Quick Scan:

People with developmental disabilities are living longer, healthier lives than at any point in history. Planning for this population has become very important.
The Indiana Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services, Family and Social Services Administration, has identified a need to gain a deeper understanding of the range of possible supports that might enable aging parents and siblings to retain their adult family member with a developmental disability in the home environment, where such a goal is shared by all. Additionally, there is a need to understand the role that effective family planning can play in assuring that adult children with disabilities, upon the incapacity or death of a primary family caregiver, will continue to live and work in the community of their choice.
In-depth interviews with older parents and/or siblings are being conducted around Indiana by researchers from Indiana University's Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. Specifically, interviews are sought with parents or siblings aged 70 and older who provide support in their home for an adult child, or children, with a developmental disability.
Confidential interviews will be conducted with the individual seen as the "primary caregiver," as determined by the participating family. Interviews will be conducted in the home or in another private location of the interviewee's choice. The selection of interview participants will be partly determined by travel resources and schedules of the researchers.
If you or someone you know would be interested in participating, contact Lora Wagers at the Indiana Institute's Center on Aging and Community for more information about the project. Call (812) 855-6508 or 1-800-825-4733 (Toll Free), (812) 855-9630 (fax), or e-mail lwagers@indiana.edu. Please reference study #08-13233
Our entire country is wrapped up in the election campaigns. And it's more important than ever that the voices of Indiana's citizen's with disabilities are heard in these decisive times. As Justin Dart put it, "Vote as if your life depends on it - because it does!"
We need you to share your experiences and ideas about voting and the elections in Indiana - voter registration, polling places, and other election year activities! We are asking individuals with disabilities, family members, and advocates to lend their voices to this year's Disability Poll on Voting and Civic Engagement!
So far, 200 people have responded. But we are aiming to hear from 500 or more! Please help us reach that goal by July! If you haven't already answered the Disability Poll questions, please go to the Web at this address http://www.thepollingplace.org. Click on 2008 Indiana Disability Poll: A Focus on Voting and Civic Engagement. You may also request a print copy or alternative formats by contacting Vicki Pappas at the Indiana Institute: 812-855-6508 or email her at cpps@indiana.edu.
The survey is fairly short, and should take you about 5-8 minutes or less to fill out. All answers to the survey are anonymous. You'll have the opportunity to share your ideas about the following: voting rights, accessibility of polling places, other barriers to voting, participating in campaigns and other political activities, and sources of candidate information.
The Indiana Disability Poll is being jointly conducted by the Governor's Council for People with Disabilities, the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, and Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services. Please respond as soon as you can - we would like to be able to issue a report this summer. Again, simply go online to http://www.thepollingplace.org or contact us to receive the survey in an alternative format.
New Items: The following new materials may be borrowed by Indiana residents from the Center for Disability Information and Referral (CeDIR) at the Institute. To check out materials, contact the library at 1-800-437-7924, send e-mail to cedir@indiana.edu, or visit us at 2853 East Tenth Street in Bloomington.
Cooper, B., & Widdows, N. (2008). Knowing yourself, knowing others: A workbook for children with Asperger's disorder, nonverbal learning disorder and other social-skill problems. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
Storey, K., Bates, P., & Hunter, D. (Eds.). (2008). Transition to adult life for persons with disabilities (2nd ed.). St. Augustine, FL: Training Resource Network.
Wiseman, N. D. (2006). Could it be autism? New York: Broadway Books.