Friday, December 18, 2015

Hotel Centered Around Workers With Special Needs Set To Open


From day one, at least 20 percent of the Courtyard by Marriott hotel’s 129-person workforce will be people with developmental and other types of disabilities, according to Sally Morris with The Arc of Indiana, which spearheaded the project.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Tim’s Place set to close, couple opens up about decision to leave


“I’m going to miss it here but I’m doing for it love,” Tim says. 
Tim says he is most thankful for his customers and family. He is planning to open a “Tim’s Place” in Denver but make it a little different.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

People With Down Syndrome Pose as Music Icons in Rockin’ Photo Series


“I would love to have people look at these photos and walk away either with a more positive outlook on Down syndrome or special needs in general,” Zook told The Mighty. “I hope it brings joy and comfort, but I also hope that it will provide a more positive reminder of the great potential there is for all these individuals with special needs.”

Monday, December 14, 2015

Surprising idea for special education students: Go to college


It turns out that, at least for a small segment of the Portland area's young adults with intellectual disabilities, college will in fact be possible. Some college officials say such programs will prompt society to stop automatically writing off people with intellectual disabilities as "not college material."
College attendance by people with intellectual disabilities has been shown to translate into better jobs with better pay and greater independence.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

ESEA Rewrite Passes

Hear that collective whoop from the Capitol? That's the sound of education advocates and lawmakers cheering at the finish line as the first rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in more than a dozen years sails through Congress and on to the White House. 
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved the rewrite of the withering No Child Left Behind Act—the current version of the ESEA—by a huge bipartisan margin, 85 to 12, mirroring the vote of 359 to 64 in the U.S. House of Representatives just days earlier. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill Thursday.



Saturday, December 12, 2015

Smartphones, Apps Prove Liberating For Those With Special Needs


Google announced Google Impact Challenge: Disabilities last year with a $20 million grant for technology innovators in the nonprofit community who work on technology to make people with disabilities more independent. “We’re actively looking for proposals,” said Brigitte Hoyer Gosselink of Google.org
Check out this article from Disability Scoop: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/09/22/smartphones-apps-liberating/20816/

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Tim Cook Gives A Lesson In How To Talk To People With Disabilities




The Apple CEO joins celebrities like John Oliver, Michael J. Fox and more in the Cerebral Palsy Foundation's PSA campaign.

Outside of patrolling the stage at WWDC or another big Apple product announcement, we don't typically see Tim Cook in marketing mode, but the Apple CEO makes an exception in a new PSA for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.

Cook joins others like John Oliver and Michael J. Fox in the organization's "Just Say Hi" campaign, aimed at removing any stigma or awkwardness when it comes to talking to people with disabilities. Here Cook gives a distinctly Apple-style tutorial on how to strike up such a conversation, enlisting Siri's help to show just how easy it is.






Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Hospital sorry for do not resuscitate order on patient with Downsyndrome

His family were horrified when, during a hospital stay related to his dementia, staff decided he should not be resuscitated if he developed heart or breathing problems. 
The order listed Down's Syndrome and his learning difficulties among the reasons.


http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34938832

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

He's everything to us

'He's everything to us' — Ben Szteliga has overcome challenges to become the Heart of the Dartmouth Indians

A page in Ben Szteliga’s eighth-grade scrapbook reads:
“My goal is to become a part of the Dartmouth High School football team next year. I will take a few months to get into shape. The steps I will take are: Make a commitment, train, run, exercise, keep trying and listen to the coaches. Never give up even if it’s hard. My goal will be worth it because I will feel proud to be a part of the team. I love football.”