New TV Series Features Young Adults With Down Syndrome

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by Shaun Heasley | Disabilityscoop.com

The production company behind “Keeping up with the Kardashians” and other reality television staples will debut a new documentary series following young adults with Down syndrome.

The six-episode series “Born This Way” will air on A&E Network starting Dec. 8 at 10 p.m. ET.

For the show, cameras followed seven Southern California young adults with Down syndrome and their families as they navigate jobs and relationships and look to gain greater independence.

https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/11/16/new-tv-series-down-syndrome/20963/

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Why Fit in When You Were Born to Stand Out?

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With this month having been National Down Syndrome Month as well as National Disability Month, it’s been exciting to see some of the activities going on in our schools to bring awareness and appreciation for diverse learning abilities.

At one public elementary school in Cambridge, one period in October was dedicated to a week-long effort to weave activities into the curriculum that would foster awareness and educate about different disabilities with the on-going goal of creating a respectful and inclusive environment so students of all abilities feel welcomed.

image1 (1)Timed to coincide with National Disability Month (also National Down Syndrome Awareness Month), the activities culminated in a day-long celebration on Disability Awareness Day. The morning kicked-off with a parents breakfast, viewing and discussion of the documentary film, “Including Samuel” by Dan Habib, a film about the Habib family’s efforts to have their son with cerebral palsy included in a general education 3rd grade classroom. During the course of the morning, teachers and parent volunteers led the students in activities designed to promote understanding and acceptance of individual differences. The message: universally we all have strengths and vulnerabilities, whether this is due to a disability or our current circumstance, however we can use our strengths to overcome our challenges. The activities provided an opportunity to engage in ongoing conversation with the goal of strengthening students’ abilities to take the perspective of others and develop problem-solving skills to support all members in their learning community.

image1The highlight of the day was an all-school assembly led by Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC) representative, Kerri Tabasky on the importance of respect and valuing differences.   The assembly including interviews with teachers on challenges they faced when they were younger and how they overcame them.   The best part was when students came up to the stage to share what they had learned from the week’s activities. One student empathized that she now understood how difficult it what to follow along when you couldn’t really hear. She had participated in an activity designed to simulate hearing loss and we talked afterwards about the importance of compensating strategies such as lip-reading, to help overcome this challenge. Another student said, “I didn’t realize Down syndrome was just one part of who he is.” In my experience, the biggest barrier to inclusion is fear, but when we include students with Down syndrome in the general education classroom, peers begin to see the child first, and Down syndrome just becomes one part of who their new friend is.

To plan a Disability Awareness Day at your school, contact us for more information.

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Register Now for the MDSC 11th Annual Educators Forum

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By MDSC.org

SAVE THE DATE!
11th Annual Educators Forum
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA

Register Here!*

Join hundreds of educators each fall at the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress’ Annual Educators Forum, where you will be treated to a full day of presentations by experts in the field of inclusion. A range of stimulating workshops will bring to life the best practices for educating students with Down syndrome in an inclusive classroom. Our participants will be exposed to innovative, research-based educational strategies on a variety of topics.

Sessions often cover the following subjects: technology, literacy, behavior, socialization, teamwork, differentiated instruction, the paraprofessional’s role, transition, and gaining meaningful access to the general education curriculum.

In the spirit of collaboration and inclusion, we value various districts coming together to learn, build capacity and ultimately enhance and improve the educational experiences of all students!

*Note: If you are part of the Learning Program Boston, please contact us at [email protected] for information about a group discount by October 24, 2015.

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Social Security Disability Insurance Program – Updated facts

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By SocialSecurity.gov Official Social Security Website

We recently released new fact sheets and a national issue paper on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. The SSDI program provides benefits to millions of workers and their families in every community across America. These State fact sheets contain statistics on the number of people who receive benefits and the average payment amounts. The national issue paper describes the five principles Congress used as a basis for establishing the SSDI program almost 60 years ago.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/policy/docs/factsheets/cong-stats-DI/2014/index.html

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This Is What Sex Ed for the Intellectually Disabled Looks Like

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By Broadly.vice.com

A lack of sexual education has an impact in all aspects of a person’s life, so why are intellectually disabled people given so few opportunities to learn about sex on their own terms?

https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/a-look-at-the-sex-ed-curriculum-taught-to-the-intellectually-disabled

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Campaign to Open Employers’ Eyes to the Power of People with Down Syndrome

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By Globenewswire.com

Boston Bruins Foundation, MDSC and others join forces to raise awareness about lack of employment opportunities

BOSTON, Sept. 29, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress will be launching its new public awareness campaign, Your Next Star, on Oct. 1, aimed at opening the eyes of employers to the power of people with Down syndrome in the workplace. Two years in the making, Your Next Star came about because of our increasing awareness of the challenges facing adults with Down syndrome looking for meaningful work opportunities in their communities.

