Self Advocacy and Future Planning

Self advocacy is essential for all students to acquire for future planning, especially individuals with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities need to speak for themselves on what accommodations work and do not. With self advocacy they can better succeed in the future. The following resources can guide individuals with disabilities on how to obtain self-advocacy.

Special Connections
http://www.holland.isd.tenet.edu/admin/bbc/Newsletters/Nov%2004%20English.pdf
Special Connections is a newsletter that is specifically designed for connecting individuals with disabilities, families and schools. This particular newsletter is geared toward learning about self-advocacy/self-determination for students with disabilities. It shows the importance of self-advocacy and how it can help the individual in their future. It also provides some important steps in learning self-advocacy skills and how they can accomplish these steps.

Youth hood
http://www.youthhood.org/
This site is said to be where “childhood meets adulthood”. It has many centers that help students determine what they want to do when they reach adulthood. My favorite section is the hangout section; it is for feeling comfortable and getting to know yourself and others around you. The government center section is for understanding your rights and taking control of your future and staying positive about it. Plus they have many more useful sections individuals with disabilities should read.

Advocating Change Together (ACT)
http://www.selfadvocacy.com/index.htm

Adovacting Change Together is a non profit organization that is run by and for people with developmental disabilities and other disabilities. This organization works together to bring individuals with disabilities together to make friends, share struggles and enjoy life. With this mutual support, individuals are willing to take risks and practice leadership. They help build skills of those individuals with disabilties by providing them with information, skill building, and leadership opportunities. ACT provides different programs that help build self advoacy in personal empowerment, disability awareness and systems change system.

Health & Safety

Teachers must acknowledge the fact that they will spend most of the day at school with the students. They must be ready to take responsibilities for students and know what is best suited for each. Teachers must be the role model of health and safety of students in classrooms. By doing so students will learn how other facilities should work around their disability. The following resources will help guide educators in providing and role modeling a healthy and safe environment for all students.

1. Primary Health and Safety-How safe is your classroom?

http://www.teachers.tv/videos/primary-health-and-safety-how-safe-is-your-classroom


This video focuses on a teacher classroom and how to work with an expert to find all the potential dangers. Teachers, experts, and students can watched a video of the school and the teacher/student points out the potential hazards the school contains. Then disscuss what particular items can be improved. They talk about the three main types of fire distinguishers, teaching all students about emergency cases, first aid and documenting the incident. This video emphasizes the importance of training new teachers about safety and hazards in the school.

2. Texas School Safety Center

http://www.txssc.txstate.edu/

Texas School Safety Center is a central location for safety and security information pertaining to all independent school districts and junior college districts in the state of Texas. They provide effective safety and security programs. The center collects a diverse of health and safety data for the purpose of state reporting and provides resources to support healthy students and communities. They also have this really neat National Awareness health and safety calendar that teachers can incorporate in their classrooms.

3. Emergency Procedures for Employees with Disabilities in Office Occupancies

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-154.pdf

Teachers can use this towards informing individuals with disabilities to increase their chances of surviving a fire by practicing proven fire safety precautions. This site gives safety tips such as having a safety plan in case of a fire, informing others of what your disability,installing smoke alarms and ways to plan down the stairs in wheelchairs that are simple. This really comes in handy when the student is planning to live independent.

Recreation & Leisure

Leisure is a necessity for me, you, and even individuals with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities need a chance to explore and participate in the community for good mental health. It boosts their self-esteem and builds on their social relationships. The following resources will guide individuals with disabilities to find and join extra activities within their community.

1. Camp Summit

http://www.campsummittx.org/

Camp Summit is located in DFW area they provide the following activities: horseback riding, swimming, arts & crafts, nature studies, kaleidoscope, ropes challenge course and sports & games. At the camp, individuals with disabilities both mild and severe, get pleasure from traditional camp activities in nature and the outdoors like their non-disabled peers. They offer long sessions in the summer and spring break. Must be age 6 or higher to attend and there is a cost for this, financial assistance can be provided to you please contact them at (972)484-8900.

