[Kids Together email newsletter] October 2010
- From: "Kids Together, Inc." <staff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <ktnewsletter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:30:49 -0400
Kids Together Email Newsletter
"promoting inclusive communities where all people belong"
OCTOBER 2010
This list consists of over 3000 people (and growing!)
Suggestions for newsletter items are welcome!
"The secret in education lies in respecting the student"
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
People With Disabilities Have a Right to Vote!
Get ready to Vote!
The right to vote is an essential part of participation in
communities, citizenship and society. Voting gives individuals with
disabilities and their families a means to influence policies that directly
affect their quality of life.
The right to equal access to voting of all citizens, with
or without disabilities, is protected under the federal law of The Americans
with Disabilities Act. A person cannot be denied the right to vote simply
because the person has a disability (intellectual, physical, or psychiatric),
has a legal guardian, or because the person lives in an institution, group
home, supported apartment, or other residential facility that serves people
with disabilities. Polling stations must be accessible. People who need help
voting because of their disability can bring a family member, friend, or other
trusted individual to support them. Find information in your state at
http://www.nonprofitvote.org/voting-with-a-disability.html
In Pennsylvania
Know your candidates! Governor candidate's disability
policy statements:
Dan Onorata -
http://www.voteonorato.com/dans_vision/Disabilities Disabilities listed on
website
Tom Corbett - No statements have been issued. Disabilities
are not listed on Website
The Disability Voting Coalition is asking for a
"Performance Audit" of Pennsylvania's compliance with the National Voter
Registration Act (NVRA). Read more>>> http://www.dvcpa.org/
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School is Not Suppose to Hurt
Investigative Report on Abusive Restraint and Seclusion in
Schools
National Disabilities Rights Network
http://www.napas.org/sr/SR-Report.pdf (60 page pdf file)
This report identifies the abusive use of restraint or
seclusion nationwide by school administrators, teachers, and auxiliary
personnel, which has resulted in injury and trauma and, in far too many cases,
death to children with disabilities. Furthermore, because there is no mandated
system in place to report or collect data on these abuses, this report is
clearly just the tip of the iceberg.
Swift action to ban the use of prone restraint and
seclusion in schools, and increased teacher training will eliminate
unintentional tragedies. It is the hope of the National Disability Rights
Network that calling attention to this pervasive problem will spur action on
the local, state, and national levels to address this crisis immediately.
Efforts to introduce the use of restraints and seclusion
into student's IEP's may jeopardize safety and undermine the "Keeping All
Students Safe Act.
Read more >>>>
http://www.ourchildrenleftbehind.com/pdf/aa10-12-10.pdf
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Singing with Communication Devices
Snoopi Botten
http://www.dectalksings.com
Have a child or client that won't use a device? Sometimes
singing can encourage them to use their device and interact with people. Hi,
I'm Snoopi Botten. With over 1100 vocal only songs, and close to 400 songs with
music added, anyone can load in a song to their communication device and start
singing.
These songs work in devices with or without Dectalk as long
as they can play an audio file. If I don't have a desired song, I'll program
it for you. Please visit www.pastorsnoopi.com for more info. CDs are available
at www.dectalksings.com. Or, write to dectalk@xxxxxxxx I also have a group on
facebook and help people learn how to program their own songs. Just released a
new CD in time for the holidays "SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS" CD.
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Celebrating 35 Years of the -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
(OSERS)
https://www.osep-meeting.org/idea35th/
OSERS is celebrating the 35th anniversary of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). OSERS would like to hear
from the great number of people who have been positively impacted by this
legislation: individuals with disabilities, students, teachers, principals,
researchers, parents, teacher trainers and other IDEA stakeholders. Please
share your art work, photography, poetry and written stories showcasing how
IDEA has positively impacted you for possible use during an event celebrating
the 35th anniversary of IDEA. You may submit your documents and personal
stories before November 8th.
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Being an Unperson
A VERY Powerful Video by a Self-Advocate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c5_3wqZ3Lk
A "must-see" video for anyone who teaches, supports or
works with children or adults with disabilities.Thought provoking and
insightful, this video provides a perspective from people with a disabilities,
especially those that are labeled "non-verbal". It raises awareness of how
people with disabilities are treated and will make others think twice about the
impact of their words and actions. It is a good reminder to treat all people
with respect and to always presume competence.
