Ways to Light It Up Blue!

Each year people across all seven continents come together to

Light It Up Blue 

on April 2

as we kickoff April

World Autism Month

We hope that you will encourage friends and family to:

• Wear blue!
• Light your home blue
• Post photos using hashtag #LightItUpBlue
• Make a donation
• Host an autism-friendly event

Find more ideas on our Light It Up Blue website!

With your help, we can make 2017 even bigger!

 

Julia, A Muppet With Autism, Joins The Cast Of 'Sesame Street'

For the first time in a decade, the classic children's television show Sesame Street will introduce a new Muppet on the air.

Her name is Julia. She's a shy and winsome 4-year-old, with striking red hair and green eyes. Julia likes to paint and pick flowers. When Julia speaks, she often echoes what she's just heard her friends Abby and Elmo say. Julia has autism.

"There's so many people that have given her what she is. I'm just hoping to bring her the heart," says Stacy Gordon, the veteran puppeteer selected to play the part.

Presenting Julia to the gang requires a bit more explanation of her differences and hidden talents for the other Muppets — and their young viewers. As Abby Cadabby (the 3-year-old fairy played by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph) explained during NPR's recent visit to the set in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, N.Y., it can be hard to get Julia's attention. Big Bird had to repeat himself to get her to listen, for example. And she sees things where others don't.

"That's just Julia being Julia," Abby said.

To read the complete story from NPR, click here!  

AT Expo - March 22nd!

SC Assistive Technology Expo 2017
Open to the General Public
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Columbia Metropolitan Convention Ctr.
1101 Lincoln St., Columbia, SC 29201

Cost: Free
Parking: Free (on grounds and at Park Street Parking Garage, 1007 Park Street, Columbia)

 Over 70 exhibitors!

 Learn more about the SC Assistive Technology Expo 2017 at:

   http://scatp.med.sc.edu/expo/expo17.html

 The 2017 SC Assistive Technology Expo is sponsored by the SC Assistive Technology Program, Center for Disability Resources, USC School of Medicine, USC School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, SC Department of Education, SC Developmental Disabilities Council.

AAIDD 2017 Conference: Register and Reserve Your Room Now!

Promoting Health & Well-being

AAIDD's 141st Annual Meeting, Promoting Health & Well-being, June 26-29 in Hartford, Connecticut is really the "must attend" meeting of the year!

See the full schedule of events, find hotel, and register by clicking here.

Join us for informative and inspiring plenary sessions, cutting edge concurrent sessions, posters addressing emerging issues, and in-depth pre- and post-conference meetings on a number of important topics.

The three plenary sessions at this year's conference will feature a host of insightful speakers who will provide their observations on how to promote health and well-being for and with people with intellectual disability across all life domains.

Health Equity

Sandy Magaña, PhD
University of Illinois at Chicago

Wendy Jones, MEd, MSW
Georgetown University

Friendship
Tim Shriver, PhD
Special Olympics

Promoting Health & Wellbeing
Susan M. Havercamp, PhD, FAAIDD
President-Elect, AAIDD Board of Directors; The Ohio State University

American Association on Intellectual
and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)

 501 3rd Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20001
Telephone: 202-387-1968
Fax: 202-387-2193

2017 Strides for Autism

Join us April 1, 2017 for Strides for Autism!

Strides for Autism is the South Carolina Autism Society’s signature fund-raising and awareness walk.

To register, set up your own fundraising page, and create/join a team, please text STRIDES to 71777 and follow the link, or click here. Please note: After initially registering, you will be asked if you would like to become a fundraiser. Please click 'yes' to join our cause and set up your page and/or team.

Click here for information on creating your own fundraising Team!

Registration is $15 per person, which includes the annual t-shirt and your own website to help promote your efforts and receive donations from your friends and family. 

Locations

Heritage Park
861 S.E. Main St.
Simpsonville, S.C. 29681

Saluda Shoals
5605 Bush River Rd.
Columbia, S.C. 29212

 
For additional information on Strides for Autism, 

please visit www.scautism.org or email strides@scautism.org. 

You may also call our Columbia office at 1-800-438-4790.

Go for the Goal!

Go For T

Go For The Goal!

In-person or online training

Register Today!

This training will teach you how to set goals in a creative and effective way. You will learn: the difference between long and short term goals the steps of the goal-setting process how to be S.M.A.R.T when setting your goal Please make reasonable accommodation requests a week in advance of training.

On Line Training - March 13, 2017 from 2 pm to 3 pm. Click Here to Register!

In-person Training - March 14, 2017 from 2 pm to 3:30 pm. Click here to Register!

In-person training takes place at: 136 Stonemark Lane, Ste. 100 Columbia, SC 29210 803-779-5121 TTY: 803-779-0949

Free Assistive Technology Webinars

 

Assistive Technology Webinars

 

From the Accessible Technology Coalition.

