She covers recognizing symptoms of a learning disorder, parents' rights, disputes with schools, and encouraging your child to overcome differences from their peers to make friends.

Interested in this book? Indiana resident? Email us!

Not an Indiana resident? Find this book at your local library through WorldCat.

Endurance Athlete Amy Palmiero-Winters

(Image Source)

In the Sunday edition of the New York Times, the Sports of the Times column featured Amy Palmiero-Winters, an endurance athlete with a physical disability. In the column, titled "Strides, Often Painful, but Always, Always Forward", author George Vecsey describes the motorcycle accident that crushed Palmiero-Winters' lower left leg and changed the marathoner's life forever.

Palmiero-Winters overcame her disability with the aid of advanced athletic prosthetics. In addition to running mind-boggling distances, she became a competitive triathlete. She now works for A Step Ahead and is the mother of two. This month, she was presented with the Sullivan Award for outstanding amateur American athletes, previously given to the likes of Shawn Johnson and Michael Phelps.

You can read the original article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/sports/26vecsey.html. Also check out Amy's site and racing blog at seeamyrun.com.

Survey: Indiana Residents and the ADA

How do people with disabilities in Indiana rate their community’s implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act? The Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, in conjunction with the Governor's Council for People with Disabilities, and Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services, is conducting a survey to find out the answer to this question – ADA Implementation in Your Community.

The ADA has been in effect since 1990 – twenty years have passed for communities to remove physical, programmatic, and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with disabilities from becoming active participating citizens. A great deal of progress has been made, but there is still need for further compliance. The 2010 Disability Poll on Implementation of the ADA asks Indiana citizens to identify how they view their community’s current implementation. The results of the survey will be used to issue the third Indiana Report Card on Implementation of the ADA in Indiana’s Communities this July 26th in conjunction with the 20th Anniversary of the Signing of the ADA!

The survey is available online at: http://www.thepollingplace.org. People with disabilities, their family members, and their advocates are invited to complete the survey so that their voices are heard when accessibility issues are being addressed in their communities! Print copies and alternative formats are available on request.

To request the survey in an alternative format, or for additional information, contact Dr. Vicki Pappas by phone: 1-800-825-4733 or e-mail beheard@indiana.edu.

40th Anniversary Open House

This Wednesday, April 28th, come on down to Bloomington for the IIDC's annual open house, celebrating 40 years of research and community involvement. Take the opportunity to meet IIDC staff, tour our offices, and sign up for a card at the CeDIR library. Here's a schedule of talks and events taking place throughout the day:

11:00 a.m.
Open House Kickoff and Welcome – David Mank
Cake, Drinks, Snacks
Conference Room B

12:00 Noon
Meet the Authors – Kim Davis and Sue Dixon
When Actions Speak Louder than Words
Conference Room B

1:00 p.m.
Meet the Author – Phil Stafford
Elderburbia
Conference Room B

2:00 p.m.
Meet the Author - Cathy Beard
An Introduction to Special Education in Indiana
Conference Room B

3:00 p.m.
INSPIRE - Christina Wray
Conference Room B

4:00 p.m.
Students on the Spectrum (SOS) Club at Indiana University – Marci Wheeler and Jessica Adams
Conference Room B

5:00-6:00 p.m.
Showing of the Video When Did I Get Old: Reflections on Aging Today
Center for Aging and Community
Conference Room, Building M

Preschool Day Camp

The Center for Possibilities in Hobart, Indiana, is offering a day camp program for preschoolers with developmental disabilities. The camp, entitled "How Does Your Garden Grow," will take place June 7-17th on Mondays through Fridays, from 8:30am to 1:45pm. Here are the promotional details:

Campers will have a wonderful time exploring all things that grow in a garden including flowers, fruits, vegetables, bugs and other crawly things. Activities will include planting seeds, exploring roots, painting with vegetables, digging for worms and water play.

