Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Anniversary


July 26, 2016 marks the 26th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Visit the ADA Anniversary website for information on events and anniversary celebrations. Assistive technology continues to be a large part of eliminating barriers in the areas of employment, state and local government services, privately operated public entities (e.g., hotels, restaurants, museums, parks, etc.), transportation, and telecommunications.

To find our more information about assistive technology and how it can help people with disabilities be as independent as possible, call the SC Assistive Technology Program at 803-935-5263 or email Lydia.durham@uscmed.sc.edu .

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Coffee Talk---Special Edition on Education


Join us on Wednesday, August 3rd from 9 – 11 am for Upstate Coffee Talk!
  
This month Coffee Talk will be facilitated by our Upstate Parent Mentors, who work in our Parent School Partnership Program. If you have questions or concerns about back-to-school, IEPs, 504s, or educations services and accommodations, we are here to help!

For this special event, we ask that you 
to ensure we have enough room.

We meet at our office at 211 Century Drive, Suite 203-A in Greenville. 

Monthly coffee talk on the first Wednesday of every month at SCAS upstate office.

Families can visit, talk, share resources, and have coffee with snacks. 
Children are always welcomed, but childcare is not provided.

Questions? Email:SusanL@scautism.org

Important Provider Notice:  
Please note that this is a parent and caregiver support format. Businesses, organizations, and providers are welcome to send or drop materials for us to distribute.  
Thank you for respecting the needs of our families!

Monday, July 25, 2016

Free Accessibility Webcasts


Check out the newest 
from the 

These pre-recorded sessions are free. 
The webcasts focus on how accessibility can be integrated into an organization.

Friday, July 22, 2016

Life With Brain Injury Statewide Conference, July 22, 2016

Guess what time of year it is! It's time to register for our annual 
Life with Brain Injury Conference!


Please join us for the 2016 SC Statewide Life with Brain Injury Conference, hosted by the Brain Injury Association of South Carolina and South Carolina Brain Injury Leadership Council. You can register by going to our website and clicking on the conference picture on the homepage, or by going straight to the event website. You can also sign up or renew your BIASC membership on the site along with your conference registration. If you have any questions about the registration, please call us at (803)731-9823 or email us at rgraverson.biasc@gmail.com


We are excited to offer a wide variety of sessions throughout the day. There truly will be something there for everyone! 


Topics Include:
-Why Medical Providers Need Not Be Afraid of Brain Injured Patients' Lawyers
-Low-Cost Assistive and Adaptive Technology for Everyday Use: What Professionals Need to Know
-Low-Cost Assistive and Adaptive Technology for Everyday Use: What Consumers Need to Know
-SSDI and SSI: What are the differences?
-Healing Powers of Yoga and Mindfulness
-The Invisible Disability (A Survivor's Story)
-The Family Systems After Brain Injury
-Brain Injury 101
-Music Therapy
-Nutrition for Brain Health
-Laughter Yoga
-Acting On Impulse

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Hand Cycle Research Study

Attention individuals with spinal cord injury...
 
The University of South Carolina School of Medicine, in partnership with Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital, is seeking volunteers to participate in a research study. This research is studying the effects of hand-cycling exercise on overall fitness, heart health, and quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injuries.

This research study will take approximately 10 weeks to complete. All participants will receive a $50 Visa gift card at the completion of the study. Participants will be randomized to either a virtual reality exercise group or a daily living group.

If you or someone you know is interested in participating, please contact 
Ryan Smith at (864) 735-0671 or email rbsmith@email.sc.edu

Eligibility: 
•    Ages 18 and older
•    Have had an SCI for longer than 1 year
•    No previous problems with heart, lungs, or brain
•    Partcipate in physical activity less than 2 days a week

 

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Autism Forum

Each year, the LAC sponsors a live Autism Forum, the largest event of its kind in the world. Join us for our 5th annual Forum, happening Saturday, October 15, 2016 at The College of Charleston, SC! This year's Autism Forum will focus on technology, and we invite individuals with autism, parents, siblings, and support providers to attend. We'll have expert keynote speakers and myriad breakout sessions too. We expect to welcome 1,000 attendees, so don't wait - complete your registration and reserve your ticket today!


