Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence

New Happenings 

CASTLE Games is back and is collaborating on a research project!

Let’s have fun and make friends and play games with CASTLE!

The Autism Collaborative Centers for Excellence (ACCE) and The University of Scranton Departement of Occupational Therapy are collaborating on a research project for children diagnosed with Autism and related disorders. Learn more about the research project with our consent form. We will review the form in person during the first session and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. We will be playing boardgames and working to determine if the powercard strategy will help enhance social skills.

• WHO: Children and teens with Autism or other developmental disorders (ages 8-18 years)
• WHEN: Mondays and Wednesdays starting in February until May, 7-8 PM
• WHERE:  Leahy Hall
• HOW MUCH: FREE

Learn more

Sensory Social Occupational Therapy LEGO Group-Misericordia University

Building Confidence and Social Participation

Misericordia University OT Faculty and students will lead the group designed for autistic children between 7 and 12 years of age.

The group will run Feb 27-May 1st on Mondays from 4-5 PM in Passan Hall

Register by Feb 6th by contacting Orley Templeton, OTD OTR/L (email: otempleton@misericordia.edu or call 570-674-8154

Autism, ID, and MH What you need to know after age 18

Please join us for a complimentary session where we will discuss the following:

• Why is it vital to become eligible for SSI/SSDI?
• Is it possible to work and still receive benefits such as Medical Assistance and federal cash benefits?
• What is the difference between Power of Attorney vs. Guardianship?
• What is a Special Needs Trust and how to create a guarenteed funding stream beyond your lifetime? (3-Person Retirement?)
• What is a waiver? Are there waivers for those with IQs above 70?
• How can I blend state and federal government programs while preparing for his/her future?
• What is the difference between Medicaid and Medicare:
• How do you plan for when you and your child ages?
• The ABLE Act. What is it what does it mean for Savings and Special Needs Trusts?

Please join The Law Office of Randy Hope Steen, Ltd., and Leahy Life Plan for a FREE webinar on Tuesday, January 24th @ 6pm - 8pm ET. We will be discussing, navigating SSI, SSDI, waivers, OVR, working while receiving benefits, Power of Attorney vs. Guardianship, Special Needs Trusts and how to fund them.

 Transitioning to Adulthood 

Join the LTF21 on Wednesday, January 25th, 2023 at 10AM.

All Our Welcome to Attend!

This presentation was created to provide information on the basics of transitioning from in-school services and supports to inclusive post graduate opportunities

We look forward to seeing you there! Thank you!

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://cliu-org.zoom.us/j/5378786005...

Login ID: 537 878 6005

Passcode: CLIU21

21 and ABLE Starting with the End in Mind

As a member of the PA Inclusion Collective, SEAC invites the Cheltenham community to this 4-part free virtual series where educators, administrators, support staff and families will learn side by side about how an inclusive education starting in the earliest grades prepares students with disabilities for transition to higher education and integrated employment as adults.

This program is cosponsored by the PA Inclusion Collective and the PEAL Center’s 21 and Able Initiative.

Preregistration is required. Register now or learn more: 

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

February 1, 2023 “Including Samuel” Virtual film screening and self-advocate panel discussion.

 Before his son Samuel was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Dan Habib rarely thought about the inclusion of people with disabilities. Now he thinks about inclusion every day. Shot and produced over four years, Habib’s award-winning documentary film, Including Samuel, chronicles the Habib family’s efforts to include Samuel in every facet of their lives. The film released in 2007 honestly portrays his family’s hopes and struggles, as well as the experiences of four other individuals with disabilities and their families. Including Samuel is a highly personal, passionately photographed film that captures the cultural and systemic barriers to inclusion.

The film has been screened at universities, national conferences, public television stations, and independent theaters across the country. Including Samuel has also been featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” ABC’s  “Good Morning America,” as well as in the Washington Post and the Boston Globe. The film won the Positive Images in Media award from TASH, an international group committed to the full inclusion of people with disabilities. It has also screened at the Sprout Film Festival at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Boston International Film Festival, the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival, the Moscow International Disability Film Festival, and won the “Excellence Award” from Superfest International Film Festival in Berkeley, CA.

