Reminder! Adapted Book Workshop-Thursday and Friday

You’re invited to an engaging and hands-on Adapted Book Workshop designed to support children with disabilities through creative, accessible literacy tools.

Hosted by the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program, this free training opportunity brings together families, educators, and professionals for an inspiring learning experience.

Participants will leave with completed adapted book kits ready to use at home, in the classroom, or to donate to a school library.

📅 Event Details

Dates: April 23–24, 2026
Session Options:

• Morning: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Afternoon: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location:
SC Assistive Technology Program
Center for Disability Resources
8301 Farrow Road, Poplar Building
Columbia, SC 29203

📌 Important Notes

• Registration is required (spaces are limited) sign up for 1 day and choose a time to attend.
• This training is free of charge
• Participants should bring books from the provided Wish List 
      

👉 Reserve your spot today

Spring Forward with AAIDD Membership!

 

April AAIDD Highlights Benefits AAIDD members are enjoying this month

Let Your Professional Growth Bloom This April! Unlock exclusive access to professional webinars, leading IDD journals, networking opportunities and more. Discover all the membership benefits waiting for you this month.

Join AAIDD Today!

AAIDD 150th Annual Meeting  AAIDD Members receive discounted conference registration

Register today for the AAIDD 150th Annual Meeting! Don’t miss this historic sesquicentennial event bringing together leaders across the IDD field. Become an AAIDD member to take advantage of discounted registration rates. Register today!

AAIDD Webinars  Ongoing professional education  Why pay $10? Members receive registration at no cost for all AAIDD webinars

Critical Issues in Health for People with IDD: Ethics, Consent, and Decision Making AAIDD Webinar April 23, 2026 2:00-3:00 pm Eastern  Register Here

Identifying Suicide Risk in Youth with IDD AAIDD Webinar May 13, 2026 2:00-3:00 pm Eastern  Register Here

Building Key Skills for People with IDD Through Improvisation AAIDD Webinar May 27, 2026 2:00-3:00 pm Eastern  Register Here

AAIDD Journals Leading Peer-Reviewed Journals in the IDD Field Access articles at no cost for AAIDD Members

The April 2026 Issue of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) is Available Now!  Read AAIDD Journals

Ready to Take the Next Step? Join AAIDD and enjoy all these member benefits and more! AAIDD's mission is to promote progressive policies, sound research, effective practices, and universal human rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Become a member today! Join AAIDD!

Family and Child Focus Webinar Ongoing!

 

Please join us today for a webinar!

 

Family and child focus: (webinar has just started) 04-16-26 12 PM Resources for You and Your Baby

Providing parents of children with visual impairments resources for their child and themselves.

Have a wonderful day!

April Webinars

 

Please join us this week on Thursday April 16th for 2 webinars. 

Adult focus: 04-16-26 11 AM Cooking Made Easier: Adaptive Tools and Techniques

• If you’ve ever felt unsure in the kitchen, or just want to make cooking simpler, this session is full of game changing ideas you can start using immediately. We’ll walk through smart ways to organize your kitchen, so everything has a place, adaptive tools that make cooking safer and easier, and non-visual techniques for handling heat, measuring ingredients, and following recipes. You’ll discover simple methods for preparing satisfying meals, plus practical tips that reduce stress and make cooking enjoyable.

Family and child focus:04-16-26 12 PM Resources for You and Your Baby

• Providing parents of children with visual impairments resources for their child and themselves. Participants will learn

  • Statewide programs and agencies.
• Medicaid process and resources.
•  Support Groups for parents of children with visual impairments.

Adapted Book Workshop

  

 

You’re invited to an engaging and hands-on Adapted Book Workshop designed to support children with disabilities through creative, accessible literacy tools.

Hosted by the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program, this free training opportunity brings together families, educators, and professionals for an inspiring learning experience.

✨ Featured Highlights

• Special presentation and exhibit by Author Cindy Boudreaux.
   
   
   
   
• boodrx@comcast.net
• https://beignetsbythebeach.com 
   
• Introduction to Adapted Books – learn the fundamentals of creating accessible book kits
• Sensory, Literacy, and Communication Ideas to support diverse learners
• Hands-on guidance in making adaptive book kits that includes supports for communication, tactile interaction, and page turning!

