AUCDigest
May 29, 2007 • Volume 7, Number 5
Rose F. Kennedy UCEDD (NY) Faculty Member Elected Board Chair at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Dr. Ruth L. Gottesman, Professor Emerita of Pediatrics, has been unanimously elected Chairperson of the medical school’s Board of Overseers. Dr. Gottesman is the first faculty member in the school’s 52-year history to be named Chair of the Board. She is also the first woman to hold the office. Dr. Gottesman joined the Einstein Board of overseers in 2002, after a distinguished 33-year academic career at the medical school that began in 1968 when she joined Einstein’s Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), the UCEDD clinical affiliate, to develop a program for children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. She went on to serve as CERC’s Director of Psychoeducational Services, as a member of the LEND faculty and later as Director of the Adult Literacy Program. Since 2003, Dr. Gottesman has served as Vice-Chair of the Board of Overseers where she has had a particular interest in educational programs, and has been a determined advocate for the interests of Einstein students. Her advocacy resulted in the establishment of a Board-based Student and Educational Affairs Committee, which she chairs.
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN UCEDD) Director Addresses National Legislators. VKC Director Pat Levitt, PhD, was a featured speaker May 22 in Washington D.C. during the National Summit on America’s Children. Dr. Levitt, who was invited to address public policy makers by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, kicked off the event in the Cannon House Office Building with his remarks as a panelist on the “Science of Early Childhood Development.” Speaking from his role as a developmental neuroscientist, Levitt provided a short synopsis of what has been uncovered through research by brain scientists at Vanderbilt and across the country over the past several years. Levitt said research shows that both genes and environment play an enormous role in building brain architecture. One clear principle of brain development is that providing the right environmental experiences, and reducing those that may be detrimental, will be the most effective and least costly means for promoting healthy brain architecture and early childhood development, he said. For more information, contact Dr. Jan Rosemergy.
Collaborative Dental Project at the Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development (UCEDD/LEND). Before joining the Iowa LEND program, Dr. Elaine Himadi lived and worked on Hawaii’s Big Island. The water on this island is not fluoridated, and the incidence of tooth decay is one of the highest in the nation. The only Medicaid provider for dental care had closed its doors, leaving children who were uninsured or who carried Medicaid insurance without dental services. An interaction with four dental residents from the University of Iowa MCHB Pediatric Dentistry program led to the development of a project to help meet the dental needs of these children. With support and encouragement from Dr. Michael Kanellis and Dr. Richard M. Burke, Jr., DMD, Dr. Himadi sought the involvement of Dr. Louise Iwaishi, Hawaii LEND Director, and Catholic Charities to provide free dental evaluations and services to children in need on Hawaii’s Big Island during the week of May 14-18, 2007. The project goals are to: 1) Raise awareness of this issue among the dental community; 2) Meet the dental needs of as many children as possible, and; 3) Encourage other dentists to volunteer their time and expertise, so that the dental needs of these children can continue to be addressed. For more information, contact Amy Mikelson.
First Symposium on Postsecondary Opportunities on College Campus for Students with Intellectual/Cognitive Disabilities in Michigan. The Developmental Disabilities Institute (MI UCEDD) is pleased to announce an upcoming Symposium on Postsecondary Opportunities on College Campuses for Students with Cognitive/Intellectual Disabilities. The first ever Michigan event will take place November 4–5, 2007 on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, MI. Two of the pioneers and researchers in the field, Dr. Meg Grigal, Director of the Postsecondary Research Center and Dr. Debra Hart, Educational Coordinator at the Institute for Community Inclusion (MA UCEDD) will present at the Symposium. Exemplary models of learning on college campuses for students with cognitive/intellectual disabilities will be showcased. The goal of the symposium is to foster the growth of the knowledge and interest in providing opportunities for students with cognitive/intellectual disabilities to continue to learn in inclusive, post high school settings.
