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Greetings!
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Did you miss an issue of the MPACT ENews? Delete it by mistake? Wish you could find a past article? Well you can! To view current and past issues of the MPACT ENews visit our website at http://ptimpact.org/News.aspx |
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Online Trainings offered through MPACT
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MPACT has just added another online training to our resources, Extended School Year is now available along with:
- Special Education: What I Need to Know
- IDEA Transition Requirements
- Transition to Post Secondary Experiences (Part 1 & 2)
- Connecting Goals to Coordinated Activities and Services for Transition
- Transition Resources - Disability Disclosure
- Soft Skills
You can access them by going to our Training page and clicking on Online Training, or CLICK HERE .
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MPACT Parent Mentor Program
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MPACT Parent Mentors are available to offer support and guidance to parents of children with disabilities throughout the IEP process. Parent Mentors are volunteers who receive 24 hours of initial training, ongoing monthly training, and technical assistance from MPACT staff with regard to special education law, the IEP process, conflict resolution, and effective communication. Their goal is to help parents build a collaborative partnership with the school district so their child may receive an appropriate education. To view the list of current MPACT Parent Mentors, go to http://ptimpact.org/Volunteer/MentorList.aspx.
If your school district has had a MPACT Parent Mentor in attendance at an IEP meeting, please take a moment to complete a brief online survey located at http://ptimpact.org/Surveys.aspx if you have not already done so. A separate survey should be completed for each mentor who has provided services to parents in your district. These surveys assist MPACT and DESE with identifying and addressing areas of success and improvement with the Parent Mentor Program.
For more information about MPACT or if you have questions regarding the status of a Parent Mentor, please contact MPACT by telephone at (800) 743-7634 or by e-mail at info@ptimpact.org. You can also view the MPACT website at http://www.ptimpact.org.
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We Need Your Feedback!!
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Have you received phone or other assistance from MPACT for your child or a child you're supporting who is 14 or older, or attended a Transition related Workshop (either in person or online) presented by MPACT between April 1st, 2011 and March 31, 2012? We'd like to hear from you.
As with any program, evaluation is an important tool so that areas of success, as well as areas needing improvement can be identified and addressed. If you have accessed any of our services, please take a moment to fill out one of our surveys.
If you have received phone or other assistance from MPACT between April 1st, 2011 and March 31, 2012 for your child or a child you're supporting who is 14 or older, please take a moment to complete the attached survey -
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TransitionAssistanceSurvey
If you have attended a Transition related workshop (either in person or online) provided by MPACT between April 1st, 2011 and March 31, 2012, please take a moment to complete the attached survey -
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TransitionWorkshopSurvey
If both survey's are applicable to you, please complete both. Everyone who completes a workshop or phone assistance survey will receive a free gift. Each person who fills out a survey will also be entered into a drawing for a free $25 gift certificate of their choice from Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, Staples, or Office Depot.
Don't wait, the deadline to complete a survey is June 1, 2012.
The winner of each survey will be notified by phone or email depending upon contact information provided in survey.
Thank you for your support!
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Benefits Planning Query Handbook
| | Do you need information on the status of an individual's Social Security Disability or Supplemental Income benefits, schedule of medical reviews, health insurance or work history? The Benefits Planning Query (BPQY) is part of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) efforts to inform Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients about their disability benefits and the use of work incentives. How to make a query is explained in the 2012 Red Book under "Resources to assist you return to work". A new handbook (April 2012) is available online. This handbook provides detailed instructions on how to read, interpret and request BPQY statements from SSA. |
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Navigating College Web Site
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The website, a project of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN), is an introduction to the college experience by and for people with autism. The writers give advice they wish they had been given when starting college. http://www.navigatingcollege.org/
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Universal Design for Learning and Secondary Transition Planning for Students with Disabilities: 101
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This resource from the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center focuses on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) application in secondary transition services. It also outlines the principles of UDL, provides evidence to support its use, describes examples of UDL application in various academic content areas, and provides links to additional resources.
http://nsttac.org/sites/default/files/Universal_Design_for_Learning_and_Secondary_Transition101.FINAL2.pdf
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Young Children's Development: What to Expect
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What's typical development? And what can parent do to be sure their child is getting the stimulation he or she needs? Here's a list of what to look for as a child learns and grows from infancy to preschool.
