Happy New
(School) Year!
Help Spread the
Word about the Virginia Special Education Network
A little more than two years ago,
the State Special Education Committee (SSEAC) and the Virginia Board
for People with Disabilities (VBPD) collaborated to create the Virginia
Special Education Network (VSEN) as a means of distributing accurate,
timely information about the Commonwealth’s special education and other related
disability services directly to parents, transition-aged students, educators,
administrators, service-providers, policymakers, advocates, and others.
Initial response was excellent and VSEN continues to grow. Today,
periodic VSEN announcements and e-digests directly reach more than 2,500
subscribers across the state, many of whom forward the information on through
their personal and professional networks to thousands more. VSEN played
an important role in keeping constituents informed about Virginia’s recently
completed process to revise its Special Education Regulations, sharing drafts
of the regulations, related resources, and information about public comment
opportunities.
This issue of NEWS@VBPD includes a
much larger sampling of information typically distributed to members of the
VSEN. With the start of the 2009-2010 school year, the SSEAC and VBPD
would, once again, invite all of their friends in the disability community to
join the Virginia Special Education Network and share information about it with
others. Encourage them to visit www.vaboard.org/vsenform.htm to
learn more or subscribe or contact the Virginia Board at Info@VBPD.virginia.gov or
1-800-846-4464 for more information. If you are uncertain whether someone
might already be a subscriber, assume that he or she might not be, and invite
him or her to visit the website and subscribe. Making sure that every
participant in the state’s special education system is well informed is key to
ensuring the best education and a better future for the Commonwealth’s students
with disabilities and for all Virginians.
For more information about the
State Special Education Advisory Committee, please go to www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/Sped/sseac.html.
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Emergency Preparedness for
Families of Children with Special Needs
New Toolkit Available
through Care Connection for Children
The Consortium for Infant and Child Health (CINCH) Children with Special Health Care Needs Work Group in southeastern Virginia, in conjunction with Care Connection for Children at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, has produced an Emergency Preparedness for Families of Children with Special Needs toolkit. This guide for families and others details necessary preparations for emergency situations involving individuals with disabilities and other special health care needs. These include a checklist of items to include in an emergency supply kit and a user-friendly template for organizing important medical information in advance to share with doctors, nurses, EMTs, and other emergency responders to ensure that necessary medical care is provided in a prompt appropriate manner.
To download a copy of the toolkit, go to http://www.chkd.org/documents/CareConnections/EmergencyPreparednessforFamilies.pdf.
For more information, contact:
Sandra
Hermann, Community Resource Coordinator
Care Connection for
Children
Children's Hospital of
The King's Daughters
601 Children's Lane
Norfolk, VA 23507
(757) 668-8519 (o)
(757) 668-9644 (fax)
Sandra.Hermann@chkd.org
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Spanish Language Health
Resource Directory
including state and
regional disability services sources
The Central Virginia Health Planning Agency, in conjunction with the Virginia Heart Disease & Stroke Alliance, has posted a Spanish version of its Health Resource Directory on its website at www.cvhpa.org/PDF_Files/Consumer_Resources/2009_Bilingual_Resource_Directory_Spanish.pdf. Duplication and distribution of the directory is strongly encouraged.
Translation and review were provided by Alejandra Harvey, a graduate student in VCU's Health Administration Department, the City of Richmond Hispanic Liaison Office, respectively.
For more information, contact:
Angie
T. Lee, RN, MHA, Assistant Director
Central Virginia Health
Planning Agency
1808 Coyote Drive, Suite
100
Chester, VA 23836
(804) 425-8867
x104
ALee@cvhpa.org
www.cvhpa.org
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Feedback Opportunity
Survey of Wireless
Technology Use and Usability by People with Disabilities
The Wireless Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) is conducting research into the use and usability of wireless technology by people with a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities. RERC is a federally funded program at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta dedicated to promoting universal access to wireless technology by people with disabilities and advocating for the development of new assistive technologies. The Survey of User Needs takes only about 10 minutes to complete, and the information collected will be used to educate manufacturers of wireless devices and wireless service providers on ways to make their products and services more accessible and more useful.
To complete the survey in English, go to http://www.wirelessrerc.org/survey/. En Español: http://www.wirelessrerc.org/encuesta/.
