The Research and Training Center on Workplace Supports has two upcoming webcourses on employment services:

Customized Employment, Feb 1-Mar 1. $60 per individual

The course will cover these important topics on customized employment and more:

• Principles and Indicators of Customized Employment
• Relationship to Supported Employment
• Role of a Personal Representative or Employment Specialist
• Strategies for Exploration and the Discovery Process
• Personal Profiles
• Informational Interviewing
• Job Negotiations
• Employment Proposals
• Funding Strategies

Into Adulthood: Transition to Work for Individuals with Autism, Mar 1 to Apr 4. Tuition and textbook $298.07

The course will cover these important topics on autism and transition to work and more:

• Characteristics of autism
• Impact of transition from school to adulthood
• Supporting parents
• Positive behavior support
• Inclusion
• Critical life and social skills for work
• Strategies for effective transition from school to work, training, or post-secondary education
• Building effective business partnerships between academic and community service providers
• Evidence-based strategies for effective job development, on-the-job support, and retention strategies

Continuing education credits are available for both courses. For more information and to register visit http://www.worksupport.com/training/courses.cfm.

You have until November 23rd to comment on Regulations to Implement the Equal Employment Provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act, as Amended (http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail%3FR%3D0900006480a29bc9)

 "The Amendments Act retains the ADA's basic definition of
``disability'' as an impairment that substantially limits one or more
major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or being
regarded as having such an impairment. However, it changes the way that
these statutory terms should be interpreted in several ways, therefore
necessitating revision of the existing regulations and interpretive
guidance..." (quoted from the link above and the Federal Register)

The EEOC wants to hear from you: the person with a disability, the practitioner, the employer, the parent. Follow the link above, read the information, and provide your input!

We added 210 abstracts to REHABDATA last month! Among them you’ll find 2 new items on autoimmune disorders, 43 on assistive technology, 15 on family issues, 8 on special populati0ns, and many more topics (more than 50 to choose from). You can browse through these new additions at http://www.naric.com/research/rehab/connection.cfm

Or, better yet, sign up for our email alert service! Choose the topics that match your interests, enter your email address, and you’re done. Once a month we’ll send you a customized email with your search results. And no spam. We promise. Sign up now at http://www.naric.com/services/rehab_connect.cfm

NIDRR released a grant announcment for the 2010 field initiated programs.  The Field Initiated Projects will include 10 research and 10 development projects funding a total of 20 grants.

Department of Education Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program—Field Initiated (FI) Projects CFDA 84.133G-1 (Research) Grant
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=50031

Department of Education Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program—Field Initiated (FI) Projects CFDA 84.133G-2 (Development) Grant
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=50032

Applications are available now from the links above. Closing date is January 6, 2010.

For a comprehensive list of current and previously funded Field Initiated Projects, visit http://www.naric.com/research/results.cfm?search=1&type=all&phrase=no&criteria=h133g*

Please Note: NARIC does not have access to submitted proposals.

Each year, we review our portfolio of journal subscriptions to make sure we’re covering the best publications in the industry. We currently subscribe to 65 journals, through both electronic and traditional (paper) subscriptions. A complete list of our current subscriptions is available at http://www.naric.com/research/rehab/portfolio.cfm.

In more than 30 years of collection development, we have indexed articles from more than 100 journals. You can browse through REHABDATA by journal title at http://www.naric.com/research/rehab/journal.cfm

The Child and Family Research Institute, along with the University of British Columbia, are looking for participants in a research project:

You are invited to participate in an important research regarding the World Health Organization (WHO)’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as it relates to children and youth with motor impairments, specifically cerebral palsy (CP).

The WHO developed the ICF in 2001 and went on to publish the child and youth version (ICF-CY) in 2007. The goal of the ICF-CY is to create a framework to define and classify the health and function of children and youth around the world and to provide a comprehensive classification system of childhood disability that could be used across service systems.

In order to facilitate the use of the very comprehensive ICF, adult research groups working in collaboration with the WHO, have gone on to create “core sets.” A core set is a subset of many items of the ICF and is created to make the ICF-CY more user friendly in every day practice. To date, no core sets have been developed for children and youth.

