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FYI Newsletter
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FYI Newsletter March 26, 2007
Quick Scan:
- Advocacy for Recovery Workshop
- Early Childhood Summer Institute 2
- Assistive Technology Conference 2007
- Feature: Co-Teaching for Today's School
- Library Corner
Advocacy for Recovery Workshop
Join the Indiana Addictions Issues Coalition (IAIC) and learn about legal rights and grass roots advocacy on May 19th from 9:00-3:00 p.m. at Primo South, 2515 East National Avenue, in Indianapolis. Registration fee is $10.00 for consumers and $20.00 for professionals. CEUs will be available to participants. For more information or to register, contact Jill Matheny, IAIC Director at JMatheny@mhai.net or phone (317) 638-3501 ext. 231.
Early Childhood Summer Institute 2 - The Universal Design of Early Education
The Institute's Early Childhood Center will offer practitioners and administrators of early childhood and kindergarten programs, a week-long opportunity, July 30-August 3, 2007, to focus on the universal design of early education that promotes school readiness for all children and their families. With the application of a new checklist developed by the Center, practitioners will understand how the universal design of strategies that support school readiness impacts their current practice.
Getting ALL children Ready for School: The Universal Design of Early Education will focus on:
· The characteristics and qualities of ready children, ready families, and ready xschools;
· The principles of universal design and its application to early education; and
· Strategies for getting all children ready for school.
Registration fee is $200.00 per person. Three hours of graduate or undergraduate credit will be available for an additional fee. CEU will also be available for an additional fee. This week-long Summer Institute will be held at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Bloomington. For more information contact Jackie at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail dutkowsk@indiana.edu. To download a registration form, visit http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/ecc/documents/SI-2-2007-UDregistration_000.pdf.
Assistive Technology Conference 2007
Mark your calendars and xplan to attend the Indiana Assistive Technology Conference 2007 xsponsored by Attain. The conference will be held on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at the Marriott East in Indianapolis.
Attendees will learn about the spectrum of assistive technology for Hoosiers through sessions designed for professionals and persons with disabilities. Attain provides direct service programs and creates structural change in the public and private sectors to promote the availability and use of assistive technology. This is achieved through consumer driven programs that promote community-based services. Attain is the only statewide technology program in Indiana that serves people of all ages and all disabilities. For more information on Attain or the conference, visit http://www.attaininc.org/index.php.
Co-Teaching for Today's School
The expectations for professionals xwho work in schools have changed substantially over the past several xyears. Teachers rarely work in isolation in today's schools. The federal xlegislation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the requirements of xHighly Qualified teacher status bring the necessity of teachers working well together for the benefits of all students directly to the forefront. Although most educators enter the field because of their commitment to work with students, few can be successful unless they also (a) understand the many service delivery options through which students with and without disabilities are now educated, (b) refine their skills for interacting with other professionals and parents, and (c) understand how to utilize all of the varied resources of personnel and community to work for the benefit of all students.
Teachers who know their own personal collaborative skills and that of their colleagues while monitoring student academic progress in classes taught with both general and special education support, can yield higher quality results. To that end, Carrie Chapman and Cate Hart from the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning facilitated one-day workshops for approximately 700 teachers on collaboration and co-teaching in eight different geographical locations throughout Indiana over the course of the current school year. This work, funded by a State Department of Education contract/grant, will also entail continuing coursework for these interested participants in the Collaboration and Co-teaching strand of a Summer Camp for Teachers.
The Center's work has prioritized the essential skills of listening and conversation that are needed to be able to collaborate with colleagues, administration, and families. But, collaboration is not just %u2018working together' - there are principles, key concepts about collaboration and accompanying protocols and tools available to ensure that groups work effectively and efficiently. Many teachers feel that if they understand the models and strategies of collaboration, they can then adequately co-teach in the classroom setting. But, it is even more crucial that the teaching partners have quality conversations around their philosophies, beliefs, and logistical considerations of teaching, and learning together. Paying early and close attention to having quality conversations about these deeper issues of education and %u2018being a teacher' are the hallmark of co-teaching partners. For more information on the Center's Co-teaching grant, contact Carrie Chapman at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail cechapma@indiana.edu. Visit http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cell/ for more information on the work of the Center.
Library Corner
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.
Colker, R. (2005). The disability pendulum: The first decade of the Americans with Disabilities Act. New York : New York University Press.
Johnson, M. (Ed.). (2006). Disability awareness- do it right!: Your all-in-one how-to guide: tips, techniques & handouts for a successful awareness day from the Ragged edge online community. Louisville, K Y: Advocado Press.
Morris, R.J. (2006). Disability research and policy: Current perspectives. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.