Self-Determination
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Description: If you receive a call, text, email, letter, or message on social media that: Threatens to suspend your Social Security number, even if they have part or all of your Social Security number Warns of arrest or legal action Demands or requests immediate payment Requires payment by gift card, prepaid debit card, Internet currency, or by mailing cash Pressures you for personal information Requests secrecy Threatens to seize your bank account Promises to increase your Social Security benefit Tries to...
Description: The Arc of Northern Virginia is pleased to provide these important resources on Supported Decision Making, made possible in part by a grant from the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. As a condition of the grant, and, for reporting purposes only, the ARC are being asked to collect demographic information. Once you submit your answers, you will be redirected to the Supported Decision Making (SDM) Resource Library where you’ll find factsheets and handouts on SDM, SDM videos and...
Description: The K-12 Inclusive Practices Guide is an informational resource to support school divisions and parents looking to improve outcomes for students with disabilities by meeting their needs to the maximum extent possible in general education setting.
Description: Impact Feature Issue on Self-Determination and Supported Decision-Making for People with Intellectual, Developmental, and Other Disabilities - This issue looks at how people with disabilities are experiencing self-determination in the U.S. and other countries today, and at the emergence of Supported Decision-Making (SDM) as one way to support individuals with disabilities to exercise self-determination. Articles include discussions of self-determination and SDM in education and human...
Description: The Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) program seeks to empower young people with developmental and other disabilities to further develop their leadership skills. Students, serving as Delegates from communities throughout Virginia, participate in a wide range of activities and learning experiences during this summer program set on a university campus. The Youth Leadership Academy is Virginia's premiere opportunity for rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with disabilities to...
Description: Self-advocacy is important for kids with dysgraphia in middle school. But kids this age can sometimes feel embarrassed about speaking up. You can help your child by rehearsing some common scenarios and responses. 1 of 5: Can I use Assistive Technology? 2 Of 5: Can I get a copy of the teacher's notes And more...
Description: This guide is offered as a free resource for attorneys who may work with people with developmental disabilities in the justice system. Our aim is to assist attorneys in understanding the possible presence of a disability in a client, how to fully identify that disability, and offer some ideas on appropriate ways to defend that person in a criminal prosecution. Cases are so individualized that this guide could never hope to be fully comprehensive, but it is meant to offer a solid foundation. The...
Description: We've broken down key ideas about how to support your child in their journey toward self-determination at school, home, and in the community. The interactive modules below can be accessed whenever it suits you! Being a parent is tough, and finding ways to support your child can sometimes seem like a big commitment. The Parent Path to Success gives you bite-sized videos that you can watch on your schedule. We hope these videos help you find small opportunities for success with your child!...
Description: Partnership for People with Disabilities (VCU) - More than 50 million Americans currently live with some form of disability. In Virginia, this means that one of every five citizens will have a disability or know someone who does. Everything we do at the Partnership is focused on supporting people with disabilities and their families to be fully participating members of their community. Our work focuses on the four major areas of emphasis of early childhood, education, health, and community...
Description: Finally, we come to the last of the IEP components—the transfer of rights at age of majority. This component is only needed in the IEPs of some students, as you’ll see. IDEA’s exact words What does age of majority mean? What IDEA requires How is the student informed?
Description: The One-Pager is a downloadable, fillable PDF file of the One-Pager - a tool to help others get to know the important things about you. Think about a time when you really wanted someone – a teacher – to know stuff about you but you really didn’t want to have to take the time and the words to explain it. Think about your IEP. How long does it take for anyone to look at it and find out the important things about you? The One-Pager was created as a way to cut...
Description: Goal Plan is a downloadable, fillable PDF file of the Goal Plan - a simple tool to help you set and attain goals. We are all striving to become better at something or to accomplish a goal. But how often do we actually sit down and plan out steps to achievement? Whether you are trying to improve your grades, or accomplish a life-long goal, the Goal Plan will help you get there!.
Description: The Good Day Plan is a downloadable, fillable PDF file of the Good Day Plan - a tool to help you design days that are perfect for you! Think about what a good day at school or work looks and feels like for you. Do you need coffee? Do you need to listen to music first thing in the morning, or do you need some quiet time to start your day? Does it happen now? If not, what can you do to make it happen? Who can help you along the way? The Good Day Plan helps you make and stick to...