Our research group, based in the Department of Pediatrics at UBC is working in collaboration with the ICF Research Branch of the WHO, located at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Ludwig-Maximilian-University in Munich, Germany to develop ICF “core sets” for children and youth with CP.

The core set development will have a number of projects and we are inviting you, as an expert in the field of childhood CP, to be part of one of the first projects.

We are identifying experts in the assessment and management of children and youth with CP who are willing to participate in an internet-based expert survey. In keeping with the standard protocol for the development of ICF core sets; this worldwide survey of clinical experts will be performed to identify all relevant areas of functioning for children and youth with CP. Over 350 experts from all six WHO regions of the globe are being sought.

Therefore we are seeking the help of individuals who fulfill the following criteria:

·        Your professional background includes one of the following: pediatrics, developmental pediatrics, pediatric rehabilitation physician, pediatric neurology, pediatric neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language pathology, rehabilitation nursing, social worker and special education teachers and,

·        For at least 5 years, you have been working in the field of child/adolescent physical disability including CP (including clinical, educational, research and/or administrative roles) and,

·        Your focus is mainly in pediatric physical disabilities and,

·        You are fluent in English.

Your participation is completely voluntary. If you agree to participate, your name will be added to a bank of experts and subsequently a random sample will receive an electronic survey to complete. If you are randomly selected, completion of the survey will require approximately 30 minutes of your time. You are free to withdraw at any time. Your identity will be kept strictly confidential. Your completed survey information will be stored with no personal identifiers as participants will be assigned an identification number and responses will be kept anonymous.  Only the researchers have access to the data which will be held securely in the Children and Youth with Disability in Society (CYDiS) research unit of the Child & Family Research Institute, a partner of the University of British Columbia. Results will be reported only in aggregate form without naming specific individuals, universities or cities.

More information regarding this project is available from the research project team: Dr. Veronica Schiariti, Dr. Maureen O’Donnell, Dr. Robert Armstrong from the University of British Columbia and Dr. Alarcos Cieza (Ludwig-Maximilian University, Germany). More information can be obtained from the survey webpage (http://www.cfri.ca/our_research/ICF_expert_survey.asp) or by contacting the project coordinator, Dr. Veronica Schiariti (ICF_CerebralPalsy@cw.bc.ca). The project has been approved by the research ethics boards of the University of British Columbia. If you have any concerns about your rights or treatment as a research subject, you may contact the Research Subject Information Line in the UBC Office of Research Services at 604-822-8598 or if long distance e-mail to RSIL@ors.ubc.ca.

We’re nearing the end of Phase II of our digital archive project. In this phase we’re digitizing and posting final reports from projects funded by NIDRR and its previous incarnations (NIHR, SRS, VRA). We’re deep in the 60s now, with lots of research in cancer rehabilitation, prosthetics and orthotics, and vocational rehabilitation. Here’s a sampling:

FACTORS INFLUENCING COMPLIANCE IN PATIENTS WITH ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE: FINAL REPORT.
Ackerman, A M.
1977
O02924.

REHABILITATION OF CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES: FINAL REPORT JAN 1972-JUN 1976.
Bhatt, U.
1976
O02403.

a series:

EVALUATION OF THE TECHNICAL QUALITY OF RESEARCH: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY: METHODOLOGICAL ADEQUACY OF FEDERAL R&D PROJECTS: FINAL REPORT.
Gupta, V.
1973
O02262.

SYNTHESIS OF LITERATURE REVIEW ON EVALUATION OF RESEARCH QUALITY METHODOLOGICAL ADEQUACY OF FEDERAL R&D PROJECTS. FINAL REPORT.
Gupta, V.
1973
O02261

DIFFERENCES IN JUNIOR – SENIOR RATER PERSPECTIVES – METHODOLOGICAL ADEQUACY OF FEDERAL R&D PROJECTS. FINAL REPORT.
McCollor, S.
1973
O02266.

EVALUATION TOOLS FOR METHODOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH: METHODOLOGICAL ADEQUACY OF FEDERAL R&D PROJECTS. FINAL REPORT.
McTavish, D; Anderson, R.
1973
O02263

DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF RATERS – METHODOLOGICAL ADEQUACY OF FEDERAL R&D PROJECTS. FINAL REPORT.
Ouradnik, N.
1973
O02264.

