Bionic cat

If you're over 40 years old, you're probably old enough to remember the "Six Million Dollar Man" or the "Bionic Woman," two 1970's-era TV shows that featured a man and a woman who were so injured in accidents that parts of their bodies were replaced with cybernetic prosthetics.

Well, now comes the Bionic Cat, and it isn't a TV show at all! Oscar, a British cat, lost his rear paws in a terrible accident with a combine harvester last fall. Doctors fitted him with metal prosthetics and treated him with about four months of rehabilitation to teach him how to walk with his new paws.

And while Oscar may not have super strength or speed, he certainly can get around now. To read the entire article from NPR, go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128107345&sc=fb&cc=fp.

Comic book superheroes with disabilities

Americans have long been enamored of the amazing feats of strength, speed, cunning, and agility of comic book superheroes. But, just like humans, not all superheroes are "typical" in their abilities. Both DC and Marvel comics have developed superheroes with disabilities.

Now, the folks at Furious Fanboys have put together a list of ten superheroes with disabilities. Among them are Daredevil and his opposite, Echo. Also listed is Professor X. To see the full list of superheroes with disabilities, go to http://furiousfanboys.com/2010/06/10-superheroes-with-a-handicap/

The 10th Annual National Braille Challenge®

On Saturday, June 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Braille Institute’s headquarters in Los Angeles, the best of the best students in the country will compete in an academic challenge requiring them to transcribe, type and read braille. According to an article in LISNEWS, "Most [of the students in the competition] were born blind, others lost their sight due to cancer or viral infections, but they all share a tenacity that drives them to succeed in spite of their disability."

To read the full article, go to http://lisnews.org/putting_their_braille_skills_test

For more about the Braille Institute, go to http://www.brailleinstitute.org/

Free Technology for Teachers

Teachers! Are you looking for free resources, ideas, or lesson plans that incorporate technology into your teaching? Check out the award-winning blog Free Technology for Teachers.

You'll find interesting interactive mathematics lessons using Conceptua™ Math, a great way for students to work with and master the concept of fractions. You'll also find suggestions on using Google and Google Earth in your lessons, alternatives to YouTube, Social Studies resources, and much more!

LAST CALL: The ADA Survey Closes June 15

Time is running out for you to SPEAK YOUR MIND about your community’s progress in implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act! How well is the ADA being implemented? What still needs to be done?

The ADA Survey will close on JUNE 15th. We currently have just over 600 responses, but we’d like to try for 750, even 1000! So if you aren’t one of those 600 respondents, please become one very soon! Feel free to pass this on to your friends, family, and co-workers.

www.thepollingplace.org

It takes only about 10-15 minutes.

The results of the ADA SURVEY will be used to create Indiana’s 2010 “Report Card,” which will be a highlight of our state’s ADA Celebration in July. It will also be useful as a tool to educate policy makers, administrators and the public about what priorities need to be addressed so that Indiana communities meet the goals of the ADA.

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.

The 2010 ADA Survey is being conducted by the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, the Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities, and Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services, in conjunction with the Great Lakes ADA Center in Chicago.

Early Intervention in Action

Early Intervention in Action: Working Across Disciplines to Support Infants with Multiple Disabilities and Their Families is an electronic enriched textbook for pre-service professionals, as well as professionals in the field. Included in the text book are video demonstrations of key concepts, learning objectives and self-assessments and specialized, hard to find information compiled together in one place!

Learners will find out more about applying reccomened practices with specialized populations, coordinating services and receive practical guidance on key topics. Want to see for yourself? Call us at (812) 855-9396.

CeDIR is going to be moving to our Administration building here at the Institute! If you come to visit us we will be located in the same building you stop at to get your parking permit. We will be closed June 11th-15th for the move. Please visit us in our new location starting June 16th.


We look forward to seeing you!

Working with Families

In Working with Families of young Children with Special Needs, edited by R.A. McWilliam, leaders in the the area of early education provide practical, systematic advice for providing the best service to these families.

This book covers everything from identifying what supports families already have, coordinating with families, home visits, challenging behavior and more. Throughout the book, the authors attempt to approach each topic with three values in mind:
1. Conducting interventions with children in the context of everyday routines
2. working with families in a family-friendly manner, and
3. concentrating of family quality of live vs. just on child competence.

Interested in taking a closer look? Email us! Live outside of Indiana? Find it in a library near you!