Description: A Life 4 Me is a an online resource to help people with disabilities establish community connections, including social, employment, and volunteer opportunities. It was developed by youth with disabilities, in partnership with the Partnership for People with Disabilities and Virginia Department of Education. Video Tours Include: Go To College Get Services in the Community Live in the Community Work in the Community Friendship Support Entrepreneurship Economic/Personal Finance Mental Health...
Description: Community-based Skills Assessment Tool Kit - The transition out of school-based services for students with autism can be difficult. There is no "one size fits all" plan for the path to adulthood. The most important factor in creating a plan is to focus on the individual. His or her strengths, needs, challenges and preferences will be vital to a successful transition process. The CSA helps parents and professionals assess the current skill levels and abilities of students with...
Description: This web app provides online resources to help famililies raising children and youth in foster care and kinship care, where children and youth are brought up by non-birth parent relatives. The following topics are covered: Trying to Enroll a Child in School? Concerned about Learning or School? Concerned about Mental Health or Behaviors? Need Public Benefits? Concerned about Transitions Through School and After? Concerned about Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs? Involved in the Court...
Description: Student-directed IEPs are quickly gaining momentum in schools across the country—the proven benefits include higher academic achievement, enhanced student motivation, and increased communication and self-advocacy skills for students with disabilities. Now for the first time, there's a book that gives elementary and high school educators in-depth how-to guidance on making student-directed IEPs work for students with a range of special needs. Packed with practical advice, helpful examples,...
Description: As you get older, you’re able to start making your own decisions about a lot of things that matter most to you. You may choose your own clothes, music, and friends. You also may be ready to make decisions about your body and health. Making healthy decisions about what you eat and drink, how active you are, and how much sleep you get is a great place to start. Here you’ll learn how your body works—how your body uses the food and drinks you consume and how being active may help...
Description: LIFE stands for Living Independently, Focusing on Empowerment. Project LIFE is a UMFS program, funded by the Virginia Department of Social Services. Their mission is to enhance the successful transition of older youth in foster care to adulthood by: increasing the capacity of professionals working with youth to engage in sound, evidence-based practices, and promoting permanent connections, effective preparation for transition to adulthood, and meaningful youth input into state and local...
Description: Services for Older Youth - Youth services (also known as the Independent Living Program) assists foster care youths ages 14-21 in developing the skills necessary to make the transition from foster care to independent living. Independent Living services include activities that are based on a written assessment of life skills. Areas of focus include personal development skills such as self-esteem, communication skills, decision-making, conflict resolution and anger management. Examples of...
Description: Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice - The Reentry, Education and Intervention Division is responsible for meeting the needs of youth committed to DJJ by providing them with quality education, treatment and rehabilitation and reentry supports to create a seamless transition to the community. The Reentry, Education and Intervention Division is composed of: Education – Responsible for providing quality instructional practices and programs to improve student performance....
Description: The Virginia Department of Education is the administrative agency for the commonwealth’s public schools. VDOE works in partnership with Virginia’s 132 school divisions to support and improve teaching and learning, set high expectations for all students, and promote student safety, wellbeing, and health.
Description: The Executive Skills Questionnaire (ESQ) is designed to rank your executive skills. Executive function skills are mental processes that allow us to plan, focus our attention, recall instructions, juggle multiple tasks successfully, and self-regulate.
Description: Helping your child through the process of choosing a college, applying and then getting ready to go can seem like a daunting task. Like everything, it’s easier if you break it down. Here’s information to help you get your freshman-to-be all set for his four-year adventure. You will find: 9 Steps for Easing the Transition to College Typs of College Accommodations and Services Checklist: What to Ask Colleges About Assistive Technology Video: College Students on the Best Things Their...
Description: EZPic2Txt is a texting app that provides a simple picture-based format for individuals with disabilities, who are non-readers or who are not able to text using a standard touch screen keyboard. The user can send important preset messages (created by a family member, caregiver, educator or employment specialist) to necessary preset contacts as e-mail messages or text messages with one swipe. Texts sent or received by the user can be read out loud using text-to-speech technology. Messages may be...
