AUCDigest
February 27, 2007 • Volume 7, Number 2
Hawaii Center on Disability Studies UCEDD Director Robert Stodden Selected as Dai Ho Chun Endowed Chair. The endowed chair position is in honor of Dr. Dai Ho Chun, a public school teacher, supervisor of student teachers and principal of University Laboratory School, faculty member in the College of Education, and director of the International Cooperative Center. Dr. Stodden is a nationally renowned scholar in the areas of educational policy development and evidence-based practice whose work has impacted educational systems and classroom practices on local, national and international levels. His research explores the use of indigenous and other cultural values and behaviors as a means of teaching and supporting Native Hawaiian and other minority student groups who are most at risk for school failure. "I am honored to serve as the Dai Ho Chun Endowed Chair and I look forward to participating in educational leadership activities focused upon addressing policy and practice issues which impact upon students in Hawaii's public schools most in need of assistance and support to succeed," said Stodden.
National Center for Cultural Competence, in association with Center for Child and Human Development (DC UCEDD), Hosting Leadership Initiative on Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Systems. NCCC is pleased to announce a new leadership initiative to advance and sustain cultural and linguistic competence in systems, organizations, and programs concerned with children and youth with special health care needs and their families. The initiative will be comprised of a small group (15) of self-identified leaders. The group will be invited to an initial meeting in Washington, DC on May 10 - 11, 2007 to learn, share, and identify opportunities and challenges for advancing their leadership roles. The NCCC will then continue the process of connecting the community of learners through a series of teleconference calls and other forums. Please submit the completed application by March 9, 2007 to [email protected] or FAX: 202-687-8899; Attention: Elira Coja. For more information on selection criteria and receiving the application, please contact Wendy Jones at 800-788-2066.
Montana Rural Institute (UCEDD) Develops and Demonstrates Transition Planning Activities for Middle School Students with Developmental Disabilities. Through the Partnerships for Transition project funded by the Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Rural Institute and the statewide parent advocacy agency, PLUK (Parents, Let's Unite for Kids) are creating and implementing strategies to help families, schools, and communities prepare their middle school youth for success in the rest of their school years and beyond. Ellen Condon and Kim Brown are the lead persons in this developmental effort.
Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB) Receives Outreach Services from Developmental Disabilities Center (KS LEND) with Maternal and Child Health Funding. Staff and LEND trainees recently spent a day at KSSB evaluating seven students referred by the school's staff for concerns ranging from eating/nutritional needs to classroom behavioral challenges and social interaction difficulties. Staff collaborated with parents and KSSB professionals to make diagnostic impressions and develop appropriate plans of care. For more information, please contact Robyn Haenisch.
Community Inclusion and Disability Studies' (ME UCEDD) Web Accessibility Efforts Featured in News. The UCEDD's efforts in promoting website accessibility were featured in the December 2006 edition of Interface TECH NEWS. "Inclusive Internet access: making a website disability friendly" covered the Center's efforts to help the University of Maine develop a web accessibility policy, develop an accessibility helpsite, and promote full inclusion for users of University Webs. The article targeted primarily the business community. Alan Parks, coordinator of dissemination and technology at CCIDS and chair of the University of Maine's Universal Design for the Web Subcommittee, was interviewed for article, and provided details about the University's use of HiSoftware products to help Web designers create accessible sites. He also provided links to useful sites for designers. He pointed out that websites don't have to look different to be accessible.
News from the Institute on Disabilities (PA UCEDD)
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Faculty Diane Perry Appointed to the Pennsylvania Special Education Advisory Panel. Ms. Perry was appointed by Governor Ed Rendell to serve a three year term on the Advisory Panel. This panel works to improve special education in Pennsylvania by advising the Secretary of Education on the unmet needs of students with disabilities, developing policies to improve coordination of services and reviewing the Department of Education's Annual Program Plan.
- UCEDD Searching for New Director. The current Executive Director, Dr. Diane Nelson Bryen, will be retiring in June 2008. In making appropriate preparations, the UCEDD has been interviewing candidates for the position of Executive Director. For several months, a search committee has collected and reviewed the CVs of many potential candidates. Five candidates were invited to Temple University for a full day of interviews with the search committee, the Dean, and the staff of the Institute during the third week of February.
News and Activities from the Institute for Community Inclusion (MA UCEDD)
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Joe Marrone was a keynote speaker on mental health and employment issues at the "Moving Forward Together" forum in Victoria, British Columbia. He also presented at a February 28 conference In Syracuse, NY on Work-A Right Versus a Privilege.
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John Butterworth is working with New England TASH to host a conference titled "Live, Learn, Work: The Journey to Inclusion" in Worcester, MA on March 16.
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Sheila Fesko, Elena Varney, and Cori DiBiase presented at the National Association of Workforce Boards conference in February.
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The New England Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program at the UCEDD welcomed students and staff to our nationally certified training series, Innovative Community Employment and Support Strategies. The training series cover skills training, job coaching, career planning, marketing, and job development.
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Through the upcoming March 29 seminar, the UCEDD will address barriers concerning public and subsidized housing and employment, as they relate to tenants with disabilities. During the event, strategies will be offered to overcome those barriers.
- The UCEDD provided training, technical assistance, and evaluation for a Massachusetts Department of Education initiative launched in January 2007. The Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment pilot is for students with disabilities aged 18 to 22 who are still in high school.
For more information on ongoing trainings, seminars, and Technical Assistance activities contact [email protected].
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