Bloomington's Council for Community Accessibility Presents Annual Awards

At the annual CCA Awards Ceremony on Monday, Oct. 25, Mayor Mark Kruzan and the City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility (CCA) recognized organizations and individuals committed to making Bloomington more accessible to people with disabilities.

The following award winners were recognized for outstanding service:

• Self-Advocacy Award – Jerry Zumpe, who has been involved with both the Self-Advocates of Monroe County and the Self-Advocates of Indiana for several years, serving as the Treasurer of Self-Advocates of Monroe County for the past four years

• Business Service Award, sponsored by Cook Group Incorporated – Arby’s Restaurant on West Third Street, which has made a concerted effort to support and facilitate the growth of persons with disabilities

• Professional and Community Service Award – Theresa Dovenbarger, Continuing Education Options team manager for this service of Options, for going far above and beyond her job duties by leading efforts to organize self-advocates;

• Special Recognition – Randy Paul, a tireless advocate for people with disabilities and a volunteer with many community groups;

• Kristin Willison Volunteer Service Award – Bill Embry, who has freely given his time and experience organizing fishing tournaments to provide joyful recreation for many people with disabilities and others and to raise funds for many organizations;

• Mayor’s Award, sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College – Lynne Argent, Executive Director of Abilities Unlimited, who has been a steadfast guardian of and provider for people with disabilities in need of a vast array of customized services.

The Awards Ceremony was sponsored by the City of Bloomington’s Community and Family Resources Department and Human Rights Commission; Bloomington Hospital; Chapman's; Cook Group Incorporated; Indiana University Credit Union; Ivy Tech Community College; Kiwanis Club of Bloomington; Barbara McKinney, Human Rights Attorney for the City of Bloomington; Oliver Wine Company, Inc,; Options; Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living; and Stone Belt Arc, Inc.

Freedom Scientific releases JAWS 12

Freedom Scientific today announced the release of JAWS® for Windows version 12, including JAWS BrailleIn™, a powerful new feature that enables users who prefer typing in Braille to use contracted Braille in common Microsoft applications such as Internet Explorer and Word. JAWS 12 includes a new Virtual Ribbon feature which provides a fast way to navigate the Ribbon Menus that Microsoft uses in Office 2007 and Windows 7. JAWS 12 also replaces the Configuration Manager with a new Settings Center. The Settings Center allows easy access to all JAWS settings and includes a search box to instantly locate and adjust the desired settings.

The upgrade is an SMA release and can be downloaded as either 32-bit or 64-bit versions from the JAWS downloads page. DVD shipments to SMA holders and new product customers will commence on Nov. 2, 2010.

Alternate Assessment

Looking for a guide to help align instruction with assessment? Need help using multiple measures to ensure that assessments truly reflect students' knowledge? Want to find step-by-step examples of modified lesson plans? Then check out Alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities: An educator's guide. This book has all that and more. Practical classroom applications provide the backbone of this book and will help make alternate assessments accessible to K-12 teachers.

Email us at cedir@indiana.edu to check out this book. Or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you!

Universal design handbook

Need an overview of universal design? Interested in the latest advances in the field? Then check out Universal design handbook. This updated second edition is loaded with examples of standards worldwide and solutions. This handbook covers the full scope of what universal design means, from products to buildings to technology. Research and teaching are also explored.

Interested? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu to check it out. Or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Section 8 Housing in Bloomington

The Bloomington Housing Authority is pleased to announce that the Section 8 waiting list will be open for a half day in November, 2010. On Wednesday, November 17^th, they will be taking applications from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Long lines are expected, therefore, tickets will be given to the people who stand in line but do not make it inside to turn in their applications. Applicants who do not turn in their completed applications on November 17^th must turn in their completed applications no later than Friday, November 19^th at 4:00 p.m., and these applications must be accompanied by the ticket that was given out on the 17^th

In order to submit a complete application, each applicant must have a Social Security card and a birth certificate for every person in the household. Applicants and household members over 18 must have a driver’s license or state issued ID card. These documents must be submitted for every person in the household. APPLICATIONS THAT ARE NOT ACCOMPANIED BY THESE DOCUMENTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Applicants must also bring proof of income, such as paystubs, letters from employers, TANF or Social Security award letters, and bank statements for all accounts. Applications that have been obtained and filled out ahead of time will not be accepted.

Please call ahead (812-339-3491) if reasonable accommodations for a disability or a language interpreter will be needed.

Changes to the ADA

The U.S. Department of Justice has put together the revisions to the Americans with Disabilities Act Regulations that will be enacted next year. The revised regulations amend the Department’s Title II regulation, 28 C.F.R. Part 35, and the Title III regulation, 28 C.F.R. Part 36, in addition to its ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

Appendix A to each regulation includes a section-by-section analysis of the rule and responses to public comments on the proposed rule. Appendix B to the Title III regulation discusses major changes in the ADA Standards for Accessible Design and responds to public comments received on the proposed rules.

For a look at these changes, go to: http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/ADAregs2010.htm

Inclusion

CeDIR has published the latest edition of its semi-annual newsletter, CeDIR Citings. This October 2010 edition focuses on the inclusion of people with disabilities in the community. To see the .pdf version, go to: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/styles/iidc/defiles/10-10%20Citings.pdf.

Happy Fall!

RTI: Principles and Strategies

Wondering what all the fuss is about Response to Intervention? Need some help with strategies to implement RTI in your school or classroom? Now in its second edition, Response to intervention: Principles and strategies for effective practice may have some answers for you. Complete with charts, graphs, worksheets, and illustrations, this practical book also has summaries at the end of each chapter to help drive home the main points. New to this edition are behavioral interventions, research reflecting the increasing adoption of RTI nationwide, implementation at the whole-school and district levels, and more.