Graduation of Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) LEND Program (NY) Trainees. On April 26th, WIHD held its 2006-2007 graduation ceremony that included a series of poster presentations prepared by LEND trainees and their interdisciplinary research teams. This year’s projects included topics such as Empowering Parents with Cognitive Disabilities, a study of Parenting Characteristics and Foster Care Placements and a Follow-up Study of Children Diagnosed early in life as having ASD. Trainees will show their poster presentations again at a visit to the New York State Department of Health currently planned for June. For more information, contact Dr. Laurence Miller.
American Indian Disability Technical Assistance Center (AIDTAC) Activities from the Montana Rural Institute (UCEDD)
- NACEPP Teleconferences. AIDTAC receives funding from the HHS Administration on Developmental Disabilities for the Native American Considerations and the Electoral Process Project (NACEPP). NACEPP teleconferences are conducted to promote the electoral participation among Native American. Senator Carol Juneau (representing Montana Senate District #8) and Janet Robideau (Director of Montana People’s Action / Montana Indian’s Action) gave presentations in May. Two other teleconferences will occur in July: 1) July 12, Cinda Hughes (Legislative Associate with the National Congress of American Indians) will present on Native Vote Initiatives, Histories, and Economic Factors, and; 2) July 19, Dr. Janine Pease (Vice President for American Indian Affairs and Planning at Rocky Montana College) will present on influencing legislation regarding American Indian voting rights and electoral participation.
- TANAC Teleconferences. AIDTAC receives funding from the Social
Security Administration for a project entitled Technical Assistance on Native
American Culture (TANAC). TANAC project uses nationwide teleconferences to give
Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWICs) the opportunity to hear
presentations by noted experts on Native American culture and protocol. Presenters included: Lance Foster, Former Director of Native
Rights, Land, and Culture at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Kimberly Irwin,
Public Affairs Specialist in American Indian Outreach with the Social Security
Administration in San Francisco; Bryan Longie, Case Manager at the Phoenix
Indian Center; Dr. David Beck, Professor of Native American Studies at the
University of Montana, and; Cavin Castaneda, Outreach Specialist at the Center on Disability Studies (HI UCEDD).
For further information about these activities, email AIDTAC Director Julie Clay.
- National Award Recipient. John Copenhaver, director of the Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center at the UCEDD, was presented with the Joleta Reynolds Service to Special Education Award by LRP Publications on April 23 in San Diego. The award is presented annually to one federal or state employee and one local employee who demonstrate dedication, excellence and integrity in carrying out the demanding and rewarding responsibilities of serving special needs children and their families or who support those who serve this exceptional population.
- 35th
Anniversary Celebration. The UCEDD will celebrate its 35th Anniversary
between June 15 and 16, 2007. The theme, "35 Years of Making a
Difference", speaks to the contributions of our staff, students, families,
friends, and colleagues. Several events are being planned, and we invite all
who have been partners with the CPD to join us (whether you knew us as the
Exceptional Child Center, the Developmental Center for Persons with
Disabilities, or the CPD) to celebrate 35 years of successful research,
services and education.
For further information about these activities, email Kelly Smith.
News and
Activities from the West Virginia Center for
Excellence on Disabilities (UCEDD)
- UD Legislation Signed into Law. Governor Manchin signed the Universal Design legislation, Senate Bill 59. This legislation amends the West Virginia Fair Housing Act by requiring that builders provide informational material about Universal Design features (one no-step entrance, wider hallways and doorways, accessible first floor bathroom, etc.) to persons contracting to build housing. The UCED/WVATS is named as one of the organizations that will create the Universal Design information for the builders.
- Youth Transition Program. West Virginia Youth Works is a new youth
transition program being offered in three counties that will assist youth with
disabilities in achieving their employment and independent living goals. The program will target twenty-four youth
between the ages of 16-22 from Harrison, Marion and Monongalia counties. The
participants will be pre-selected by the Social Security Administration and
must be receiving social security benefits (SSI or SSDI). The pilot program is sponsored by the Social
Security Administration and coordinated by Human Resources Development
Foundation, Inc in conjunction with the UCEDD.