For paper copies of the survey, to complete it by phone, or to obtain more information, contact:
Charles Elander
Crawford Research
Institute
Shepherd Center
Charles_Elander@Shepherd.org
404-367-1343
http://www.wirelessrerc.org/
http://www.mywirelessreview.com/
http://www.shepherd.org/
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Public Comment Opportunity
on the
Needs of Persons with
Dementia, their Families, and their Caregivers
Virginia's Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission is conducting a series of public hearings to collect public comments and concerns about the needs of persons with dementia, their families, and their caregivers to be used developing the State Plan on Dementia. The plan will be a guide for state policy makers and stakeholders to address the increase in Virginians with dementia and the need for a corresponding increase in resources, specialized care services, support for caregivers, the shortage of trained care providers, additional respite services, and education about the disease.
Anyone with an interest in Alzheimer's disease is encouraged to participate. Please share this notice with families and organizations that might be interested in these hearings.
Future hearings are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
--- September 22, 2009 in the conference room of the Southeastern Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association located at 6350 Center Drive, Suite 102, Norfolk, VA 23502 from Noon until 1:30 PM.
--- September 29, 2009 in the Rehab Auditorium and Video Conference Room at the Carillion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, 2017 South Jefferson Street, Roanoke, VA 24014 from 2 PM until 4 PM.
--- October 8, 2009 in room 102 of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, VA (located .4 miles off Exit 14 of I-81 on the Virginia Highlands Community College Campus) from Noon to 1:30 PM.
--- October 22, 2009 in the conference room of the National Capital Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, 11240 Waples Mill Road, Suite 402, Fairfax, VA 22030 from Noon to 1:30 PM.
Written input can be submitted to:
Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission
1610 Forest Avenue,
Suite 100
Richmond, VA 23229
bill.peterson@vda.virginia.gov.
Questions? Please contact:
Alyssa H. McBride, MPA, Development Director
Alzheimer's Association
Greater Richmond Chapter
Direct: (804) 967-2581
alyssa.mcbride@alz.org
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New Family Special
Education Rights Document
Virginia Special Education Procedural Safeguard Notice Revised August 2009
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has revised the Procedural Safeguards Document titled "Your Family's Special Education Rights, Virginia Procedural Safeguards Notice". The document replaces the November 2007 version and conforms to the U.S. Department of Education's Model Procedural Safeguards Notice (revised June 1009).
The document is currently available in English on VDOE's website at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/Sped/proc_safe.pdf and will soon be posted in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Urdu, Farsi, Korean, and Vietnamese as well.
To find out more, contact your local school division’s Parent Resource Center, the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center at www.peatc.org, or the VDOE Office of Dispute Resolution and Administrative Services at 804-225-2013 (toll free 800-422-2083).
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PEATC Seeking Parent Input
on Upcoming Monitoring Visit from the US Department of Education
Parent Experiences and
Opinions about Early Intervention and Special Education Needed
The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) has been asked by the US Department of Education to collect information from families to consider as they prepare for their monitoring visit to the Virginia Department of Education regarding special education services and to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services regarding the Infant & Toddler Connection early intervention program.
Since 1978, PEATC has been funded by the US Department of Education to serve as Virginia’s parent training and information center, serving families of children with disabilities from birth through 26 years of age. In that capacity, PEATC has been asked to conduct a brief survey to gather information about parent’s experiences and opinions. They are also asking a few questions about what is important to families and using this opportunity to gather some optional, but useful, demographic data, which will help them to serve Virginia as a parent training and information center.
The survey for families of children from birth through three who have been served by the Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities program (Infant-Toddler Connection) is at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=wVdDyCKVKVoL2VgdEwf5LA_3d_3d.
The survey for families of children receiving special education services (from preschool through age 22) at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Kz5cGXWbqzGsWpT1zGgPLw_3d_3d.
La encuesta, en Español: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=m4Ail07w0i5tbHSwpYnwfQ_3d_3d.
Responses are confidential. Names will not be used, and results will be presented in summary form. Your experiences and opinions will provide a better idea about how the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is working in Virginia.
The deadline for submission of surveys is Tuesday,
September 22, 2009.
