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February 2005, Vol.5, No.2

AAMR F.Y.I.
February 2005, Vol.5, No.2

Visit http://www.aamr.org/FYI/ to access current and past issues of this monthly newsletter.

Dear AAMR Friends and Colleagues:

IN THIS ISSUE:

NEW STUDY PROBES WHY INSTITUTIONS AND NURSING HOMES ARE MORE PREVALENT IN SOME U.S. STATES THAN OTHERS
Noted researchers David L. Braddock and Mary Kay Rizzolo conclude in a recent study that a state’s political culture determines the prevalence of the use of institutions and nursing homes in the care of persons with developmental disabilities. States are traditionalistic, individualistic, or moralistic they say, with moralistic states using institutions and nursing homes far less than individualistic cultures. The study also finds that more wealthy the state, the better position it is in to offer dual systems of care.

Read more in the Predictors of Use of Nursing Homes and State Institutions for Persons with DD at http://www.uic.edu/orgs/rrtcamr/NursingHomeStudy.pdf

THE SUPPORTS INTENSITY SCALE IS ADOPTED BY TWO GROUPS IN THE NETHERLANDS
The Dutch Association of Professionals in the field of Intellectual Disability (NGZB) of Utrecht and the Arduin Foundation located in Beatrixlaan have adopted a Dutch version of the Supports Intensity Scalefor planning supports for citizens with developmental disabilities. The Netherlands will become the first country to use the Scale in an electronic format. The SIS is also poised for use in Taiwan, where it will be translated into complex Chinese. Launched in 2004 by the American Association on Mental Retardation, the SIS is a new assessment tool that gauges practical supports required by persons with intellectual disabilities to be a participating member in his or her community.

To read more on these international developments, visit www.aamr.org

Queries on translations of SIS can be sent to books@aamr.org

EDUCATION AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES UPDATE: NEWS AND RESOURCES UPDATE
A new report examines the issue of academic expectations for students with cognitive disabilities within the context of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act. How many students with cognitive disabilities can be expected to achieve the same level of proficiency as other students? To what extent can we predict who these students are? What effects do teacher expectations have on student achievement? The report addresses these questions and more. ReadExpectations for Students with Cognitive Disabilities: Is the Cup Half Empty or Half Full? Can the Cup Flow Over? athttp://education.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/Synthesis55.pdf

To learn more on the implications of the 2004 IDEA reauthorization and its implications, read a new Users Guide published by the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities at http://www.c-c-d.org/IdeaUserGuide.pdf

In other education news, students with disabilities were conspicuously absent from a long-awaited federal report on 2004 National Education Technology Plan on technology use in schools (http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/-os/technology/plan/2004/index.html). Read the response of the National Center on Disability and Access to Education to this report at http://www.ncdae.org/edtechplan.cfm

On a more positive note, students with intellectual disabilities and families and professionals supporting them now have a new online resource on everything related to acquiring a college education, including a searchable database of post-secondary education programs that support youth with intellectual disabilities. Learn more at http://www.thinkcollege.net/

FREE, ONLINE TOOLKIT HELPS YOU MAKE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION A REALITY FOR PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
"Community for all": Resources for Supporting Community Living is a free, online tool kit developed by 7 disability organizations at the request of professionals and self-advocates concerned that the progress made towards the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities into mainstream community life was at risk. The toolkit contains comprehensive information and strategies on how to make community integration work, why it is important, as well as personal stories from people who transitioned from an institutional setting into an independent community environment.

Access Community for all at http://thechp.syr.edu/toolkit/

CALL FOR COMMENTS ON PROPOSED CHANGES IN FEDERAL REGULATIONS ON EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is proposing changes to existing regulations regarding appointments of persons with mental retardation, severe physical, and psychiatric disabilities. The new regulations, if implemented, will allow agencies to make certifications on a person’s disability based on determinations made by other federal agencies.

To read more and learn how to send in your comments by March 14, 2005, visit http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ei-special_hiring.asp

FREE, PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ON NURSING CARE FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES LAUNCHED
The Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center in Massachusetts has launched a free, online journal titled International Journal of Nursing in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for professionals and families interested in promoting optimal health and nursing supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Access the journal online at http://journal.hsmc.org/ijnidd/index.asp

HOW YOU CAN BUILD GRASSROOTS STATE PARTICIPATION IN ONE OF THE LARGEST DISABILITY SUMMITS EVER TO BE HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC
The Many Voices, One Vision Alliance for Full Participation Summit will be held from September 21-24 in Washington, DC by 11 disability organizations. With over 1,200 individuals expected to attend, the Summit is one of the largest disability meetings to be held for the developmental disability community and the Summit organizers are calling for the formation of state teams to build support for the meeting agenda at the grassroots level among families, policy makers, providers, self-advocates, researchers, and community builders.

To find out who your state liaison is, visithttp://www.allianceforfullparticipation.org/state/liaisons.asp

To find out more about state teams and how to get involved, visithttp://www.allianceforfull-participation.org/state/faq.asp

AAMR POWER OF ONE CAMPAIGN RAISES MORE THAN $15,000 IN 2004
Read a Power of One campaign update from Bill Gaventa, AAMR Board member athttp://www.aamr.org/About_AAMR/power_of_one/sucess.shtml

AAMR F.Y.I. is compiled by Anna Prabhala, Editor. Please submit comments, suggestions, tips, and news to annap@aamr.org

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