KICKOFF/PRESS CONFERENCE FOR YOUR NEXT STAR CAMPAIGN
Thursday Oct. 1 | 11 a.m.
Boston Bruins Foundation
TD Garden
West End Room

At the press conference on October 1, the website, www.yournextstar.com, will be officially unveiled, including the centerpiece video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI7czCgeehY – EMBARGOED UNTIL OCT. 1

The event takes place at the Boston Bruins Foundation on the first day of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month and Down Syndrome Awareness Month in the Commonwealth as declared by official proclamation by Governor Charlie Baker.

– See more at: http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/09/29/771787/10150950/en/Campaign-to-Open-Employers-Eyes-to-the-Power-of-People-with-Down-Syndrome.html#sthash.cyHmb73I.XJb2Ait8.dpuf

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Post-Secondary Programs See Signs Of Success

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By Michelle Diament | Disabilityscoop.com

As a growing number of colleges offer programs for students with intellectual disabilities, a new report provides the most comprehensive look yet at who’s attending and their outcomes.

The federally-mandated report out this month from the Think College National Coordinating Center at the University of Massachusetts Boston offers a snapshot of what’s happening at post-secondary programs across the country using data solicited from 50 programs that receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education.

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/09/21/post-secondary-signs-success/20810/

 

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Transition Conference 2015 – The Arc of Massachusetts

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Statewide Transition Conference for Parents – Does Your Son or Daughter Have a Plan for the Future?

Saturday, October 3, 2015 | 8:00 AM-4:00 PM | Best Western/Royal Plaza, Marlborough, MA

Learn:

  • About the Transition process from planning to IEP implementation
  • What elements a Transition program should offer
  • The types of services that can be provided outside of the classroom
  • About the new ABLE Account – how it works and the benefits
  • How to begin thinking about housing and much, much more!

For more information and to register click on this link http://thearcofmass.org/transition-conference-2015/

 

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Technical Assistance Advisory SPED 2016-2: Promoting Student Self-Determination to Improve Student Outcomes

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By Mass.gov | Special Education Guidance, Administrative Advisories

The Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has issued a new advisory which might be of interest to transition-age students and families.

The purpose of this advisory is to:

(1) Highlight the fundamental importance of supporting and encouraging student self-determination to promote successful adult outcomes.
(2) Provide guidance to school districts on multiple means of advancing student self-determination skills.

http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/advisories/2016-2ta.pdf

 

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Think:Kids – Collaborative Problem Solving

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From Think:Kids | ThinkKids.org

Think:Kids Conference
Date: Saturday, October 17th, 2015
Location: Microsoft NERD Center | 1 Memorial Drive | Cambridge, MA 02142

Registration Info

 

Think:Kids will bring together parents and professionals at our First Annual Conference. ALL ARE WELCOME – those who are passionate about the Collaborative Problem Solving Approach, those who want to learn more, even those who are completely new to the approach can attend! A special keynote address will be given by Jerome Kagan, Ph.D., a luminary figure in the field of developmental psychology and the forefather of temperament research.

How can we help children with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges?

There is a vital need for more enlightened approaches for understanding and helping the increasing number of children with social, emotional and behavioral challenges. All too often, their difficult behavior is seen as willful and goal oriented. This has led to interventions that focus on gaining greater compliance through the use of consequences. Such interventions often don’t adequately address the child’s needs. As a result, many such children continue to have very adversarial interactions with teachers, family members, peers… and are at risk for poor long-term outcomes. This conference brings together parents and professionals to learn and network together. Based on current research, caregivers will gain the knowledge needed to understand the nature of these children’s challenges in a new light; as the result of a delay in the development of crucial cognitive skills that are essential for handling frustration, demands for flexibility and adaptability, and for problem solving. Innovative intervention strategies that are based on this understanding and that focus on working collaboratively with children to building skills will be taught. The day begins with a keynote address given by Dr. Jerome Kagan renowned expert on child temperament. During the remainder of the day, attendees have the opportunity to attend three separate breakout workshop sessions, where they will choose from a variety of workshops on pertinent topics.

Topics will include the following:

Plan B Troubleshooting
Session 1 Breakouts:

  • Introduction to Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS): Philosophy and Assessment (Dr. Tai Katzenstein)
  • Troubleshooting: Beyond the Plan B Basics (Dr. Stuart Ablon, Dr. Larry Epstein, Ben Stitch, Dr. Aude Henin)
  • Collaborative Problem Solving and Lagging Skills

Session 2 Breakouts:

  • Introduction to Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS): The Three Plans (Dr. Tai Katzenstein)
  • Helping Bright Kids who Can’t Keep Up: (Dr. Ellen Braaten); When Excessive Worry Gets in the Way: (Dr. Aude Henin)
  • Helping Kids Regulate so They Can Relate and Reason: (Jennifer Boggett-Carsjens, OTR and Dr. Larry Epstein)
  • Collaborative Problem Solving in Real Life

Session 3 Breakouts: 

  • Introduction to Collaborative Problem Solving: Plan B (Dr. Tai Katzenstein)
  • Psychiatric Medications and Collaborative Problem Solving: What to Consider? (Dr. Tanishia Choice)
  • Building Bridges: Advocating for Your Child at School (Joan Toussaint and Dr. Larry Epstein)
  • Evaluating CPS Across Settings: The Research Process and Outcomes (Dr. Alisha Pollastri)
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