IN*SOURCE

Autism Spectrum Disorder & Social Interaction Skills

Wilner Cusic from IN*SOURCE speaks with Lynn Sayre from the Sonya Ansari Center for Autism. Lynn is a licensed social worker with a master's degree from Indiana University South Bend. She is in charge of the social skills program at the autism center. The conversation focuses on the challenges of effective social interaction for individuals on the autism spectrum and supports and learning strategies that help strengthen interaction skills.

The Transition IEP

Sally Hamburg from IN*SOURCE speaks with Dr. Teresa Grossi, Director of the Center on Commuity Living and Careers at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community (IIDC) at Indiana University. The conversation, the second of two in series with Dr. Grossi, focuses on the topic of the Transition IEP and the roles of the students, parents, and schools in the development and implementation of this IEP for high school students. To contact Dr. Grossi, e-mail her at tgrossi@indiana.edu and visit the IIDC website at www.iidc.indiana.edu. For more information on IN*SOURCE, visit www.insource.org.

Planning for Transition

Sally Hamburg from IN*SOURCE speaks with Dr. Teresa Grossi, Director of the Center on Commuity Living and Careers at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community (IIDC) at Indiana University. The conversation, the first of two in series with Dr. Grossi, focuses on the many considerations involved in planning for the transition of students from high school to adult life. To contact Dr. Grossi, e-mail her at tgrossi@indiana.edu and visit the IIDC website at www.iidc.indiana.edu. For more information on IN*SOURCE, visit www.insource.org.

Charter Schools in Indiana

Mary Lovett speaks with Dr. Bob Marra, Special Education Coordinator in the Office of Charter Schools at Ball State University. Their conversation deals with the basics of a charter school, and what exactly a charter school has to offer to a student with special needs. To contact Dr. Marra, send him an email at ramarra@bsu.edu. To learn more about the Office of Charter Schools at Ball State University, visit www.bsu.edu/teachers/charter/

Post-Secondary Education Programs

John Dickerson, the Executive Director of the Arc of Indiana, speaks with IN*SOURCE regional staff member Mary Delaney. John has served as the Executive Director of the Arc of Indiana since 1983. Their conversation is on the topic of post-secondary education programs for for adults with intellectual disabilities. John and a committee have been researching the possibility of encorporating post-secondary education programs into colleges and universities around the United States. To visit the forum on post-secondary education mentioned in the podcast, visit http://www.dsindiana.org/systemLogin.php?url=blog and create a user name and password to log into the Down Syndrome Indiana forum.

The PATINS Project

A discussion with Daniel McNulty, a site coordinator for the PATINS Project. The Mission of PATINS is to provide access to technology tools and instruction on Universal Design for Learning, so every student can participate and progress within the general curriculum. The PATINS Project is designed to impact both the organizational capacities of local public schools and the professional capabilities of school staff in the delivery of assistive technology services and the implementation of Universal Design for Learning Principles. PATINS has established lending libraries at each of our five operational sites. Equipment, software, videos, and print materials are available to public school staff for preview and evaluation purposes. In addition, PATINS offers workshops, both onsite and offsite, and offers technical assistance to local school personnel on specific devices. PATINS also provides refurbished computer technology to qualifying public schools for use with disabled, disadvantaged, and/or at-risk students. For more information on the PATINS Project, visit their website at www.patinsproject.com. For more information on IN*SOURCE, visit the website at www.insource.org.

Disproportionality in Schools

A discussion with Shana Ritter, the project coordinator of the the Equity Project, on disproportionality in schools. The Equity Project is a consortium of projects dedicated to providing high quality data to educational decision-makers in order to better understand and address issues regarding educational equity and bridge the gap between research and practice. Our mission is to provide evidence-based information specific to issues of school discipline, school violence, special education and equality of educational opportunity for all students. In addition, the project provides support and technical assistance to educational agencies seeking to create equitable school systems. The Equity Project supports educators and educational institutions in developing and maintaining safe, effective, and equitable learning opportunities for all students. For more information on the Equity Project and disproportionality, please visit their website at http://iub.edu/~safeschl/equity/. For more information on IN*SOURCE, visit the website at www.insource.org.