2. Best Buddies

http://www.bestbuddies.org/best-buddies

Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establish a global volunteer movement which creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Best Buddies is intended for students, kids, and individuals with disabilities to make life long friendships and have a good time together.

3. Camp John Marc

http://www.campjohnmarc.org/ourcampers.html


Camp John Marc is a camp for individuals with disabilities who serve children who are primarily from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, but they do serve surrounding areas as well. The camp is located in Bosque County, Tx, and consists of 170 acres.  They provide different camp sessions depending on the individuals particular diagnosis.  The campers are chosen through the camps partners/organizations who provide the services needed for those individuals with medical needs or major physical disabilities. Their programs consists of summer programs, weekend programs and family getaway programs. There is a cost for this camp that can be on the webiste along with more information about Camp John Marc.

Social Relationships

Sometimes we take for granted the ability to naturally interact with others, but for individuals with disabilities, this may not come that easy. Individuals with disabilities are more likely to choose socially unacceptable behaviors in social situations. Therefore may lead to such things as behavioral difficulties in school, bullying, trouble making friends and many other problems. Many parents of individuals with disabilities may not know where to turn when trying to help their children. The following resources will help assist the parents of individual with disabilities in developing acceptable social relationships.



1. Child Development Institute

http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/parenting/socialization.shtml

Child Development Institute helps parents guide their children into being social. This website is useful to all parents. Since not all children develop the same way or rate, this site gives certain steps to parents to perform with their children to accomplish social relationship skills. Not only does the site emphasis tips to help, but provides books parents can purchase for further needed assistance. It is very true that, “there is nothing as painful as for a parent’s child to be rejected.”

2. The Development of Social Skills
http://www.incrediblehorizons.com/social-skills.htm

This website is geared toward those individuals who are suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or any other language disorder. The goal of this webiste is to assist these individuals in finding affordable and healthy solutions for their disability.  This website provides various resources, and one link is especially geared toward social relationships. This link provides some simple yet important information that parents should consider about their child's social relationships. It states some important reasearch that supports the concept that individuals with disabilities do have deficient or ineffective social skills. It also describes a program called Social skill listening sound health, which is a CD that helps address skills in concentration, listening, thinking, productivity, relaxation and de-stressing. It also emphasizes the important role that parents play when it comes to their child's social relationships, and how they must reinforce these skills at home. They also provide some steps that parents can use when trying to teach their child social skills.

3. What Parents Would like Special Educators to know.

http://specialchildren.about.com/od/specialeducation/p/wanttoknow.htm

This page exhibits eight tips that parents send out to teachers that will help build their child with social relationship skills. Also helps by assuring the teacher that their child has your full family support and cooperation.

Transportation & Mobility

Transportation is a vital resource to all individuals in this city. Not every doctor, food store, and pharmacy is around the corner from us. Without transportation it would be pretty hard right? Well the following links are helpful for individuals with disabilities to get from point A to B like you and me.


Wiley Express Transport
http://www.weexpresstransport.com/Services.html

Wiley Express Transport is a family owned and operated business that serves the following area Dallas, Cedar Hill, Desoto, Duncanville, Lancaster, and Oak Cliff. It is a private medical transportation for those individuals whom have Medicaid. The company will even handle the individuals Medicaid billing paperwork. Their hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 5am to 10pm. Their toll free number is (888) 600- 5935.

TRAX
http://www.atcog.org/trax.htm

TRAX is a program that serves people in non-urban areas. TRAX is funded by the Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration. They take people to the grocery store, to and from work, to pay pills, doctor's appointments, to the bank and to various other places that one might need to go. TRAX also provides accommodations for individuals with special needs and has ADA accessible vehicles.

Hoston Independent School District Connect

http://www.houstonisd.org/portal/site/Transportation/menuitem.1ac571c4b25f445d37ffc96de041f76a/?vgnextoid=34a4885f50602110VgnVCM10000028147fa6RCRD&vgnextchannel=98ba210fa27ee010VgnVCM10000028147fa6RCRD

Hoston Independent School provides transportation services specified by the Admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee. It also provides frequently asked questions and other important questions that parents need to know for their children to be successfully transported to and from school.  This site also gives student, parents and district responsibility that must be followed for a safe transport.