Stick around after the movie for a panel discussion involving young adults, who have been through the special education system to talk about their experiences and reactions to Including Samuel. We will explore what has changed in special education since this film was released 15 years ago, and what has remained the same.

February 8, 2023 Disabling Segregation and  screening of “My Disability Roadmap” and discussion on an Inclusive Life

 During this session Dan will offer an extended and updated version of his popular TEDx talk titled “Disabling Segregation,” in which he makes a powerful case for ending the systemic segregation of people with disabilities. Dan will share how inclusive education and social life has prepared his 23-year old son, Samuel, for transition to higher education and employment, as well as, the powerful impact that inclusion has on students and adults without disabilities.

 Samuel, who is now a college student, will also offer a presentation. He will introduce the new film: “My Disability Roadmap”, a 23-minute documentary, which shows how he navigates the path to work, college, relationships, and moving out of his family home, while he seeks wisdom from a diverse mix of remarkable people across the country.

 Samuel and Dan will co-present and discuss key issues brought up in the film, such as how to communicate and interact with people with disabilities. Samuel, who is pursuing a career in multi-media storytelling, will also talk about his hopes and dreams for his own life.

 Dan will take audience questions at the end of the presentations.

February 15, 2023 Starting Early: Creating a Roadmap for Inclusive IEPs and Transition Plans

 During this highly interactive session, Dan will discuss how educators, families, and students can work together to envision an inclusive, collaborative roadmap for IEP development and postsecondary transition. Dan will take a deep dive into the IEP process. He will talk about how starting in elementary school, IEP teams can work collaboratively to create more useful IEP goals. He’ll also discuss how to open the lines of communication between families and school to ensure IEP goals are aligned with a student’s future goals. And he’ll talk about how teams can work toward creating student-led IEP meetings and how to engage students in the IEP process.

 Q&A format presentation focuses on:

 Increasing student engagement in their education and IEP

Student-led IEPs

Building student strengths into the IEP

The nuts and bolts of daily family/student engagement

Focusing on communication

How the IEP process can support person-centered

Planning and transition

February 22, 2023 Action! Effective Practices in Transition to Adulthood

 In this talk Dan will discuss what an effective transition plan should look like to support higher education and competitive, integrated employment.  He will provide resources and information on what elements of a school transition plan actually make sense and have evidence to back them up. He will also show video clips from several of his films, such as Intelligent Lives, as well as his most recent short films focusing on postsecondary transition.

 Topics covered include:

•  Promoting self-determination
• Paid work and entrepreneurship development
• Community-based experiences, such as, extended learning opportunities
• Person-centered planning

What is the PA Inclusion Collective?

We’re a grassroots parent group, representing parent support organizations from seven school districts in suburban Philadelphia (Cheltenham, Lower Merion, Methacton, North Penn, Radnor, Tredyffrin Easttown, and Upper Dublin.)  The PA Inclusion Collective’s purpose is to pool resources to bring nationally known speakers on inclusive education to families, teachers, administrators and support staff within our schools. Our goal is to inspire families and educators to learn together and use that knowledge to advocate for individual students and create change in our classrooms, schools and throughout our communities.

 We’re always looking to grow our movement. Join our #InclusionRevolution on our PA Inclusion Collective Facebook page. You can follow our news, share resources, inquire about making your parent support group a member of the collective and keep the conversation about inclusive education going.

 Who is this series for? Parents, educators, related service providers, school administrators, and community members across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (and fellow inclusionists across the country).

 Goal: To educate and inspire our audience to make systemic change in our state when it comes to including all students.

We hope this series will help parents, educators and administrators better understand that inclusion from preschool through secondary and post-secondary education is important for ensuring students have the skills, relationships and experiences necessary to prepare them to live and work in the community and to have full lives.