Want to check it out? Send us an email at cedir@indiana.edu. You can also use worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Good health with Down Syndrome

As people age and move away from pediatric care, the tendency is to pay less attention to quality health care. But that doesn't have to be the case. The book The guide to good health for teens & adults with Down syndrome can help families and/or service providers find quality physicians that will continue providing excellent health care for teens and adults with Down syndrome.

Important points discussed in this book include: Characteristics of Down syndrome that can affect health care; More commonly occurring medical issues; The connection between mental & physical health; Long term health and well being throughout the lifespan; Advance directives and end of life issues and more.

Interested? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu to check out this title. Or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Challenging Kids, Challenged Teachers

Challenging kids, challenged teachers: Teaching students with Tourette's, bipolar disorder, executive dysfunction, OCD, ADHD, and more is a new resource filled with creative ideas and strategies for teachers to help their students with disabilities become more successful learners. Chapters cover not only specific disorders but academic issues and other school-related topics as well. The accompanying CD offers checklists, surveys, and worksheets to print out and reuse as needed.

To check out this title, send us an email at cedir@indiana.edu. Or try worldcat.org to find this book in a library near you.

Proyecto Visión

Proyecto Visión (Project Vision) is a bilingual web site for English- and Spanish-speaking youth with disabilities. The latest edition of their newsletter includes an article "Steps for Young People with Disabilities to Find Employment Success." This article contains lots of tips on when to disclose your disability to an employer and how to request job accommodations. It also talks about your rights as an employee and the responsibilities of your employer.

To read the article, go to: http://www.proyectovision.net/english/news/42/jan.html

New Database for Emergency Personnel

The City of Bloomington has announced a new voluntary citizens with disabilities registration system now available for use by first responders, providing immediate access to disability-specific information in emergency situations. The Bloomington/Monroe County Special Needs Database for First Responders gives dispatch, police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians visual-, hearing- and mobility-impairment information for those who have registered with the database.

"Anything that can help emergency personnel provide the highest level of care as quickly as possible is a big win for everyone," said Mayor Mark Kruzan. "This really is a great initiative that can only affect the community in a positive way."

Individuals with disabilities or family members of people with disabilities who would like to be included in this database may register at http://bloomington.in.gov/specialneedsdispatch. The registration form also may be completed and mailed to: Bloomington/Monroe County Special Needs Database, 220 E. 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47401. Those who need assistance completing the form may call 349-3429 or e-mail human.rights@bloomington.in.gov.

After registration, a City representative will contact registrants every six months to ensure the information is up to date.

“This database is an extremely important step toward effective emergency preparedness for individuals with disabilities in Monroe County," said Katie Herron, Chair of the City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility. "Information gathered in this database will allow first responders to maximize the effectiveness and quality of care provided. Having disability-specific information prior to arriving at the scene of an emergency could mean the difference between life and death.”

For more information, contact Barbara McKinney at 349-3429 or human.rights@bloomington.in.gov.

Assistive technology

Got a student who could benefit from using assistive technology (AT) in the classroom? Need a quick introduction to AT, including some history and the laws that support it? Check out Assistive technology: Access for all students. Now in its second edition, this comprehensive book has all of that and more. The book talks about the "assistive technology continuum" and looks at funding for AT. It also covers the use of AT in very young children to those entering the adult world. This second edition includes a chapter on Universal Design for Learning and Response to Intervention.

Interested? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu, or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Ready, Set, Potty!

Looking for some extra help with toilet training? Need an encouraging word to stay motivated? Loaded with tips for both parents and teachers, Brenda Batts' Ready, set, potty!: Toilet training for children with autism and other developmental disorders might be just the ticket. In an enthusiastic, optimistic style, Batts offers many success stories along with ideas for individualized teaching and 17 steps for potty training.

Email us at cedir@indiana.edu to check out this title. Or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Intervention in child language disorders

Intervention in Child Language Disorders: A Comprehensive Handbook offers effective interventions in language disorders in children from infancy to high school age. This wonderful resource presents clinical ideas and treatment examples and discusses a wide range of language disorders that can stem from learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, physical impairments, autism, hearing impairments, brain injury and specific language impairments. This comprehensive book will help students and speech-language pathologists provide the best treatments for their clients.

Interested? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu. Or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Shut up about your perfect kid!

Despite a tendency to cringe at the title of this book, Shut up about your perfect kid: A survival guide for ordinary parents of special children is a seriously frank, seriously funny look at two moms (sisters) who have children with disabilities. Through IEP meetings, team meetings, and various medical and psychiatric appointments, be prepared to laugh and cry as the authors describe their kids' inclusion classrooms, private school, and life in general.

To check out this fun book, email us at cedir@indiana.edu. Or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Parents with intellectual disabilities

Praise for Parents with intellectual disabilities: Past, present and futures:

'The book discusses the experiences of parents with intellectual disabilities and their children, and also supports such parental training and the role of extended families. It is a very welcome contribution to a topic that tends to be negatively oversimplified.’
—Jan Tøssebro, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

‘This is a unique exploration – from an international and multi-disciplinary perspective – of the lives and experiences of parents with intellectual disabilities, their children and the services that both enable and disable them in their parenting. Its combination of scholarly research and "insider" accounts makes it essential reading for researchers and practitioners around the world.’
—Professor Dorothy Atkinson, The Open University, UK

‘This must-read book explores the experiences of mothers and fathers with intellectual disability and their children, contextualized within their communities. It investigates the systems and services that do or do not support successful parenting, and explores modern complexities of gender, terminology, citizenship, public policy, and human rights.’
—Ruth Luckasson, Distinguished Professor of Education, University of New Mexico, US

Interested? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu to check it out. Or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.