From January 9 -13, a Federal Site Visit Team from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was on island to assess Project Kariñu’s progress in developing and implementing an early childhood system of care. Throughout the week the Team, which included Ruth Ormsby, Site Visit Team Leader; Michelle Herman, SAMHSA Federal Project Officer; Becky Ornelas, Technical Assistance Coordinator, and Pat Baker, Parent, facilitated discussions around 11 areas of focus with Project Kariñu staff and community stakeholders. The purpose of these discussions was to identify successes and challenges in meeting the requirements of the cooperative agreement which provides funding for the initiative and to determine areas in need of further attention.

On January 12, CEDDERS Staff members, Bonnie Brandt, Evaluator for Project Kariñu, and Mariles Benavente, Project Kariñu’s Cultural and Linguistic Competency (CLC) Coordinator provided overviews of the Evaluation and CLC components of the grant which CEDDERS manages via subcontracts with the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS). Members of the Community Evaluation Advisory Team (CEAT) and the CLC Workgroup participated in these sessions demonstrating the high level of family and community involvement in these components. During the report out, the Site Visit Team acknowledged the commitment and exemplary work of these two groups in their development of the Logic Model and CLC Strategic Plan.

As described in the DPHSS website, "Project Kariñu is an early childhood initiative using a Public Health approach for children birth to five years of age. Project Kariñu will provide screening assessment mental health promotion and consultation, family education, and individualized services and supports." (Source: www.dphss.guam.gov)

In this photo: Ruth Ormsby, Site Visit Team Leader, present initial findings from Project Kariñu’s site visit with the community.

The Pacific Vision Instruction Program (VIP) recently concluded its fall semester with on-site instruction conducted by six visiting University of Massachusetts Boston faculty members at the University of Guam from December 29, 2011 – January 7, 2012. Twenty graduate students from American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and Guam participated in instructional seminars which focused on braille literacy, Nemeth braille code, abacus skills, and teaching orientation and mobility (O&M) skills.

During the fall semester, scholars participated in online courses in "Visual Functioning" and "Braille II," which concluded with an intense final exam in Guam to test student competency in reading and translating braille.  All passed the exam. Scholars will be reconvening for the spring semester on January 30, 2012 with online courses in "Implications of Low Vision" and "Physical and Functional Aspects of Visual Impairment."

Pacific VIP utilizes a blended delivery approach of on-line coursework and on-site required class/lab work on Guam, which will be enhanced by integrated field experiences coordinated throughout the academic program.  At the end of the four-year program, scholars will earn a Master of Education in Special Education degree, plus dual credentials in Teacher of Visual Impairments (TVI) and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) from UMass Boston with the goal of working with students with visual impairments in their respective island communities.

In this photo:  Pacific VIP graduate students (standing) take a short break to pose with UMass Boston and UOG faculty  (L-R) Darick Wright M.A., Laura Bozeman, Ph.D., Paula Kosior, M.Ed., Connie Guerrero, M.Ed. (University of Guam CEDDERS), Sandy Smith, M.Ed., C.A.E.S., Wendy L. Buckley, M.Ed., Robert McCulley, M.Ed.

Guam CEDDERS is pleased to announce that Carla Torres, MEd, ATP, Assistive Technology Specialist, received her Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) certification on December 12, 2011. This important credential is given by the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) to individuals who demonstrate competency in the field by way of examination.  To be eligible to sit for the exam, one must meet a minimum education requirement and have a minimum number of years of direct experience in providing assistive technology services.  

An ATP is a service provider who analyzes the needs of consumers with disabilities, assists in the selection of appropriate assistive technology for the consumer’s needs, and provides training in the use of the selected device(s). The certification promotes a standard for recognizing qualifications and validating broad-based knowledge required as the foundation for safe and effective service in the field of assistive technology. These standards aim to enhance service provision to people with disabilities who are seeking technology applications to maximize their ability to function in their environment. The credential achieved through the certification program promotes quality assurance for the consumer, is a source of pride for the service provider, and promotes a standard of professional practice for the field. (Source: RESNA website).

This special certification, added to her expertise as a Special Education teacher and the Guam CEDDERS staff member who has overseen the operation of the Guam System for Assistive Technology (GSAT) for the past three years, increases Carla's skills and capabilities in providing valuable consultative services to the residents of Guam and the region.  

Congratulations, Carla!!!

Orientation for Masters Program in Adapted Physical Education - Dec. 9. All individuals with bachelor’s degrees in physical education are invited to an orientation session for the Masters Program in Adapted Physical Education on December 9, 2011. Dr. Nathan M. Murata, Interim Associate Dean from the College of Education at the University of Hawaii, will be at the University of Guam on December 9 at 4:00 PM in Fitness Room 2 in the Field House to talk about the program, the requirements, admissions procedures, and benefits. The program is federally funded through a grant titled Project Adapted Physical Education for Pacific Islanders (APEPI). The grant covers tuition for two graduate students from Guam per year for five years to earn their master’s degree in Adapted Physical Education.

