Center for Disability Resources (CDR)

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

PRO-PARENTS Calendar of Workshops

4/03/2010

10:30 am - 12:30 pm*
Section 504 of Rehab Act of 1973 Workshop

Edgefield County DSS Office

120 WA Reel DriveEdgefield, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectEducation Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/08/2010

9:30 am - 11:30 am
ADD / ADHD WorkshopAnderson Behavioral Health Services

226 McGee RoadAnderson, SC 29625
Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 3, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/08/2010

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm*
Individual Education Program (IEP) Workshop

Marlboro County DSS Office

713 South Parsonage StreetBennettsville, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectEducation Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/08/2010

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm*
ADD / ADHD Workshop

Colleton County DSS Office

215 South Lemacks StreetWalterboro, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectEducation Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/10/2010

10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Transitioning Out of Special Education Workshop

Family Connection of SC

St. Francis Hospita lBernadine Center

1 St. Francis Drive Greenville, SC
Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 3, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/13/2010

9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Individual Education Program (IEP) Workshop

Beaufort Marine Air Station Building 807

Beaufort, SC
Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 1, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/13/2010

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm*
Section 504 of Rehab Act of 1973 Workshop

Hope Center

901 Main StreetSumter, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectEducation Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/13/2010

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm*
Individual Education Program (IEP) Workshop

Horry County DSS Office

1951 Industrial Park Road Conway, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectEducation Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/14/2010

10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Transitioning Out of Special Education Workshop

Pathways to Independence: My Trip to Myrtle Beach

By Kelly Doyle

I went to Myrtle Beach for the Pathways to Independence Conference. We talked about self advocacy. We went to a lot of workshops. We learned about different things like: standing up for yourself, learning about what you want to do in life. We all had fun learning about different things and hanging out at the beach. We stayed at the Springmaid Beach Resort. We also had a lot of exhibits to look at and got some useful information. They had a dance on Saturday March 20th. The conference was March 20-21. I stayed there until Monday because we didn’t want to leave. Some of the workshops were fun. Especially Reddick’s workshop. But I loved the dance the most.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Columbia Mayor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities - awards nominations sought

Please note the short deadlines below and contact Sandy Bostick if you have questions.

If you would like to make a nomination for an award and need assistance, additional information or extra nomination forms, please contact Sandy Bostick at (803) 737-5627. To receive a copy of this award packet by e-mail please send a request to sbostick@sces.org. You can also request a luncheon invitation and note that the deadline to reserve luncheon space is April 1, 2010.

The deadline for submitting nominations is Thursday, April 1, 2010. All nomination should be submitted to: City of Columbia, Mayor’s Committee, Attn: Connie Lucius, PO Box 147, Columbia, SC 29217 or fax to (803) 733-8633.

The Columbia Mayor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (MCEPD) is requesting nominations for this year’s awards. These awards honor those who have made important contributions to improve the quality of life and employment of those with disabilities.

Enclosed you will find award nomination forms for the following categories:

Small Employer of the Year Award (24 or fewer employees)
Medium-size Employer of the Year Award (26 – 500 employees)
Large Employer of the Year Award (500+ employees)
Employee with Disability of the Year Award
Mary Clay Distinguished Professional Service Award
Kristi Dawn McNair Student Award
Mary Mungo Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award
Barrier Free Award

The nominees must live or work in the following counties: Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, or Fairfield. If you wish to nominate an individual or organization, please complete the appropriate nomination form. One winner will be selected for each category and will be notified and asked to accept their award from City of Columbia Mayor Robert D. Coble on April 8, 2010 at the Mayors Committee Annual Awards Luncheon.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Paralysis Resource Guide

THE PARALYSIS RESOURCE GUIDE is a FREE 336-page book, a comprehensive information tool for people affected by paralysis and for those who care for them. You may request multiple copies. The book comes in English or Spanish (you may request some of both languages).

From the book's cover:

The Paralysis Resource Guide is brought to you by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Paralysis Resource Center (PRC). The goal of the PRC is to help people navigate the chaos of paralysis. We do this with reliable information, and with a message of hope. Beyond the aggravation of learning to live with a new body, beyond the fear and the frustration, there is still hope and love and all the things that were in your life before paralysis. You are still the same person. You still have your life to live. This book is a tool to help you find what you need to stay as healthy, as active and as independent as possible.

