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From the CEO

Truth be told, I am a Steeler football fan, so this year’s Super Bowl had little draw for me. But I watched anyway because the commercials and game would be the conversation on Monday. There was one commercial that stood out.

It was an ad that featured Owen. Owen has Escobar Syndrome, an inherited disease resulting in joint contractures and impaired muscle movement. He and others with upper extremity deformities were shown enjoying the world of video games.

I love that Microsoft developed an adaptive controller ($99.99). Millions of people saw that commercial and likely thought “what an innovative and empathic company”. I admit I got tears in my eyes.

After that commercial, I did research about Microsoft. They have a Disability Answer desk! Assistive technology is so critical for those with differing abilities. There are good videos to provide additional support. I learned that gamers with disabilities helped design the new adaptive controller. They even eliminated some of the difficult packaging (twist ties, hard plastic zip ties, etc) to ensure that gamers with limited mobility could be able to easily access the device without the need for help!

New Scholarship for Special Educators

We at AWS Foundation often talk of those we serve overcoming barriers to achievement. Our support lifts our grantees over their barriers. Those grantees help individuals with disabilities overcome their barriers. Now, we’re taking on a new barrier: having enough specialized licensed teachers in special education in Northeast Indiana. Through a fund at Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne, we now offer an annual scholarship to special educators seeking additional licenses to better serve their school districts. Let’s meet our first two scholarship recipients:

First Thoughts of a New Program Officer

Since officially beginning my job as the new Chief Program Officer on January 2nd, the words Independence, Inclusion, and Potential have taken on new meaning. Even though I have worked for 35 years in the field of disability and always supported those words in an educational setting, my new position allows me to see how they play out in everyday life.

From my current vantage point, I am seeing every day how the word ‘community’ is what brings each of those powerful words to fruition. As we build independence in our students, we are molding independent adults. As we raise our expectations and help students achieve their full potential, we are increasing opportunities in the workforce. As we work to create inclusive environments in our schools, we are leading individuals and families to expect inclusive communities.

Each grantee I am able to meet, each program I am able to visit, and each community member I interact with reaffirms that we are truly heading in the right direction. If we continue to honor and respect the potential of all individuals across the lifespan, we will continue to build schools, programs, and communities inclusive of all. I am excited to be starting my adventure with AWS Foundation and NE Indiana and look forward to working with you.

Education Series Part 3

For a special education student to succeed, educators and caregivers must effectively communicate and do their part. In this five-part series, you will see the perspectives of both an educator and a parent on how to keep a positive relationship to benefit the student. This series will also give advice on how to prepare and work for each student’s success. In part 4 of this series you will read about communication and follow up after a case conference. You can find parts 1 -3 of the series on our website.

Educator Perspective

By: Jenny Snyder

A foundation for a strong partnership is communication. While I have seen many teachers work to establish lines of communication, sometimes it is easily forgotten the impact our words may have on students and parents. It’s a very rare occasion when a teacher doesn’t have a student’s best interest in mind when communicating, but when we get too caught up in meeting compliance requirements, we can lose touch with which parts of the message are truly the most impactful to the child’s life … including life beyond school.

Parent Perspective

By: Risé Taylor

With a successful case conference under your belt, you probably want to know what comes next. It is important for you to follow up to ensure that your child’s IEP is followed throughout the year. This also means doing your part at home. Consistency is key for the educational success of your student. Here are some tips for staying on track and advocating for your child:

Priority Initiatives

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Office: 260.222.5005 | Toll Free: 877.799.5656

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