Mar/100
Disability & Diversity at PDA
If you look directly under our company name and logo you may have noticed about a year ago we changed our slogan from “Ideas, Training and Solutions for Today’s Disability Professional” to “The Professional’s Choice for Disability and Diversity Resources”.
I must admit, I wasn’t sure it was a good change. We’d had the old slogan for 25 years, and it served us well. Why did we need to add ‘diversity’ to the mix? We have always been the ‘go to guy’ for all of our customers’ disability resources, would we be diluting a core reason for founding PDA by adding it?
In an effort to understand it, I turned to Google and Merriam-Webster for some help and found there are 2 ways to define ‘diverse’;
As an adjective:
1: differing from one another: unlike
2: composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities
And as a noun:
1: the condition of being diverse: variety; especially: the inclusion of diverse people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization
Based on either definition, disability is clearly, a dimension of diversity. Plus diversity is also a major management strategy for our customers. Companies employing people with disabilities not only increase their competitive advantage, they know the value and recognize the many benefits of diversity within their organizations. Managing diversity involves the creation of an open, supportive and responsive program that includes and acknowledges the talents of people of disability.
To that end, PDA has expanded their product line to include a new category exclusively for diversity related resources. And has recently added two programs created specifically to help employers manage diversity: We’re All Different: Diversity in the Workplace and Getting It Right: Disability Etiquette in the Workplace. Although We’re All Different barely mentions disabilities and Getting It Right focuses on disability, they both foster an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding. These training DVDs will help create a workplace that is accepting and respectful of differences, while at the same time encouraging employees to see the unique values in their co-workers.
So, did we lose anything by adding diversity to our slogan? Absolutely not. People with disabilities are our nation’s largest minority crossing all racial, gender, educational, socio-economic and organizational lines. Just like any business who adds diversity to its workforce and customer base, we are better and stronger.
Getting It Right: Disability Etiquette in the Workplace
http://www.disabilitytraining.com/product-info.php?Getting_It_Right_DVD-pid174.html
We’re All Different: Diversity In the Workplace
http://www.disabilitytraining.com/product-info.php?
We_re_All_Different_Diversity_in_the_Workplace_DVD-pid501.html
For the complete list of Diversity products:
http://www.DisabilityTraining.com/product-list.php?Diversity-pg1-cid43.html
Reference:
US Dept of Labor, Offices of Disability Employment Policy
http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/ek96/diverse.htm
Mar/101
New Resource – Fred’s Roman Holiday
Freds Roman Holiday DVD
http://www.disabilitytraining.com/product-info.php?Freds_Roman_Holiday_DVD-pid956.html
Resource #: FSRD979W
Fred's Roman Holiday DVD
Fred’s Roman Holiday is the story of an elderly man who early in his life was labeled with a developmental disability. His poignant return to Rome late in his life embodies the lost oppurtunities of a human being confined to a state facility.
The film sequel to the multi-award-winning film Fred’s Story (1996), in which Alfredo Calabrese described living against his will for decades inside Mansfield Training School – then one of Connecticut’s institutions for people with mental retardation. Fred shared the joy of the freedom of his new life once the institution had closed.
Opening scenes in Fred’s Roman Holiday reprise Fred’s Story to provide a context for Fred’s ordeal inside the institution. But Fred’s friend, Gayle Kranz, knew that Fred had a dream that went beyond those in Fred’s Story. She had met Fred at Mansfield Training School twenty years earlier and knew that Fred had always longed to go to Rome. To Fred, Italy was a magical place. Three years after the release of Fred’s Story she organized this trip.
On the way to Rome, the viewers meet Fred’s other traveling companions: Gayle’s niece, Neesham; Kathy, an academic in the field of inclusive education; and Fred’s close buddy and caretaker, Bob. These people join Fred in quest to find the office of Benito Mussolini, the disgraced dictator who had become the focus of Fred’s mysterious, lifelong fascination. Their collective search evolves into a profound exploration of what sustains a person’s strength through years of hardship, loss of identity, and institutional control.
When Fred last reveals the source of this ironic and misunderstood fascination, the viewer understands Fred’s attempts to cope with dashed dreams of romance and freedom. Fred has touched the hand of history, and he would never forget how it felt and how special he knew he was, despite all the world has done to him.