A link to request copies of the book may be accessed by clicking the link in this post's title. To view the main PRC page, visit www.paralysis.org.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Newer Genetic Test for Autism More Effective

MONDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- A newer type of genetic test is better at detecting abnormalities that predispose a child to autism than standard genetic tests, new research has determined.

Researchers offered about 933 people aged 13 months to 22 years who had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder three genetic tests: G-banded karyotype testing, fragile X testing or chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), which has been available only for the past few years.

Karyotype tests identified chromosomal aberrations associated with autism in about 2 percent of patients, while the fragile X genetic mutation was found in about 0.5 percent of patients.
CMA detected chromosomal abnormalities in slightly more than 7 percent of patients, making it the best available genetic test for autism spectrum disorders, the study authors said.

"The CMA test alone has triple the detection rate of karyotyping or fragile X," said co-senior author Bai-Lin Wu, director of the Genetics Diagnostic Laboratory at Children's Hospital Boston. "CMA should be added to first-tier genetic testing for autism spectrum disorders."

The full text of the article may be viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Autism Susceptibility Genes Identified

ScienceDaily (Mar. 25, 2010) — Two genes have been associated with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) in a new study of 661 families. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's newly launched journal Molecular Autism found that variations in the genes for two brain proteins, LRRN3 and LRRTM3, were significantly associated with susceptibility to ASD.

Anthony Monaco from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, UK, worked with an international team of researchers to study four candidate genes in families from the UK, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. He said, "To our knowledge, this is one of the most comprehensive genetic analyses of association between these important genes in brain connections and ASD risk."

For more information please click on the title above.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

iPhone and iTouch Accessibility - Free Seminar

Join Seminars@Hadley for a demonstration and learn how the built-in screen magnification and screen reading features of the iPhone and iTouch can make this possible.

Jim Denham, assistive technology coordinator for the Perkins School for the blind, will demonstrate how the built-in screen reader VoiceOver allows him to access and use his iPhone every day.

Hadley instructor Doug Anzlovar will demonstrate the built-in screen magnification features of his iPhone and discuss how he accesses all the features of his iPhone. There will be ample time for participant questions and suggestions during this 90-minute seminar, moderated by Amy Salmon, Hadley instructor. Register today to participate

A link to the seminar's information page may be viewed by clicking on the title above.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Better Genetic Test for Autism? Chromosomal Microarray Analysis Picks Up More Abnormalities Than Current Tests

ScienceDaily (Mar. 15, 2010) — A large study from Children's Hospital Boston and the Boston-based Autism Consortium finds that a genetic test that samples the entire genome, known as chromosomal microarray analysis, has about three times the detection rate for genetic changes related to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) than standard tests. Publishing in the April issue of Pediatrics (and online March 15), the authors urge that CMA become part of the first-line genetic work-up for ASDs.

Expectant parents who have family members with ASDs, as well as families who already have an affected child, often request genetic testing. However, there is still only limited knowledge about actual causative genes. The currently recommended tests (karyotyping to look for chromosomal abnormalities and testing for Fragile X, the single largest known genetic cause of ASDs) often come up negative. Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) is a genome-wide assay that examines the chromosomes for tiny, sub-microscopic deletions or duplications of DNA sequences, known as copy-number variants.

For more information please click on the title above.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

EdVenture EdCeptional Families Conference

EdVenture is hosting the first annual EdCeptional Families Conference for parents, teachers and caregivers of children with disabilities or special needs on April 17, 2010 from 8am-1:00pm.

Four (4) hours of DSS credit will be available.

Dr. Marion Burton, the president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics is the keynote speaker.

Dr. Carol Page from the SC Assistive Technology Program will be presenting on assistive technology for reading and writing.

The registration fee is $15 and you must register to attend. EdVenture is located at 211 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201. For more information, call 803.400.1139.

More information about the conference and the registration form may be viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.

