On Target is a monthly publication
of the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities.
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ideas concerning the actions of the Council. On Target is made available
in accessible formats upon request.
Suellen Jackson-Boner
Executive Director
Christine Dahlberg
Associate Director
Paul Shankland
Grants Manager |
New school offers education alternatives
In January, classes began at the new Indianapolis satellite location of the St. Louis-based St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf. The school is the state’s only provider of auditory-oral programming options that emphasize voice communication over American Sign Language (ASL). This offers a unique education alternative to elementary school-aged children with hearing disabilities.
Because 90 percent of children with hearing disabilities are born to parents without such disabilities, the institute teaches children to “live in the world parents know,” Richard T. Miyamoto, Institute board member and Riley Hospital physician, told the Indianapolis Star.
St. Joseph uses several methods to teach students to speak orally, including auditory rehabilitation, speech pathology, language modeling, group work and intensive
individual therapy.
Language modeling involves listening to the language level of a child and then “modeling” the language back to them at the next higher level. For example, said Institute Director Teri Ouellette, “If the child says, ‘Train go,’ you would reply with, ‘Yes, the train is going.’”
Children are taught written language, math and science, using the concept of language learning. “You can’t develop language without something to express,” Ouellette said. The curriculum ensures students are academically ready to join a traditional school setting after a formal mainstreaming process.
In contrast to St. Joseph’s focus on early childhood education, Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD) educates students up to age 21. “Maybe St. Joseph graduates will move to ISD at a later date,” Bob Kovatch, principal of ISD, said, adding that this would give the schools an opportunity to work together.
However, some members of the deaf com-munity oppose the philosophy at St. Joseph. ISD’s Kovatch said the disagreement relates to a medical view of deafness.
“The deaf community does not see deafness as something that has to be fixed. It is a culture unto itself,” he said. “We stand by our bicultural, bilingual philosophy. We feel that students need to have a native language established as early as possible, and we feel that native language is ASL.”
“Each school is trying to do the best job it can for its population,” Kovatch said. “I’m sure St. Joseph will have its success stories, but parents of children who are deaf owe it to themselves to examine both programs.”
Both programs provide First Step services for children younger than three. St. Joseph services also include parent education classes and monthly parent support groups. Parents are taught how to assist in their children’s education and how to adjust to parenting a child with a hearing disability.
Because St. Joseph is a private school, tuition costs about $13,000 a year, but will be paid in part by school districts that send students there. (As a public school, ISD does not charge tuition.) Need-based financial aid is available. Other funds will come from insurance and scholarships.
St. Joseph–Indianapolis is located at 1292 E. 91st Street in Nora, near the Meridian Street exit of I-465. For more information, contact Teri Ouellette at (317) 809-3345 (voice) or visit www.stjosephinstitute.org/indianapolis.html.
Indianapolis chosen for national evacuation program
Just a few months after the September 11 tragedy, the national Easter Seals organization chose Indianapolis as a test site for its S.A.F.E.T.Y. First program. This national education initiative will develop standards and protocols for emergency evacuation and rescue of people with disabilities.
“Under the ADA, we’ve always been very concerned about getting people into buildings equally. The interesting thing is that we’ve never considered getting people out of buildings equally,” said Indianapolis attorney Gregory S. Fehribach, who is first vice president of the national Easter Seals board of directors.
Sarah Brewster, vice president of marketing communications at Easter Seals, said the program is designed to raise emergency evacuation issues and offer tools that people with disabilities, building managers, employers and others can use to develop evacuation plans.
Those involved in the program credit the Indianapolis Fire Department for Indianapolis’ selection as a pilot site. It is considered innovative for its cutting edge work with evacuation procedures and its attention to the needs of people with disabilities.
Working with the Indianapolis Fire Depart-ment, Easter Seals will create evacuation recommendations and share “success stories” for other cities to model. Other emergency evacuation recommendations will apply to schools, homes and public buildings such as grocery stores.
