1. November 17: AccessibilityDC - Adaptive Technology Program at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
AccessibilityDC is a regular monthly meet-up on the 3rd Tuesday of every month from 6 pm to 9 pm in room 215 Adaptive Services. This event is an extension of the successful AccessibilityCampDC conference which focused on Web Accessibility and will be a chance for web accessibility professionals to interact with the community of Adaptive Technology users. Suggested topics for the meeting include web accessibility, employment and adaptive technology, but the agenda is open and topics should be generated by attendees of the meeting. There is also a Teens meeting from 4 pm to 6 pm so come early to interact with teens who use Adaptive Technologies.
Please register for the meeting at http://accessibilitydcnov09.eventbrite.com/. Registration is free but strongly encouraged so that we know how many people are going to show up and can plan accordingly. To request reasonable accommodations in advance, please contact Venetia V. Demson, Chief, Adaptive Services, by email: lbph.dcpl@dc.gov, phone: (202) 727-2142, videophone: (202) 559-5368 or TTY: (202) 727-2255, Monday-Friday 9:30 am - 5 pm.
2. December 7: Youth2Youth and Parent2Parent Support Groups Sponsored by the Advocates for Justice and Education, Inc. and Inclusion Research Institute
When: Monday, December 7, at 5:30 pm
Where: Advocates for Justice and Education; 2041 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE; Suite 400
Why: Are you between the ages of 13-21 and wondering what comes next after high school?
Come learn more about AJE’s Youth2Youth program and how it can benefit you!
Do you know any youth between the ages of 13 and 21 with disabilities? Advocates for Justice and Education and the Youth Empowerment and Advocacy Resource Center have partnered to create Youth2Youth (Y2Y), a youth-led group that focuses on transition issues. Y2Y encourages youth advocacy and leadership, transition planning and exploration and peer mentoring, among other things! The Y2Y sessions are held on the first Monday of every month at Advocates for Justice and Education. The Parent2Parent group will also meet at the same time and location.
Contact Sylvia Gravitt, Project Director, at phone: (202) 678-8060 Ext. 27 or sgravitt@aje-dc.org for more information. AJE Website: www.aje-dc.org
3. December 18: Developmental Disabilities Reform Act of 2009 and Peoples First Respectful Language Modernization Act of 2009 Public Hearing
Councilmember Tommy Wells, Chair of the Committee on Human Services, announces a Public Hearing on Bill 18-501 the Developmental Disabilities Reform Act of 2009 and Bill 18-502 the Peoples First Respectful Language Modernization Act of 2009. Both bills were co-introduced by Chairman Vincent Gray and Councilmember Tommy Wells and referred to the Committee on Human Services. The Public Hearing on both bills will be held on Friday, December 18, 2009 at 10 am in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004
Those who wish to testify should contact Ms. Vivian McCarter of the Committee on Human Services by e-mail at vmccarter@dccouncil.us or by telephone at (202) 724-8191 by December 16, 2009. E-mail contacts to Ms. McCarter should include the full name, title, and affiliation -- if applicable -- of the person(s) testifying. Witnesses should bring 15 copies of their written testimony to the Hearing. Representatives of organizations and individuals will be allowed a maximum of five (5) minutes for oral presentation. Additionally, if you plan to testify and require reasonable accommodations, please contact Ms. McCarter so arrangements can be made by no later than December 11, 2009. If you are unable to testify at the Public Hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted to Committee on Human Services, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 117, Washington, DC 20004, by no later than December 28, 2009, 5 pm.
4. Resource: Scholarship Opportunity for Students with Learning Disabilities
The Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Scholarship offer a $10,000 award to two graduating high school seniors with documented learning disabilities (LD) who are pursuing undergraduate degrees. The Anne Ford Scholarship was first awarded in 2002 to one graduating high school student with learning disabilities. In 2009, with a generous donation from Anne's daughter, Allegra, the award was renamed the Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Scholarship and was expanded to recognize two students with LD. For additional information about the scholarship please visit the website at www.nclb.org and click the Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Scholarship icon to the right of the screen or select the following link Anne and Allegra Ford Scholarship.
5. Resource: Building for the Future Program
Sponsored by the Empowering Center for Employment and Career Development, the Building for the Future program is dedicated to serving at risk young adult 17-21 years old with special educational needs that have not been successful in the traditional educational environment. BFTF Academy provides an individualized academic remediation program for students to earn a high school diploma/ GED, and the vocational training they need to be successful in employment and independent in life. We are also proud to provide these services within the District in Anacostia. If you would like more information or know of a student that would be interested in this program, please contact Carrie Pecover at (202) 747-7530.
6. Resource: GAO Report – Higher Education and Disability
A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), titled Higher Education and Disability: Education Needs a Coordinated Approach to Improve Its Assistance to Schools in Supporting Students is available. The GAO was asked to examine: what is known about the population of postsecondary students with disabilities; how postsecondary schools are supporting students with disabilities; what challenges, if any, schools face in supporting students with disabilities; and how the US Department of Education is assisting schools in supporting these students. Highlights from the report can be found at http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1033high.pdf; while the full report can be found at http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-33.
7. Resource: Los Estudiantes Con Discapacidades – Getting Ready for Postsecondary Education (In Spanish)
The US Department of Education offers Preparacion Para La Educacion Postsecundaria Para Los Estudiantes Con Discapacidades: Conozca Sus Derechos Y Responsabilidades (Students with Disabilities Preparing or Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities): http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition-sp.html?exp=3.