Indiana Institute FYI

Week of March 3, 2008

FYI Spotlight

· Disability Awareness Month and Community Accessibility
xActivities
· Funding Available for Local ADA Implementation Projects
· Pratt Receives ICASE Distinguished Service Award
· Library Corner

Upcoming

Disability Awareness Month and Community Accessibility Activities: The months of March and April offer the Bloomington community, as well as communities across Indiana, a time to consider ways in which we are welcoming to people with disabilities. In March, communities across Indiana celebrate Disability Awareness Month. And in April, the City of Bloomington’s Council for Community Accessibility celebrates Accessibility Awareness Month (disability awareness icon developed by the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities).

Over the course of the next two months, the Indiana Institute’s FYI Newsletter will highlight activities that will be occurring in Bloomington and on the IU campus. Individuals with disabilities, family members, service providers, faculty, and other community members are encouraged to participate.

Webinar: Web Accessibility for Students with Disabilities: In 1987, 3.6% of youth with disabilities went on to two year colleges, but in 2003, 20.8% did so. Attention to the learning and information technology of these youth is imperative, if they are to gain equitable access both to education and subsequently to employment. This presentation will provide information on a web-based tool for community college student affairs and information technology personnel to assist in the formulation of a campus-wide plan for web and IT accessibility for students with disabilities. The Webinar will be held on Monday, March 3 at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Building L from 2:00-3:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Matt Norris or Vicki Pappas at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail adainfo@indiana.edu.

Disability Awareness Student Panel: IU’s Office of Disability Services for Students will host a Disabilities Awareness Student Panel to increase awareness of disabilities on campus. Indiana University students will share their unique experiences with disabilities on IU’s campus. The panel discussion will be held on Tuesday, March 4 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the Oak Room of the Indiana Memorial Union. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact Elly Romer at (812) 855-7578 or e-mail dssnotes@indiana.edu.

Stone Belt Employer Recognition Ceremony: Stone Belt of Bloomington, will recognize 10 area businesses that have made outstanding contributions to the employment of people with disabilities. This event will be held on Tuesday, March 4 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. at the Bloomington Convention Center’s Olcott Young Room. For more information, contact Elizabeth Hall at (812) 335-3507or e-mail ehall@stonebelt.org.

ADA-Funding

Funding Available for Local ADA Implementation Projects:  ADA-Indiana, in conjunction with Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities, is pleased to announce that funding is available for 2008 Community ADA Implementation Projects.

The purpose of this funding program is to promote increased implementation of the ADA in Indiana’s local communities. Funding up to $1,500.00 is available for projects submitted by social service agencies, local government entities, schools, businesses, or other community organizations interested in increasing implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Proposals are due Friday, March 21, 2008. The request for proposal and grant application materials are available at ADA-Indiana's website http://www.adaindiana.org. To receive additional information, contact Vicki Pappas, Fiscal Agent of ADA-Indiana, at (812) 855-6508 or e-mail adainfo@indiana.edu.

This year, ADA-Indiana will give priority to proposals that result in specific and measurable changes. Projects should target one or more of the Titles of the ADA. This may include training employers to increase their knowledge about the ADA and reasonable accommodations; working with local governments to make their programs, services, and activities accessible to people with disabilities; helping business and non-profits become more accessible; or making sure people with hearing and speech impairments have access to information.

The mission of ADA-Indiana is to serve as a statewide resource for promoting the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Founded in 1991, ADA-Indiana is part of the six-state consortium that comprises the DBTAC: Great Lakes ADA Center.

Kudos

Pratt Receives ICASE Distinguished Service Award: Cathy Pratt, Center Director of the Institute’s Indiana Resource Center for Autism, received the Indiana Council of Administrators of Special Education (ICASE) highest recognition award for exemplary efforts, dedication, and leadership in support of students with disabilities in Indiana.

The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Pratt by Tom Adams, Past President of ICASE, at the ICASE 2008 Spring Conference held February 27-29, 2008 at the Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre Hotel. The mission of ICASE is to promote professional leadership that will result in quality services to children and youth. Decisions and actions taken by the organization will be guided by this mission and the ICASE Strategic Plan. Visit http://www.icase.org/index.html for more information on the work of ICASE. 

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.

31 Days of Disability Awareness: March is Indiana's Disability Awareness Month! This year we would like to share some of the great disability awareness resources available. Each day in the month of March, CeDIR will highlight a new resource on their blog at http://cedir.blogspot.com.

Instant Messaging Reference Services: Beginning March 3, 2008, CeDIR will be expanding their services by offering online chat reference! Do you have a quick question that you want answered but don’t feel like emailing or calling about? Now you can instantly get in touch with our reference staff by instant messaging cediriub using Google Talk, Yahoo, MSN or AOL. Don’t have an instant message account? No problem! Visit http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cedir/ask.html. From this page you can chat live with our reference staff, you don’t even need sign in. Reference chat services will be available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. We look forward to chatting with you!

Pan, M. (2008) Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (3rd ed.). Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.

Patten, M.L. (2007). Understanding research methods: An overview of the essentials (6th ed.). Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.

Winton, P.J., McCollum, J.A., & Catlett, C. (2008). Practical approaches to early childhood professional development: Evidence, strategies, and resources. Washington, DC: Zero to Three.

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This material is available in alternative formats upon request