In an historic occasion, the first-ever diagnostic testing for hearing loss via teleaudiology was performed on an infant just under three-months old at the University of Guam on October 19.  Beta testing of the teleaudiology system began in June 2011 and "went live" with the first actual diagnostic test on an infant being conducted in October. The pilot teleaudiology project is an 18-month partnership between the Bill Daniels Center for Children’s Hearing at the Children’s Hospital-Colorado, and Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (Guam EHDI) at the University of Guam CEDDERS, with support from the Guam Department of Education, Division of Special Education. 

Through specialized equipment and software and a dedicated broadband connection, audiologists at the Children's Hospital-Colorado operate the Guam-based audiological equipment remotely from Colorado to diagnose patients for a hearing loss.  An audiometrist on Guam prepares the parent and infant for the tests and assists the audiologists as they conduct the evaluations via web conferencing software.  Currently two audiologists from the Children's Hospital-Colorado, Dr. Susan Dreith and Dr. Ericka Schicke, are licensed to practice audiology in Guam. 

The pilot teleaudiology project addresses the critical need for pediatric audiologist services in the Pacific.  Because of the project, infants on Guam who do not pass their newborn hearing screening can now be evaluated for a hearing loss before 3 months of age.  This allows early intervention services to be initiated, if needed, by the time the infant reaches 6 months of age, providing the infant and family the greatest opportunity for the child to develop speech and language in a timely manner for life-long success. Families will no longer have to travel off-island to obtain diagnostic audiological evaluations for their infants.

For more information on infant hearing screening, visit www.guamehdi.org or call 735-2466.

Read more at the links below: 

Marianas Variety News Article

Pacific News Center

National Center for HEaring Assessment and Management (NCHAM)
 

In this photo: Venerannda Leon Guerrero cradles her slumbering infant in her arms at the University of Guam CEDDERS testing center as she watches an audiologist in Colorado conduct a diagnostic test to determine whether or not her baby has a hearing loss. The remote test, held on October 19, marked the first technology-enabled distance diagnostic testing for hearing loss on very young infants, thanks to the Teleaudiology Project by the Guam EHDI project under the University of Guam CEDDERS unit.  (L-R) Venerannda Leon Guerrero, parent, Bobbie Maguadog, Audiometrist, Guam Department of Education, and Dr. Susan Dreith, Audiologist, Children's Hospital-Colorado.

Guam CEDDERS Associate Director June De Leon joins the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) in congratulating Arthur Albert, FSM National Special Education Director, on his October 18th inauguration as a 2-year term NASDSE Board Member. Director Albert is the first Pacific State Director voted into this prestigious position by his fellow State Directors.

The NASDSE membership of Special Education Directors and staff are committed to a performance-based educational system responsive to the needs of all children and youth, including those with disabilities. Guided by the Board of Directors and Members, NASDSE operates for the purpose of providing services to state agencies to facilitate their efforts to maximize educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Director Albert, a graduate of the Master’s degree program in Special Education facilitated by the University of Guam CEDDERS, will bring greater visibility to the needs of the Pacific as members of the national community and initiatives set forth by NASDSE. For more information regarding NASDSE, visit www.nasdse.org

In this photo:  Pictured at the NASDSE Induction Ceremony in Chicago held on October 18 are: Front Row (L-R): Suzanne Lizama, CNMI Special Education (SpEd) Director; June De Leon; Helen Sengebau, ROP SpEd Director; Miyai Keller, FSM National SpEd Data/Assessment Coordinator. Back Row (L-R): Steve Spencer, SDSU Interwork Consultant; Bill East, NASDSE Executive Director; Ruthiran Lokeijak, RMI SpEd Director; Arthur Albert; Richard Henderson, Idaho SpEd Director and newly installed NASDSE Board Member.

The 6 Pacific entities successfully transmitted the required special education personnel data through the EDFacts Data System during the “EdFacts Data Submission Follow-Up for Pacific Entities” session held at the University of Guam on October 21. EDFacts is a U. S. Department of Education initiative designed to collect and place state-reported K through 12 education performance data at the center of policy, management and budget decisions for all K-12 educational programs. The vehicle used to collect these data is through the Education Data Exchange Network (EDEN).

Guam Department of Education, Guam CEDDERS, Data Accountability Center (DAC), and the EDFacts Partner Support Center (PSC) continued the partnership established in October 2010 to support the Pacific entities address the IDEA 618 data submission to EdFacts. June De Leon from Guam CEDDERS and Jane Nell Luster from DAC were on-site, while Zach Arnold and Joe Murphy from PSC and Danielle Crain from DAC were supporting the session via teleconference providing immediate feedback on the individual entity transmissions of the required special education personnel data. Congratulations to ALL 6 Pacific entities for meeting the submission deadline for this IDEA 618 personnel data requirement!

