CeDIR Closed for the Holidays

The CeDIR library will close at 5pm today for the year. We will reopen at 8am on the 4th of January.

Happy holidays!

Governor's Council Videos

The Governor's Council for People with Disabilities, a fellow member of the Indiana Developmental Disability Network, is an "independent state agency that facilitates change." The GCPD hosts community projects and supplies various publications and small grants for PwDs and their families to attend events. Most notably, they host an annual conference attended by many Indiana residents.

At this year's conference, several individuals with disabilities volunteered to provide testimonials about the everyday issues they've faced. Check out the Center on Aging and Community's YouTube page to access more than a dozen interviews with extraordinary people. The speakers cover surgeries, art, public transportation, advocacy, higher education, accessing services, and other diverse issues.

Gifts for the Parents

People who have children or other relatives with disabilities can be on edge during the holiday season. It can be difficult to know what to say or how to act when your friend is dealing with hospital bills or new diagnoses. Diane Flacks of The Star interviews several parents who explain what they would like most in the article, "Making it through the holidays."

For example, the mother of a kindergartener with Prader-Willi syndrome expresses gratitude for friends who made small gestures like contacting extended family to inform them of the situation. An author and mother of a boy with autism says practical help, like an evening of babysitting, can provide much needed relief. Another parent describes a time a family hosted a low-key holiday party for local children with disabilities.

You can read the article here.

Gene for Non-Syndromic Intellectual Disability Identified

Science Daily reported today that mutations in the gene TRAPPC9 may be responsible for nonsyndromic intellectual disabilities (i.e. learning disabilities and mental retardation not associated with Down syndrome, FAS, Fragile X etc.) The finding could explain the origin of 50% of intellectual disability cases worldwide.

Researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada isolated the gene through an examination of a large Pakistani and Iranian families with numerous individuals with intellectual disabilities. The researchers intend to pursue research as to exactly how TRAPPC9 is involved in brain function.

You can read the original article here. For more information on intellectual disabilities, check out CeDIR's Kids' Corner Book Nook for a list of books on the subject.

Why Cant U Teach Me 2 Read?

Why cant U teach me 2 read? Three students and a mayor put our schools to the test is an examination by Beth Fertig of the effects of the No Child Left Behind Policy in New York City. Three adolescents with learning disabilities attempt take the New York City schools to task for failing to teach them this essential school by the time they reached high school. Fertig describes how mayor Bloomberg of NYC rallied teachers and parents to question the meaning of education and the future of the public school system.

Interested in this book? Indiana resident? Email us!

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

Amazon's Kindle and Accessibility

Kindle, the popular wireless reading device by Amazon, may become more accessible to persons with visual impairments. The Daily Orange reports that Amazon has responded to complaints by Syracuse University and University of Wisconson that students with visual impairments had difficulties navigating through their documents with the device.

In a news release, Amazon stated that they plan to implement an audible menu and extra-large font to make Kindles more accessible.

You can read the original article here.

Toys 'R Us Differently-Abled Toy Guide

Stressing about the holidays? The Toys 'R Us Differently-Abled Toy Guide can help parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts find the perfect gift for their young loved ones with disabilities. The guide suggests toys that enhance particular skills and abilities; you can choose from auditory, creativity, fine motor, gross motor, language, self-esteem, social skills, tactile, thinking, and visual. The site also offers further refinement by age group, gender, theme (like Fairies, Cars, or Sesame Street), and price range. Almost every toy description is accompanied by reviews from parents.

If you don't want to order your gifts online, a box beneath the shopping cart allows customers to search for stores near their zip code and confirms whether the toy is available at that location.

Need more ideas? CeDIR owns several books on toys and recreation:
-The new language of toys: Teaching communication skills to children with special needs
-Fun with messy play: ideas and activities for children with special needs
-Play and imagination in children with autism

Email us if you're an Indiana resident and interested in checking any of these out!