COMMUNITY ROLE IN REHABILITATION OF PERSONS WITH EPILEPSY: FINAL REPORT.
SANDS, H.
1970
O00944.

Validation of the vocational capacity scale utilizing institutionalized retardates.
Dayan, Maurice.
1968
O01340

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION FOR MENTALLY RETARDED PUPIL-CLIENTS: A PROJECT TO ASSIST PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO MEET SOME OF THE MAJOR REHABILITATION NEEDS OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED: FINAL REPORT: JUL 1961-JUN 1965.
Crump, W A; et al.
1966
O00934.

Stanford-Ohwaki-Kohs tactile block design intelligence test for the blind: Final report (summary).
Dauterman, William L.; Suinn, R M.
1966
O04549

Manual for the Stanford-Kohs block design test for the blind: Part three of final report: Stanford-Ohwaki-Kohs tactile block design intelligence test for the blind.
Suinn, Richard M.; Dauterman, William L..
1966
O00468.

Manual for the Stanford-Ohwaki-Kohs block design test for the blind: Part two of final report: Stanford-Ohwaki-Kohs tactile block design intelligence test for the blind.
Suinn, Richard M.; Dauterman, William L..
1966
O01343

(Part 1 missing from the collection)

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION FOR THE RETARDED: PILOT STUDY 1969: SYNOPSIS OF THE FINAL REPORT OF A RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
SOKOLOFF, H D.
1971
O01953.

FILM-DISCUSSION: A TECHNIQUE TO COMMUNICATE INFORMATION ABOUT REHABILITATION: FINAL REPORT.
Kaufman, C S.
1970
O01850

STRUCTURED INTERVIEW FOR THE SELECTION OF REHABILITATION COUNSELING PERSONNEL: A FEASIBILITY STUDY. FINAL REPORT.
LONG, L D.
1968
O01835.

DEAF STUDENTS IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (PART I OF FINAL REPORT.
QUIGLEY, S P.
1968
O01136

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL TRAINING FOR BLIND CHILDREN: FINAL REPORT.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
1967
O01043.

LOW VISION CLINIC FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SEVERELY VISUALLY HANDICAPPED: FINAL REPORT.
Egi, J; Takemoto, Y.
1967
O01171

DISCARDS ON TRIAL: A STUDY IN HUMAN DIGNITY AND DISTRESS: FINAL REPORT.
Kir-Stimon, W.
1965
O01001.

DILEMMA: RISK ON REFUGE: DISCARDS ON TRIAL II: A PROGRAM OF REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE SEVERELY DISABLED: FINAL REPORT.
Kir-Stimon, W.
1966
O01002.

DILEMMA: RISK OR REFUGE: DISCARDS ON TRIAL II: A PROGRAM OF REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE SEVERELY DISABLED: FINAL REPORT: SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
Kir-Stimon, W.
1966
O01086

INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION PROGRAM CONDUCTED IN A HALFWAY HOUSE FOR FORMER HOSPITALIZED MENTAL PATIENTS: FINAL REPORT.
Spivak, M.
1973
O02983.

EXPLANATIONS OF INEQUALITY: EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF EDUCATION, SKILLS, TECHNOLOGY, AND MIGRATION IN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY: FINAL REPORT VOL I.
BOWLES, S.
1972
O01863

ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY OF DISABILITY FROM EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS OF PUERTO RICAN YOUTHS: VOLUME II PART I OF FINAL REPORT: COMPUTER ASSISTED PROCESSING OF ETHNOGRAPHIC DATA.
BURNETT, J H.
1972
O02010.

ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY OF DISABILITY FROM EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS OF PUERTO RICAN YOUTHS: VOLUME II, PART II OF FINAL REPORT: EVENT ANALYSIS AS A METHODOLOGY FOR URBAN ANTHROPOLOGY.
BURNETT, J H.
1972
O02011

NEUROMOTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS: A STUDY OF PHYSIOLOGICAL AND THEORETICAL CONCEPTS LEADING TO THERAPEUTIC APPLICATION: FINAL REPORT.
Herman, R; Monster, A W; Gronner, A.
1971
O01890.