Mar/100
New Resource – Communication Skills
Communication Skills DVD
http://www.disabilitytraining.com/product-info.php?Communication_Skills_DVD-pid953.html
Resource #: HCCDC913W
VOLUME 6 OF THE COMMUNICATION SERIES
Communication Skills DVD
Communication is a process of creating shared understanding that includes speaking, listening, and non-verbal cues.
This program describes the importance of positive communication skills and teaches effective methods for creating clear, respectful exchanges.
When you train your home care staff in positive communication skills, it increases their ability to relate effectively and improves the quality of life for patient/client.
Topics covered include:
• Verbal and non-verbal communication
• Active listening
• Asking open-ended questions
• Clarification
• Pacing
• Obstacles to communication
• Communicating with someone who has hearing loss
• Uncomfortable conversations
• Honoring your client’s feelings
• Ageism: What is it? and How to avoid it
• Importance of professional appearance
Mar/100
New Resource – Autism & Asperger’s Syndrome: Addressing Sensory Issues, Brain Function, Social Skills, Job Skills, Medications and more
Autism & Asperger’s Syndrome: Addressing Sensory Issues, Brain Function, Social Skills, Job Skills, Medications and more DVD
Resource #: AASD099W
FORMERLY – WAY I SEE IT: A PERSONAL LOOK AT AUTISM & ASPERGER’S
Autism & Asperger's SyndromeDVD
Bring Dr. Temple Grandin into your home or classroom! She serves as inspiration and role model to hundreds of thousands of families and people with autism.
In this unique video, she eloquently and candidly describes the challenges she has faced and offers no-nonsense ideas on how others dealing with autism can meet these obstacles and improve the quality of their lives.
Backed by her personal experience and evidence-based research, Temple shares her valuable insights on a wide variety of topics, and offers useful do’s and don’ts.
Addresses:
• Sensory Sensitivities and Ways to Remedy Them
• Accommodating Neurological Differences
• Disability versus Just Bad Behaviors
• Alternative versus Conventional Medicine
• Employment Advice
Mar/101
New Resource – American Sign Language Clip and Create 5
American Sign Language Clip and Create 5 CD-ROM
Resource # : ASLF939W
VERSION 5
American Sign Language Clip and Create 5 CD-ROM
New Features for Clip and Create 5 include:
• Over 5,555 sign pictures (more than 1,500 new signs)
• Sign-O pictures are larger
• Print the User’s Guide
• Access the categories from Custom Print section
• More categories of signs to choose from
• Print the pictures in grid and individual form directly from the dictionary
The Custom Printing section allows you to create various types of materials (e.g., single and double-fold cards, stationary, 2-5 page banners, labels). Once you have selected the type of material you want to make, you can import sign clipart from the dictionary, use shapes or draw freehand, add text, import other images, and of course, save, and/or print your creation. A layering feature allows you to decide which pictures to move to the front, and which to move to the back. Each of your creations can be saved within the program, or as a bitmap, to be used in other programs.
ASL Clip and Create 5 contains seven templates that can be customized by using any of the vocabulary in the dictionary. Make your vocabulary selections, and get instantaneous crossword puzzles, word searches, SIGN-O cards, fingerspelling scrambles, and ABC order worksheets. An Alternate Display button allows you to retain the same vocabulary but create different worksheets. All templates can be saved within the program or as bitmap files!
There are four games on this software too:
• Con-SIGN-tration requires the player to match a sign picture with its English word equivalent. There are nine categories of words and two levels of challenge. The game keeps score of clicks and matches, and entertains with an animation when the game is complete. Because it randomizes every time it is played, there is always a new challenge.
• Spell Well can be played on any of six categorical gameboards. Use the keyboard on the screen or your own to spell the English word equivalent of each sign picture that appears. Your game piece will follow the trail until you reach the end, when an animation appears.
• Match Madness is a vocabulary matching speed game. You have four gameboard choices. Once you have picked your gameboard, you can choose your level of challenge by deciding how many words will appear simultaneously (2-6). Click on the word that matches the sign picture that appears. To win, make 10 correct matches before the third item drops.
• Sort It Out! focuses on categorization skills. A menu appears that asks you to decide the number of categories into which you must sort pictures containing signs and words. After choosing your number of categories, a screen appears with that number of categories and the names of the categories. The
