Free webinar: Assistive Technology and Early Intervention Part 2

The Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP) will present a FREE online interactive training, Assistive Technology and Early Intervention Part 2, on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. 

This free training, presented by Amy Henningsen, will cover additional assistive technology ideas for early intervention including: positioning, mobility, adaptive play, computer access, and activities of daily for feeding and bathing that are available commercially and/or customized.

UATP occupational therapist, Amy Henningsen
works with children using assistive technology devices.

Amy Henningsen is an occupational therapist for the Utah Assistive Technology Program as well as the Up to 3 program at the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University. Also, she is certified in Neurodevelopmental Treatment in Pediatrics and as an Assistive Technology Practitioner. She has over 30 years of experience working with developmental disabilities in a variety of settings.

In order to participate, you will need a computer with high-speed internet access.   If you are interested in participating please RSVP by Monday, February 13, to Storee Powell via email storee.powell@usu.edu, or call 435-797-7412. Participant instructions will be emailed to you.

If you are a screen reader user please contact Sachin Pavithran at 435-797-6572 or sachin.pavithran@usu.edu, no later than Thursday, February 10 to make arrangements to participate via phone. If you need any other accommodations in order to participate in the training please let Sachin know by this date also.

 Please feel free to pass on this information to anyone that you think might be interested.

Free Webinar by Moms Fighting Autism: Issues Facing Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Webinar sponsored by Moms Fighting Autism (visit the site to register and learn more).

Title: Issues Facing Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Date: Wednesday, February 8th

Time: 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern)
Speaker: Dr. Robert Naseef

Description:

Parents often wonder how raising a child with autism affects their other children. In this presentation, parents will explore their own sibling relationships in order to understand the impact of their child's special needs on his or her "typical" brothers and sisters. Participants will learn strategies for meeting family members' needs while maintaining household unity and stability.

Bio: Robert Naseef is a psychologist in independent practice. Special Children, Challenged Parents: The Struggles and Rewards of Parenting a Child with a Disability, his first book, has received international recognition. He has lectured internationally and appeared on radio and television. He is the co-editor of Voices from the Spectrum: Parents, Grandparents, Siblings, People with Autism, and Professionals Share Their Wisdom (2006). Living Along the Autism Spectrum (2009) is a new DVD which features him along with Stephen Shore and Dan Gottlieb.

Dr. Naseef's specialty is working with families of children with autism and other special needs. He has published many articles in scholarly journals and other publications. He has "a foot in each world" as the father of an adult child with autism. He has a special interest and expertise in the psychology of men and fatherhood. Through his experiences as a parent and as a professional, Robert is relates to both audiences and is a sought after speaker around the country.

UATP/CPD talks disability rights history on Utah Public Radio

40 years at the Center for Persons with Disabilities in Utah.

The Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University, which the UATP is housed under, is celebrating 40 years of existence this year. 

To highlight accomplishments and struggles within the disability rights movement, Utah Public Radio interviewed Sachin Pavithran, UATP program coordinator; Storee Powell, UATP PR/marketing specialist; and Shane Johnson, Center for Persons with Disabilities development officer; on January 24th to talk about the history of human rights for people with disabilities and where efforts still need to be made today.

If you missed it or want to listen again, check it out here: http://www.upr.org/post/history-human-rights-persons-disabilities

UATP's program coordinator to interview on Utah Public Radio Jan. 24

Sachin Pavithran
Program Coordinator for UATP

Utah Public Radio's Access Utah Program will feature Sachin Pavithran, program coordinator of the Utah Assistive Technology Program, on Jan. 24th at 9 a.m.

Tune it to hear it live on FM 91.5 Logan or online at UPR.org. Sachin will talk about the history of disability rights and advocacy. The Utah Assistive Technology Program is part of the Center for Persons with Disability at Utah State University.

Sachin Pavithran was born in India, but grew up in Dubai which is in the United Arab Emirates. Being legally blind, Sachin did not receive the accommodations that he needed to be independent. Sachin came to the US at the age of 17 to start his college career at Utah State University. He graduated from USU with a degree in Business Information Systems, and another degree in Marketing. Sachin received his Masters in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling at Utah State University. Learn more about Sachin here.

CPD blog story: Fun with food can improve nutrition

Every parent has seen a child refuse healthy food.

But sometimes eating difficulties can lead to problems in development or disrupt a whole family—even for years. Nutrition problems can lead to dental problems, obesity, lack of energy and delayed development.

But with strategies implemented such as playing with different textures, children can learn to like to eat. The Center for Persons with Disabilities has a program that does just that. Learn more by reading the story here.

FREE online training: Assistive Technology to Support Communication Development in Early Intervention

The Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP) will present a FREE online interactive training, Assistive Technology to Support Communication Development in Early Intervention, on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. 

This free training presented by Stacey Sessions will cover various types of assistive technology used to support symbolic communication development, specifically:

-       No-tech communication supports such as picture communication boards, and object symbol communication devices,

-       Communication devices with voice output, and,

-       High tech communication devices such as PRC, Dynavox, and iPad. 

Also, Stacey will cover initial strategies to teach children how to communicate using these various communication devices, to reduce children's dependency on prompting. The training is useful for parents, teachers, speech language pathologists or other professionals who work with children who would benefit from using assistive technology to support communication.

Stacey Sessions is a Speech Language Pathologist at Utah State University working as a clinical supervisor and instructor in the Department of Communication Disorders and Deaf Education.  She works mainly with children and adults with severe communication impairments.   Also, she works for the Up to Three program at the Center for Persons with Disabilities, providing assistive technology equipment and education to families in the community.

In order to participate, you will need a computer with high-speed internet access.   If you are interested in participating please RSVP by Monday, January 16, to Storee Powell via email storee.powell@usu.edu, or call 435-797-7412. Participant instructions will be emailed to you.

If you are a screen reader user please contact Sachin Pavithran at 435-797-6572 or sachin.pavithran@usu.edu no later than Thursday, January 12, to make arrangements to participate via phone. If you need any other accommodations in order to participate in the training please let Sachin know by this date also.

Please feel free to pass on this information to anyone that you think might be interested.

Two ATiA Webinars in January Assist with iPad Utilization & Deployment

Start the New Year with great educational webinars from Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATiA).  Hear from leaders in the field and use this opportunity to discuss your unique situations. New iPad accessories on Jan. 11 and deploying iPads and iTouches to support students in special education. Learn more here.

New technology has AT implications

A BBC News article outlays some new and upcoming technology that may be possibly available in 2012 for consumers. Touchless devices such as TVs, GPS and smartphones would be controlled by gestures rather than touch. Such technology could have huge implications for people with disabilities, a new assistive technology. Read the article: Touchless smartphones & TVs could be on sale in 2012.