APPLICATION OF LOWER EXTREMITY ORTHOTICS TO WEIGHT-BEARING RELIEF: FINAL REPORT 1970.
Mooney, V; Harvey, J P.
1970
O01806.

EVALUATION OF A LABOR COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SERVICE: FINAL REPORT.
Sheppard, H.
1969

O01829.

SELF-DIRECTED SMALL GROUP PROGRAMS: A NEW RESOURCE IN REHABILITATION: FINAL REPORT.
Berzon, B.
1968
O01429.

FOLLOW UP COUNSELING PROGRAM: A STUDY IN THE INFLUENCE OF CONTINUED COUNSELING ON THE EMPLOYABILITY OF DISABLED WORKSHOP TRAINEES: FINAL REPORT.
Neff, W S Novick, B Stern, B.
1968
O01402.

MMPI AS A MEASURE OF TREATMENT EFFECTS IN VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION: FINAL REPORT.
Copeland, W C; et al.
1966
O01325.

SPECIAL CLASS CURRICULUM AND ENVIRONMENT AND VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION OF MENTALLY RETARDED YOUNG ADULTS: FINAL REPORT.
Harvey, J; McMillan, F M; Ebersole, L E.
1964
O00936.

Michael Pizzi is an actor and occupational therapist. He is also the founder of Touching Humanity, Inc., a community-based arts and health education organization dedicated to promoting disability awareness through the arts. Dr. Pizzi is researching an article on the experiences of performers with disabilities:

Hi all:
I am expanding a paper I presented on my company which promotes disability awareness through the arts. The paper was well received and to publish, I was asked to expand it. I am looking for people to share with me their perspectives (even bulleted) what a) injustices or barriers there are for performers with disability and b) what rights we can put out there regarding performance and disability (e.g. the right to audition along non-disabled people). ANY thoughts would be so appreciated. Also, permission to use either your name as a personal communication or an article YOU may have written would be great (I am not in academia and so, if you could email any articles, thanks in advance !)
Yours very sincerely,
Michael Pizzi, Founder and Exec Director for Touching Humanity Inc. (www.touchinghumanityinc.org) touchhumanity@aol.com

If you are a performer with a disability or know someone who could share this perspective for Dr. Pizzi’s article, please visit THI’s website or contact Dr. Pizzi directly.

At the NRA conference, I sat in on a session with John Hancock from the Kentucky AgrAbility Project and Carol Weber from the KY Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. As a city dweller, I have almost no experience of rural life, let alone farming. I’m reasonably familiar with the usual assistive technology, accommodations, and modifications made for people with disabilites in offices, homes, and public settings, but I wanted to see what kinds of mods and equipment these guys work on.

Wow!

First of all, did you know that about 500,000 farmers and agricultural workers in the US report having some physical disability that interferes with their ability to farm? Did you know the average age of farmers in the US is now around 56? Did you know farming is consistently ranked in the top three most dangerous jobs along with mining and construction?

Farmers with disabilities have an excellent resource in the AgrAbility Project. There’s a national office at Breaking New Ground at Purdue University (http://cobweb.ecn.purdue.edu/~agenhtml/ABE/Extension/BNG/Resource%20Center/resourcecenter.html) and individual offices in about 40 states (http://agrability.org/contact-list/index.html). The AgrAbility Projects work with local offices of vocational rehabilitation to provide technology and training. They modify farm equipment, help to purchase vehicles, and provide additional support to farmers with disabilities.

Ms. Weber showed off some really impressive modifications to tractors, lifters, movers, and combines. These allow farmers with back injuries, arthritis, prosthetics, and other conditions to continue working on their farms.

For more information, please visit the websites above or give AgrAbility a call at 800-825-4264.

We’ve put the finishing touches on our presentation for this year’s National Rehab Association meeting in Louisville (we’re on Sunday morning at 9:15).

If you’d like a preview, the text of the presentation is up at http://www.naric.com/public/Presentations/NRA2009.cfm. You can also download the powerpoint.

Let me know if you catch any typos!