Description: The POWER (Parent Organizer With Educational Resources) web app provides parents and families with online resources to answer questions about child development, disabilities, community services, Special Education, diploma options in Virginia and transition to life after high school. The questions and potential resources are separated into age levels: Early Childhood, Elementary School, Middle School and High School. This project is a collaborative effort between the Parent Resource...
Description: This online Applied Studies Curriculum Progress Report generator enables teachers to document progress on the domains and competencies contained in the Applied Studies Curriculum Map. Domains: Employment English History and Social Science Independent Living Mathematics Science Competencies: Employment Career Awareness Employability Job-Seeking Skills Problem Solving Self-Advocacy Social/Communication English Community Literacy Composition Comprehension Documents and Forms Self-Selected...
Description: Age of majority is the age when children legally become adults. At this time, they gain the rights of adults, which include the right to vote, marry, apply for a credit card, make medical and financial decisions for themselves, sign contracts, live independently, and much more. In most states the age of majority is age 18. We invite you to read this tip sheet for parents to learn more about: Who decides the age of majority The age of majority in your state What the transfer of parental...
Description: Age of Majority Overview (PEATC) - It’s hard to think about your child becoming an adult. The age of majority in Virginia, when your child turns 18, means that the rights, and responsibilities of being an adult pass from the parent to the adult child. However, there are ways for parents of students with disabilities to stay involved and to help ensure that good decisions are made. First, we will talk about educational decision-making for those students with disabilities who...
Description: The Toolbox for Self-Determination is a resource for parents to learn more about self-determination. It walks parents through the ways they can help their child become self-determined, and shows examples of the One-Pager, Good Day Plan and Goal Plan templates that can be used to aid in self-determination.
Description: The Center for Disability Leadership provides people with disabilities access to information and training, so that they may lead the lives they want. The Center offers training and information on: Healthy Relationships (LEAP) Health Advocacy Training (CHAT) The Inclusion Project How to Find a Job Other Resources
Description: DMV has taken numerous measures to ensure our customer service centers (CSC) comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and that our customers with disabilities have access to the programs and services they need. Assistance for Customers with Disabilities Customers with disabilities can easily request special assistance or accommodations by making their needs known when they arrive at the information counter in any CSC. A customer service representative will assist the customer with...
Description: The Art of Impact: A Handbook for Self-Determined Living - This e-book is your guide to self-advocacy and healthy living in your community. It will help introduce you to self-advocacy. Those of you who already know about self-advocacy can learn more about it. You can learn how to practice and improve your self-advocacy skills. You can also learn tips from veteran leaders. In the first chapter of this e-book, you will read about what self-advocacy is. You will learn about how people from diverse...
Description: The I’m Determined project, a state-directed project funded by the Virginia Department of Education, focuses on providing direct instruction, models, and opportunities to practice skills associated with self-determined behavior. This project facilitates youth, especially those with disabilities to undertake a measure of control in their lives, helping to set and steer the course rather than remaining the silent passenger. Much of our work comes from research around three psychological...
Description: The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C) is a Technical Assistance Center co-funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). Their purpose is to provide information, tools, and supports to assist multiple stakeholders in delivering effective services and instruction for secondary students and out of school youth with disabilities. Transition topic areas...
Description: Service Dogs of Virginia is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that raises, trains, and places dogs to assist people with disabilities. Highly trained dogs perform a multitude of tasks that allow greater personal freedom and independence. We serve clients residing in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and are based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Physical Assistance Dogs Autism Service Medical Alert Dogs PTSD Service Dogs Facility Dogs
Description: This is a resource from ADDitude Magazine. To download the resource you will have to enter your email address. Help your gamer pick programs that boost attention and executive skills. Many kids with ADHD love their screen time. This free download contains the best recommendations, with ratings, for the video and computer games to choose from these favorites: Bad Piggies Roblox Minecraft Portal And much more!
Description: The following transition tips were compiled from a survey developed by the Center on Transition Innovations and given to a diverse group of Virginia families whose children have experienced the transition from high school to adult options. These valuable suggestions can assist others in making informed decisions, advocating for improved services, and building upon school and community partnerships. 1. Love your child unconditionally, believe in him or her, provide encouragement, dream big! You...