Easter Seals Crossroads Rehabilitation Center, the local Easter Seals affiliate, will help develop the recommendations by bringing together architects, building managers, people with disabilities, area fire departments and others with a stake in emergency evacuation issues.
“The issue is a very complex one, and there are a number of entities that are involved in decision-making with regard to this issue,” said Crossroads President Jim Vento. “One of the ways we can play a role is by creating a forum for those entities to discuss options that may exist.”
Because the program is still in the planning stages, Easter Seals has no timeline for issuing recommendations. All recommendations will follow the guideline of establishing equality in emergency rescue for people with and without disabilities.
Vento said Easter Seals might also develop guidelines for people with disabilities to use in creating their own evacuation plans. “Because circumstances are so different for each individual, we might be able to assist a person with a disability to devise a plan that’s appropriate for his or her environment,” he said.
Currently, Easter Seals recommends the following tips for emergency preparedness in its S.A.F.E.T.Y. First program:
- Start preparing an evacuation program now.
- Ask family, friends and coworkers with disabilities about their evacuation concerns and needs.
- Find a “buddy,” because people with disabilities often require assistance in an emergency.
- Evaluate the area to determine evacuation routes.
- Test smoke detectors, flashlights and other emergency equipment.
- You can help by making this a priority in your community.
Hoosier named to national disability council
President George W. Bush named Hoosier Young Woo Kang, Ph.D., as one of 10 appointees to the National Council on Disability. Kang has served as vice-chair of the United Nations World Committee on Disability and on the board of directors of Goodwill Industries International, the world’s largest employer of people with disabilities. Before settling in Munster, Ind., Kang was the first Korean who is blind to earn a doctorate. He will serve the remainder of a three-year term to expire Sept. 17, 2003.
Special education issues examined
The book “Rethinking Special Education for a New Century” includes 14 policy papers outlining recommendations for sweeping changes in federal special education policies that affect the six million children who receive these services. Published by the Progressive Policy Institute and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, the book shapes discussion of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by identifying federal special education policy problems, analyzing their
causes and offering solutions.
Suggestions include developing six principles to guide reform, including pushing for a standards- and performance-based IDEA and streamlining special education categories. The book encourages lawmakers to consider policy changes instead of maintaining the status quo during the 2002 IDEA re-authorization debate.
Individuals can order one copy of the book at no cost by calling (888) TBF-7474 (voice). A graphic version (.pdf file) can be downloaded at www.edexcellence.net.
Paralympics celebrates athletic ability
Two weeks after the 2002 Olympic games in Salt Lake City, 1,000 athletes with disabilities will contend for medals in the 2002 Paralympic games.
Opening ceremonies take place on March 7 from 7–9 p.m. in the Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium at the University of Utah. The torch-lighting ceremony will honor the 2002 Olympic theme, “Light the Fire Within.” Sixteen Utah cities will host their own Paralympic torch-lighting parties, and more than 100 torchbearers will help to carry the flames to the opening ceremony.
“It’s the concept of these communities each lighting their own fire and bringing it together in one flame that is unifying as the ‘Journey of Fire,’” Salt Lake Organizing Committee President Mitt Romney told the Salt Lake Tribune.
The United States is always a strong presence at the Paralympic games. In 2000 in Sydney, Australia, U.S. athletes brought home 36 gold medals and 109 total medals, the fifth highest medal count of any participating country.
Competitions, which begin on March 8, include ice sledge hockey, alpine skiing and Nordic events. Ice sledge hockey is similar to traditional hockey, except athletes sit on sleds and propel themselves and the puck with ice picks.
The Paralympics conclude March 16 with closing ceremonies at the Olympic Medals Plaza.For more information about the 2002 games or to order Paralympic merchandise, visit www.paralympics2002.com.
Working with personal care assistants
The success of home-based care for people with disabilities can sometimes depend on the choice of personal care assistants (PCAs). A workshop at the Council’s Annual Conference in November focused on hiring PCAs and the responsibilities of being an employer. Now the Indiana House of Representatives is devoting time to the issue.