Children 2-6 years old with a developmental disability are eligible to enroll. Camp will run for 2 weeks, Monday-Thursday, from 8:30am-1:45pm. A $20.00 enrollment fee and $40.00 camp fee will be due at time of enrollment. The enrollment fee will include a camp T-shirt and group picture. The Camp fee includes 5 hours of care with a 1 teacher to 5 campers ratio, hot lunches and am snacks, and all camp supplies. All fees are non-refundable. A waiting list will be created once full enrollment is reached.

Campers do not need to be independent in physical skills such as sitting up or walking or in self help skills such as toileting or eating. In order for camp to be enjoyable for each camper, parents are encouraged to consider if their child is able to handle stimulation, transitions, being around other children and exposure to colds and other respiratory ailments. Per State guidelines, Center for Possibilities shall not admit or maintain any child whose needs it obviously cannot meet or whose behavior would be dangerous for other children. (DPW Reg. 470IAC 3-4, 1-7). Center for Possibilities is a state license daycare program with 50 years experience providing service to individuals with developmental disabilities.

For more information or to enroll your child, call the Hobart Family YMCA at (219) 942-2183 or visit the website www.hobartymca.org. You can also email the CeDIR Library to request an electronic copy of the flyer.

World Bank Databases

The World Bank announced Tuesday that it is opening its global development databases to the public! In a press release, the company said:

Recognizing that transparency and accountability are essential to development, the World Bank Group now provides free, open, and easy access to its comprehensive set of data on living standards around the globe—some 2,000 indicators, including hundreds that go back 50 years. The data is available in Arabic, French, and Spanish in addition to English.

To take advantage of this new resource, visit http://www.worldbank.org/ and click "Data and Research" or "Publications." The Data and Research section provides access to statistics for over 150 countries. Of particular interest to this blog are the statistics on health, which you can view by searching "Data by Topic" --> "Health" or by searching by country, selecting a nation and scrolling down to "Topics" to see the individual statistics. For each of the countries you can view the birth rate, mortality rate by age groups, out-of-pocket expenses for health care, prevalence of HIV and malnutrition, and availability of prenatal care. Statistics go back to 2004-2005.

Myths and Realities of Disability Services for Students

Taken from the April 19th IU Chemical Notations:

Wednesday, April 21
Noon to 1:00 pm
IMU - Oak Room

Whitney Manchester (Learning Disability Coordinator) and Dorothy Lenard (Support Services Coordinator) from the Office of Disability Services for Students will offer a presentation that demystifies the actual process by which DSS works with IU students to develop and implement reasonable and appropriate accommodations.

They will show the connection between student limitations and the kinds of accommodations developed to offset them. The session will be interactive and informative - starting with a "Pop Quiz” where the myths are represented by a dragon and reality by an alligator. Be ready to sharpen your pencils and ACE the pop quiz—“YOU'LL know the difference between the dragon and the alligator” by the end of the session.

If you plan to attend this session and require a sign language interpreter, real time captioning, assistive listening system, another auxiliary aid or information in alternate format, please contact Alice Voigt, Accessibility Specialist, at the National Center on Accessibility (812) 856-4422 (voice) or (812) 856-4421 (TTY).

Aimee Mullins on the Colbert Report

Last Thursday, April 15th, model, actress, and former paralympian Aimee Mullins appeared on the Colbert Report. Mullins appears in minutes 15 through 21 of the show to speak about what constitutes a "prosthetic" or "disability" (Quote: "Pinups have more prosthetics in their breasts than I do in my entire body, but no one calls most of Hollywood disabled").


You can watch the full episode on Comedy Central at http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=271365.

A Teacher's Guide to Education Law

A teacher's guide to education law (4th Ed.) is written by Michael Imber, Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Kansas, and Tyll van Geel, Professor of Education Emeritus at the University of Rochester. The text "provides a concise introduction to topics in education law that are most relevant to teachers." The subjects covered in the book include religion, independent student speech, disability and gender, and teacher employment (worker's comp, tenure, hiring practices, etc.). The authors thoroughly cite each chapter, providing a host of other resources for readers to pursue.

Interested in this book? Indiana resident? Email us!

Not an Indiana resident? Find this book at your local library through WorldCat.

