Indiana's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities

April 14, 2008

FYI Spotlight

· ADA-Indiana Audio Conference
· Summer Classes for Early Childhood Education
  Professionals
· Building Leadership Series
· Counseling Program Aimed at Families Raising Children
  with Disabilities
· Library Corner

Upcoming

April DA-Indiana Audio Conference: Transitioning from high school to college is tough enough; for students with disabilities who may not know their rights and responsibilities under federal law, the experience can be even tougher. ADA-Indiana’s April Audio Conference, There are no IEPs in College, will feature Howard Kallem, Chief Regional Attorney from the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, who will compare the rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities in high school and in college. By understanding the differences, students, parents, teachers, counselors, service providers, and administrators can be better prepared and increase student's chances of graduating.

This audio conference will be held on Tuesday, April 15th from 2:00-3:30 p.m. (EDT) at two Indiana locations and will be of special interest to high school and college students, families, education professionals,  people with disabilities, and other interested community members. No pre-registration is required. CRCC continuing education credits are available. The session is free at the locations sponsored by ADA-Indiana.

ADA-Indiana Site Locations:

Bloomington, IN (2:00-3:30 p.m. EDT)
Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Building L
2853 East Tenth Street

Indianapolis, IN (2:00-3:30 p.m. EDT):
Indiana Government Center, Conference Room 12
402 West Washington Street

If you are not able to attend, individuals and organizations can purchase access to the audio conference by visiting http://www.ada-audio.org. The cost is $25.00 (for not-for-profits) and $40.00 (for-profit entities). For more information about this session or the 2007-2008 ADA Audio Conference Season, visit http://www.adaindiana.org, or contact Matt Norris at 1-800-825-4733 or e-mail adainfo@....

Early Childhood Summer Classes: Institute’s Early Childhood Center is pleased to announce the availability of two “hot topic” summer classes for busy early childhood educators, kindergarten teachers, Head Start and school administrators, and graduate students in early childhood and education this summer.

Building a Foundation for Success: Early Education Program Practices that Promote School Readiness is a hybrid class (on-line and face-to-face components) that will examine current teacher practices, supportive administrative practices, family involvement, and transition plans between the early education providers and kindergarten classrooms… All critical components for school readiness. The face-to-face component is offered simultaneously in Bloomington, Gary, and Evansville June 24 through 26.

Assessment: Exploring and Refining Your Skills is an on-line course designed to engage participants in the exploration of their knowledge and practices in the assessment of children’s readiness for school. Enrollees will investigate and discuss the wide variety of assessment tools and methods, the components of sound assessment, and the development of a system to successfully engage all critical partners in the assessment process. The class will be available on-line from June 15th through August 10th.

Each summer class can provide 3 hours of Indiana University graduate credit. Satisfactory completion of this course will earn three credit hours for renewal of your teaching license or, with approval of your advisor, credit toward completing your master degree requirements.  Additionally, 4.5 Continuing Education Units will be offered. Non-credit enrollment is also available. Both course options are available as pass/fail as well.

Enrollment fee for each class is $150.00. IU credits and CEU fees are at an additional cost to participants. Registration is due by June 1, 2008.  Registration forms and additional information is available at http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/ecc. For content questions, contact Pat Cole at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail pacole@.... For registration assistance, contact Jackie at 1-800-825-4733 or 812-855-6508 (e-mail dutkowsk@...).

Building Leadership Series: The Building Leadership Series project, a collaborative endeavor between the Institute’s Center on Aging and Community, the Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities, and Indiana Protection and Advocacy, has begun recruitment of 20 new participants for its fall 2008 series.

The Building Leadership Series consists of three two-day workshops over a three month period. The workshop topics and dates are:

September 24-25: Choice: What Choices am I Really Making? What are My Rights and Responsibilities?
October 22-23: Self-Determination/Self-Advocacy: I Hear these Words, What Do They Mean for Me?
November 12-13: Person Centered Planning: What Does it Mean for Me and What is a Good Plan?

All workshops are co-trained with staff from CAC and persons with disabilities. There is a good mix of interactive activities, video, discussion, role play and lecture. Workbooks accompany each topical area. Past participants have commented on how much they learned and committed to personal action steps upon arriving back home. New friendships developed, and personal growth was evident for all participants. Participants e-mail and call one another and were often overheard heard to say, “I can’t wait until next time!”

All collaborating partners are very proud and pleased with the outcomes of these workshops. The increased knowledge and information was evidenced by participants’ pre- and post-assessment on the three topical areas. Also of significance was the participants’ growth individually and as a collective with each succeeding workshop. Participants initially were timid and soft spoken but soon began to speak up, ask questions and volunteer for various roles, often putting themselves in vulnerable and unfamiliar situations.

As a secondary consequence of the training, we discovered the benefit to the helpers (family members and paid staff), who were very pleased to be able to observe their partners learn and connect and, we feel, learned some new skills themselves that will better enable them to help their partners in the future. For more information, contact Jennie Todd at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail jeptodd@... or visit http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cac/.

What’s New

Center for Possibilities Announces New Counseling Program Aimed at Families Raising Children with Developmental Disabilities: In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, Center for Possibilities announces a new program, Center for Possibilities Counseling Services, funded through a grant from the Lake County Department of Children’s Services. The program is aimed at preventing child abuse and neglect of children with disabilities by addressing the stress and the strain experienced by their families and caregivers. Services include free counseling, support group facilitation, parent to parent mentoring facilitation, parenting classes, and resource education classes for families in Lake County, Indiana that have children with disabilities. Center for Possibilities will also educate teachers, medical staff, childcare workers, and other professionals on ways to prevent child abuse and neglect of children with disabilities. 

Center for Possibilities is located at 22 Tyler Avenue in Hobart, Indiana. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for young children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families.  In addition to the Counseling Services, the Center also provides a preschool and adult day program for individuals with developmental disabilities. For information on Counseling Services or any other program offered at Center for Possibilities, contact Julie Ramisch, Marriage & Family Therapist, at (219) 962-5751 or e-mail julie.ramisch@....

Library Corner

New Items: The following new materials may be borrowed by Indiana residents from the Center for Disability Information and Referral (CeDIR) at the Institute. To check out materials, contact the library at 1-800-437-7924, send e-mail to cedir@..., or visit us at 2853 East Tenth Street in Bloomington.

Coucouvanis, J.A. (2007). The potty journey: Guide to toilet training children with special needs, including autism and related disorders. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Pub. Co.

Strohm, K. (2005). Being the other one: Growing up with a brother or sister who has special needs. Boston, MA: Shambhala.

Weis, M. (2008). Miles from the sideline: A mother’s journey with her special needs daughter. Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books.

Weiss, M.J. (2007). Practical solutions for educating young children with high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Pub. Co.