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President Obama Signs Two New Disability Laws!
Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility
Act of 2010
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s3304enr.txt.pdf
Rosa's Law
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s2781enr.txt.pdf
Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility
Act of 2010. This law will ensure that Americans with disabilities can more
fully participate in society and enjoy all that new technologies have to
offer--especially Internet-based and mobile services. The new law will make it
easier for people who are deaf, blind or have low vision to access the
Internet, smart phones, television programming and other communications and
video technologies. The law will also make sure that emergency information is
accessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision. In addition, $10
million per year will be allocated from the Interstate Relay Service Fund for
equipment used by individuals who are deaf-blind. For more information read
What S.3304 Does For Us from the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible
Technology.
Rosa's Law was signed into law by President Barack Obama
and will change references in federal law from mental retardation to
intellectual disability, and references to a mentally retarded individual to an
individual with an intellectual disability
Read more >>>>
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/10/08/remarks-president-signing-21st-century-communications-and-video-accessib
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Envisioning the Future
Administration on Developmental Disabilities
http://www.envision2010.net/index.php
Sharon Lewis, the recently appointed Commissioner for the
Administration on Developmental Disabilities, wants to hear how self-advocates,
family members, allies, and professional describe a vision of the future for
individuals with developmental disabilities Your ideas will be used as part of
a process to develop goals and priorities in a five-year strategic plan for the
Administration on Developmental Disabilities to be completed by Spring 2011.
"Listening sessions." are being held in 5 regional locations across the United
States (Philadelphia, Detroit, Dallas, Orlando, and Denver). Members of the
public are invited to come and simply listen, or to present their ideas (each
presenter gets 3 minutes to speak to the panel). Space is limited and
participants must register in advance. Written testimonies and commentary can
be submitted through the website.
The first session was held in Philadelphia and many
advocates provided testimony, including. Colleen Tomko, president of Kids
Together, Inc. who spoke about the issues arising from fragmented and separate
systems, the waiting list, and the institutional funding bias. Transcripts will
be available on the website.
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Out of the Woods - Facebook Page
Inspired by the Death Of Bryan Nevins at Woods Services in
Langhorne PA
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Out-of-the-Woods/115838481800336
Join others in supporting people with disabilities to have
community supports and to get them out of institutions! Woods Services is just
one example of how people with disabilities still remain in congregated out of
sight and out of mind in large isolated segregated settings. Incidents of
people being abused in these types of settings resulting in injuries or death
often get reported as unsubstantiated or insufficient evidence, and the
institution claims no wrongdoing, The world will never know how much abuse
goes unnoticed and unreported. What we can do is call attention to how unsafe
these settings are and promote the less costly, more beneficial community
alternatives. Like or fan the Facebook page. If you are in Pennsylvania join us
on our next event to support justice for Bryan and to hold them accountable at
the October 28th trial for the staff person who left Bryan Nevins bake to death
in a hot van for 5 hours.
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Kids Together Inclusion Networking Community!
Free! Join Today!
http://grou.ps/kidstogether/home
Want to share information, ask questions and meet others
who promote inclusion? Members can post discussion threads, join sub groups on
topics, read and post calendar events (on inclusion), watch and post videos,
photos and share files! The group will also run polls. You can sign in with
your email and create a password or use your Facebook account to link in. (All
memberships must be approved to prevent spam). Together we can create the best
networking and information resource possible! Check it out and start connecting
and start posting!
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The Parent Side (tm)
T-shirts, cards, magnets mugs, stickers & more!
Great Thank You Gifts!
It's a campaign for inclusion and against exclusion!
http://www.theparentside.com
Products that promote inclusion and acceptance of
diversity. Gifts for parents, teachers, self-advocates and others! Mugs, tote
bags, buttons, posters, bumper stickers, cards, t shirts, sweatshirts and lots
more! Now you can use Paypal!
Become a fan on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/TheParentSide
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Resources are listed for general information purposes only
Kids Together does not endorse products, services, or
provide any legal advice
Kids Together, Inc. is an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)3
organization
We support the belief that children with disabilities, like
all children,
have the need to be welcomed, cherished and embraced in our
communities.
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