Disability Coordination Office ACT - Negotiating the Maze

This UK resource offers practical suggestions for developing embedded approaches and integrated practice in relation to literacy, language, numeracy and ICT. It also provides sources of further information and guidance.

Audience: Employers, Teachers, Teaching assistants, Trainee teachers, Training providers

The resource aims to support effective practice beyond initial teacher training and to provide a source of information for teachers at various stages of their careers and in different contexts. It is not intended to be absorbed in one sitting. It is hoped that all teacher educators, teachers, and trainee teachers will find it useful and informative as some point in their own learning journey, wherever and whenever they need it.

Content includes:

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/communityed/disabilityacces/da_employment.htm

Developed by the TAFE NSW Disability Programs Unit, Beyond Expectations features 55 video profiles of people with a range of disabilities who are making their mark in the workforce.

DVDs are available free of charge and may be ordered from:

www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=5_1_1&id=274

TechDis, in collaboration with E.A. Draffan, have produced a report on the provision and support of Assistive Technology (AT) in the UK. The report covers the assessment, funding and support of AT across an individual's lifetime from birth, throughout education.

Source: Higher Education Update - an edna newsletter, Issue 37 2007.  11 Nov 2007

The website also has a useful resource and reference subsection that includes the following categories:

The Mental Health Foundation updates its Directory of Mental Health Services in the ACT every 3 months.

The latest Directory, and a lot of other useful information, is available on their website www.mhf.org.au

For further details contact Rupert Gerritsen, MHF Community Information and Education Team on (02) 6282 6658.

Source: YC eBulletin - 15 November 2007

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) has published a Resource manual on violence against women with disabilities.

The manual is made up of the following four booklets:

Anthony Shaddock, Loretta Giorcelli and Sue Smith

This resource has been written for mainstream teachers who have, or are about to have, a student with a disability in their classroom. The booklet may also be useful for teaching assistants, parents and others. The resource is based on recent research and experience in schools and classrooms across Australia.

1.  Students with a disability in mainstream classrooms - theory and practice including:

• How Australian society is responding to "difference"
• The impact on schools and teachers
• What is driving inclusive practice
• What supports do teachers need if they are going to teach inclusively
  

2.  Strategies for teachers including:

www.reachoutpro.com.au
Reach Out, has released a new service - the Reach Out! Teachers' Network. 

The Reach Out! Teachers' Network is designed for teachers from a range of cross curriculum areas. Members will receive resources and information to assist in achieving learning outcomes and provide their students with information to improve life skills and help them through tough times. In addition, the network provides an easy way to stay up to date with emerging research about youth issues.

The website also includes ideas and tools for teachers to use with students to broaden their understanding of mental health.

Work Talk: Effective workplace communication with employees with an intellectual disability

This resource was produced by Wodonga TAFE in association with Aware Industries with funding from the Australian Government Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA).

Effective communication is critical in any workplace. The aim of the manual is to bring together information about and strategies for effective workplace communication in Business Services (supported employment). It focuses on the communication between the employee with a disability and staff who work with them.

Work Talk is designed to be used in a number of ways:

• As a self-paced, independent learning resource.
• As a resource for assisting to resolve a particular communication difficulty.
• As a discussion starter at a staff meeting. As the basis for short training sessions.
• As part of the resources used to run a longer/more comprehensive training program incorporating communications skills development.

The workbook includes sections about: