SENSORY CONNECTIONS
___________________________________________________________________________
Publication of the Georgia Sensory Assistance
Project
http://education.gsu.edu/georgiadeafblindproj
Georgia State University
___________Winter Edition, 2008/2009__
Welcome to
New GSAP Staff & New Grant Cycle
Meet Martha Veto and Jennifer Garrett
Martha Veto is our new Project Coordiator. Martha has an M.Ed in Special Education –Visual Impairment from the University of Pittsburgh and is a certified Orientation and Mobility Instructor. She has taught at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind, in resource and self-contained classrooms for children who are blind and visually impaired in Virginia, and worked as an itinerant teacher of the visually impaired and mobility specialist and South Carolina. One of her roles with the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind Outreach Services was to serve as manager of the state deafblind project. In that position Martha did classroom and home visits to offer support and suggestions to families and professionals working with children with both vision and hearing losses, and provided training to school teams on deafblindness. She moved to Georgia summer of 2008 with her husband who accepted a new job in Macon and is excited to be working with GSAP and providing technical assistance across the state. Her expertise in deafblindness and working on deafblind projects will be invaluable. Martha Veto can be reached at marthaveto@gmail.com
Jennifer Tumlin Garrett, Ph.D. is our new Identification and Dissemination Coordinator, who is also in charge of SibShops. Jennifer has a Ph.D in Special Education in Physical and Health Disabilities from Ga. State University, with prior degrees in Multiple and Severe Disabilities as well as Orthopedic Impairments and Mental Retardation. She has extensive experience as a classroom teacher, teaching students with multiple disabilities, as well as students with sensory impairments and deafblindness. Many of you may know Jennifer from her work with the Ga. Sensory Assistance Project over the past several years, with her expertise in augmentative communication, assistive technology, adaptations, and teaching strategies. She has also worked many years with our project assisting in providing workshops for siblings who have brothers or sisters with disabilities (Sibshop). Jennifer is a sib herself, and had a sister with severe cerebral palsy and visual impairments. Her own experience as a sib and her interest in working with siblings will be an asset to GSAP, as well as her many areas of expertise. Jennifer can be reached at jennifertgarrett@yahoo.com
SIBSHOP MANIA
Also, the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project’s Sibshop (workshop for siblings) was very successful. On Feburary 7, we had in attendance 14 siblings (ages 6 to 12) who had a brother or sister with deafblindness and other disabilities. In addition, 3 siblings, ages 13 – 17 returned as Sibling Teen Advisors who worked with the siblings in a leadership capacity. The day was packed full of a mixture of activities. Some exciting activities encouraged the siblings to get to know each other, work together, and bond (e.g., tying human knots). Other activities allowed the siblings to express their feelings about having a sibling with a disability as well as share experiences with each other. Stress was also a hot topic of discussion, including how to manage stress – both the stress of living with brothers and sisters with disabilities and general day-to-day stress. The evaluations indicated that the activities were effective and fun. In fact, some families enjoyed it so much that they will travel to Macon to attend the GSAP Sibshop being offered in that location in March. Included in the March Sibshop will also be a training session for adults who are interested in starting their own Sibshops with the support of the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project (GSAP). The GSAP staff is excited about providing these much-needed Sibshops for brothers and sisters of individuals with disabilities. Many more technical assistance activities are being implemented and we feel that this has been a good year so far.
DEAFBLIND TEEN RETREAT IN MACON
The Georgia Sensory Assistance Project (GSAP) in collaboration with state Deafblind Projects from Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas held a Teen Retreat in Macon, Georgia, January 16-18, 2009 at the Georgia Academy for the Blind. Twenty-seven teens and young adults with vision and hearing loss attended the weekend event for a chance to meet and socialize with other young people and be inspired by dynamic presenters who are deafblind. Kim Powers Smith, former host of the Emmy award winning TV show “Kim’s World” and frequent presenter on advocacy for persons with disabilities encouraged the young adults to be self advocates and take an active role in making decisions about their future. Jason Corning, a college junior from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, worked with participants on using sites like Facebook and My Space to do social networking, and gave tips on giving presentations to help others understand deafblindness. Fifteen family members attended and learned about services offered by Vocational Rehabilitation and the Helen Keller National Center, and were encouraged to make their children active participants in the transition process.
One highlight of the event was a panel of young people and adults with deafblindness who talked about their experiences in college, at work, and in the community and the barriers and supports they have encountered. Matthew Roush from Atlanta and Virginia Jordan from Athens, both veterans of GSAP teen events, were panel members, as were Leigh Russell, from the Georgia Association of the Deaf Blind (GADB), and Kim Paulk, an adult with deafblindness who lives in Macon. Other highlights included a fun evening of bowling, dancing and karaoke, and a chance for the teens to share their talents in music, martial arts, and painting.
GSAP would like to recognize people and organizations who helped plan and execute the event. Dr. Dorothy Arensman and Mr. Frank Reynolds at the Georgia Academy for the Blind for allowing us to use their facilities and taking such good care of us, Eric Hefner and Chad Oliver of Zaxby’s of Middle Georgia for providing a delicious lunch, Tom Ridgeway and the Macon Lions Club for providing refreshments for our Saturday Coffee House, Georgia Perimeter College Interpreter Program for sending great Support Services Provider (SSP) volunteers and the student volunteers from Stratford Academy in Macon who helped on Saturday.
