AUCDigest
June 29, 2007 • Volume 7, Number 6
Center for Disabilities Studies (DE UCEDD) Researcher Honored. Dr. Nancy Weiss, co-founder and co-director of the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities, an organization coordinated through the UCEDD, was recognized last month at the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) annual conference with the organization's highest honor, the Presidential Award. Chosen as the 2007 recipient for her many years of administrative leadership in the field of developmental disabilities, Dr. Weiss was recognized for her work in combating the use of aversive devices, such as electroshock, pepper spray and cold-water treatments, on persons with mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy and other severe developmental disabilities.
Utah Center for Persons with Disabilities (UCEDD) Receives OSERS Steppingstones of Technology Grant. Dr. Cyndi Rowland has been awarded an OSERS Steppingstones of Technology grant in the amount of $396,807. The project will work to create Web content that is easier for individuals with cognitive and learning disabilities (the largest segment of the disability community and also the largest group of the aging population).
News and
Honors from Indiana Institute on
Disability and Community (UCEDD)
- Study: Social skills programs for children with autism are largely ineffective. A meta-analysis of 55 published research studies reveals programs designed to teach social skills to children with autism are failing to meet their goals. The study found that programs held in normal classroom settings were more likely to result in positive changes than programs held in other environments. "The results of the meta-analysis are certainly hard to swallow, but they do shed some light on factors that lead to more beneficial social outcomes for children with autism," said lead researcher Dr. Scott Bellini, assistant director of IU's Indiana Resource Center for Autism and assistant professor in the School of Education.
- Bellini's Book Named Literary Work of the Year by Autism Society of America. The Autism Society of America, a national organization advocating for autism research and services, recognized Building Social Relationships by Scott Bellini as its 2007 Literary Work of the Year. Bellini is the assistant director of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism in the UCEDD. Building Social Relationships outlines a strategic process for recognizing and addressing social skills deficits based on the most current research on individuals with autism. Using real-world examples, Bellini describes common areas of difficulty and effective methods of teaching these skills.
Activities
by the Institute on Disability
and Human Development (IL UCEDD)
- Sibling
Leadership Network Presents Pre-Conference. We are excited to announce the
Sibling Leadership Network pre-conference scheduled November 9–10, 2007 before
the AUCD Annual Conference & Meeting in Washington DC! This event is co-sponsored by the
Rehabilitation Research and Training
Center on Aging with
Developmental Disabilities (IL UCEDD) and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center
(TN UCEDD). Despite the ever-changing
roles siblings of people with disabilities will assume in the lives as they and
their families age, there is relatively little research on siblings and their
concerns. The Sibling Leadership Network is interested in research that
investigates the reciprocal contributions in such sibling relationships. Registration will be $75 until October 19, 2007 and $90 afterwards. Download and print out the Registration Brochure Form and the Agenda for the 2-Day Event. Online registration will be available in July.
- August 23, 2007: Promoting Healthy Sexuality in Persons with Developmental Disabilities. Presented by Shirley Paceley, MA, and co-sponsored by Arts of Life, Inc. and the IL UCEDD. Learn more about the event on the AUCD Events Page.
News from
the Institute on Disabilities (PA
UCEDD)
- Transition Efforts “Making a World of Difference.” Celia Feinstein, MA, (Associate Director) and Kathy Miller, MSW (Assistant Director of Training) are recipients of this year's Making a World of Difference Commendation from the Philadelphia Right to Education Task Force for instituting the C2P2 Transition Program, “which serves as a training ground to empower Pennsylvania's high school students with disabilities and their families with competence, confidence, partnership and wisdom; and for training so many of our advocates through other C2P2 projects." The award was presented at the Beacon of Light Celebration on May 31, 2007.
- Outstanding Support Professional. Jackie Culbertson, Assistant Director of Technical Assistance, has been recognized as “Outstanding Support Professional” by the ARC of Delaware County in recognition of outstanding professional support of individuals with developmental disabilities.
- New Appointee on the State Special Education Advisory Panel. Diane Perry, Family Inclusion Specialist, has been named to the Pennsylvania Special Education Advisory Panel. Ms. Perry has been on staff at the Institute for more than three years and is a parent of child with a disability.
- Disability Rights Movement in South Africa Presentation. Dr. Martha M. Laclave, faculty member of the Institute’s Disability Studies program, presented "A History of the Disability Rights Movement in South Africa" at Columbia University’s Seminar on Disability Studies “Rights Approaches to Disability: International Law and Community Participation” on April 11.
For further information about these PA UCEDD activities, email Susan Fullum.
Activities
from the Center on Disability Studies
(HI UCEDD)
- HI UCEDD Celebrates 20th Anniversary! The HI UCEDD was founded during the summer of 1987: July 1, 2007 marks the beginning of a year-long anniversary celebration of the center’s 20 years of education, research, and service. A special series of productions, events, and documents are scheduled including a year-long Pacific Rim Cinema Nights Film Series, weekly television programming, special forums and workshops, and a banquet celebration. Are you a former CDS employee, student or associate? If so, we would like to involve you in the celebration. Please visit the CDS website or contact email Charmaine Crockett, Eric Folk, or UCEDD Director Dr. Bob Stodden for more information.
- July 18th Gala Event. The UCEDD celebrates its 20th anniversary with a Gala kick-off event at the Honolulu Design Center, Kapiolani Blvd., on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 (5:30-9:00 pm). Features include culinary delights, live music, special guests, and award-winning shorts from Australia, Lebanon, and the United States including the newly released feature “Mr. Blue Sky.” RSVP to Charmaine Crockett. Download the full brochure through the CDS website.