In this photo:  Pacific entity representatives in attendance at the October 21 session include: Sitting (L-R): Angie Taitague, Guam; Suzanne Lizama, CNMI; Helen Sengebau, Palau; June De Leon, Guam CEDDERS. Standing (L-R): Jonathan Liwag, CNMI; Gerald Reyes, CNMI; Probio Cabrera, CNMI; Terese Crisostomo, Guam; Jane Nell Luster, DAC; Nora Pangelinan, CNMI; Miyai Keller, FSM; Lyliza Madris, Palau; Nora Renguul, Palau; Muasau Vaouli, American Samoa; Frank Horiuchi, Marshall Islands; Stanley Heine, Marshall Islands.

Guam CEDDERS supported the coordination of the October 14 Leader Summit for Pacific Special Education Directors sponsored by Don Johnston, Inc., a collaborative partner of Guam CEDDERS since the implementation of the Pacific Consortium for Instructional Materials Accessibility Project (Pacific CIMAP) in 2007.  Pacific CIMAP was an OSEP-funded grant which supported the six Pacific entities of American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI), Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and Republic of Palau (ROP) with enhancing their systems for providing timely accessible instructional materials for children with print disabilities. 

Top photo: Don Johnston, Inc. team members pictured with Pacific Special Education Directors (L-R) Ruth Ziolkowski, President; Mary Krenz, Director of Professional Services; Helen Sengebau, ROP; Yolanda Gabriel, Guam; Ruthiran Lokeijak, RMI; Suzanne Lizama, CNMI; Heidi Diskin, Educational Support Specialist; and Jason Burke, Educational Support Specialist.

Middle photo: Mary Krenz, Director of Professional Services of Don Johnston, Inc., (standing) facilitates a session during the Leader Summit on Assistive Technology and Special Education for CNMI, Guam, RMI, and ROP Special Education Directors on October.

Bottom photo: Pacific Special Education Directors take time to enjoy a Chicago evening at the University Club and Millennium Park with Don Johnston, Founder of Don Johnston, Inc. (L-R) Suzanne Lizama, CNMI; Ruthiran Lokeijak, RMI; Don Johnston; Helen Sengebau, ROP; and Yolanda Gabriel, Guam; with June De Leon, Guam CEDDERS; and Ruth Ziolkowski, President of Don Johnston, Inc.

Dr. Brian Que, a Pediatrician with the Guam Department of Public Health & Social Services and a former LEND trainee, conducted a presentation on "Developmental Screenings" for five University of Hawaii-University of Guam CEDDERS LEND trainees on October 14, 2011. 

The LEND program aims to train current and future leaders in the field of developmental disabilities, focusing on interdisciplinary strategies for improving services and supports for children and youth with special health care needs and their families.

In this photo: (L-R) Trainees Lynn Okada, Dina Fegurgur, Emma Gatewood, Carla Torres, Cindy Malanum, and Presenter Dr. Que.

It’s official! For the first time Guam has observed White Cane Safety Day, holding a proclamation signing on Friday, October 14, 2011.  White Cane Safety Day is a national observance celebrating the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired and the white cane, which is a symbol of blindness and a tool of independence.

In the presence of members of SiñA: Self-Advocates in Action, New Vision Guam, Guam Marianas Lions Club, Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities, Department of Labor, Guam Developmental Disabilities Council, Guam CEDDERS, and other disability related organizations, the Acting Governor, Ray Tenorio, signed a proclamation declaring White Cane Safety Day. The Acting Governor emulated individuals with vision loss by placing a sleep shade over his eyes and using a signature guide to affix his name to the Proclamation.

“Wow, I actually did it!” exclaimed Acting Governor Tenorio, to which SiñA President Lynn Tydingco said, “Now you really have to put on your sleep shade and join us for the relay and walk with the white cane.” “I’ll be there!” he replied.

Guam Marianas Lions Club President, Joe Besagar then presented 20 donated white canes to SiñA: Self-Advocates in Action for the Relay event to be held October 30, 2011. The Guam Marianas Lions Club, the Guam Running Club, and Guam CEDDERS are supporters of SiñA in holding a Power Walk and White Cane Relay to close out the month of activities observing vision loss.

In this photo:  Acting Governor Ray Tenorio signs the White Cane Safety Day Proclamation while wearing a sleep shade and being assisted by a signature guide.  (L-R) Lynn Tydingco, SiñA President; Ben Servino, Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities Director; Acting Governor Tenorio; and Lee Cruz, New Visions Guam President.