New Avenue for Developing Treatments for Genetic Muscle-Wasting Disease

ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2010) — Scientists from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the University of Ottawa have identified a promising new approach for developing drugs to treat Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading inherited cause of death in infants and toddlers. Dr. Rashmi Kothary and his doctoral student Melissa Bowerman have found that an enzyme called RhoA is overly active in a mouse model of the disease and blocking this enzyme can greatly increase survival. The research began as an attempt to understand the molecular pathways that are involved in SMA. Scientists have known for many years that this disease is caused by inherited mutations in a gene called survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1). These mutations cause nerve cells to lose their ability to control muscles, but researchers have never fully understood why.

For more information, please click on the title above.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Robot Teaches Stroke Survivors

ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2010) — Shaking hands with a robotic arm could be a new way to help stroke patients learn to use their arms again. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation report a pilot trial of the 'Braccio di Ferro' (Iron arm) robot in 10 patients. Elena Vergaro, from the University of Genoa, Italy, worked with a team of researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, to develop the robotic aid. She said, "Our preliminary results from this small group of patients suggest that the scheme is robust and promotes a statistically significant improvement in performance. Future large-scale controlled clinical trials should confirm that robot-assisted physiotherapy can allow functional achievements in activities of daily life."

For more information please click on the title above.

Friday, March 19, 2010

South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP) Expo Recap

The South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP) held its 17th annual expo Thursday at the Spartanburg Marriott at Renaissance Park.

More than 55 vendors and agencies were at the event, providing exhibits and workshops for several hundred visitors.

Affiliated with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, SCATP is a federally funded program that works to put technology in the hands of people with disabilities to help improve their quality of life.

Carol Page, director of SCATP, said thousands of disabled people, their families, educators and caregivers across the state have been affected by assistive technology.

Page said assistive technology is any device that improves or increases a disabled person's functional abilities. It covers a broad spectrum of devices that are used in daily life.

"Technology is the great equalizer," she said. "This goes way beyond wheelchairs."

For more information, visit: www.sc.edu/scatp/index.htm.

To view the full article, click the link in this post's title.

Pro-Parents Calendar of Workshops

Calendar of Workshops Through 4/14

3/25/2010 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm*
Individual Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Clarendon DSS Office, 3 South Church Street, Manning, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SC, South Carolina Special Kids Project, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/29/2010 9:00 am - 11:00 am*
ADD / ADHD Workshop
Dillon DSS Office, 1211 Highway 34 West, Dillon, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SC, South Carolina Special Kids Project, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/03/2010 10:30 am - 12:30 pm*
Section 504 of Rehab Act of 1973 Workshop
Edgefield County DSS Office, 120 WA Reel Drive, Edgefield, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SC, South Carolina Special Kids Project, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/08/2010 9:30 am - 11:30 am
ADD / ADHD Workshop
Anderson Behavioral Health Services, 226 McGee Road, Anderson, SC 29625
Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC Region 3, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/08/2010 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm*
Individual Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Marlboro County DSS Office, 713 South Parsonage Street, Bennettsville, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SC, South Carolina Special Kids Project, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/08/2010 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm*
ADD / ADHD Workshop
Colleton County DSS Office, 215 South Lemacks Street, Walterboro, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SC, South Carolina Special Kids Project, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/10/2010 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Transitioning Out of Special Education Workshop
Family Connection of SC, St. Francis Hospital, Bernadine Center, 1 St. Francis Drive, Greenville, SC
Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC Region 3, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/13/2010 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Individual Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Beaufort Marine Air Station, Building 807, Beaufort, SC
Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC Region 1, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/13/2010 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm*
Section 504 of Rehab Act of 1973 Workshop
Hope Center, 901 Main Street, Sumter, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SC, South Carolina Special Kids Project, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/13/2010 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm*
Individual Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Horry County DSS Office, 1951 Industrial Park Road, Conway, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SC, South Carolina Special Kids Project, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/14/2010 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Transitioning Out of Special Education Workshop
Sponsored By: Family Connection of SC
Spartanburg County Library, Hoechst Celanse Room, 151 South Church Street, Spartanburg, SC
Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC Region 3, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

4/14/2010 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop
Carolina Youth Development Center, 5055 Lackawanna Blvd, North Charleston, SC
Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC Region 1, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

*Indicates workshops for foster parents and DSS staff.

An extended calendar of workshops may be viewed by clicking the link in this post's title.