Participants will leave with completed adapted book kits ready to use at home, in the classroom, or to donate to a school library.

📅 Event Details

Dates: April 23–24, 2026
Session Options:

• Morning: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Afternoon: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location:
SC Assistive Technology Program
Center for Disability Resources
8301 Farrow Road, Poplar Building
Columbia, SC 29203

📌 Important Notes

• Registration is required (spaces are limited)
• This training is free of charge
• Participants should bring books from the provided Wish List 
   
   
      
  
  

Whether you’re an educator looking to enhance your classroom, a parent supporting your child’s learning, a clinician looking to increase adapted materials,  or a librarian expanding inclusive resources—this workshop offers practical tools and inspiration you can use right away.

👉 Reserve your spot today

 

We look forward to learning and creating with you!

Family Connections: Your Voice Matters! Tell Us What Your Child Needs to Thrive

We want to hear from YOU! The Center for Applied Research and Evaluation (CARE) is conducting a survey to identify the gaps, strengths, and barriers of South Carolina's system of services and supports for babies, children, youth and young adults with disabilities or chronic health conditions. The information you share will help our partner, Family Connection of South Carolina and other state partners identify priorities, strengthen coordination, and improve access to care, information, and resources across the state. Click on the following link to access the survey and share your thoughts--   https://tinyurl.com/carefamilyconnectsc  Thank you for sharing your experience and helping us make things better—together. This project is being conducted by the Center for Applied Research and Evaluation at the University of South Carolina in partnership with Family Connection of South Carolina.  For more information, contact Pamela Gillam at gillamps@mailbox.sc.edu © Family Connection of South Carolina All Rights Reserved. 1800 St Julian Pl., suite 104, Columbia, SC 29204

Autism Acceptance and Water Safety Webinar

 

Dear Friends of the Autism Community,   We are excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar: Autism Acceptance and Water Safety with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) and Autism Society of America on April 13, 2026 at 12pm (ET).    Join us for an important and timely conversation during Autism Acceptance Month as we come together to promote understanding, collaboration, and lifesaving water safety resources for the Autism community.   During this session, you’ll learn how the Autism Society and NDPA are working together to reduce preventable drownings and how you can help make an even greater impact.  We’ll also share valuable summer-ready resources, including educational materials for families and caregivers, as well as downloadable, ready-to-print water safety posters you can start using right away.   Together, we can promote acceptance, prioritize safety, and provide year-round support.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Register Today

About the Presenters:    Alissa Magrum is the Executive Director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) and has loved being near, in and around the water for her entire life.  She discovered her passion for water safety and drowning prevention in 2008 after her then 3-year-old daughter, Ella lost a preschool classmate (Colin Holst) to a fatal and preventable drowning in a lifeguarded pool in Austin, Texas.  The tragic loss of Colin’s life impacted Alissa as a young parent, and Alissa began volunteering for Colin’s Hope, the organization founded by Colin’s parents, Jeff and Jana Holst after Colin’s drowning.  In 2010, Alissa became and served as the Executive Director of Colin’s Hope for 14 years.  Alissa is a founding member of Families United to Prevent Drowning and has served in leadership roles for: the Texas Water Safety Coalition, Safe Kids Austin, the Central Texas Drowning Prevention Action Team, Face In Water and is a Member of the Global Water Safety and Drowning Prevention International Rotary Club.  Alissa believes deeply that her North Star(s) in this very important lifesaving work are those lost or almost lost to drowning and their family members. She is honored to lead the NDPA in this very important work and believes that collaboration is the key to making deeper and bigger lifesaving impacts.    Katie Wentley oversees safety programming for the Autism Society of America. Katie is passionate about the safety of the Autism community using a multitiered approach with a focus on preventative strategies. Katie has a master's degree in Autism and has spent her career teaching, working with, advocating for, and learning from the Autism community. Katie developed Safety on the Spectrum: Accessible Aquatics™ to address critical issues of preventable water-related death in the Autism community. This is a gold standard training increasing education across the Autism community and equipping aquatics professionals with the support needed to increase safety for Autistic individuals in and near water in local communities.