Have questions about The Lowcountry Autism Consortium 2016 Forum?
Contact:

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Recommended Books & Movies


Looking for some new books and movies about autism?  We at the South Carolina Autism Society have put together a list of recommended reading and viewing!  Many of the books are available through your local library.  Some of the movies cycle through Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu.  You can also check if they are available to borrow through the CDR Library at 


Check out our list at http://scautism.org/books-movies/

Would you like to see a book or movie added to the list?
  
Email it to SusanL@scautism.org.

Monday, July 18, 2016

Family Connection SC: Seeking interviewees of Medically Fragile children for Bloomberg News story


Family Connection of South Carolina, Inc.

We've received a request from Bloomberg News healthcare reporter, Carolyn Chen, who is interested in doing a story on barriers facing Medically Fragile children. She is seeking families who 1) might be trying to get their medically fragile child home from the hospital but can't because of the lack of home nurses,  2) families who have had trouble getting a home nurse and as a result, has stayed in hospital longer than necessary,  3) families who figured out how to problem-solve this issue and has made it happen, 4) other families who might not be sure they are eligible for this story, but are interested in chatting with reporter because of their experiences.
 
Additional information quoted by reporter:
"In a nutshell, I'm interested in writing about medically fragile children who don't need to be in the hospital but do need round-the-clock nursing care. It seems that there is a shortage of nurses in a number of states and, as a result, there are kids who can't leave the hospital even though they are ready to be discharged, or who end up in nursing homes. I've been told that part of the problem in some states seems to be that rates of Medicaid reimbursement for these nurses are far lower than what they'd get in private plans.

I was wondering if (1) P2P may have parents in the network who are currently living through this issue and who might be willing to tell me their story. I will be very respectful of their privacy concerns (if they only want to use first names or initials for their children, for example). It doesn't matter where in the U.S. they are, I'm aiming to do a national story. and (2) if P2P knows of anyone who would have an estimate of how many medically fragile children there are in the U.S. and whether that number is growing or not. My understanding is that definitions vary, I'm interested in children who need round-the-clock care of some sort, whether it is just monitoring a trach or more intensive, but are eligible for that to be done at home."

If you are interested in being interviewed, please contact Amy Holbert at 803.252.0914 or aholbert@familyconnectionsc.org.



Family Connection of South Carolina, Inc., 1800 St. Julian Place, Suite 104, Columbia, SC 29204


Sent by murieltaylor@familyconnectionsc.org in collaboration with

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

ABLE SC: Free Transition Workshop for Students

Students can attend this free training session to prepare for the future!


  • Discuss Individual-directed decision making
  • Learn how to participate in your own IEP's, 504's, and the transition process
  • Develop self-advocacy and self-determination skills


Join us online on Monday July 18, 2016
from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm


Join us in person on Tuesday, July 19, 2016
from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Able SC Midlands Office
136 Stonemark Lane, Ste 100
Columbia, SC 29210



Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Free Upcoming Webinars

These trainings are from AbleNet University.

Teacher and Paraeducator Teaming for Student Success

DATE: July 12, 2016, 10:00 am EST - 45-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: Padmaja Sarathy
DESCRIPTION: The Paraeducator Series will offer three webinars designed to increase the knowledge and skills of paraeducators in supporting students with disabilities in diverse settings. Combined, the focus of the webinars is to prepare paraeducators to provide optimal support that assists student’s learning success while facilitating self-dependence. This series should be appealing to teachers who guide and supervise paraeducators routinely as well as district special education trainers in their design and delivery of professional development.
Part 2: This webinar session will address the essentials of a winning teacher-paraeducator team to support students with disabilities. Besides gaining greater clarity about teacher-paraeducator role differentiation, participants will learn steps and processes to achieve collaboration, communication and conflict resolution skills for learner success.