- Upcoming Pac Rim Conference. The HI UCEDD is gearing up for its Pacific Rim Conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Honolulu from March 24–25, 2008. The 2008 Call for Papers is now open. Pre and post conference events include a special International Forum on the UN Convention and the rights of persons with disabilities. For more information visit the Pac Rim Conference website or call 808-956-7539.
- International Forum. The HI UCEDD, as a part of its 20th Anniversary Celebration, is pleased to host the International Forum 2008 at the Pacific Rim Conference. As a conference prelude event, International Forum 2008 is structured around presentations, panels, and informal discussions. The intent of the Forum is to generate interest and build capacity around issues and solutions concerning the rights of persons with disabilities internationally, with a focus on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Those interested in speaking or participating should contact Dr. Robert A. Stodden. Visit the Pac Rim Conference website, email [email protected], or call 808- 956-7539.
News and
Activities from New Hampshire Institute on
Disability (UCEDD/LEND)
- Employee’s Daughter Purchases Home through Home on Your Own Project. Last summer, Lori Fox became the 79th person in the state of New Hampshire to purchase a home through the Home of Your Own project, a joint effort by the UCEDD and the Center for Housing and New Community Economics (CHANCE) to help people with disabilities purchase affordable housing. “We had known about the Home of Your Own project since it started at the IOD,” said Sue Fox, MS, Lori’s mother and IOD’s Community Support Coordinator, “but we didn’t think about it for Lori until last year. Now, she’s living the American dream of owning her own home—an opportunity that isn’t given to many people with disabilities.” For more information, visit the CHANCE website.
- New Hampshire Leadership Series Named Community Organization of the Year. The UCEDD’s New Hampshire Leadership Series was recently honored by the University of New Hampshire as the 2007 Community Organization of the Year. “The Leadership Series has had over 400 graduates who have returned to their communities to work toward creating better futures for their children, for themselves, and for those that cannot do it alone,” reads the nomination. For more information, visit the New Hampshire Leadership Series website.
- New Grant Provides Enhanced Services and Supports for Individuals with Genetic Disorders. The NH UCEDD/LEND, in partnership with the New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, was awarded the New England Regional Genetics and Newborn Screening Collaborative grant by HHS. The project, funded with a 5-year $4 million grant, intends to enhance the services and supports for individuals with genetic disorders and will provide technical assistance, accessible information, educational opportunities, and other support to individuals who serve as supports to those with genetic disorders throughout the New England region. For more information, contact Amy Philbrick Schwartz, Project Coordinator at 603-862-5099.
- Upcoming NH Events (Featured on AUCD's Network Events Page)
- First Annual Assistive Technology (AT) Summer Institute & Beach Party
- 9th Annual Autism Summer Institute
- Response to Intervention & Beyond
- Real Choice: Systems Transformation – Making Choice Real: How Do We Get There From Here?
News and
Activities from the Institute for
Community Inclusion (MA UCEDD/LEND)
- UCEDD Employees are Honored and Celebrated for Long-term Dedication of Service. Stephanie Porter, RN, MS, and Yourlanda Johnson have both completed 20 years of service at Children’s Hospital and were acknowledged at a luncheon on June 1st.
- Licensing and Certification Process Made Easy. Congratulations to Kim Cortez, Jill Germaine, Lexi Gordon, Kristen Keyes, and Marianne Gilmore for their work on the UCEDD’s Employment Services Team. The surveyor in the ongoing Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) licensing and certification process for ICI has reported receiving unprecedented, overwhelmingly and consistently positive feedback from consumers and service coordinators.
- Published in the June 2007 Issue of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Journal. Two articles from the work of the ADD Ongoing Data Project team were published in the June 2007 issue of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Drs. Allison Hall, Jean Winsor, John Butterworth, and Deb Metzel authored “Pushing the Employment Agenda,” while Drs. Deb Metzel, Heike Boeltzig, Jen Sulewski, John Butterworth, and Dana Gilmore wrote “Achieving Community Membership through Community Rehabilitation Providers Services.”
- Universal Accessibility of Web Survey Design Capturing Wide Appeal. Holly Harrison and Jeff Coburn presented “Universal Accessibility in Web Survey Design: Practical Guidelines for Implementation” to a standing-room-only crowd at the 62nd Annual Conference for the American Association for Public Opinion and Research (AAPOR), in Anaheim, California.
- Three Year Grant Provides Better Services to Individuals with Visual and Mobility Limitations. Dr. Robert McCulley secured a highly competitive grant to span 3 years (for a total of $600K) to sustain the UMass Boston MEd Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Orientation and Mobility programs.
- Dr. Robert McCulley Honored for His Work on Low-incidence Disabilities Issues. Dr. McCulley, Director of the MA UCEDD’s Northeast Regional Center for Vision Education (NERCVE), received honorable mention as one of 30 people nominated for the Chancellor’s Achievement Awards on May 22nd. As a professional nominee, McCulley received a certificate of recognition. It is his passionate belief that representation of low-incidence disabilities issues is one of social justice, and that representation can be obtained by expanded collaboration and shared resources that led to his nomination.
- Ongoing Transition and Recreation Outreach to Latino Families. Myra Rosen Reynoso and Tish MacDonald Wer successfully hosted the Latino Family Partnership Meeting for the Opening Doors project on May 19th. The event hosted 40 Latino parents and their children and discussed transition and inclusive recreation.
< Previous | 2 of 10 | Next >