For more information, contact:
Irene
Moore, Sr. Information Specialist
Parent Educational
Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)
100 N. Washington
Street, Suite 234
Falls Church, VA 22046
703-923-0010/phone
800-869-6782/Toll-Free
phone
800-693-3514/Fax
www.peatc.org
Richmond Regional Office
3600 West Broad Street,
Suite 397
Richmond, VA
23230-4916
804-819-1999/phone
800-693-3514/fax
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New Resources for Parents
and Families at T/TAC Online
Virginia Dept. of Education’s University-Based Training and Technical Assistance Centers
A new resource for parents to access information on Assistive Technology, SOLs, Resources, Events, and Online Trainings, has been added to the Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) website. Funded by the Virginia Department of Education, T/TAC Online is “A Community linking people and resources to help children and youth with disabilities.” T/TAC offices are linked to universities around the commonwealth of Virginia.
To access the website, go to http://www.ttaconline.org/, then:
1) Click on your region off of the map.
2) Click on one of the tabs labeled: Resources, Events or Online Training.
3) Once on selected page or section, scroll down to "Parents/Family." (left side of page) -- Click on the word, Parents/Family for more information.
For key word searches of items, put in the key search the words "parents" or "family" to see what is in the listing.
For further details, contact, Clare Talbert at ctalber1@gmu.edu.
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T/TAC Autism E-News
for additional resources
and training announcements
The Training and Technical Assistance Centers (T/TAC) in Virginia have an e-newsletter with information on the education of students with autism. If you are interested in receiving this quarterly T/TAC e-newsletter, please fill out the form at http://www.ttac.vt.edu/autism/sub_autism_enews.html.
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Training Opportunities
from the Virginia Autism Council
and its regional
partners
For all of the workshops listed below, seating is limited, and participants must register in advance. For specific locations, times, and other information or to register, visit the websites listed below.
Transition Planning: It
is All About What Your Child Wants to Do!
A three hour workshop designed to introduce parents and family members to the transition process that is used to support middle and high school students with Individualized Education Plans as they move from school to the adult world. A focus will be placed on how to work collaboratively with school team members to plan a seamless transition to the community, post secondary education/training, and/or employment. Understanding the transition process will ensure that you have the basic understanding of how to use age appropriate transition assessments to make decisions about post secondary measurable goals that ultimately lead to rewarding outcomes.
Tidewater, VA – September 22, 2009
http://www.tidewaterasa.org/documents/VATransitionFlyer.pdf
Fairfax, VA – September 30, 2009
www.fcps.edu/cco/prc/workshops.htm
Richmond, VA – October 3, 2009
http://www.asacv.org/VACTransitionFlyerRichmond.pdf
Autism Spectrum Disorders for
Families of Children Newly Identified with Autism
A three-hour workshop designed to introduce families to the characteristics and needs of autism spectrum disorders and effective strategies that can be used to assist these children.
Loudoun County, VA – September 24, 2009
http://www.autismtrainingva.org/index.php?mod=course_info&id=494
Richmond, VA – September 26, 2009
http://www.asacv.org/ParentTraining.pdf
Learning, Living, and Working
with Asperger Syndrome
A three-hour workshop designed to introduce educators, parents and service providers to the characteristics of Asperger Syndrome and effective strategies that can be used to support these individuals.
Loudoun County, VA, - September 26, 2009, 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon
http://www.autismtrainingva.org/index.php?mod=course_info&id=499
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New Autism Spectrum
Disorders Website
US Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
New features at www.cdc.gov/autism include updated and easy-to-read information on facts, screening, diagnosis, and treatments; pages dedicated to data & statistics, research, and publications; individualized pages for different visitors - people with ASD, families, healthcare providers, educators, and partners; and an interactive autism quiz. A box on the home page dedicated to data & statistics is "syndicated" which means that it can be linked to other websites so that whenever CDC updates it with new data, it will automatically be updated on those sites too.
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If you received this news digest
from a friend or colleague and would like to receive NEWS@VBPD directly
in the future, please send us an e-mail at Info@VBPD.virginia.gov, and we
would be happy to add you to our contact list. Keeping Virginians
informed about disability services and issues is one of our most important
responsibilities!
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For more information
about the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, please visit our website
at www.vaboard.org or contact:
Tom Driscoll
Strategic Planning & Marketing Manager
Virginia Board for People with
Disabilities
Washington Building, Capitol Square
1100 Bank Street, 7th Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804-786-9380 (voice & TTY)
800-846-4464 (toll-free, voice & TTY)
804-786-1118 (fax)
thomas.driscoll@vbpd.virginia.gov
www.vaboard.org