www.inclusivechildcare.org || Concordia University, College of Education
Cindy Croft, Director || croft@csp.edu || 651.603.6265
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CICC E-News, Issue #12. September - October 2009
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Announcing Our New Podcast: Inclusion Matters
The Center for Inclusive Child Care has a new podcast entitled "Inclusion Matters" with Cindy Croft and Priscilla Weigel. Each episode deals with strategies for ensuring successful inclusion of children with special needs or behavior challenges in community settings through the lens of an inclusion consultant. Look for upcoming episodes every few weeks on topics like aggression, autism, sensory challenges, and other issues that are important as we work to include all children.
Visit the CICC podcast page. Listen to current episodes, download the mp3 or subscribe via iTunes or other podcast services, that way your iPhone, iTouch, smartphone, or mp3 player will automatically update with new episodes as they are released.
New DVD packet: Developmental Delays and Autism in the Somali Community
This packet is available for CICC trainers and consultants by contacting Chris Bentley or Dea Anderson.
In the fall of 2008, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Somali community began a dialogue regarding the number of Somali children diagnosed with the classification of autism.
A need for more information was identified and, as a result, several collaborating agencies contributed to a forum, coordinated by Huda Farah of HEAL Institute. Get more details and availability information.
Influenza (flu) - Information for Early Childhood Educators and Care Practitioners
Resources compiled By Huda Farah, HEAL Institute.
Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease, caused by a virus that attacks the nose, throat, and lungs. Although it is very common, the spread of the disease may be limited by taking simple preventive measures such as getting immunizations and practicing good hygiene (i.e. hand washing). Read the complete article which includes prevention screening, online resources, and contact information
Fraser Learning Products
Developmental Brochures
Available at www.fraser.org/products or in the CICC Market Place.
Most Children develop on a similar path in meeting their developmental milestones, but when should a parent or caregiver be concerned? These fold-out guides offer general developmental guidelines for children ages birth to 3 years or 3-5 years and highlights key areas of when to be concerned. Brochures are available in English. Birth - 3 brochures are also available in Spanish and Somali.
Centers for Disease Control Statement on New Autism Prevalence Data
(from NECTAC eNotes - October 9, 2009) Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - October 5, 2009
On October 5, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an official statement about recent findings from two government-funded research studies, both of which indicate that approximately one in 100 children in the U.S. are affected with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), up from a past estimate of 1 in 150. The two studies include a survey of over 78,000 parents by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and a rigorous national surveillance study conducted by the CDC.
To read the CDC statement, go to http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html. Complete findings from the CDC study are currently in press and are expected to be available later this year. An abstract of findings from the HRSA parental survey can be accessed at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-1522v1 .
Parent/Family Perspectives: Raising Children with Disabilities
A collection of nine short video clips that provides a parent/family perspective on what life is like for families with children who have a disability and the improvements needed to better assist families. They are located at http://raisingchildren.net.au/children_with_disabilities/raising_children_with_disabilities.html.
The nine video clips include:
- Disability help & support
- Disability services
- Family life: play & activities
- Family life: time & routine
- School: play and socializing
- Parent reactions to a disability diagnosis
- Pre-birth disability diagnosis
- Sibling reactions
- Siblings: making adjustments.
These videos can be used in the training and professional development of service providers and professionals who work with families of children with a disability to illustrate what life is like from a family perspective and how to be in an effective partnership with families.
Behavior Issues in Children with Severe Disabilities (http://behaviorcage.com/) is a website that offers information and ideas on why some children with severe disabilities might have challenging behaviors and strategies and tips that may be helpful in dealing with these behaviors.
Two New Online Resources added to the CICC Website
These are included in the thousands of free resources available in our CICC online resources center.
1. Supporting Young Children on the Autism Spectrum
http://www.nationalstrategiescpd.org.uk/course/view.php?id=248
This online course from Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is designed to support practitioners in meeting the needs of young children on the autism spectrum. The course consists of a booklet as well as interactive materials that are presented online. The online materials reflect and expand on the content of the booklet, giving video examples of real practice and activities to promote further reflection and development. The course also contains audio material as well as case studies and it will direct you to other tools and resources.
These materials are designed to improve provision for all children and will particularly support practitioners in developing more inclusive practice, especially for children on the autism spectrum. The content of the e-learning and supporting booklet can be used as a basis of continuous professional development in the training and support for inclusion.
The resource section provides printable case studies, 21 video clips, references and offline activities. Following an introduction to autism, the modules include:
- A Unique Child;
- Positive Relationships;
- Enabling Environments; and
- Learning and Development.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Recognize current strengths and identify areas where further knowledge is required;
- List the characteristics of autism and be able to consider how adult behavior needs to adapt;
- Define possible early signs of autism;
- Recognize the triad of impairments;
- Identify how different aspects of autism may affect children's learning;
- List ways in which support could be provided for children on the autism spectrum which could remove barriers to learning and socialization;
- Demonstrate ways in which parents' and children's voices can support planning provision;
- Be aware of current terminology and the accompanying debate around autism and Asperger's syndrome; and
- Identify effective use of resources.
2. Early Childhood Integrated Systems
http://www.wiu.edu/ectiis/about.html
This site provides online workshops which focus on the use of technology as a tool to assist young children with disabilities in achieving developmental goals. The Early Childhood Technology Integrated Educational System is designed for early childhood professionals and families. The purpose of the training material is to show how adaptive equipment and activities can assist young children with disabilities in establishing independent behavior and functioning to their full potential, and how activities can be customized to meet a child's individual needs.
This training material consists of eight online workshops:
- Adaptations Workshop provides information on a variety of adaptive input methods, portable communication devices, and customized activities;
- Computer Environment Workshop offers strategies for designing and adapting the physical environment;
- Curriculum Integration Workshop offers ideas for integrating technology into the early childhood curriculum;
- Emergent Literacy provides curriculum applications, adaptations, assessment techniques, and family involvement;
- Expressive Arts Workshop offers techniques for incorporating technology into expressive arts for young children;
- Family Participation provides information on levels of participation, workshop strategies, and resources to assist families in using technology with their young children; 7) Introduction to Math, Science, and Social Studies introduces strategies for designing computer activities, off-computer materials, and adaptations;
- Software Evaluation explores considerations for selecting developmentally appropriate software; and
- Technology Assessment covers procedures for using a team process to assess a young child's technology needs.
Each workshop includes a post assessment and exit survey. These workshops can be used in the professional training of early childhood educators and caregivers.