Topic: Community Inclusion

Research data from 2006 finds that 72 percent of the developmentally disabled population lives in private homes, apartments or mobile homes. People with developmental disabilities may not be able to take life saving action in a timely manner in the event of a fire. Seeds Educational Services, Inc. (Seeds) has created a fire safety curriculum designed to meet the learning needs of people with cognitive disabilities. 

This program was made possible through a grant from the U.S. Fire Administration and in partnership with Fire Protection Publications and Oklahoma State University, the leader in fire safety educational materials. Pre and post-assessments found that participants could only answer 4.6 of fire safety questions correctly before training, but after class participation, the average was 8.1.  More significantly, 22 percent of the program participants knew what to do in a room full of smoke before training; post training, 91percent of the program participants could accurately demonstrate what to do.

All of the program materials including a DVD for purchase are currently accessible and can be downloaded from Seeds Educational Services, Inc.

The Safe People Folder helps staff teach the difficult concepts of “strangers” and “safe” people through a game-like visual tool.

Sample pictures of community workers are included along with step-by-step instructions for this easy to make teaching resource. 

One of the more difficult issues facing agencies is how to deal with relationship and sexuality issues. Person-centered planning might include the desire to have a relationship with another person that could be intimate.

Agencies that have no policy often provide a negative message to people with IDD and their staff or give no message at all and then staff impose their values. The YAI policy on Relationships and Sexuality was designed based upon a model that was shared by an agency in New Zealand. We needed a much more specific policy that dealt with a myriad of issues for people with IDD and their families, as well as staff. Please feel free to adapt the policy to the needs of your agency.

The Caring Curriculum is divided into five areas called activity themes. They are as follows:

• Caring for Self
• Caring for Others
• Caring for Animals
• Caring for Plants
• Caring for the Environment

Activity themes are reflected on the daily schedule as well as being implemented through incidental teaching and skill generalization opportunities.

Individual treatment plan needs are addressed through the Caring Curriculum activity themes. Activity themes can be expanded based on an individual’s interests and capabilities.

How do I safely and effectively prepare for and assist an individual in the community who uses a wheelchair?  This presentation describes how to plan for weather, wheelchair access and wheelchair maneuvers and locking.

The training also helps the learner plan how to find appropriate volunteer work for a person who uses a wheelchair.

Project HOPE, “Helping Other People Eat”, was set up to teach people how they can work together to help members of their community.  Groups put together bagged meals and deliver them to people who are homeless.  This is a wonderful program that can be easily duplicated!

Are you finding it a challenge to get support from community stores, programs and agencies for volunteer and recreational activities?

This training will guide you through the steps for approaching and recruiting your neighbors. Learn scripts and tips for timing approaches, what to say, how long to speak, how to energize without scaring people away and when to let things ride.

Open the door to a positive working relationship now!

Along with appearance, a greeting is a critical component of a first impression. Many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities make mistakes such as greeting a supervisor or acquaintance too familiarly.  This unit contains lesson plans, role plays and guides that will teach people with intellectual and developmental disabilities what to say and do when greeting friends, coworkers, supervisors, customers and job interviewers. It also provides tools for learning how to speak on the telephone.  This Greetings unit is part of the “Ready…Set…Work!” curriculum, which contains 31 teaching units.

Go ahead, take the challenge!  The Travel Safety Challenge is an exciting way to teach the skills necessary to navigate the community safely.
This teaching tool can be easily modified to meet the specific needs of your program.

The Pocket Shopper is a picture and sign language system that will help people with limited verbal skills or hearing impairments to become more independent shoppers.  Download the files below and follow the step-by-step instructions to put together this functional and fun to use teaching tool.
Simple but effective!

Use this creative “bus” to teach people the correct way to insert a Metrocard on a public bus. 

This tool also incorporates counting out quarters for a bus trip if not using a Metrocard.  This is a great idea!

The Community Training Game is a fun and interesting way to teach the skills necessary for successful use of the community.

Through play, learners can become familiar with program volunteer sites, rights and responsibilities and community awareness skills.

The only problem with this game is getting people to stop playing!

Create, share, cheer! 

Make and donate these fun kits to a hospital ward for children. 

Download these easy-to-follow directions.

You are going to say,“Why didn’t I think of that?” when you see this teaching tool for recycling cans. 

It is both easy to create and use.  Included is a checklist of tips for teaching recycling symbols, counting and packaging cans and more. 

Download the instructions below and you’ll be recycling before you know it!

Community + is a fun and educational game that addresses community resources, communication, weather, health, hygiene, and more! 

Download the instructions and materials list and you’ll be on your way to creating this exciting game for your program!

Are you looking for activity ideas that are user-friendly for staff and also creative, appropriate and functional for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities? This craft project not only promotes social interaction and cognitive development, but also creates a great way to package your holiday gifts.
These Take-Out Gift Boxes could be used to benefit local causes to your community as a fund-raising sale items or as a donation to a senior center or nursing home and used as a centerpiece.
The step-by-step instructions explain how to make this creative holiday gift box. Your group will love creating these extra special boxes to hold their treasured items.

Do the people you work with understand the difference between being friendly and being too friendly?  Do they know the appropriate times to socialize at work and the topics that are appropriate to discuss there?This unit teaches skills needed for appropriate socializing in the workplace.  Topics include the difference between a “home friend” and a “work friend,” too little versus too much socializing and the skill of small talk. This unit is part of the “Ready…Set…Work!” curriculum, which contains 31 teaching units.

The “Community Experience” is here to help you develop a community-based volunteer program for people with ID/DD.  Use this training to help your team to build new community partners, to become strong mentors and to better prepare the adults they work with for work and play in the community.

The training covers the philosophy of community inclusion, how to build community networks and how to implement successful community based activities.

This one page review sheet is an excellent reminder of safety procedures before taking people with ID/DD on an excursion. 

Keep it posted on your program doors and teach staff to check off and coordinate each item before going into the community.

The Pedestrian Light Signal is a creative tool for practicing safe street crossing without leaving the building!  Detailed instructions will help you to build a light with picture signals matching your local pedestrian street light.

Use this tool along with community practice to help consumers incorporate the skill of safe street crossing.

The “Getting Ready for Sunnyside” multi-sensory teaching tool helps groups prepare for their volunteer site.  It uses a simple and effective approach incorporating photographs and objects as a self-checking guide. 

This tool is easy to replicate and can be adapted for any volunteer site.

Have fun while learning essential skills!  This game is a wonderful teaching tool for learning money awareness and shopping skills. Learn how to identify coins/bills, investigate the relationship between money and making purchases, and make change in different combinations.

Tailor the question cards to meet the specific needs of your group.  When we use this game, we have to set a timer to end play because no one wants to stop!