For further information about these activities, email Melina Danko.
News and Activities from the Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (UCEDD)
- Disability Awareness Day. CCIDS was a sponsor of the annual Disability Awareness Day at the Maine State Capitol on May 8. Co-sponsors included the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council and the Maine Disability Rights Center.
- New Textbook Published. Drs. Elizabeth DePoy and Stephen Gilson are the authors of a new textbook, "The Human Experience: Description, Explanation, and Judgment."
- Award Recipient & Convocation Speaker. Dr. Elizabeth DePoy was recognized at UMaine's Academic Honors Convocation Address as the recipient of the 2007 Presidential Research and Creative Achievement Award. Her address is currently available to review.
- Web
Accessibility Compliance Journal Article. Alan Parks, CCIDS coordinator
of dissemination and technology, has an article on Web accessibility compliance
in the May-June
2007 issue of EdTech Magazine. The article reviews the development of
UMaine's Web accessibility policy, support, and compliance efforts.
For further information about these activities, email Alan Parks.
News and Activities from the Institute for Community Inclusion (MA UCEDD)
- Award Recipient. UCEDD Director Dr. Bill Kiernan received the Joseph M. Collins Human Service Award at the Massachusetts Association for the Blind (MAB) Community Service Gala on April 25, 2007. This award is named after Joe Collins, who was the CEO of MAB for fourteen years and devoted his career to improving the lives of others.
- Presentations
- Cori DiBiase is presenting for the National Association of Workforce Professionals on May 22, 2007 in Reno. He will discuss effectively serving all customers within the workforce development system.
- The UCEDD hosted 50 Latino families from the area on May 19 and discussed transition and recreation needs for children with special healthcare needs.
- The UCEDD had an international visitor from Argentina on May 10. Isabella Cullen, Directora of Fundacion Cedemil, came to see how ICI utilizes supported community-based employment.
- On July 18, Heike Boeltzig, from ICI, will conduct a poster and paper presentation with Matthew Kisminsky for the US Office for Special Education Programs. They will discuss Apple findings at the Project Directors’ Conference in Washington, DC.
- Heike Boeltzig presented the paper, Moving Toward
E-Government – Effective Strategies for Increasing Access and Use of the
Internet Among Non-Internet Users in the US
and the UK
on May 20 – 23. Boeltzig, from the Institute for Community Inclusion, presented
in conjunction with D. Pilling at the 8th Annual International Conference on
Digital Government Research in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
For further information about these activities, email Quinn Barbour.
News and
Activities from New Hampshire Institute on
Disability (UCEDD/LEND)
- PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: APEX II - Leading the Way in Dropout Prevention. As a senior in high school, 18-year-old Ryan was on the verge of dropping out. Through a series of informal meetings in November 2006, a targeted team of mentors and faculty was able to find out more about Ryan’s family history, his social network, and his dreams for the future. He began a new set of classes in January 2007, and by the end of February, Ryan had completely turned around, becoming alert, animated, and engaged in meetings with the team, all while achieving an “A” in art and a “B” in finance. Ryan is now working at the Job Corps Center in Maine and is on track to receive his GED by the end of the summer. Ryan’s success story is one of many that can be attributed to the work of the IOD’s APEX project, or Achievement in Dropout Prevention and Excellence. APEX works with New Hampshire high schools to induce a cultural shift in how teachers address discipline, seeking to prevent inappropriate behavior through a systematic and consistent school-wide discipline model.
- NH LEND Trainees Advocate for Autism. Members of the New Hampshire LEND training program recently had the opportunity to make their voices heard in support of more federal funding for autism services and supports. While attending the annual Disability Policy Seminar in Washington, D.C., the trainees spoke with Senator Judd Gregg’s staff about supporting the appropriations for the Combating Autism Act and the Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act. NH-LEND trainees participate in the Seacoast Child Development Clinic, an inter-disciplinary evaluation service for children with developmental disabilities, including children with autism spectrum.
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