What Works!

We have many students who are getting older. It’s a time many of our families are looking at transition steps.  Some families are interested in employment opportunities, others in having their now adult children live outside the home with a little or a lot of support, and others just wish there was a place for them to go after school ends.  .  It is difficult finding quality options. Even if there are options, it seems ‘they’ want the ‘easy’ people.  (disclaimer: Now I move from the ‘we’ into the ‘me’ since Carole has been on vacation and I have been dealing with some ‘crap’ and don’t want to speak for Carole since I am hoping she is relaxed and positive).  So here goes…. I could argue now that there are no ‘easy’ people.  I could rant now because it has been one of those days where not a lot has been good in my small piece of the universe. Not catastrophically bad (thank goodness) but in the words of one of my favorite musicals- “No good deed goes unpunished” type of not good.  So, I am making a conscious choice not to go off  on all the things that are not going right because I do not want to spiral into despair and besides as I am writing, I keep thinking of good things (See you Friday, Speech Techie).  Here are some things that work for us:

WHAT WORKS?

Strategies:

• Visual Supports
• AAC Systems
• AAC Strategies
• Inclusion
• Positive Behavioral Supports
• Positive Feedback

A few Resources & Programs:

• Employment   Literally, from the segment ‘What Works?- Walgreens Rocks #1 and Walgreens Rocks #2;  AT WORK- Changing the Face of Employment; Step into Employment at the Dan Marino Center
• Think College– Tips and Resources for Individuals with Intellectual DisabilitiesNext Steps at Vanderbilt University,  University of North Florida Full College Program
• Miscellaneous but no less important– Oxygen Mask Project;  UM-NSU CARD

As I finish this up, I am definitely smiling, inspired, and re-energized. Please let us know what  works for you.