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CONDITIONS
Achromatopsia: www.achromat.org
Amblyopia: www.preventblindness.org/children/amblyopiaFAQ.html
www.familydoctor.org/handouts/460.html
Albinism: www.albinism.org
Anophthalmia/microphthalmia: http://www.maparentsupport.com
Cataracts (Pediatric): www.pgcfa.org/cataract.htm
CHARGE Syndrome: www.chargesyndrome.org
Cortical Visual Impairment: http://www.aapos.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=260
Congenital Cytomegalovirus, National Registry:
http://www.bcm.edu/pediatrics/index.cfm?Realm=99991126&This_Template=pedi_home.cfm
Pediatric Glaucoma and Cataract Family Assoc.: www.pgcfa.org
Glaucoma: http://www.pgcfa.org/glaucoma.htm
http://www.glaucoma.org/learn/childhood_glauc_1.php
Fact Sheets from Blind Babies Foundation: www.blindbabies.org/fact_sheet.htm
Joubert’s syndrome: www.joubertsyndrome.org
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/joubert/joubert.htm
Mitochondrial Disease: www.umdf.org/
Nystagmus: www.lowvision.org/nystagmus.htm
http://www.nystagmus.org/entry.html
Ocular Motor Apraxia: http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/resources/vi&multi/eyeconds/OcMoAp.html
http://www.cigna.com/healthinfo/nord1038.html
ROP and Retinal Detachment: www.ropard.org
Septo Optic Dysplasia/Optic Nerve Hypoplasia:FOCUS Families Home Page: www.focusfamilies.org/focus/
http://www.magicfoundation.org/www/docs/101.115/optic-nerve-hypoplasia-septo-optic-dysplasia
Strabismus: www.strabismus.org
http://www.preventblindness.org/children/strabismusFAQ.html
The Vision of Children (hereditary blindness): www.visionofchildren.org
Usher Syndrome Research Coaltion: http://www.usher-syndrome.org/
American Printing House for the Blind: www.aph.org
Exceptional Teaching Aids: www.exceptionalteaching.com
Light Up Products: http://www.lightgod.com/store/product.asp?id=2209&catid=595
National Braille Press: www.nbp.org
Oakmont Visual Aids Workshop: http://www.teachersaidsforblindchildren.org
Patches: www.patchpals.com, www.perfecteyepatch.com, www.framehuggers.com
Products for Independent Living (MaxiAids): www.maxiaids.com
Protective Shades for Infants and YoungChildren: www.eyescreamshades.com
www.ebabybanz.com www.solobambini.com www.frubishades.com/
Pulse Data HumanWare (personal info management for VI): www.humanware.com
Scratch and Sniff: www.promobrands.com/scratchandsniffscents.htm
Seedlings Braille Books for Children: www.seedlings.org
Tactile Vision Inc. (raised writing for VI): www.tactilevisioninc.com
Textured and Peel and Stick Paint- Great to use on light box: www.everydaykolor.com
Toys for Special Children: www.enablingdevices.com
Tumble Books: www.tumblebooks.com
Uncle Good Toys (Braille ABC Blocks): http://www.lindenwoodinc.com/UNCLEGOOSE/braille.html
Wikki Sticks: http://www.wikkistix.com/sightimpaired.htm
Bookshare: bookshare.org
California Deafblind Services Newsletter: www.sfsu.edu/~cadbs/News.html
Cleveland Eye Clinic Interactive Eye Anatomy :
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/eye/patient_info/eyeanatomy.asp
Deaf-blind Fact Sheets: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/dbFactSheets.asp
Deaf-Blind Perspectives: http://www.tr.wou.edu/tr/dbp/
Eyes and Vision: http://www.lea-test.fi/en/eyes/index.html
NCDB Library: http://nationaldb.org/ISLibrary.php
Nevada Dual Sensory Impairment Project Newsletter: http://www.unr.edu/educ/ndsip/newsletter.html
Pediatric Glaucoma and Cataract Family Association: http://www.pgcfa.org/
Perkins School for the Blind Information Clearinghouse: www.perkins.org/clearinghouse/
Prevent Blindness America: The Eye: www.preventblindness.org
RNIB Royal National Institute for the Blind: http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/code/internethome.hcsp
See/Hear: http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/index.htm
Vibrations (Newsletter for Colorado Services for Children and Youth Who are Deaf-Blind): http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/dbResources.asp#Nwsltr
A Parents Guide to Resources about Vision Impairment: www.viguide.com
American Foundation for the Blind: www.afb.org
Blind Babies Foundation: www.blindbabies.org/registry.htm
Benefits of O&M: http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/om-benefits.htm
CDC Learn the Signs, Act Early Vision Fact Sheet: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/ActEarly/vision_loss.html
Dr. Lea Hyvarinen, Pediatric Ophthalmologist: http://www.lea-test.fi/
Early Intervention Training Center for Infants and Toddlers with VI: www.fpg.unc.edu/~edin
Families of Children Under Stress: http://www.focus-ga.org/
Family Connect: http://www.familyconnect.org/parentsitehome.asp
Focus Families (Support for ONH/SOD): www.focusfamilies.org/focus/
Global Community of Disability Related Resources: http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/
