Gallaudet Memorial sculpted by Daniel Chester French (1925), located at the American School for the Deaf, West Hartford, Connecticut. This monument depicts Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and the young Alice Cogswell signing the letter A. Photo by Msact, via Wikimedia Commons
Please watch this space on Monday for a feature on Deaf Awareness Week, September 18 through 24.
At Advancing Opportunities, we excel in providing residential and respite services to people of with all disabilities, along with advocacy and education services for parents and guardians and assistive technology support. As a leader in the field, we are pleased to share our experience, knowledge, and expertise with the disability community through our social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest. In addition, we are specialists in the area of assistive technology and offer a huge array of services; the Assistive Technology Center is New Jersey’s premier source of information and equipment. In this, our bimonthly column, we will select the best of what we found and shared and present them. Please click on the titles with embedded links to find the full article.
Advancing Opportunities job announcement of the fortnight
Advancing Opportunities is seeking an individual for the position of Human Resources Generalist. He or she will be responsible for assisting in all aspects of providing Human Resources support to the agency. In addition, the Human Resources Generalist performs other duties from time to time, as deemed appropriate. He or she routinely deals with highly sensitive and confidential matters. For more information, please visit us online.
Advancing Opportunities News
Meet Tameka, Direct-Support Professional: “I have always felt a special connection to people with disabilities.”
Tameka Powell has been honored as Direct Support Professional of the Month for her dedication to the residents of our Newton group home.
We were very happy to present our friends at @allegra.princeton with our Champions of Inclusion Award! Thank you, Dave Kovacs and your entire team, for providing an amazing internship experience to Colin.
Disability in the news (mostly in New Jersey, the population we serve)
Figures for employment for people with disabilities in New Jersey and the rest of the nation are cautiously optimistic.
From The Atlantic: If parents of a son or daughter with a disability are deported, what happens to these children?
For parents of a child with a disability (parenting)
Fine piece in the New York Times: Looking into the future for a child with autism
In addition, not everyone with some type of repetitive behavior has autism or Tourette syndrome.
Here are 13 books for children with autism to help them navigate emotions, communication, and social cues.
“As autism parents, it’s so important to take care of ourselves and here’s why.”
A blogger discusses explaining autism to siblings and provides free printable conversation prompts.
This article has links to information on how children with ADHD react to (and can sometimes cope with) a disaster or other extreme event.
Assistive technology
“To Siri with Love”: how Apple’s electronic personal assistant fostered the communication skills of her teenage son Gus, who has autism
CTD Institute has published a new glossary of assistive technology. Our Technology Lending Center has many of these devices.
3-D printing technology offers blind and visually impaired students access to material taught.
Researchers use robots and other technology to improve the lives of people with ALS and seek a cure.
Special Education
The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) has launched a new effort: Personalized Learning and Students with Disabilities. Also listed are 13 new publications.
Evidence supports the effectiveness of mental health programs in schools.
School exclusion is “linked to long-term mental health problems,” especially in students with autism, a study strongly suggests.
An actually autistic man and highly respected author speaks out how much of education in the U.S. fails students with autism.
Advocacy and self-advocacy
Honoring the passing of disability advocate Lorraine Gradwell. She was a tireless campaigner for accessibility and other disability rights issues. Gradwell also was behind the concept of the “social model” of disability. She was 64. Her legacy will live on.
When people with autism age out, what’s next? A mother of an autistic teen takes action, founding Austen’s Autistic Adventures.
Disability Rights, Accessibility
Some 20 percent of gamers have a physical or intellectual disability, including many of the people we serve. It is clear that accessibility is of prime importance in this field and hobby. Advocates continue to fight for gaming accessibility.
Perspectives from governments on mobilizing global commitments to accessibility.
Opinion: My son has autism. Discrimination almost cost him his life.
Employment for people with disabilities
The trend of employing autistic people, especially in hi-tech and creative enterprises, is a “work in progress.” Yet, finding and keeping work remains a challenge for this population. Some possible solutions are explored.
Informative, positive, noteworthy (or all three!)
Climbing Grand Teton is challenging even for the most skilled person—even more so for someone with Down syndrome.
Positive articles like this one are always welcome! A 27-year-old filmmaker is helping people with disabilities own their narratives.
Here’s a blog piece on 10 highly recommended bipolar disorder blogs, written either by people with this disability themselves or mental-health professionals.
The Arts and People with Disabilities
A photographer uses her art to document Down syndrome beautifully.
A sci-fi magazine created entirely by writers and editors with disabilities is coming!
A 17-year-old autistic artist inspires children with autism and other special needs to paint.
People with a disability in the community (disability rights and acceptance; inclusion)
An empathetic New Jersey teen with autism offers autistic men haircuts.
A writer discusses why more tech companies should hire people with disabilities.
Alyssa Patrias, 20, is the first woman with Down syndrome to compete in the Michigan state beauty pageant. She did everything the other contestants did.
Disability awareness and appreciation
“The Grown-Ups” is a new Down syndrome documentary coming to PBS.
The young-adult edition of Far From the Tree is a compelling read on families with differences.
These photos of a woman’s life with muscular dystrophy are not meant to inspire.
“My autism hasn’t stopped me connecting with my sister.”
Medical news – research
“In the first major study of its kind, researchers using MRI have identified structural abnormalities in the brains of people with one of the most common genetic causes of autism.”
Researchers found that altered mitochondria may be associated with increased autism risk.
A recent study found that a region of the brain that processes emotions, the amygdala, is usually smaller in children who have both autism and anxiety than in those who have autism alone.
New findings on brain functional connectivity may lend insights into mental disorders.
Beauty, glamour, and fashion: the inclusion of people with disabilities
Emily, a lovely 10-year-old model with cerebral palsy, wants the industry to include disability. She has modeled for Target, a retailer that this month announced its Cat & Jack line of adaptive clothing.
A former Olympian, upon being diagnosed with a disability, turns to a new career, modeling.
