Odds and Evens Playing Nicely Together

ANCORA IMPARO BY RICK RADER, MD ■ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Unified Sports provides people with and without ID (intellectual disabilities) the opportunity to play on the same sports team, creating a space for friendships, physical activity and fun. The classic image of the young girl with Down syndrome running with determination across the finish line to the cheers of her families, friends and coaches has always done what it is intended to do—let you know of the […]

US Labor Department awards $9.3M to continue funding to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy today announced a total of $9,286,909 in continued funding for organizations that develop models, provide technical assistance and share best practices to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities. “Our economy’s strength relies on a workforce that is diverse and accessible to people with disabilities. We must provide every opportunity to fully integrate the labor force with individuals with disabilities so they can […]

Six states receive nearly $15M in grants to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities

WASHINGTON – Despite their ability to occupy a variety of jobs, people with disabilities only account for 19.8 percent of the workforce, have more than double the unemployment rate compared to the general population and continue to face barriers finding work. To improve employment opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced grants totaling $14.9 million as part of the Disability Employment Initiative to six states. “America works best […]

Novel, Campus-Based Center Designed to Enhance Well-Being and Performance of Undergraduates with Disabilities

BY ROBERT W. BOHLANDER, PH.D., BCN AND EDWARD SCHICATANO, PH.D. Transitioning from high school to college is a daunting task for any emerging young adult. For a student with a disability, it can be more so. Although the undergraduate experience is often portrayed as not being “the real world,” and thus relatively “stress-free”, college life has many of the same or similar demands as the world off-campus, and can, in fact, be quite stressful. Several […]

Performance & Your Child’s IEP

BY JUDITH CANTY GRAVES AND CARSON GRAVES An IEP is your child’s roadmap to an appropriate education. No map can help you, however, if you don’t know your starting point. That is why the IEP must contain objectively measured assessments of your child’s abilities before it can be an effective educational roadmap. There are two places where clear descriptions of your child’s current level of performance should appear in an IEP: 1. In the curriculum […]