Soy-Yer Dough

Soy-Yer Dough is a Bloomfield, IN company that manufactures a gluten-free, non-toxic, scented version of Play-Doh-like modeling clay for children with gluten intolerance or Celiac disease. The company also offers soy-free options for children with soy allergies.

Bloomfield native Sawyer Sparks, the founder of Soy-Yer Dough, was featured on the reality TV show Shark Tank last September. In the episode, the typically tight-fisted "angel investors" offered Sawyer $300,000 for 40% ownership of the burgeoning company. Sawyer has so far refused to sell, but has since proven that the investors' vote of confidence was well deserved.

You can purchase Soy-yer Dough from the website http://www.soy-yer.com/. Containers of dough cost $2.00 each and come in scents of raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, watermelon, cherry and grape. You can also read a feature on the company in the local Herald Times.

Understanding Disability

Understanding disability: from theory to practice is the updated edition of a 1996 best seller. Written for students in various health fields by Michael Oliver, Emeritus Professor of Disability Studies at the University of Greenwich, the short but dense paperback covers theoretical understandings of disability, disability law, and the pros and cons of policies over the past decade and a half. Oliver discusses welfare, rehabilitation, special education and inclusion.

Interested in this book? Indiana resident? Email us!

Not an Indiana resident? Find this book at your local library through WorldCat.

Easter Seals Crossroads: CampAbility

The sun is out and spring fever has settled in; soon the school year will end and you and your children will have three empty months to fill. If you don't have any major summer plans, or are looking for a great opportunity for your child to interact with other children and learn new skills while you're at work, consider signing up for CampAbility, the annual Easter Seals day camp.

CampAbility runs for two week sessions throughout June and July. Each session costs $300, but some scholarships are available thanks to generous donors. Before- and after-camp care during working hours is also offered for a fee. You can read more about the camp and view a 3-minute promotional video here: http://crossroads.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=INCN_camp_crossroads. If you have questions about CampAbility, call Jane at 317-782-8888.

For an electronic copy of the 2010 CampAbility flyer, email us at cedir@indiana.edu. Also check out two other day camp offerings by the Easter Seals Crossroads, Life Skills and PALSS, on our Autism Resource Blog.

Ask-A-Lawyer

Do you have a pressing legal concern, but haven't been able to find the appropriate consultant? Today at 2pm, several branches of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Libraries will host an "Ask-a-Lawyer" event. From the IMCPL website:

Adults may receive free legal advice through one-on-one consultations with qualified, licensed attorneys who are members of the Indianapolis Bar Association. For those unable to attend, call 269-2000 between 2 - 8 p.m. to speak with an attorney.

You can see the list of libraries hosting the event at http://www.imcpl.org/events/detail/?event_id=227&schedule_id=19158.

Health Care Reform Summary

Are you confused about what the recent health care reform will do, especially in regards to people with disabilities? Julia Day of the World Institute on Disability put together a very useful summary of the bill, with concise explanations of the changes to insurance regulations, Medicaid, etc. In particular,

• By 2014, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny anyone coverage because of a pre-existing condition.

• Before the end of 2010, costly treatments for ongoing medical conditions will be protected from lifetome coverage caps previously imposed by insurance companies.

• The disability determination process to become eligible for Medicaid will be shortened and simplified.

• Starting October 1, 2011, the Medicaid Community First Choice (CFC) Option will give states the option to allow people with disabilities who are eligible for institutional care to choose community-based services instead.

• Starting in 2012, the Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act (CLASS Act) will provide for voluntary, self-funded, long-term care insurance through the workplace...This program will make long-term in-home support services more affordable, and will help people with disabilities remain in their homes and communities.

For more detailed bullet points, you can read the original document on Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/doc/29791241/2010-04-02-Health-Care-Reform-Article

Article: Adult ADD

Good Housekeeping magazine recently ran a feature on Adult Attention Deficit Disorder, based on an interview with psychologist Kathleen G. Nadeau, Ph.D.