Pediatric Seating

DATE: July 19, 2016, 10:00 am EST - 60-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: MICHELLE LANGE
DESCRIPTION: This webinar will address the specific issues of Pediatric Seating. Growth, of course, is key with this population. Flexibility in a seating system is also required to accommodate orthopedic and range of motion changes and medical interventions, including surgeries and tone management. Positioning is also dependent on the mobility base, as many children use adaptive strollers, dependent manual wheelchairs, self-propulsion wheelchairs and power wheelchairs.

Choose and Learn with Your Eyes Using myGaze

DATE: July 26, 2016, 10:00 am EST - 60-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: FIORELLA QUINN
DESCRIPTION: Eye trackers are tools that measure how our eyes behave. They monitor what we look at, for how long, and where our eyes go. For many years eye-gaze technology has been used as an alternative-access method for individuals with physical disabilities. It allows a person to operate a computer or control the environment without having to drag a mouse. And it is faster, easier, and more efficient than other access methods. Recently, however, eye-gaze devices are used more and more in the classroom, especially in environments that provide different methods to access content and promote inclusion for learners of all abilities. That’s because eye-gaze technology is more affordable and easier to setup and utilize. In this webinar we will explore the myGaze device, a very popular eye tracker from Visual Interaction. This device is user-friendly, simple to setup and calibrate, and requires no training. It is small and lightweight and can be attached to most monitors and laptops. Paired with a powerful mouse emulation software (EyeMouse Play), myGaze can be used to control other software, navigate websites, access learning materials, play games, and communicate. With specific software, it is also a valuable assessment tool that can provide information about what a student focuses on, what attracts his/her attention, and what he/she understands. Workshop participants will view many examples of activities created for various software applications and designed for eye-gaze users to promote participation, engagement, and inclusion. Resources and strategies will be shared with attendees. Materials for Classroom Suite will be posted to the Classroom Suite Activity Exchange.

Fun Activities Using Remote Controlled Devices

DATE: August 04, 2016, 02:00 pm EST - 30-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: MARY HAGER
DESCRIPTION: This presentation will include suggestions for remote toys and devices that are easy to use and can be adapted for home and classroom. In addition, ideas will be reviewed on what to consider when purchasing devices using transmitters and receivers.

Intervention Strategies for Self-injurious Behaviors

DATE: August 31, 2016, 10:00 am EST - 45-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: PADMAJA SARATHY
DESCRIPTION: Students with significant disabilities may engage in a variety of unconventional behaviors causing injury to themselves –-such as hitting, head banging, scratching, hair pulling, biting, or screaming. These problem behaviors interfere with learning, inflict bodily harm and cause injury. The webinar will discuss the function that it serves, the contributing factors that trigger the behavior and how to observe and document the behavior. In this session, both educators and families will learn how to change the triggers, provide supports to the student and teach more appropriate replacement behaviors.

Build the Brain When it Counts: Stimulate Literacy Development with Enriching Experiences

DATE: September 13, 2016, 10:00 am EST - 45-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: PADMAJA SARATHY
DESCRIPTION: Build the Brain When it Counts series offers three webinars to increase the knowledge and skills of educators to nurture children’s executive function skills through the cognitive, literacy and social-emotional thematic frameworks. The strategies and activities will illustrate an invigorating learning process to put Pre-K to Kindergarten children on a positive learning trajectory.
Part 2: Using the thematic framework of the ‘Literacy World’, this webinar incorporates best-practice strategies to promote and advance communication and literacy development of Pre-K and Kindergarten students. A popular children’s book will serve as the focal point for exploring the theme of literacy. Educators will learn how to design and deliver a variety of enriching experiences to spark children’s sense of wonder and advance their learning.