Independent Living

Independent living is often defined in terms of living on one's own, being employed in a job fitting one's capabilities, and having an active social life. The following resources will benefit the individual with special needs to learn theses independent living skills.

Texas State Independent Living Council
http://www.txsilc.org/


The Texas State Independent Living Council (SILC) is an non-profit organization whose mission statement is to assure that Texans with disabilities have access to quality independent living services by providing a framework for service delievery. The main purpose of this organization is to develop, with the help of Rehabiliation and Blind services, the State Plan for Independent Living. The independent delivery system is composed of twenty-three centers for independent living and at a minimum they are required to provide individual and systems advocay, cross-disability peer counseling, information and referral and also independent living skills training. The centers may also offer other services such as equipment loans, assistive technology and employment assistance. The links to all the centers can be found at this website.

College Living Experience

http://www.experiencecle.com/independent_living_skills.aspx

 

Through College Living Experience individuals with special needs experience independent living in their own pace. Young adults with Autism, Asperger’s, Learning Disabilities, Traumatic Brain injury, Cerebral Palsy and other special needs can successfully transition to independent adulthood with tailored support. Students may live by themselves, but they are not alone. A resident staff member that lives in or near the apartments along with other staff is there to help and assist in provide social activities, academic support, remembering to taking medication and other daily living areas. Also, CLE provides information regularly to the parents on how their child is progressing towards their independent living such as laundry, pay bills and even to know what bad milk smells like. Students with special needs can learn to become independent adults through CLE.

Deaf Action Center
http://www.deafactioncentertexas.org/independentliving.html
Deaf Action Center is services offered to those individuals who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. They provide an Effective Living Choices Program which is an independent living skills program modified specifically for the individual. It focuses on his/her immediate needs, long-term goals and desires, equipping the individual with the resources necessary to live, self-determination, work and make the important decisions that affect one's life. This program incorporates the following:

• Assistive Technology
• Independent Living skills Training
• Community Based Services
• Client Support Services
• Financial Literacy Classes
• Sign Language Classes
• Video Communication Services
• Computer Literacy Classes
• Employment Assistance
• Sign Language Translating and Assistance for Native Users of Foreign Sign Language
• Computer Lab with Internet Access for Client/Consumer Use

Financial & Income Needs

Parents, help is available to you. As the parent or guardian of a child with a disability, you may have many questions about support and assistance available to you. The following resources will help you discover financial assistance and services available in the local area.

1. Be An Angel

http://www.beanangel.org/support_finance.html

Be An Angel benefits parents with children with multiple disabilities and profound

deafness. This organization provides contact information of government programs and nonprofit organizations that can financially assist parents with caring for their children in the Houston, Texas area. They have been around for 25 years helping parents. They also provide newsletters with programs for those parents who can not access the World Wide Web.  One of their resources posted on the web is Texas Department of Insurance; which can assist parents whom are having problems with insurance for their child.

2. Great Schools

http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/support/help-parents-kids-with-ld-ad-hd.gs?content=694

This link is mostly for children with Learning Disabilities that aren't covered by traditional health insurances and financial aid is available for college. This website lists options to consider such as health insurance coverage, supplemental security income (SSI) which benefits families with a low income. They also offer a Flexible Spending Plan (FSP) benefit that helps pay for diagnostic or treatment services; and there is also a second type of flexible spending plan for dependent care. There is a lot of beneficial information that helps parents know how they can pay for their child's services.

3. Disabled Children's Relief Fund

http://www.dcrf.com/ordereze/default.aspx


The Disabled Children's Relief Fund is a non-profit organization that provides children who are disabled with assisantace to purchase the equipment that they need. They focus their attention on helping children thoughout the United States that do not have adequate health care services, especially those who are physically challenged. Applications may be submitted by parents, individual child or by a non profit organization for a small group of children. This website is a great resource for parents who do not have the insurance necessary to purchase the equipment necessary for their children.

