Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and training specialists at ICI are launching several new ventures aimed at supporting people with disabilities through the crisis.
Among other initiatives, ICI’s TIES Center is offering free distance-learning content on its website for teachers and parents who support students with the most significant cognitive disabilities as they manage schoolwork online.
Its long-running Check & Connect mentoring program for dropout prevention is helping mentors connect with at-risk students, many of whom lack access to reliable internet connections and computers.
DirectCourse, a training curriculum for professionals supporting people with disabilities, provides important content on staying healthy and managing stress.
“It’s been gratifying to see our investigators and trainers throughout ICI stepping up to support people with disabilities, families, teachers, and direct support professionals through this difficult time,” said Amy Hewitt, ICI’s director. “All of this work underscores our primary mission, whether in good times or crises, to fight for the rights and full inclusion of people with disabilities.”
DirectCourse training includes evidence-based information covering basic infection control measures for direct support professionals and the people with disabilities they support. Courses also cover stress management, nutrition, sleep, and exercise, said Jolene Thibedeau Boyd, who is part of the team that directs the curriculum. Content that is most relevant to the COVID-19 crisis is being identified and promoted to bring new staff up to speed quickly.
Through the Check & Connect program (C&C), ICI is creating forums for schools to share information on how mentors are accomplishing the key provisions of the program—personal interactions with students to boost accountability in school performance. Using dedicated Slack channels and online newsletters, they are creating new guidance to help mentors adapt to the new reality, said Eileen Klemm, director of C&C. Read more…
