National Disability Voter Registration Week

Monday, July 13 – Friday, July 17 is National Disability Voter Registration Week. AUCD is excited to join partners across the disability community working to increase the political power of people with disabilities by sharing resources and getting folks registered to vote. Justin Dart, father of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), said it best: “Vote as if your life depended on it, because it does.” For additional information and resources, see the AUCD website: https://www.aucd.org/template/event.cfm?event_id=8674

New Research Project about Black Deaf Students and Black Students with Disabilities at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Lisa Stapleton, Associate Professor at the Department of Deaf Studies at California State University Northridge, is conducting a research project on the experiences of Black Deaf students and Black students with disabilities at historically Black colleges and universities. Please see the attached flyer. To participate in the study, please contact Dr. Stapleton at lissadstapleton@gmail.com. All interview recordings will be kept private.

How to Improve K-12 Students with Disabilities’ Sense of Belonging

In the July 2 issue of Edutopia Newsletter, Assistant Editor Emelina Minero examines some examples of how various schools in various states are prioritizing inclusion of students with disabilities in all aspects of school life.

Read the article here.

Social Security’s 2020 Red Book Now Available

The 2020 version of Social Security’s Red Book (https://www.ssa.gov/redbook/) is now available on their website. The Red Book serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Programs for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals, and counselors who serve people with disabilities.

Deaf-Blind Awareness Week 2020

In recognition of the achievements of people who are deaf-blind, the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths & Adults (HKNC) celebrates the third week in June as “Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week. The theme this year is DEAF-BLIND. AND THRIVING.

See the Helen Keller National Center website for a complete list of calendar events:

https://www.helenkeller.org/hknc

The Facebook Page also has exclusive Facebook-only events:

https://www.facebook.com/helenkellerservicesfortheblind/photos/a.169098996437904/3564380330243070/?type=3&theater

Linda Alsop: The Cogswell-Macy Act: Training Teachers of the Deafblind and Deafblind Interveners

In addition to the HKNC event above, HDC and AUCD are celebrating Deafblind Awareness Week with a virtual guest speaker. Please consider joining us via Zoom as we present Linda Alsop of Utah State University, who will talk about the Cogswell-Macy Act and the requirements for training teachers of deafblind students as well as deafblind interveners.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020, 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM CDT

Click here to register via Zoom

Deafblind International Webinars

Deafblind International is offering a series of live-streaming webinars June 22-26. Information and Registration for Deafblind Webinars, June 22-26

The Science Behind Brain Breaks

Research shows that breaks can provide more than rest. Use them to boost creativity, cognitive function, and social skills.

From Edutopia Newsletter, May 15, 2020:

Research shows that periodic breaks throughout the day don’t just provide valuable downtime—they also boost productivity while giving students opportunities to develop their creativity and social skills.

In fact, breaks are a key part of learning, helping students process what they’ve learned by consolidating memories and making connections to other ideas.

Physical activity breaks—such as a short exercise break in the classroom or during recess—also reduce stress and increase blood flow and oxygenation to the brain, helping to keep students’ brains sharp, healthy, and active.

To learn more and for links to the research, check out our article, Research-Tested Benefits of Breaks.

Study charts developmental map of inner ear sound sensor in mice

Read full article by the NIH here.

National Federation for the Blind BELL Academy Home Addition

The National Federation of the Blind’s Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy In-Home Addition mobilizes students, parents, and mentors to provide meaningful and enjoyable learning opportunities surrounding Braille literacy—an indispensable skill for success and independence. While the first session of this innovative initiative is at capacity, there is still room in the other two sessions. Please see the attached flyer for additional information about how your student may register to participate.

Helen Keller National Center Extends Deadline and Updates Database

The Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-blind Youths and Adults is offering FREE online courses for professionals who work with individuals who are deaf-blind. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the period for which the courses are offered free of charge has been extended until August 31, 2020. The full list of courses is available on the HKNC Web site.

In addition, HKNC is updating its database, including its agency contacts. If you sign up for classes, HKNC can update your information at the same time. If you are not interested in classes but would nonetheless like to update your data, please email Brenda Baroncelli at Brenda.Baroncelli@hknc.org with the following information:

• Name
• Agency name
• Agency Address
• Office phone number
• Fax number
• Videophone (VP) number
• Mobile phone number
• E-mail address
• Web site
• Title/Position
• Would you like to receive the HKNC CONNECT newsletter? (yes/no)