Postseconday Education

Postsecondary Education are goals given to individuals with disabilities to continue their education after high school. We all know that students that complete postsecondary education typically earn more money than those that have just a high school diploma. The following resources are for teachers to help guide theses student to a better future.

1. Dare to Dream
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/dream_adults.pdf

Dare to Dream is an informal assessment for teachers to help the student plan their future dreams. It is a great person-centered planning for it provides many frame works that pertain to the students’ interest and needs for their future education. For example, page 29 “What Job Do I Want To Have,” explores job options and career guidance by a counselor. In addition, on page 37, “Education for Work,” explains why postsecondary is necessary for obtain a job in the future.  It is a brainstorming process that includes teachers and students to figure out what postsecondary goals must be meant.
2. Wrights Law
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.transition.ocr.pdf

The Wrights Law website is a great resource for teachers looking for information to give out to their students. The information that is provided is from the Office of Civil Rights in the Office of Education. It is written in an easy to read format, with questions that are easily addressed. Teachers can use this information to help their students understand their rights and responsibilities that they are entitled to.  This website also explains the obligations of a postsecondary school to provide academic adjustments, which includes auxiliary aids and services to ensure that the school does not discriminate on the basis of disability.

3. National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2)

http://www.nlts2.org/

NLTS2 helps teachers define the secondary school experiences for students with disabilities. This includes any related services to postsecondary education. Teachers can benefit from this website by identifying factors in students' secondary school and post school experiences that contribute to more positive outcomes.

Vocational Education/Training

Working training programs emerged in the 1940's, this emphasis skilled development and jobs within the communities. Vocational education for students with disabilities was provided in 1968, government offered companies money to support theses services. The following links will help individuals with disabilities and educators in this department.

1. Vocational Training Council
http://www.vtc.edu.hk/vtc/web/template/text.jsp?fldr_id=196
The Vocational Training Council (VTC) provides vocational training and supportive services to individuals with disabilities through its Vocational Training for People with Disabilities. Their objective is to evaluate the physical, psychological, educational and vocational capabilities. VTC also guides them to formulate individual goals and the means of achieving such goals.
2. Life Focus Center
http://lifefocuscenter.org/
Life Focus Center is integrated with the community to offer individuals with disabilities broad range of positive development. For instance, it assists them on self-worth and personal growth development with a community or job. The organization helps individuals at all ages from child to adult.
3. Article: Preparing Students with Disabilities for School-to- Work
This article is great to read and share, it starts off explaining the quality of life; how having a job is great pride to all including individuals with disabilities. It informs the public the mandated laws schools should provide and five major skill areas students with disabilities should acquire before entering the work force. This is a great guideline broken down from ages to how vocational education can be accomplished.
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Transition%20Planning%20WEB.pdf

Employment

Employment is vital in planning transition, but it is only ONE part of the whole transition success. The following links will guide inviduals, companies, and parents, and educator professionals on how to do so.


1. The Campaign for Disability Employment
http://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org/

The Campaign for Disability Employment is a collaborative effort to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities by encouraging employers and others to recognize the value and talent they bring to the workplace. It provides family and educators online resources, they have a link as well for the community to join and spread the word.  Their motto is: “At work, it's what people can do that matters.”


2. PATH
http://www.partnerstx.org/TxTransition/Employment_Main.htm

PATH is a grant project serving Texas parents of children and youth with disabilities from the ages of 0 to 22. This site is for parents to help them with decisions to be able to advocate for their children. They do this by encouraging organizations throughout the United States to work together. They provide the following services training, information, and technical assistance at no cost to parents throughout the state of Texas.


3.PACER
http://www.pacer.org/publications/transition.asp
PACER is an organization that helps both parents and professionals that work with young adults with disabilites ages 14-21. They provide parents with resources, information and technical assistance and professionals with transition related topics such as housing, employment, housing and post secondary options. Their website also sells various items that talk about transition issues like interactive CD, workshop/training curricula, board games, brochures, videos and books.