Professional development that sticks: How do I create meaningful learning experiences for educators?

"In Professional Development That Sticks, Fred Ende makes the case for a better approach that melds traditional PD structures with personalized learning. Here, school leaders will find a framework for developing professional learning experiences that spark and maintain teacher motivation and lead to real changes in practice. Ende's three-stage professional development for learning (PDL) process covers critical aspects of planning, providing, and following up. In addition, PDL's Think, Act, and Reflect method ensures your teachers will acquire meaningful, deep, sticky learning that lasts." -publisher

Want to check it out? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu or use worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Feedback sought on state plan

The Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities (GCPD) has drafted its 2017-2021 State Plan and is accepting comments from people with disabilities, their families, caregivers, advocates, stakeholders, and the public on its five-year state plan goals and objectives.

The Council is required to create a five-year strategic state plan to address the availability of services, supports, and other assistance for individuals with disabilities and their families in the state. The plan also includes objectives for enhancing people's lives through training, community education, and support. The state plan provides the basic framework for how Council funds will be used and what activities the Council will be involved in.

Your feedback is critical as the Council finalizes its priority areas and focus objectives in order to implement the 2017-2021 State Plan. The council will accept comments on the proposed goals and objectives through July 25, 2016, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

To read the State Plan and learn how you can submit feedback, please visit: http://www.in.gov/gpcpd/2537.htm

Partners in Policymaking class this fall

The Governor's Council for People with Disabilities is announcing that the next Partners in Policymaking Class is scheduled for this Fall. Applications are due by Monday, June 13th. Applicants are strongly encouraged to thoroughly read the program description and commitment requirements before applying.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.in.gov/gpcpd/2465.htm

Mobile App Monday - ASL Translator

Looking for an app that can translate text to sign language? ASL Translator might be just the ticket. There are two parts to this app:
1. TEXT-TO-SIGN GENERATOR (SIGNED ENGLISH)
2. ASL PHRASES (ASL)

Part One
The TEXT-TO-SIGN portion of this app translates English text into ASL signs and generates sentences in “English word order”. However it is not “Signed Exact English” we improve the translation with our Smart Translation Algorithm.

Part Two
Learn how to sign ASL idioms and phrases. Jessica Tanner (deaf actress) and Dwight D. Godwin, NIC (certified ASL interpreter), translate over 100 idioms and phrases such as “Do you need a doctor” and “train go sorry” into ASL.

For more information about this app, please visit:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id421784745

Designing websites for people with dementia

With an estimated 46.8 million (and rising) people worldwide living with dementia, it is important to think of designing websites that are accessible to them.

"Although many people living with dementia use the internet to access information or communicate with peers, friends or family, actually navigating these digital spaces can become increasingly problematic," according to an article at smashingmagazine.com. The article offers information on colors, fonts, layout and more.

To read the entire article, please visit:
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2016/05/designing-a-dementia-friendly-website/

Utility funding for families

Looking for some help with catching up on heating bills from last winter or with cooling bills for the coming summer? The Arc of Indiana has a program that may help. Called the Utility Support Program, it offers assistance to families that qualify with utility costs, including payment for utility bills, funding to reactivate or prevent disconnection of services, deposit assistance to begin services, and funding to cover back utility debt.

To see if your family is eligible, please visit:
http://www.arcind.org/our-programs/the-arc-of-indiana-utility-support-program/

What's new?

Looking for what's new in the library? Each month we take a look back at the new items arriving in the library. Here's the list for May 2016:

https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/whats-new