 

Free Webinars -  General and Adult
AT Discovery Topic: Vision from Oklahoma AbleTech
March 7, 2017 at 1:45pm Pacific, 4:45pm Eastern
Building Drupal: Solid Accessibility Defaults from AccessibilityOnline
March 16, 2017 at 11am Pacific, 2pm Eastern
Implementing Accessible Workplace Tech: PDFs and Accessibility from PEAT & ODEP on March 23, 2017 at 11am Pacifc, 2pm Eastern
 

 

Free Webinars -  K-12 Educators & Parents

Count the Ways: Assistive Technology for Math  Georgia Tech Tools for Life
March 2, 2017 at 12pm Pacific, 3pm Eastern
InftyReader Making Math More Accessible from EASI
March 21, 2017 at 11am Pacific, 2pm Eastern
Pearson Publishing Creating Accessible E-books from EASI
March 28, 2017 at 11am Pacific, 2pm Eastern
Assistive Technology for STEAM in Early Childhood from PACER
March 30, 2017 at 4:30 Pacific, 7:30pm Eastern
SETC webinars are at 3:30pm Pacific, 6:30pm Eastern except for the one noted.

• March 9, 2017    OT/PT Role in AAC Access
• March 13, 2017  Clicker 7- Sentence and Connect Sets (Note: 1PM Pacific)
• March 16, 2017  Mounting Options for tablets, Aug Comm and switches
• March 21, 2017  Voice Over/Vision  
• March 22, 2017  Overview of Alternative Access   
• March 28, 2017  OneNote Tips and Tricks      
• March 29, 2017  Math Writing supports: Math Type & Google g(Math) Add-on
• March 30, 2017  Activities for Early Switch Users

Strides for Autism

Join us April 1, 2017 for

Strides for Autism!

 

We are just one month away from Strides for Autism!  2 events, 2 parks, 1 great day!  There's not much time remaining to Create your Strides Team!  Invite your family and friends to join you!  Working together, we can make a difference for individuals with autism in South Carolina!

Upstate Registration Special!

Register for Upstate Strides online by March 28th and receive a free entry ticket for our Strides Prize Drawing for each registration!  Additional tickets will be available for purchase at Upstate Strides for $1 each until 9:30 am.  Drawing will be held at 10 am.  You must be present to win!  Current donors include: Best Buy, Southern Om Hot Yoga, Mellow Mushroom, and Panera Bread!  Click here to register now!  Click Sign Up Now, and then select Upstate as your event location.

To register, set up your own fundraising page, and create/join a team, please text STRIDES to 71777 and follow the link, or click here. Please note: After initially registering, you will be asked if you would like to become a fundraiser. Please click 'yes' to join our cause and set up your page and/or team.

Click here for information on creating your own fundraising Team!

Registration is $15 per person, which includes the annual t-shirt and your own website to help promote your efforts and recieve donations from your friends and family. 

Strides for Autism is the South Carolina Autism Society’s signature fund-raising and awareness walk. Monies raised for South Carolina Autism Society stay in South Carolina and go towards individual and family supports, education, advocacy, and training. According to the South Carolina Secretary of State, the South Carolina Autism Society devoted nearly 90% of its total expenses to program services.

Locations

Heritage Park 861 S.E. Main St. Simpsonville, S.C. 29681 * Fox Carolina’s Cody Alcorn, Honorary Chair * Field Games by Scout Troop * $1 Special Train Tickets* Simpsonville Fire Trucks * JayDee Balloon Art * Enclosed Playground* Bojangles Bo-Berry Biscuits* Kona Ice Day Agenda 8:30 a.m. - Registration/Check In 9:00 a.m. - Honorary Chair 9:10 a.m. - Start Walk 10:00 a.m. - Team Awards If you have any questions, please reach out to Brandy or Breck at strides@scautism.org. We hope to see you there!

Saluda Shoals 5605 Bush River Rd. Columbia, S.C. 29212 * Cosplay Superheros* Field Games by Project AuSome * Rolling Video Games Truck * Saluda Shoals Train * Pelicans of Irmo Snowballs * CiCi's Pizza * Jimmy John's

Section 508 Webinar Series

U.S. Access Board 

Announces 

Section 508 Webinar Series Schedule 

The U.S. Access Board announces this year's schedule for the Section 508 Best Practices Webinar Series which will be devoted to the Board's recent final rule updating its Section 508 Standards. The rule also refreshes guidelines for telecommunications equipment covered by Section 255 of the Communications Act.

