KINewsYour family's source for
disability resourcesJanuary, 2010 - Vol 2, Issue 1
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What do YOU want to share?
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Got an article, website, or announcement you'd like to see included in the next KINews?
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FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT.....
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 "Untitled," Colored pencil on paper Michael Sutton
Click directly on the images to learn about the artist and purchase their work.
Learn More about the NIAD Art Center.
Visit the NIAD Art Gallery online.
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Greetings,
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Welcome 2010! Did you know that January is named after Janus, the Roman god of the doorway? January is the door to the year, the entrance to 2010.
And speaking of doorways, this month our theme is assistive and instructional technology, tools that can open the door to functional independence and assist with learning for individuals with disabilities. Technology is very much a part of everyone's life. Read about a variety of technology applications and browse the websites for more.
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FAMILY SUPPORTS
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Family Caregivers Alliance: Assistive Technology (AT)
This website has all kinds of information on AT, including how and where to find independent living aids and adaptive equipment, home and vehicle modifications, possible funding sources, and more. It's definitely worth a look.
Visit the page on Caregiver.org.
Autism Research Widens to Include Grandparents
Families submit information about themselves so researchers can mine data from the registry to learn more about autism and to find subjects for studies. Technology is used to help the Interactive Autism Network compile this information. Now they are including grandparents as part of the network. Read more in this article from Disability Scoop by Shaun Heasley.
 "Untitled," (Vegetables)Dorian Reid
Assistive Technology Glossary
Could you use a little help with all the different terms for assistive technology? The Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) has what you are looking for - get that refresher course here.
Family Care Navigator
State-by-state help for family caregivers as well as those being cared for can be found in the Family Care Navigator which lists government, nonprofit, and private programs as well as legal resources. There's a Frequently Asked Questions section, too.
Visit this page on Caregiver.org.
Preparing Makes Sense for People with Disabilities and Special Needs
How do you plan for an emergency? This article from the Department of Homeland Security has a list of things to include in an emergency supply kit, offers ideas for preparing a plan before the emergency occurs, and talks about the importance of being informed. See how this can help your family at Ready.gov.
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COMMUNITY SUPPORTS
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AllTech
Learn about the assistive technology options available for people with any disability. AllTech has lots of resources, ideas, and even has a short-term loan program so you can try out devices before buying.
Visit AllTech's website.
Sensory Friendly Film
Have you heard about AMC Theaters Sensory Friendly Film Program? This is a wonderful opportunity for families who have a member who is not able to go to movies because of noise, crowds, or any other reason. AMC Theaters offer a current movie every month where it is okay to bring in special snacks, sing, shout or move around during the movie, with some lights on, and the volume on the movie turned down.
Find out more at Autism-society.org.
Spanish Language Resources for Assistive Technology
The Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) has a webpage on Recursos en Español.
Have a look.
Horn Player Who is Blind Brings New Perspective to Marching Band
Find out how one band teacher helped a student who is blind to become a member of the marching band. It's a great story from 9News by Kim Christiansen.
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DISABILITIES
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Guide to Easier Living With Technology
Here you can read true stories of people who were able to use assistive technology to successfully gain more independence.
Visit ATaccess.org.
Closing the Gap
Closing the Gap is an online resource all about assistive technology and disability - have a look at closingthegap.com.
KIN Personal Stories - Kathie and son Benjamin Snow
We all want our children to be the best that they can be, but how are we defining "best"? Kathie did what she thought was best in bringing her son to physical therapy and equipping him with the best adaptive devices for his needs, but she learned that she must listen first to her child's needs and wants and make sure the way she is helping him lines up with his dreams and the goals he has for himself.
Benjamin, who is Kathie's son and was born with cerebral palsy, speaks of his accomplishments and political aspirations and goal to break any limitations that social or political labels put on him or others like him.
Listen to or read the story on our website.
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HEALTH & MENTAL HEALTH
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CODI
If you are looking for information on assistive technology for individuals with health problems or disabilities, this website offers just that. It has a whole section on AT for activities of daily living, as well as home and building modifications, organizations to check out, and catalogs that may be of interest.
Visit the CODI website.
 "Untitled," (Purple & Yellow) Acrylic on Panel Willie Harris
Yoga Can Be An Effective Therapy for Children with Special Needs
You've taken your child to physical therapy, occupational therapy, maybe music or equine therapy, but have you thought about the calming effect and strength-building of yoga therapy?
Read about it in this article from the Spokesman-Review by Virginia De Leon.
Dental Care Every Day: A Caregiver's Guide
Here are tips on how to help your family member with a disability have good oral health. They even have examples of low-tech assistive technology for holding toothbrushes.
Read the guide from the National Dental and Craniofacial Research.
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| ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY |
Abledata ResourcesAbledata is a resource for information on assistive technology of all types. Have a look at their home page to see what they list.Assistive Technology Resources on CD-RomA free CD-Rom for those who do not have access to the Internet is offered by the Family Center on Technology and Disability. It has all of the information from their website, including transcripts of online discussions, their newsletters, resource reviews, and more.
Call them at 202-884-8068, or ask for one here.What is Assistive Technology?The Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) has lots of useful information on assistive technology (AT) including this article on what AT is, and who uses it. Read the article from resna.org.
Assistive Technology and the IEPThe Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) has done it again: They've developed another great resource on AT. This one explains about how to include AT needs in the IEP to make sure that children get the technology they need to help them get the most from their education. Read the pdf from FCTD.info.Teen with Autism, Mom, Communicate Via TextingVera Word had tried everything to help her son communicate. Nothing really worked until one day she decided to try text messaging. Read about this success story from the Times Record News by Ann Work. |
| LEGAL & LEGISLATION |
Assistive Technology Legislation
If you would like to know what laws there are regarding assistive technology, this website will educate you. It is from the Assistive Technology Training Online Project, which is a good site to know about.