Hadley School for the Blind: www.hadley-school.org
Info Eyes: www.infoeyes.org
Inside the Amazing Eye: http://www.keystoneblind.org/wiseweb/intheeye.htm
Keystone Kids: www.keystoneblind.org
List Conditions and Support Groups: www.lowvision.org
MoPix- Motion Picture Access (provides info re: accessibility issues in movie theatres): http://ncam.wgbh.org/mopix/
National Association of Parents of Children with VI (NAPVI): www.spedex.com/napvi/
National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities: http://www.unco.edu/ncssd/
National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH): http://www.albinism.org/
New York Inst. for SpEd: Blindness Resource Center: www.nyise.org/blind.htm
ONH Consulting: (owner of firm has ONH himself) http://www.onhconsulting.com
Pediatric Parenting advice: www.keepkidshealthy.com
Perkins Clearinghouse on Blindness and Visual Impairment: http://www.perkins.org/clearinghouse/
Preschool Education: wwwpreschooleducation.com
The Georgia Organization of Parents of Blind Children: www.gopbc.org
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (good links to other sites): http://www.tsbvi.edu
Toilet Training Children with Deaf-blindness: Issues and Strategies: http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/summer00/toilet.htm
Worldwide Vision Rehab and Education: www.lighthouse.org
American Foundation for the Blind: http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=6
Anna’s Book Angel Project: http://www.seedlings.org/bkangel.php
Braille Bug Site: www.afb.org/braillebug/
Braille:Contraction Lookup Dictionary: http://www.brl.org/refdesk/conlookup.html
Braille Fundamentals: www.tsbvi.edu/publications/braille.htm
Dots for Families: http://uacoe.arizona.edu/viliteracy/
Exceptional Teaching, Inc.: http://www.exceptionalteaching.com/
National Federation of the Blind: http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NOPBC_LA_Braille_Literacy.asp?SnID=179685217
Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library: http://www.perkins.org/btbl/
Perkins School for the Blind Spanish Braille Resources: http://www.perkins.org/clearinghouse/literacy/spanish.html
Read Books! Program: http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/readbooks/index.html?id=afSGmLr7
Seedlings Braille Books for Children: http://www.seedlings.org/
Seeing Hands: http://www.seeinghands.org/
ViewPlus Pro Embosser Pro InkAttachment(PIA): www.viewplus.com/detailPage.php?detailCode=23070
American Association of the Deaf-Blind: http://www.aadb.org/
Georgia Sensory Assistance Project: www.education.gsu.edu/georgiadeafblindproj
Georgia Council for the Hearing Impaired: http://www.gachi.org/
Hands and Voices: www.handsandvoices.org
Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults: www.hknc.org
Home Talk A Family Assessment of Children who are Deaf-Blind: http://www.nationaldb.org/ISSelectedTopics.php?topicCatID=42
Minnesota Parent Resource Manual: http://www.dbproject.mn.org/parentRoadMapManual.html
National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness: www.nationaldb.org
National Clearing House on Children who are DB: www.tr.wou.edu/dblink/
National Family Association for Deaf-Blind: http://www.hknc.org/AdditionalNFADB.htm
Sense- UK Deaf-blind Charity: http://www.sense.org.uk/
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired: www.tsbvi.edu
Patches: www.patchpals.com, www.perfecteyepatch.com, www.framehuggers.com
http://www.bjortandcompany.com/
Prevent Blindness America Eye Patch Club:
http://www.preventblindness.org/children/EyePatchClub.html
Protective Shades for Infants and Young Children: www.eyescreamshades.com
www.jazoshades.com www.ebabybanz.com www.solobambini.com
Solo Bambini Eyewear for Infants and Toddlers: http://solobambini.com/
Too Young for Glasses? : www.visionre.net
Abilitations: http://www.abilitations.com/
Ablenet: www.ablenetinc.com
Adapted Learning: http://www.adaptedlearning.com/
Dragonfly Universal Access Games: http://childparenting.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dragonflytoys.com%2F
Dunamis: http://www.dunamisinc.com/
Enabling Devices: http://enablingdevices.com/catalog/toys_for_disabled_children
Family Village Adaptive Products and Assistive Technology: http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/at/adaptive-toys.html
Let’s Play: A Guide to Toys for Children with Special Needs www.afb.org/toyguide.asp
Playworks: http://www.playworks.net/
Talk Blocks: http://www.talkblocks.com
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/fall97/toys.htm
Toys R Us Differently Abled Toy Guide: http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=3261680
United Cerebral Palsy Sports and Leisure Guide: http://www.ucp.org/ucp_channeldoc.cfm/1/15/65/65-65/4185
Wonderbaby Sensory Play Spaces: http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/play-area.html