The Three Ps for Behavioral Support: Preventive Strategies, Personalized Supports and Positive Strokes

DATE: September 29, 2016, 10:00 am EST - 45-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: PADMAJA SARATHY
DESCRIPTION: The Paraeducator Series will offer three webinars designed to increase the knowledge and skills of paraeducators in supporting students with disabilities in diverse settings. Combined, the focus of the webinars is to prepare paraeducators to provide optimal support that assists student’s learning success while facilitating self-dependence. This series should be appealing to teachers who guide and supervise paraeducators routinely as well as district special education trainers in their design and delivery of professional development.
Part 2: With the aid of classroom scenarios and student-specific vignettes involving both general education and special education settings, this webinar session will illustrate how to use the “Three Ps” approach guided by the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) model to eliminate or reduce problem behaviors. Participants will learn how to use Preventive Strategies (P1), provide Personalized Supports (P2) and deliver Positive Strokes (P3).

Speech Dude Tells All: Tech Tools For The Special-needs Classroom

DATE: October 04, 2016, 01:00 pm EST - 60-minutes
COST: FREE
DESCRIPTION: In this presentation, participants will be introduced to a wide variety of innovative technology tools that can be easily integrated into teaching and learning in the special needs classroom. Participants will be given ideas for integrating tools into Common Core instruction in ways that engage and motivate students with moderate to severe disabilities. Note: Participants should access the webinar through the Google Chrome browser

Apps Across the Curriculum – Supporting Diverse Learners with Google and iOS

DATE: October 11, 2016, 02:30 pm EST - 60-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: DIANA PETSCHAUER
DESCRIPTION: After first issuing 1:1 iPads, Chromebooks and laptops, many schools are now implementing BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) programs that provide more choice for educators and learners. Some are Going Google with Chromebooks and Google Apps for Education (GAFE). How do you support diverse learners on all devices, using free and low-cost Apps & AT solutions? Join us for this session focusing on ensuring success for all learners using the tools, features and apps available in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Chrome Web Store. These free and low cost AT solutions support personalizing education for students, as well as engaging and including all students in a UDL environment.
You will learn about a number of built-in accessibility features, as well as a number of free and low-cost apps, extensions, add-ons and web resources to support your students in accessing textbooks, learning materials (Handouts/Worksheets), research and study skills and completing assignments using technology. AT and app solutions to support students with learning disabilities (including Dyslexia), physical disabilities, low vision or blindness, and difficulties with executive functioning, literacy and math will be discussed. You will have a powerful toolkit for fostering access and success across all platforms, devices, and subjects! Access to General & Special Education with Digital Tools, AT, Apps & Resources for all students will be discussed.

Build the Brain When it Counts: Nurture Social-emotional Domain with Positive Behavioral Approaches

DATE: October 17, 2016, 10:00 am EST - 45-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: PADMAJA SARATHY
DESCRIPTION: Build the Brain When it Counts series offers three webinars to increase the knowledge and skills of educators to nurture children’s executive function skills through the cognitive, literacy and social-emotional thematic frameworks. The strategies and activities will illustrate an invigorating learning process to put Pre-K to Kindergarten children on a positive learning trajectory.
Part 3: Using a thematic framework of the ‘Emotional World’, this webinar will illustrate a variety of enriching early experiences to foster the social-emotional development of Pre-K and Kindergarten students. A popular children’s book will serve as the focal point for exploring the theme of emotions. Educators will learn how to design and deliver diverse activities to advance student growth in self-regulation and problem-solving based on neuroscience findings.

Apps and AT To Support Executive Functioning

DATE: November 10, 2016, 02:30 pm EST - 60-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: DIANA PETSCHAUER
DESCRIPTION: Executive function is often described as difficulty with planning, behavior control/regulation, organization and thinking skills. For individuals with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, learning disabilities or a nonverbal learning disability, components of executive functioning can limit functional capabilities in all areas of occupation. Students struggle with planning, memory, organization and experience frequent challenges with recalling the Who, What, When and Where of many tasks. In this session you will learn about AT tools and Apps to support many executive functioning skills such as time management, shift and flexible thinking, emotional regulation, self-monitoring, planning and prioritizing, organization, attention and focus, task initiation, and more! Join us for demonstrations, examples, discussions and methods of implementation!

