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In This Issue

December 2008

Upcoming Events

1. 2009 OSEP National Parent Center Conference

Parent Center Updates

1. Matrix Celebrates 25th Anniversary
2. Federation Staff Member Featured on NBC News
3. PEAK to Host 2009 Inclusive Education Conference

Announcements & News

1. TA&D Project of the Month: Project Forum
2. National Council on Disability Celebrates 30th Anniversary
3. Living with Autism Study Online Presentation
4. Family Center on Technology and Disability December Discussion

Resources

1. New Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Fact Sheets
2. Research Summary – School Support and Parental Involvement
3. “Learn The Signs. Act Early.” Campaign
4. Workplace and Employment Resources for Families
5. Book Review – Crazy
6. Traffic Safety Report

Technology

1. Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology
2. Web Site Tips

Nonprofit Management

1. Donor Management Tools
2. Taproot Foundation Capacity Grants

Upcoming Events

OSEP National Parent Center Conference

The 2009 OSEP Parent Center Conference will be held January 28-30, 2009 in Crystal City, VA. Registration is still open at www.taalliance.org!
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Parent Center Updates

Matrix Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center (www.matrixparents.org), a Northern California PTI and Region 6 Parent Technical Assistance Center, is celebrating its 25th Anniversary! Congratulations to executive director Nora Thompson and all staff! Read Matrix’s recent newsletter for interviews with the organization’s founders and other great articles.
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Federation Staff Member Featured on NBC News

Rhea Tavares, Outreach and Training Specialist at Federation for Children with Special Needs in Boston, was featured on NBC Nightly News in October. The report tells the story of the bond that has formed between Tavares and a young boy in Slovenia who share the same form of a rare bone disorder, ectrodactyly.
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PEAK to Host 2009 Inclusive Education Conference

PEAK Parent Center in Colorado Springs, CO will hold its 2009 Conference on Inclusive Education, Energizing Learning, February 12-14 in Denver. The agenda and online registration are now available!
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Announcements & News

TA&D Project of the Month: Project Forum

Project Forum at NASDSE (the National Association of State Directors of Special Education) conducts analysis and writes research briefs on critical areas in special education policy. New titles include Homeless and Special Education Administrative Collaboration, Resolution Meetings, and Parentally Placed Private School Students with Disabilities.
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National Council on Disability Celebrates 30th Anniversary

Thirty years ago, the National Council on Disability (NCD) was formed as an advisory board within the U.S. Department of Education and has since grown into an independent federal agency with members selected by the President and confirmed by the Senate. To look forward for improved policy change in the next decade, NCD is hosting a National Summit on Disability Policy in July 2010, corresponding with the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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Living with Autism Study Online Presentation

Easter Seals and EPLiveOnline are collaborating to unveil the results of Easter Seals’ Living with Autism Study through an online presentation. The free live event will take place December 16th from 9:30-10:30 am EST and will also be archived and available for ninety days.
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Family Center on Technology and Disability December Discussion

The Family Center is pleased to host a month-long discussion of effective family-school partnerships that result in successful use of technology. The discussion will be moderated by an assistive technology specialist and parent advocate. Users are invited to join the discussion at any time during the month of December.
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Resources

New ODEP Fact Sheets

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has just released three new fact sheets in a new and easy to read format that provide constructive disability employment information for parents, youth and employers:

Creating a Path to Employment: Tips for Parents with Children with Disabilities: Work in the 21st century is more team-based than ever. Start by exploring the world of work together.
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Essential Skills to Getting a Job: What Young People with Disabilities Need to Know: Often referred to as "soft skills", work ethic, communication, teamwork and critical thinking are all must have's for youth in today's job market.
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Shaping Tomorrow's Workforce: Including Talents of Young People with Disabilities: Youth with disabilities bring fresh, new perspectives that enrich strategies for meeting business challenges and achieving success.
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Research Summary – School Support and Parental Involvement

The newest Data Trends article from the Portland Research and Training Center discusses factors leading to parental involvement of mothers of students with autism. The summarized study, The Importance of School Support in Determining Maternal Involvement in the Education of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, examined how child, parent, and school characteristics were related to school- and home-based involvement.
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“Learn The Signs. Act Early.” Campaign

“Learn the Signs. Act Early.” is a new campaign developed by the Center for Disease Control to help parents measure their children’s progress. Resources are available in English and Spanish and include developmental milestones, disability fact sheets, and a growth chart.
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Workplace and Employment Resources for Families

The following resources contain helpful information for working parents of children with disabilities.


The Sloan Work and Family Research Network’s Parents Caring for Children with Disabilities page.
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Employed Parents Caring for Children with Disabilities at the Workplace handout.
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The Employee Benefit Study for Families of Children with Special Health Care Needs.
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Book Review - Crazy

Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness, written by journalist Pete Earley, tells the author’s story of investigating the country’s mental health system as a way to help his son who was diagnosed with a mental illness. Earley spent a year following four individuals inside the Miami-Dade County Jail. Read Family Matters’ PTI Director Deb Einhorn’s review of the book in their newsletter.
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Traffic Safety Report

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released a new brief report outline the estimated lives saved through minimum drinking age laws, seatbelts, helmets, and airbags.
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Technology

Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology

The Family Center on Technology and Disability has assistive technology guides available for families in English and Spanish.

English AT Guide: http://www.fctd.info/resources/fig/

Spanish AT Guide: http://www.fctd.info/resources/fig/spanish/

Web Site Tips

A recent newsletter from the Nonprofit Times highlighted ways to enhance organizations’ home pages so that visitors can easily find what they’re looking for and stay on the site.
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Nonprofit Management

Donor Management Tools

This TechSoup article provides information on a wide variety of donor management tools to meet the needs and budgets of small and large organizations.
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Taproot Foundation Capacity Grants

The Taproot Foundation awards “Service Grants” to nonprofits consisting of pro bono consultant work in areas such as accounting, marketing, information technology, and human resources. The foundation packages teams of business professionals and grants are valued between $25,000-$70,000. Organizations must be located in the following areas to be eligible: Boston, Chicago, New York City, Seattle, the San Francisco Bay Area, or Washington, D.C.
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Featured ALLIANCE Publications

A Parents’ Guide to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

This booklet introduces parents to the background and main principles of UDL and describes how UDL can help children with disabilities succeed in the classroom.
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ALLIANCE Handouts

The National Parent Technical Assistance Center has published a variety of handouts on nonprofit management and special education topics.
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