Visit their homepage.
Read about AT legislation.
Understanding the Law and Assistive Technology
The Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) also has a great resource on laws that pertain to assistive technology and disability, which you can read from their website.
Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Children from Abuse in School
This is a bill that all parents will want to watch and voice their opinions on.
Read about it in the articles from Justice For All.
Key Bills in Congress
Keep up on current legislation relating to disability so you can advocate, or just to be well informed. The Federal Legislative Action Center, sponsored The Arc, shows current legislation before the US Senate and Congress.
Visit the Federal Legislative Action Center website.
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LIFE SKILLS
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Assistive Technology: Opening Doors to Independence
This video from Alliance for Technology shows real-life use of AT for all age groups.
Watch it on YouTube.
Advocating for Yourself and Others
If you would like some tips on how to be a more effective advocate, the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities will show you how in this article.
Guilford Teacher Named "Hero" for Unique Class
Why did Peg Kennedy win the Hero Award? This teacher has a class that brings together typical high school students and students who receive special education and are enrolled in a Life Skills class. Her class is called "The Art of Living", and the typical students are helped by Kennedy as they develop lesson plans on life skills. These students are then paired with students with special needs to present the lessons as peer tutors.
Find out more in the article from the New Haven Register by Susan Muir.
Language Is The Key
Washington Learning Systems offers free downloads of activities to do with infants or toddlers while you're out in the community and which aid their language development. All materials are in English and Spanish, and some are available in Somali and Russian, too.
Here's the link on the Washington Learning Systems website for the infant activities.
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| HOUSING |
Technology for Housing: Bringing Together AT and Affordable Housing
This website is from Oregon, but wouldn't it be great in your state, too? They have useful information and national resources on housing.
Find out more from technologyforhousing.org.
Impact of Broadband on Senior Citizens
Broadband-enabled technologies can provide seniors and individuals with disabilities with an "interactive lifeline" from their homes.
Read about it here from the Chamber of Commerce.
Priced Out in 2008: The Housing Crisis for People with Disabilities
What does it cost to rent a basic one-bedroom apartment in various cities, and what percentage of a person's SSI must be used to obtain one? What can be done to provide needed housing for individuals with disabilities? Read this report from the Technical Assistance Collaborative and the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Housing Task Force for interesting information and suggestions on how to improve housing options.
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| EDUCATION |
Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology
We've got lots to share from the Family Center on Technology and Disability. It's a great resource. Check out the education related issues addressed on its website: The Possibilities of AT, AT in Schools, Funding Options, Questions and Tips, a Glossary and Resources.
Frequently Asked Questions About Assistive Technology
Many people have questions about assistive technology. Here is a website that answers the most frequently asked questions on AT for children in school as well as adult issues, getting funding, and more.
Visit abledata.com.
 "Untitled," (Two Panels) Acrylic on Canvas Willie Harris
Has Progress Been Made in Raising Achievement Scores for Students with Disabilities?
Why are students with disabilities still so far behind their typical peers? This report highlights the problems with the testing data.
Read it from the Center for Education Policy website.
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| EMPLOYMENT |
Pennsylvania Assistive Technology and Employment Collaborative
Here is a program that might be good for your state. See how a number of disability organizations work together to enhance the use of AT in employment for individuals with disabilities in Pennsylvania.
Visit Temple's Institute on Disability website to learn more.
Debunking the Myths About Disability Benefits and Work
This article exposes four popular myths about employment and loss of disability benefits, gives the correct facts and clarifies the policy.
Read about it from the Ticket to Work website.
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RECREATION & LEISURE
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Play Equipment
Explore topics such as outdoor recreation, accessing equipment, enabling gardening, adaptive water sports, shopping, and more at the website Infinitec.org, whose motto is "Infinite Potential through Assistive Technology".
USA TechGuide from United Spinal Association
Do you or a loved one use a wheelchair? This site has good information on adaptive sports and recreation equipment.
Visit USAtechguide.org.
 "Untitled (2)" Pencil on Paper Kevin Randolph
The Alabama Council for Developmental Disabilities Web Links to Assistive Technology Recreation
Find adapted equipment, games or devices for recreation.
This site may help you discover something new.
Learning His Body, Learning to Dance
After twelve years of physical therapy, Greg Mazgala, a man with cerebral palsy, thought he had reached the limit for the use of his muscles. Then Tamar Rogoff, a dance choreographer, started working with him and dramatic things have happened. Find out more from this New York Times article by Neil Genzlinger.
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| TRANSPORTATION |
Vehicle Purchase/Modification Funding Resources
Easter Seals Project Action lists resources for funding if you need to modify a vehicle, or purchase a new one and make it accessible.
Browse this resource collection at the Project Action website.
Questions and Answers on Serving Children with Disabilities Eligible for Transportation
The US Department of Education has put out a new document about transportation issues for students. It addresses questions such as: Who determines if transportation services are required?; What about the effects of duration of travel and time on learning?; and What about transportation outside of normal school hours?
Read more from Ed.gov.
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| QUALITY ASSURANCE |
VOICE Resource Catalog
This website has resources on things such as economic support, relationship, choice, inclusion, and more. Just click on the box you are interested in for lists of elements and examples, as well as resources. While this project is currently looking for new funding, it offers good information.
Read the VOICE Resource Catalog here.
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HOW DID WE DO?
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Too much information? Not enough? Have something you'd like us to announce here? Your input will help us improve. Please feel free to contact us at familysupport@aed.org or call 877-535-7575.
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Sincerely, The KIN Team   | | |