Accessibility Features in Mobile Devices – What Is New in iOS and Android?

DATE: November 29, 2016, 01:00 pm EST - 60-minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: JENNIFER COURDUFF
DESCRIPTION: By law, mobile devices must include support for persons with vision, hearing, learning, physical, and motor disabilities. For example, did you know that you could set your device can be a “Switch” to help persons with severe physical limitations live a full and productive life? In this session, participants will be guided through the accessibility features offered on iOS 10 and Android-based devices, and will be provided with scenarios for applying accessibility features for personal and professional productivity.

Taking AT Along to Colleges and Universities

DATE: December 07, 2016, 10:30 am EST - 60-Minutes
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: GAYL BOWSERJANET PETERS
DESCRIPTION: When high schools and post-secondary programs for disabled students work together to help with transitions that include a student’s use of assistive technology (AT), continuity of the student’s AT use is much more likely. The Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology in Post-secondary Education (QIAT-PS) comprise a variety of on-line tools available to improve assistive technology planning for transitions from K-12 education to post-secondary education. This session will explore the QIAT-PS tools and offer examples of how they have been used.

AT Independence in College: The QIAT-PS Student Self-evaluation Matrix

DATE: December 14, 2016, 10:30 am EST - 1-Hour
COST: FREE
PRESENTER: GAYL BOWSERJANET PETERS

DESCRIPTION: In this session, we will look at factors students must consider when attending college, including accessing available AT services and supports. A newly revised student self-evaluation matrix will be presented as a strategy for preparing students for independence with AT during the transition from high school to post-secondary education.

Monday, July 11, 2016

South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association: We Need a New Name for Stonemark Station

We Need a New Name for 
Stonemark Station

Help the SC Spinal Cord Injury Association come up with a new name for
Stonemark Station that better describes the association’s free website promotion
of business ventures of people with spinal cord injuries.

Keep these pointers in mind:
• The name should be creative and catchy.
• Keep it simple and short.
• The connection to spinal cord injury should be obvious.
• Any names already in use by another organization cannot be considered.

Submit your suggestions to info@scspinalcord.org or by calling
866-445-5509 by July 15, 2106.


The winner will be recognized and rewarded with a $25 gift card of his or her choice.

Friday, July 01, 2016

LAMP Augmentative Communication training

The SC Assistive Technology Program is hosting a Prentke Romich Company training. Hope to see you there!

 Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP)

Extended Course: Highlighting Local Clients

 

When: October 4th and 5th, 2016
Part 1: 10/4/16, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
Part 2: 10/5/16, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
CEUs: 0.8 ASHA CEUs
Cost: $145
Location: Collaborative Training Center, Midlands Center, 8301 Farrow Road, Columbia, SC 29203
LAMP is an augmentative alternative communication (AAC) approach designed to give a method of independently and spontaneously expressing themselves through a speech generating device. This course will cover the components of LAMP: readiness to learn, engaging the learner through joint engagement, and learning language through a unique and consistent motor plan paired with an auditory signal and a natural consequence. Discussion will include how this approach addresses the core language deficits of autism, device features that are beneficial to teaching language, and how to use those features to implement LAMP components. Videos will be used to illustrate the treatment components.
In addition, this extended workshop will include videotaping of up to three local clients chosen by the host center on the day prior to the training. Those videos will be used to illustrate the components of LAMP and to facilitate discussion regarding assessment and implementation.
PRC's language system and devices will be used to illustrate treatment components but LAMP principles can also be applied to other products. Participants will receive some hands-on time with the LAMP Words for Life language system; however this is not a device-specific training.
The videotaped clients are eligible to receive loaner devices for one month following this basic workshop to trial the LAMP approach. Those team members responsible for implementation need to be present throughout the training and would need to receive specific device training either through online e-trainings or through the local PRC consultant. This can be arranged with the Center for AAC & Autism prior to the workshop.

You may cancel up to two weeks prior to the workshop for a $35 cancellation fee. Within the two weeks prior to the workshop no refund will be available.