The article, which you can read at http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diseases/attention-deficit-disorder-concentrate-mar05?click=main_sr, debunks some myths about ADD/ADHD, like that it affects men more than women or that high-achieving people must not have it. "You have to look at how much effort it takes for you to get something done", Nadeau says. "I once diagnosed ADD in a physician who told me that during medical school, he got so distracted in the dorms that, before exams, he would have to rent a hotel room in order to study." The interview concludes with resources to contact and an overview of modern medications for ADD.

For more information about ADHD, consult our resource guide on the subject at http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cedir/adhdbib.html.

The Down Syndrome Transition Handbook

The down syndrome transition handbook: charting your child's course to adulthood by Jo Ann Simons is a resource for parents of teenagers with Down Syndrome. Simons addresses every aspect of the transition from school to work in a straightforward, clearly categorized manner. She discusses methods of preparing students for the working environment (vocational training, ways to obtain experience during high school), postsecondary education options, obtaining SSI and medical benefits as an adult, financial management, and most importantly, the essential role of social and family support during the transition.

Interested in this book? Indiana resident? Email us!

Not an Indiana resident? Find this book at your local library through WorldCat.

Wheelchair Rugby Game

This Friday, April 9th, the Peer Undergraduate Mentor Program (PUMP) wil sponsor a wheelchair rugby game. The game is open to all students and staff, and the public is welcome to watch. A local wheelchair rugby team will show off their skills on the court. The game will be from 2:00 – 4:00 pm at the Student Recreational Sports Center off 10th Street.


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For more information, email Dani Clark at clardani@indiana.edu or call IU's Disability Services for Students at 812-855-7578.

Prevent, Teach, Reinforce

Prevent, teach reinforce: the school-based model of individualized positive behavior support by Glen Dunlap, et al., is a short textbook on behavior management for teachers of K-8 classrooms. The book focuses on functional assessment, behavior intervention plans, and evaluation. An included CD-ROM contains printable forms, Behavior Support Plan templates, and other tools to implement the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce model.

Interested in this book? Indiana resident? Email us!

Not an Indiana resident? Find this book at your local library through WorldCat.

ADA Indiana Webinar: Reasonable Accommodation

What is "reasonable accommodation" for employees with disabilities? Learn about the legal specifics in Wednesday's ADA Webinar. From the City of Bloomington website:

Reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities continues as a frequently litigated ADA issue. This webinar will identify major trends in reasonable accommodation cases. Presenter Barry Taylor, JD, Director of Legal Services at Equip for Equality in Chicago, will analyze recent court decisions interpreting the reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA. The webinar is free and can be viewed at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Building L on April 7th from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. For information, contact Matt Norris or Vicki Pappas adainfo@indiana.edu or 855-6508.

If you do not live in Bloomington, you can register to participate in the webinar directly here: https://adagreat.powweb.com/WebForms/Login/index.php?source=/Webinar/ADALegal/register.php. The deadline is tomorrow, April 6th, at 11 am. You can also see more upcoming ADA webinars in the Legal Issues series here: http://www.ada-audio.org/Webinar/ADALegal/Schedule/.

Disability Awareness Poster Contest

Modified from the Bloomington city website:

Help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act by entering the Council for Community Accessibility's disability and accessibility awareness poster competition! The competition begins in April and runs until the first of June.

Prizes will be awarded to selected entries and announced at the July celebration of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

All poster entries should highlight a disability and/or accessibility issue and can include graphic design, drawing, painting, and/or photography.

All entries must include this registration form: http://bloomington.in.gov/media/media/application/pdf/6729.pdf

Information about the competition and hard copies of the registration form are available at the Community & Family Resources Department, Suite 260, City Hall, 401 N. Morton Street, Bloomington.

For information, contact Craig Brenner at 812-349-3471 or brennerc@bloomington.in.gov.

Dyslexia: Learning Disorder or Creative Gift?

Dyslexia: learning disorder or creative gift? is written by Cornelia Jantzen, a consultant and mother of two children with dyslexia. Drawing from personal experience and professional research, Jantzen explores different methods of and philosophies about teaching literacy, as well as the workings of the brain. She is a proponent of the Davis method, which "enables students to use all their senses in learning written language."

Interested in this book? Indiana resident? Email us!

Not an Indiana resident? Find this book at your local library through WorldCat.