Description: What do Teachers Need to Know?Providing opportunities for students with ASD to be as independent as possible will help to pave the way towards independence as they transition to adulthood. Consider the personal skills needed for independence: physical health, social health and community participation. Students with ASD often lag behind their peers in these areas. Providing strategies and practicing these skills while still in high school will help the student after graduation while at home, in...
Description: Advisory: This Fast Fact contains adult content and may not be suitable for all readers In today’s technological world, the Internet has become an important and growing source of information and connectedness. The Internet is useful for many reasons, whether it is being used to chat with old friends, find directions to a restaurant, or read a movie review. However, individuals with ASD and their families may face unique challenges when attempting to safely navigate the web. It is possible...
Description: This extensive resource page comes from the Military Parent Technical Assistance Center (MPTAC), also known as the Branch. The Branch is funded by OSEP to help Parent Centers increase their visibility with, and support for, military families within their communities. About the Resource Page and the Tools ListedIn this resource, the Branch has identified some cool tools for military children to help them grow essential self-advocacy skills. They’re aimed at children ages four through...
Description: Youth Resources - Working directly with young people is critical to understand how to best support them in their journey to become as independent as possible. PEATC coordinates a youth leadership team that meets regularly where you with disabilities voice their input and ideas, as well as assist with youth outreach and trainings. PEATC also conducts trainings for youth around topics related to transition, employment, and self-determination. PEATC values youth voices and creates...
Description: ATN/AIR-P Puberty and Adolescent Resource - Puberty can be a time of mixed feelings for parents and pre-teens. All parents eventually face the challenge of teaching their children about the natural changes of puberty. However, parents of pre-teens with autism may need the help of additional strategies to ease the transition. Our aim in developing this tool is to provide guidance on puberty that can be directly applied to pre-teens with autism. In doing so, we hope to increase families'...
Description: Traumatic Brain Injury - What College Disability Specialists and Educators Should Know about Executive Functions - DO YOU KNOW that deficits in executive functions, attention, and learning and memory are the most common cognitive problems after a traumatic brain injury (TBI)? In this document we explain what executive functions are, how they interfere with college life, and the supports students with TBI need to have equal access in college.
Description: This website sponsored by The Arc includes: Learn About Future Planning Planning ahead can help guide a person with an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD) to lead a good life as independently as possible. A plan is important throughout all stages of life and especially in the future after the parent or caregiver is no longer able to provide support. Build Your Future Plan To better serve families and individuals with I/DD in future planning, “Build Your Plan”™ is a...
Description: Justin George is a young man with AS and ADHD. He also has anxiety. This webcast will be delivered by Justin. In his own words, he will discuss how strategies, people and placements helped him move from middle school, high school and now to college. Strategies on how he moved forward, became more self-determined, and has used his interests and love of amateur radio and weather reporting to continue to become more successful as he progresses through his transitions in life will be discussed.
Description: Here are Mary’s Top 10 Tips on communicating with someone who has a disability. This video engages the viewer while educating them on the proper disability etiquette. This video is part of a series on disability awareness and inclusion in sports and physical education.
Description: Centers for Independent Living, often referred to as "CILs", are non-residential places of action and coalition designed and operated by people with disabilities. CILs work with individuals to promote leadership and independence as well as with local communities to remove barriers to independence. In Virginia, most CILs serve a planning district comprised of several counties. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) provide services to individuals with significant disabilities as well as to the...
Description: Healthy Transitions is a mobile app designed to help young adults with special healthcare needs build skills needed to gain independence and manage their own healthcare. The app features videos that explain how to handle real life scenarios and an interactive game to reinforce the ideas presented in the videos. The videos are categorized into four sections; healthcare, insurance, healthy lifestyles and relationships. The Healthy Transitions app is easy to use and can be downloaded for free...
Description: Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence - Executive function and self-regulation (EF/SR) skills provide critical supports for learning and development, and while we aren’t born with these skills, we are born with the potential to develop them through interactions and practice. This 16-page guide (available for download, below), describes a variety of activities and games that represent age-appropriate ways for adults to...