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FYI Newsletter December 5, 2011

Quick Scan:

• New Book Addresses Sex Education and Relationships for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• ADA-Indiana Audio Conference
• Related ADA-Indiana News
• AFP Summit
• IN-APSE State Conference
• Library Corner

INDIANA INSTITUTE IN THE NEWS



NEW BOOK ADDRESSES SEX EDUCATION AND RELATIONSHIPS FOR PERSONS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS: A new book, Intimate Relationships and Sexual Health, provides readers with an “all you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask/teach” curriculum on sexuality tailored to the unique characteristics of high-functioning adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum.

This comprehensive and extensively researched curriculum (with a companion CD), written by Indiana University, Bloomington c0-authors Catherine Davies and Melissa Dubie, provides 11 detailed lessons covering the complex topics of sex education and relationships. Subject matter includes fact-based content such as anatomy and reproduction along with lessons that teach aspects of social judgment such as dating, relationship building, and decision making.

Intimate Relationships and Sexual Health, printed by AAPC Publishing, utilizes teaching strategies and techniques that have been shown to be effective for those with autism spectrum disorders. Each lesson includes a highly structured lesson plan that incorporates learning objectives, individual and group activities, student assignments, and handouts. Suggestions are also provided for adapting each lesson to individual rather than group instruction. Curriculum can be successfully used by instructors from a variety of backgrounds including teachers, social workers, psychologists, parents, and therapists.

Davies and Dubie are Educational Consultants with the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at the Indiana Institute. Davies has more than 25 years of experience in working with children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Dubie has 27 years of public school experience as a teacher, coach, and consultant and currently works with families and professionals about issues related to puberty and sexual health.

For more information, contact Davies (daviesc@indiana.edu) or Dubie (mdubie@indiana.edu) at (812) 855-6508.

UPCOMING



ADA-INDIANA AUDIO CONFERENCE: The revised Title II and III Regulations for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have been in effect since March 15th, 2011, with more compliance dates looming in 2012. Find out from the U.S. Department of Justice about the issues and concerns they have been addressing, and share your own in this interactive session with the DOJ. 


December’s audio conference will feature representatives from the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Updates on DOJ's Enforcement and Guidance Activities will be featured along with a question and answer session. The audio conference provider, Great Lakes ADA Center, is offering CRC, University of Illinois at Chicago CEU, and Certificate of Participation at no cost for this session. Please sign-up to receive the CEU with the on-site coordinator at your location of choice.

For more information  about this session, contact Matt Norris at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail adainfo@indiana.edu. The Indiana ADA Audio Conference program is sponsored by ADA-Indiana, Great Lakes ADA Center, and the Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities.

RELATED ADA-INDIANA NEWS: ADA-Indiana, in conjunction with Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities, announces that funding is available for the 2012 Keith Coros Community ADA Implementation Projects.
 
In keeping with the advocacy efforts of former ADA-Indiana member, Keith Coros (1946-2008), the purpose of this program is to promote increased implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in Indiana’s local communities. Funding up to $2,500 is available for projects submitted by social service agencies, local government entities, schools, businesses, or other community organizations interested in increasing implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
 
Proposals are due by Friday, December 30th, 2011. The Request for Proposal is available on ADA-Indiana's website. To receive information on how to apply for the grants, contact Matt Norris, Project Staff for ADA-Indiana, at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail adainfo@indiana.edu.
 
These local community projects should target one or more of the Titles of the ADA. This may  include training employers to increase their knowledge about the ADA and reasonable accommodations; working with local governments to make their programs, services, and activities accessible to people with disabilities; or helping business and non-profits become more accessible.

COMINGS AND GOINGS



AFP SUMMIT: The Alliance for Full Participation's 2011 Summit was a huge success.  Over 1,250 people participated in the Real Jobs - It's Everyone's Business Summit held in Washington, D.C. on November 17-19, 2011. The Summit marked the mid-point in a campaign to double integrated employment for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities by the year 2015.

The Institute’s Director, David Mank, moderated a session entitled Creating Systemic Change: Washington State’s Disability Employment Progress. The session provided an in-depth look at Washington state’s employment progress and the process that led them to becoming a leader in disability employment.

Teresa Grossi, Director of the Institute’s Center on Community Living and Careers, participated on a panel presentation titled The Developmental Disability Network and Supports for Integrated Employment. This session focused on how the developmental disability network is working to increase integrated employment across the county. Click for more information on the work of the Alliance for Full Participation in Indiana.

IN INDIANA



IN-APSE STATE CONFERENCE: Mark your calendars for December 7-8, 2011 and plan to attend the IN-APSE’s 21st Annual State Conference: Ticket to Work, to be held at the Indianapolis Marriott East. This year’s conference program features Indiana Institute staff Teresa Grossi, Kim Davis, and Brianne Lott.

Grossi will present a session entitled Transition. Participants will learn what the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center, funded by the Indiana Department of Education, has done over the past few years with schools to improve transition outcomes for all students.

Davis, an Educational Consultant with the Institute’s Indiana Resource Center for Autism, will present a session focusing on movement difference, a new approach to understanding the behavioral and communication challenges of individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
   
Lott, a Project Coordinator with the Center on Community Living and Careers, will provide attendees with information pertaining to Ticket-to-Work in Indiana and how agencies can increase their success as Employment Networks.

LIBRARY CORNER



NEW ITEMS: The following new materials may be borrowed by Indiana residents from the Center for Disability Information and Referral at the Institute. To check out materials, contact the library at 1-800-437-7924, send e-mail to cedir@indiana.edu, visit us at 2853 East Tenth Street in Bloomington.

The fall edition of the CeDIR Citings Newsletter is available online. In this issue, resources are highlighted that focus on nutrition.

Chapman, C., & Hyatt, C. H. (2011). Critical conversations in co-teaching: A problem-solving approach. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. (Call Number: 38 .C4)

Finson, K. D., Ormsbee, C. K., & Jensen, M. M. (2011). Differentiating science instruction and assessment for learners with special
needs, K-8. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. (Call Number: 45.F5)

Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2011). The formative assessment action plan: Practical steps to more successful teaching and learning. Alexandria,
VA: ASCD. (Call Number: 11.F7)

James, A. N., Allison, S. B., & McKenzie, C. Z. (2011). Active lessons for active brains: Teaching boys and other experiential learners, grades
3-10. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. (Call Number: 31.J3)

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