Library Hours

In observance of Memorial Day, CeDIR will be closed on Monday, May 30th. We will re-open at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 31st. Have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Beading to Beat Autism

Are you crafty? Want to help a young girl in Louisville, KY raise money for an autism research and treatment center? Michala Riggle is a teenager who has a brother with autism. She has already raised thousands of dollars to support autism research and treatment and wants to do more. Read all about Michala, her brother, and her nonprofit organization at: http://www.beadingtobeatautism.org/

Special Needs Registry Week

The City of Bloomington and Monroe County are promoting the voluntary registration of information from people with disabilities for use by first responders. The initiative coincides with May 23 through 29 being designated "Special Needs Registry Sign-Up Week." The "Special Needs Registry for First Responders" provides first responders immediate access to disability-specific information for use in emergency situations. Residents with disabilities are encouraged to sign up.

In the event of an emergency, information provided by residents lets emergency personnel know about visual, hearing, mobility impairments, dementia and developmental disabilities for those who have signed up with the registry.

"Anything that can help emergency personnel provide the highest level of care as quickly as possible is a big win for everyone," said Mayor Mark Kruzan. "This really is a great initiative that can affect the community in a positive way."

Individuals with disabilities or family members who would like to be included may register athttp://bloomington.in.gov/specialneedsdispatch.

The registration form may be printed from the website, completed and mailed to Bloomington/Monroe County Special Needs Registry, 220 E. 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47401. Alternative formats of the registration form are also available; paper, large print, Braille and Spanish language forms may be obtained by calling 349-3429 or e-mailinghuman.rights@bloomington.in.gov. Anyone needing assistance in completing the form may use the same contact information.

After registration, a City representative will contact registrants every six months to ensure the information is up to date.

"This registry is an extremely important step toward improving effective emergency preparedness for individuals with disabilities in Monroe County," said Katie Herron, Chair of the City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility. "Information gathered will allow first responders to maximize the effectiveness and quality of care provided. Having disability-specific information prior to arriving at the scene of an emergency could mean the difference between life and death."

For more information, contact Craig Brenner at 349-3471 orbrennerc@bloomington.in.gov.

Timer mobile app

Looking for a mobile app timer for a child with autism? Try Autism Timer. It clearly shows how much time has elapsed in bright colors, and three different times can be set at once. When time is up, it will beep/vibrate and the black and white checkered flag is shown.

Learn more about it at: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=409539780&mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D6#

Nurturing Narratives

Language and academic skills are important for all children to learn. But for children with learning difficulties, these skills are sometimes too complex. The book, Nurturing narratives: Story-based language intervention for children with language impairments that are complicated by other developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorders was developed as a story-based language intervention for children. It emphasizes comprehension, tailors language to the child's developmental level and stresses social engagement.

Email us at cedir@indiana.edu to check out this title. Or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Individualized Technology Plan Helps Student with Autism Achieve Learning Goals

Got a child with autism who is struggling to learn? One teacher aide decided to try using technology with a third-grader who has severe autism. His results were terrific! The child learned in two months what he hadn't been able to learn in two years.

Read the entire article at: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/05/individualized-technology-plan-helps.html

Bookstore galore!

Looking to purchase a book on autism spectrum disorders? Here are a few bookstores that may have just what you're looking for.

• AAPC Publishing at http://www.aapcpublishing.net/
• Amazon at http://www.amazon.com
• Autism Parents Bookstore at http://autismparentsbookstore.com/
• Autism Shop at http://www.autismshop.com/
• Future Horizons at http://store.fhautism.com/
• Spectrum Training Systems at http://store.spectrumtrainingsystemsinc.com/aubo.html

Of course, if you would rather borrow a book, give us a call at 800-437-7924 or send us a message at cedir@indiana.edu. We're happy to help!