News from FAAST Inc.

An online magazine from the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, Inc.

In This Issue

Your Voice: Autism Month

AT Device Profile

Regional Highlights

Credit Smarts by Mel

Information & Assistance: Autism Resources

Link up with organizations and programs focusing on the Autism spectrum. Click here.

Apps & Software

Click here for autism related apps and software.

Sportsability is here!

Join the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association April 11-13, 2013 for Sportsability. There will be accessible, inclusive sports and games, entertainment and more. Click here for details.

Featured Resource

Find useful information and self-assessments in the Florida Department of Health's new publication, "Disability and Health: A Guide for Floridians"

Needs Assessment Survey

Your feedback is important! We use results from our needs assessment survey to determine which AT devices should be added to the FAAST device lending program. Click here to take the survey.

Our Sponsor

FAAST is sponsored by DOE/DVR and the State of Florida.

Join Our List

FYI

All the contents of FAAST Access Magazine are for general information and/or use. Such contents do not constitute advice and should not be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) any decision. Any specific advice or replies to queries in any part of the magazine is/are the personal opinion of such persons and are not subscribed to by FAAST, DOE, DVR or RSA. FAAST, Inc. is not responsible for third party content which may not be ADA/508 compliant.

FAAST Access Online

FAAST Access is designed, produced and managed by

Safee Broxton

April 2013

10th Edition

Thanks for subscribing to FAAST Access Online!

Find spring savings with FAAST's Central Florida Regional Demonstration Center's feature on the latest information on discounts for Autism-related apps.
It may be Spring Break, but safety doesn't take a holiday. Credit Smarts by Mel features tips on how to protect yourself from financial fraud.

Learn more about us: FAAST Core Services

Your Voice

Autism Month: Naming names
Amy Sequenzia

by Amy Sequenzia

I know most people call April "Autism Awareness Month". I will call it "Autism Education and Acceptance Month".

The idea of moving from autism awareness to autism education I first saw on a friend's blog.

The idea of acceptance is not new in the Autistic community. It started two years ago with an Autistic activist, Paula C. Durbin-Westby. We want to be valued for who we are, and we want all Autistics to be seen as whole people, not as a set of deficits. Read on.

In case you missed it. . .
Amy Sequenzia's recent Your Voice contribution, "How assistive technology breaks old myths" is online here.

AT Device Profile: Classroom tools

Featured devices from our Statewide Inventory

by Andre Howard

Classmate Tablet PC

The Chester Classmate Convertible Tablet PC Laptop for kids is an all-purpose tablet net book with touch-screen technology. It's packed with advanced features to meet the needs of young users.

The Chester Classmate laptop for kids features include 10.1" color display with convertible clamshell and tablet design including Chester Creek's patented LessonBoard colored keyboard layout.

Kids can scrawl and draw just like they would with pen and paper as well as store their lessons and notes in the computer. Chester Classmate laptop for kids features a swiveling screen that lets young users easily alternate between the traditional keyboard mode and a tablet mode with accompanying kid-friendly, touch-optimized software.

The Chester Classmate convertible tablet PC laptop for kids is designed to withstand a 70 cm drop onto a hard surface. Now that's durable! Visit FAAST's Statewide Device Loan Program Online to learn more.

In Your Community: Highlights from Regional Centers

Keys to Success

Consumer visiting a Gulf Coast RDC Display

by Cheri Hofmann, Gulf Coast Regional Coordinator

Consumers are important to us. We realize our goals through the services we provide to our consumers and the consumer's satisfaction is very important.

The Gulf Coast Regional Demonstration Center (GCRDC) has a large Assistive Technology Loan Program and Try Before You Buy Demonstration Center. On average we have more than 100 contacts in our center per month that result in device demonstrations, specific device training, loans, information and referral. We also serve cross disabilities from ages of 0 to over 100 years old. Read on.

Credit Smarts by Mel

Protecting yourself from fraud

by Melanie Quinton

Did you know that millions of persons age 16 or older in the United States are victims of one or more types of identity theft? In fact, according to this report by the Javelin Strategy and Research Group, identity theft increased in 2012 for the second consecutive year in a row affecting 5.26% of U.S. adults. To be exact, 12.6 million individuals in the U.S. were victims. Such a horrible statistic to review, but it's the hard truth about the age in which we live. Read on.