The next five webinars, which are free and held every other month, will cover different sections of the rule, including referenced standards such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0:

• March 28, 1:00 - 2:30 (ET)
  WCAG 2.0 and the Revised Section 508 Standards

• May 30, 1:00 - 2:30 (ET)
  Old vs. New: Original Section 508 Standards (2000) compared to the Revised Section 508  Standards (2017)

• July 25, 1:00 - 2:30 (ET)
  Revised Section 508 Chapter 4 Hardware (including Mobile)

• September 26, 1:00 - 2:30 (ET)
  Revised Section 508 Chapter 5 Software (including Mobile)

• November 28, 1:00 - 2:30 (ET)
  W3C WCAG 2.0 Resources

For more details or to register for any of these webinars, visit www.accessibilityonline.org/cioc-508/schedule.

The Board conducted a webinar that provided an overview of the rule on January 31, which was repeated on February 2. Both sessions were recorded are archived.

The Section 508 Best Practices Webinar Series provides helpful information and best practices for federal agencies in meeting their obligations under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act which ensures access to information and communication technology in the federal sector. This webinar series is made available by the Accessibility Community of Practice of the CIO Council in partnership with the Access Board.

SCPDO Community Engagement Day

The South Carolina Partnership of Disability Organizations 

invites the public, lawmakers and community partners 

to attend Community Engagement Day

(formerly known as Disability Advocacy Day)

on March 1, 2017.

This will be our 28th year in gathering advocates, community partners, and the public to raise awareness in preserving services and supports for people with disabilities, as well as honoring South Carolina communities who have proudly accepted, embraced, and included those with disabilities. 

Our theme is  

Stronger Together: Bringing Individuality to Where we Live, Work and Play.

Community Engagement Day will be held on the North side (Gervais St.) 

of the South Carolina State House grounds.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with activities starting at 10.

Events include a walk, rally, and speeches by community partners.

We look forward to seeing you there! Don't forget to wear RED!  

For more information, click here. 

 

Empowering A Future: Transition Conference --- Register Today!

TIME IS RUNNING OUT --- REGISTRATION ENDS NEXT WEEK!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY! 

Empowering A Future Transition Conference

Trone Student Center

Furman University 

 Greenville, SC.  

Friday, March 10, 2017

Full day of learning

Only $50 and includes lunch  

Please contact the 

Hampton Inn - Travelers Rest

 864-834-5550 for overnight accommodations 

Don't miss this important conference!

Are you a professional who works with young adults with disabilities who are ready for employment, independent living or continuing their education? Do you want to have the tools to prepare these individuals for a successful transition?  Empowering a Future Transition Conference is just what you need!

Empowering a Future is a full day of continuing education for transition specialists, guidance counselors, educators, rehabilitation counselors, and any other professionals supporting young adults with disabilities as they prepare for success in employment, independent living, and further education.

The featured speakers for this conference will be from "I'm Determined."  The I’m Determined project, a state directed project funded by the Virginia Department of Education, facilitates youth, especially those with disabilities to undertake a measure of control in their lives, helping to set and steer the course rather than remaining the silent passenger.

Empowering a Future 2017 is made possible through support from Able South Carolina, Transition Alliance of South Carolina, SC Department of Education, Family Connection of SC, Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc.







 

 

 

Local Businesses Cater to Autistic Visitors

 

Dimmed lights, loosened rules:

Growing number of businesses cater to autistic visitors

 

(STAT News) - Toy stores are dimming the lights and turning off the music. A ferris wheel is letting children and their parents stay on as long as they want. And cinemas are letting patrons wander around the theater if they don’t want to stay in their seat.

 

Those patrons are individuals with autism.

 

It’s “the equivalent of building wheelchair ramps or accessible bathrooms, except it’s for cognitive disabilities, rather than physical disabilities,” said Steve Silberman, autism expert and author of a book on the history of the condition.

 

Autism is sometimes accompanied by a heightened sensitivity to light, color, noise, and smells, which can cause anxiety or physical pain in individuals with the condition. But as general awareness of autism grows, more private businesses are changing their practices during select times to accommodate individuals with autism.

 

Some of the forerunners of the trend have been retailers. For individuals with autism, a trip to the store, with its bright lights and blaring background music, can be paralyzing. So, stores across the US and around the world have experimented with toning down the stimuli.

 

To continue reading this story at STAT News and learn more, click here

AT Expo: Free Parking and New Location

Mark your calendar! Share with your friends and colleagues!

SC Assistive Technology Expo 2017
Open to the General Public
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Ctr.
1101 Lincoln St., Columbia, SC 29201
Cost: Free

Parking: Free (on grounds and at Park Street Parking Garage)

Come see what's new in assistive technology and attend presentations 

about assistive technology and its use. 

It’s the only event of its kind in the state!

To learn more about the SCATP Expo 2017 visit: 

http://scatp.med.sc.edu/expo/expo17.html

We are looking forward to seeing you at the SC Assistive Technology Expo 2017!