The private hire legislation, passed last year, allows people with disabilities who receive CHOICE or the Aged and Disabled Medicaid waiver to hire, train and manage their own personal assistants with payroll and other “employer” functions being performed by
a fiscal agent.
House Bill 1252 amends the law to make the private hire program easier for Family and Social Services Administration to administer, and to allow parents and guardians – as well as people with disabilities – to train and hire PCAs.
Shari Caveda, Project Director, Fifth Freedom, said, “This bill is critical to assuring that the program is extended statewide. People who want this option should call their Area Agency on Aging case manager to ask if the program is available. If not, they need to demand to know when it will be made available.”
While policy advocates focus on the requirements of the private hire option, understanding how to work with PCAs effectively is critical for those who are considering enrolling in the private hire program or those who use their own funds to pay for the assistance they receive.
At the Annual Conference, Council member Sharon Byrkett explained the importance of conducting interviews, checking references, training, and communicating needs. This process helps establish a positive working relationship between the PCA and employer.
For more information, refer to the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Guide available at www.independentliving.org or contact Concepts of Independence, Inc., at (212) 293-9999 (voice). To reach the Area Agency of Aging, call toll-free (800) 986-3505 (voice).
Upcoming Conferences
Advocacy training
The ATTAIN, Inc. Empower-ment and Advocacy Training Conference will take place March 5–7 in Merrillville, Ind. The focus will be empowering people with disabilities, family members, advocates and service providers to advocate for access to assistive technology devices and services. Cost is $50 for people with disabilities and $75 for service providers. Registration is limited to 40 participants who must commit to conducting five training sessions in their communities. To register, contact Mark Wallis by Feb. 18 at (317) 486-8808 (voice) or (800) 528-8246 (voice).
The future of rehabilitation
The Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities will host its 2002 Annual Conference, “Painting the Present; Sculpting the Future,” March 6–8 at the Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel and Suites at Keystone at the Crossing.
Sessions will address disability issues, and exhibitors will display products and services throughout the conference. Workshop highlights include a leadership development session covering how to create a productive work environment and develop strong communication skills, and an employment session exploring issues of training and retention.
The conference offers Category I Continuing Education Units (CEUs). For more information, contact Penni Kaplan at (317) 634-4957 (voice), penni@inarf.org (e-mail) or visit www.inarf.org.
Of Note
Participants sought for parenthood study
Through the Looking Glass National Resource Center for Parents with Disabilities seeks participants for a nationwide study about families in which a parent with a disability is raising a teenager (ages 11–17). For more information or to enroll in the study, contact Nancy Freed at (800) 644-2666 (voice), (800) 804-1616 (TT) or tlg@lookingglass.org (e-mail). For more information about the organization, visit www.lookingglass.org.
Call for statewide article ideas
As the voice of the Indiana disability community, On Target seeks article ideas from disability advocates, organizations, and people with disabilities across Indiana. Let more than 6,500 readers know what you and your community are doing to address disability issues. E-mail article
ideas, including contact information, to Angi Taylor at ataylor@bjmpr.com.
Order Disability Awareness Month materials now
The Council offers a variety of materials for Disability Awareness Month 2002: “Together, we can reach new heights.” Materials include posters, bookmarks, buttons, T-shirts, coffee mugs and information packets. Obtain an order form at www.ai.org/gpcpd or call Kim Dennison at (317) 631-6400 (voice). Send completed forms to Dennison at Borshoff Johnson Matthews, 47 S. Pennsylvania St., Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204; (317) 631-6499 (fax); or kdennison@bjmpr.com (e-mail).
Reminder: Council’s new address
In December, the Council moved to a new location, across the street from its former headquarters. The new address is 150 W. Market St., Suite 628, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Telephone and fax numbers have not changed.
Indiana Governor’s Planning
Council for People with Disabilities
150 West Market Street, Suite 628
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 232-7770 voice
(317) 232-7771 TT
E-mail: GPCPD@gpcpd.org
Web site: www.state.in.us/gpcpd
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