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"This blog is an informative site to create awareness of events and information pertaining to Deaf & Hard of Hearing Youth & Adults in Northwest Arkansas Area."
http://www.ydhateam.blogspot.com/ 
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Perhaps these words of understanding and encouragement are what you need today.
Emily Perl Kingsley writes "I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this… When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum, the Michelangelo David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?!" you say. "What do you mean, Holland?" I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy. But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven't taken you to some horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. So you must go out and buy a new guidebook. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, Holland has tulips, Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." The pain of that will never, ever, go away, because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland." 1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved Have a great weekend!
SO many great resources and articles in this newsletter. If you have a child with a Sensory Impairment or a professional who works with children that do, it's a definite MUST READ.
Shine a light on Autism! World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), celebrated on April 2 annually, was adopted by the United Nations in 2007 to shine a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities increase and develop world knowledge of the autism crisis and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced in community events around the globe. Autism is one of only three health issues to be recognized by the United Nations with its own day. Go here for more information: http://liub.autismspeaks.org/welcome
Please come meet one of the stars in
Just Like You-Down Syndrome in an event hosted by Down Syndrome Connection of NWA. Please RSVP online here. You can meet Rachel Mast and find out what her hopes and dreams are as a teenager with Down syndrome.
their condition and they wish to be treated just like you. Each of the stars has their own talents, characteristics, strengths and challenges. Down syndrome is just onepart of who they are and this film identifies how to handle and accommodate differenceswhile celebrating the many similarities our friends with Down syndrome have with their peers. Kids are naturally curious and the special needs of peers with Down syndrome can raise a lot of questions. when questions are left unanswered it can lead to fear of the unknown, which may cause peers to lash out, ostracize or judge their classmates with Down syndrome. The film's primary goal is to open hearts and change perspectives because, "when you have the knowledge you understand, and when you understand you can accept that kids with Down syndrome just want to be treated like any other kid, just like you. The DSCNWA encourages you to invite you family, friends, teachers and medical professionals to come meet Rachel. Please RSVP online here. 
(Taken from the www.r-word.org website fact sheet pdf)
Spread the Word to End the Word®Fact SheetWHATSpread the Word to End the Word®is an ongoing effort by Special Olympics, Best Buddies and our supporters to raise the consciousness of society about the derogatory use of the R-word and encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word. The campaign, created by youth, is intended to engage schools,organizations and communities to rally and pledge their support at www.r-word.org and to promote the inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The annual day of awareness is held the first Wednesday of every March. While most activities are centered on or near that annual day in March, people everywhere can help spread the word throughout their communities and schools year-round through pledge drives, youth rallies and online activation. Spread the Word to End the Word was founded by college students Soeren Palumbo (Notre Dame 2011) and Tim Shriver (Yale 2011)in 2009, and continues to be led by passionate young people, along with Special Olympics athletes and Best Buddies participants across the United States and in many other parts of the world. Why? Respectful and inclusive language is essential to the movement for the dignity and humanity of people with intellectual disabilities. However, much of society does not recognize the hurtful, dehumanizing and exclusive effects of the R-word. Language affects attitudes. Attitudes impact actions. Make your pledge to choose respectful people-first language today by visiting www.r-word.org to learn how you can Spread the Word to End the Word. For more information, contact: Christy White, Special Olympics [email protected] 202-824-0307 
(Featured in Marshallese on Youtube "Naan, Kejbarok am konaan ienwotemjej einwot ke "naan" ekajoor im ekkan jen jajje", go to this link to view the video in that language: http://youtu.be/umleZNHDaZ4)
The Following are Examples of the Do's and Don'ts of People First Language. Once again, put the person first when writing or speaking about individuals with disabilities! Stay away from labelsl ike the blind, the deaf, or the disabled. They do not reflect the individuality, equality, or dignity of individuals with disabilities. So, with this in mind, when referring to an individual with a disability... Say or write this... instead of this!
www.ddcouncil.org 
From Wrightslaw.com:
Before you file a complaint, be very, very certain that you will never want to file for a hearing on the same issue. In 18 Tips for Filing Complaints, Pat Howey shares strategies for filing a complaint with the state department of education. http://www.wrightslaw.com/howey/complaints.tips.pdf 
The PEAK parent center in Colorado published an article entitled “100 Reasons Why I Want My Child to Attend His/Her Neighborhood School.” I thought I’d list some of them here and I'll add the link to the
newsletter at the bottom so any of you who want/need more reasons can check it out. Among my favorite reasons are the following: ·He knows kids in his neighborhood, so has a friend base to build on in his neighborhood school. ·She should attend the same school as her brothers and sisters. ·If he gets sick or hurt, I can get to him faster. ·The bus ride will be shorter. ·She will feel a valued part of the community, rather than someone who is different and has to be sent somewhere else. ·The whole family can attend school events together. ·We, as parents, can talk to our friends and neighbors about the school and school events. There are many more reasons why it makes sense.And the best reason of all, I believe, is that it is just the right thing to do. Our schools are the place our kids spend the most of their time outside our homes, and they should be welcome there as valued members of that community. Part of our job at this parent center is to assist parents to advocate for the least restrictive placement for their children.That placement is in the neighborhood school. Link to article: http://speakout.peakparent.org/current-newsletter/100-reasons-for-neighborhood-schools Call us, if we can help at (479)927-4100 and ask for Family Support Program or e-mail us at [email protected] - Lynn Donald Carver, FSP/CPRC Director |
AuthorStaff of the Family Support Program (including original content as well as curated links to various authors around the web.) ArchivesAugust 2022 CategoriesAll  RSS Feed
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