Here's a list of accomplishments and behaviors that are typical for younger children in three age groups - babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Each is followed by a list of things that you can provide to help your child learn and grow. Because each child learns at his own rate, you should consider the lists as guidelines only.
To read more concerning this article CLICK HERE.
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A "State Dinner" Just for Kids
| Calling all kid chefs: The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge invites parents of kids ages 8-12 to submit an original recipe for a lunch that is nutritious and delicious. All entrants have the chance to win a trip to Washington D.C. and the opportunity to be invited to attend a Kids' "State Dinner" at the White House in August, where a selection of the winning healthy recipes will be served.
Recipes can be submitted May 21 through June 17, either online at http://recipechallenge.epicurious.com or via mail. Winners will be notified on July 16. The White House Kids "State Dinner" is currently scheduled to take place in August 2012.
For more information CLICK HERE.
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10 Free Text-to-Speech Tools
| The website Educational Technology and Mobile Learning (http://www.educatorstechnology.com) has posted to its site an informative article on 10 free text-to-speech tools to help struggling readers. Of note in the article is that the programs mentioned are cross-platform and cross disability. Some are stand alone products, while others are tools already built-in to products like Google Chrome.
To read the article CLICK HERE.
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It's All in Your Head
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By Guest Bloggers Wayne Connell, Founder & President, Invisible Disabilities Association, and Jeff Vankooten, Professional Speaker and Invisible Disabilities Association Executive Board Member
It's all in your head!" What a familiar refrain for those living with chronic illness, pain or disability. Doctors, friends, co-workers and family often make this statement when they can't "see" what you are going through or find a diagnosis. The invisible nature of many illnesses and disabilities creates an atmosphere of suspicion or disbelief, even by those who are closest to you. People may say, "It's all in your head" to imply that the person is just making up or exaggerating his or her condition. Many people live with the stigma of this label. Some even feel shame and...
To read more of this article CLICK HERE.
Visit Disability.gov for mental health resources, as well as information for caregivers and where to find health care.
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A Guide to Educational Acronyms: What's in the Alphabet Soup?
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You need only spend a few minutes listening to an education policy maker describing legislation to be aware of the "alphabet soup" of educational acronyms. The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) has developed this "acronym handbook" as a resource to define, clarify, or remind stakeholders of definitions of acronyms routinely found in legislative and policy discussions. Whatever your role, be it as a state legislator, teacher, parent, or other, this pocket guide will be a useful tool.
http://nceo.info/OnlinePubs/NCEOAcronymHandbook.pdf
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Free MPACT Trainings
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MPACT trainings are provided free of charge to parents of children with disabilities. To sign up for an upcoming training, follow the links below, then click on the 'SIGNUP' button located next to the training name. Fill in your name, email address, phone number, the name ofthe training you wish to attend and the date it is being offered.
While registering for a training is not mandatory it does ensure that the trainer has an adequate amount of handouts. This also allows MPACT to contact you should a training need to be cancelled or rescheduled. To view a comprehensive list of all trainings provided by MPACT go to http://ptimpact.org/Training/Training.aspx.
Please be sure to double check the website training pages for any updates or changes to trainings offered.
Disagreement Resolution
The Art of Effective Advocacy
How to Write Measurable Goals
09/11/12 Herculaneum
Positive Behavior Interventions
Parents Facilitate, Youth Take Action
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Question? Comments? Suggestions? Send them to info@ptimpact.org or
contact the MPACT State Office at 1-800-743-7634. |
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