Making IT Plan Implementation Work for Integrating AT/AIM in Schools

I work in a large region with about 12 school districts, 4 ESD's and the eastern half of the state of Oregon. It is hard to organize tools that can be on all computers for all students to create self-accommodation. I am always looking for ideas to help me integrate AT into IT plans in districts. Besides the task of sometimes convincing them of the need, there is the training and implementation once tools get loaded and out in the schools. The Family Center on Technology and Disability has released their March 2010 newsletter/magazine. These issues from FCTD are great resources and this one is dedicated to IT Plan Implementation: Making Change a Friend.
Check out this issue if you are looking at how to partner with IT in your district to implement AT or AIM tools and strategies.
All the best to you!
Lon



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Birth to 3, Early Intervention and Technology Featured on FCTD

My EI/ECSE work with AT is always a joy as I get to sit and play with these little ones using AAC and switches, etc. I am always looking for more information to make my job more effective as I match AT with small children's needs. This issue of the Family Center on Technology and Disability is featuring resources and interviews around Early Intervention. I would highly recommend checking it out - especially if you work in that arena.

Here is what they share:

"Delivering early intervention services to families in remote rural areas has long been a challenge to service providers. Technology has, for the past twenty years, held the promise of helping to reach those families. Yet limited access to computers and the Internet has hampered efforts to use technology to overcome geographic barriers. Now, however, more than ever before, growing familiarity with, and access to technology has raised the hope that distance technologies will make possible "virtual home visits" and with them, increased service to families of young children.

This month we're pleased to bring you the insights of Sue Thain Olsen and Amy Henningson of the Utah State University's Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD). Their center received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities program. Under the grant, they and their colleagues have been researching the benefits and challenges of providing virtual home visits as part of the early intervention services for which they are responsible. Their research will help inform the efforts of many others throughout the country."

FCTD Link

Download a printer-friendly pdf of the newsletter.

All the best to you!

Lon



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C Print: Technology Research for Deaf and Hard of Hearing on FCTD

The Family Center on Technology and Disability has put up their latest issue for students that are deaf and hard of hearing.
Their latest newsletter addresses "the innovative research and development of Dr. Michael Stinson and his colleagues at RIT's NationalTechnical Institute for the Deaf. Dr.Stinson, Dr. Lisa Elliot and Pam Francis form the core of the team that hasdeveloped state-of-the-art speech-to-text displays for deaf and hard of hearingstudents. With support from the Officeof Special Education Programs at the U.S Department of Education, the C-Print team is conducting randomized, classroom-based trials of the technology."

Survey Participants Requested
The FCTD (The Family Center on Technology and Disability) has collaborated with the Special Education AssistiveTechnology (SEAT) Center at Illinois State University to create an online survey to identify family preferences and needs for computer-based technologies. They are asking all interested family members with children aged 8 and under to participate in the survey .
Professionals who work with family members are encouraged to share the survey link with interested family members with whom they work.

All the best to you!
Lon



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Assistive Technology & Transition Discussion On FCTD

I was excited to see Gayl Boswer, AT pioneer, as the moderator and discussion leader for a discussion on AT and transition on The Family Center on Technology and Disability site now through May 8 (Started on April 13).
About the discussion:
"We hope you'll join us ... (and) explore the many facets of planning for assistive technology devices and services as children move through the important transitions in their lives. Whether you're a parent, teacher, therapist, or disability professional, we know you'll learn a lot from Gayl and the many knowledgeable discussion participants."
I have enjoyed reading some of the threads. There is always a lot of good information, and their past archives have wonderful content to review.
You don't have to set up an account or register to read or comment, but you do need to type in a name just to identify yourself online.
Take some time to visit for some great discussions.

All the best to you!
Lon




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Parent Advocacy Vital Element in Initiatives for Federal Policy

If you are an active advocate or are in the wings thinking about what you need to do towards advocacy but maybe are scared to be too forceful, etc., let me encourage you...an advocate impacts the community in a larger arena even though their primary purpose is their child.
I shared this advocacy topic on the FCTD discussion thread yesterday and thought it was a good one to post here as well The catalyst was a well written piece on the Special Needs 08 blog yesterday (link below) and a wonderful guest commentary from Patricia E Bauer's Disability News that really shares the impact parent advocacy has had on Federal Disability Services and Special Education law. Please check these links out today - they are terrific.

I shared on the thread:
"When you advocate for services and coordinate and draw others to collaborate together on awareness of those who have been underserved, you are creating a ripple effect that impacts many. On the blog, Special Education Truth, the author explained in a post titled "History Says: Advocacy Starts with You", that "Rud Turnbull, a special education expert at the Beach Center on Disability at the University of Kansas, says his most effective work has been not as a professor, but as a parent." You can read the guest commentary by Rud here: http://www.patriciaebauer.com/2008/12/20/turnbull-guest-commentary/

One of his points is:
"First, the future of any child with a disability born in this decade is promising largely because of the private action –- the community organizing — that parents of children with disabilities began more than 50 years ago."
Rud goes on to share the impact that family advocates have had in shaping disability services and policies. On a similar note, in my own practice, it has been shared that clarification of law and instances of grey areas in interpreting special education law, will be clarified through practice and litigation - meaning, that when a lawsuit challenges, it causes clarification and brings us closer to accurate definitions. That is a sad commentary on how things sometimes get done, but that process again is triggered by a parent advocate or advocacy group oftentimes. I would encourage you to read both of these posts in the links above. There is a lot of wonderful information in them and I am excited to find these new and informative resources.
Also, stop by the FCTD Discussion on advocacy I am co-moderating through the end of December. We would love to have you share your thoughts - or just stop by to read what folks are saying.

All the best to you,
Lon



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Thankful for New, Exciting Happenings with No Limits 2 Learning

Since it is Thanksgiving weekend here in the United States, I thought I would share with you how thankful I am for YOU as readers. I have enjoyed a wonderful year as I have started on this journey after my stroke and rehabilitation. I never thought that my passion and energy for this blog, a site and AT information would lead as far as it has. I have worked hard to write informative and personal posts and I thank all of you that are regular readers. You are appreciated for all that you do to meet the needs of those with disabilities.
I shared that I had some BIG news, well, there are two items:
Don Johnston will be my guest on No Limits 2 Learning Live, next Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 2:00 PM Pacific time, to talk about his book, Building Wings and student self-advocacy issues. I am thrilled to have this opportunity! More to come as it approaches next week.
FCTD Newsletter for October/Discussion for December:
I will be co-moderating for the Family Center on Technology and Disability - a site sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Education, on school-family partnerships and child advocacy for the month of December. The Discussion thread won't be up on their site until Dec. 1, but you can go there to read and comment towards the discussion if you want. You don't have to create an account, make up a name, etc. if you don't want to. You can read and comment without it. I will have links and more information on it next week.
I am also thankful for the FCTD October newsletter which featured myself and the issues surrounding accommodations and modifications for students, access to curriculum and AT in the General Ed classroom. If you didn't get to read it, you might want to check it out.
AAC gets an Open Door:
I have had quite a few open doors lately as we push for AAC in our districts. We have been laying a foundation for about 3 years for the acceptance and support of the implementation of dynamic devices for eligible students and we are finally seeing some major breakthroughs. I am so thankful that we are beginning to see the floodgates open and students that need these devices get them in their hands. This is making it an especially meaningful Thanksgiving for me. I am working on sharing the steps and approach we followed to get this to happen. I will share it with you and if your AAC program is stalling or floundering, maybe there will be some items we share that will help you get this going too.

I hope you have a great rest of your week and a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Lon



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