A priority of Florida Center for Inclusive Communities is to improve access to effective educational supports for individuals with developmental disabilities. This priority is accomplished by ensuring that education personnel have access to research, training, and support to promote inclusion, provide positive behavior support and implement evidence-based practices in autism and related disabilities. In this section, we invite you to explore the programs and resources through which we deliver our technical assistance, training, research, and information dissemination efforts.
Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities provides support and assistance with the goal of optimizing the potential of people with autism and related disabilities. Our CARD consultants work with schools to provide specific strategies and resources to meet an individual's needs. Technical Assistance is a service, provided by CARD, to schools supporting students on the autism spectrum. The focus of technical assistance is on building capacity with a teacher and/or team around an entire classroom issue or concern. Technical Assistance does not focus on an individual student. Training is provided by CARD to schools on topics of importance to those involved with individuals with autism and other related disabilities. The focus of training is on awareness, skill development and enhancement, systems change, and capacity building. For more information contact Mary-Kay Bunton-Pierce.
Collaborative on Discovery & Innovation in Employment (CODIE)
CODIE is funded by the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council to build the capacity of competitively selected school professionals and community action teams to use the Discovery process in supporting youth and adults with disabilities in achieving customized employment. CODIE trains county-based teams, provide technical assistance to teams as to the use the DPG process, and has developed learning collaborative to support teams in achieving optimal transition and employment outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities (DD). CODIE staff members provide systematic training, mentoring, and ongoing technical assistance to ensure that teams can implement the Discovery process with fidelity to the values, procedures, and intent of the model. For more information, please contact Nila Benito or Brenda Clark.
Congratulations to Brevard County and St. John's County Public Schools on their selections as implementation teams for the Collaborative on Discovery and Innovation in Employment (CODIE) Year 2. |
Florida’s Positive Behavior Support Project
The Florida’s Positive Behavior Support Projectprovides training and technical assistance to increase the capacity of Florida school districts to implement evidence-based practices for supporting students with and without disabilities who are exhibiting problem behaviors. The FLPBS Project provides training to district and school personnel in developing, implementing and evaluating a multi-tiered system of supports school-wide, targeted group, classroom, and individual levels of PBS. Technical assistance activities include the dissemination of data, newsletters, effective practices and web-based resources. For more information contact Don Kincaid.
School-to-Adult Life - career advice for students with disabilities who are getting ready to graduate, and information and resources for families, and transition professionals who support those who are getting ready to graduate. This website portal is designed to provide information to guide decision making about a student’s transition from a Florida high school to post-school adult life. This site also features web courses, student learning games, family social networking, interactive animation, discussion board, success stories, student mini-courses, and frequently asked questions.
Interdisciplinary Center for Evaluation and Intervention (ICEI)
ICEI is a Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources (FDLRS) specialized clinic in the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences (CBCS), Department of Child and Family Studies, Division of Applied Research and Educational Support. The Center, funded by the Florida Department of Education, is a specialized diagnostic and training center that serves preschool and school-aged students (ages 3-22) having autism spectrum disorders, serious behavioral/social/emotional challenges, and other complex conditions. This specialized clinic collaborates with schools, community agencies, and families to implement evidence-based interventions with fidelity. The ICEI team includes professionals from the discipline areas of applied behavior analysis, psychology, communication disorders, family science, pediatrics, psychiatry, social work, special education. For more information contact Rose Iovannone.
Partnership for Effective Programs for Students with Autism (PEPSA)
Offering professional development opportunities and building capacity among educators working with students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) across the state is essential to the PEPSA mission. The Partnership Program is funded by the Florida Department of Education, K-12 Public Schools, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services, and is designed to provide training and technical assistance to teachers or a school program that wishes to enhance their educational program for students with ASD. Each teacher or school will be matched to a Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) professional who will mentor the teacher or school staff in developing a plan for implementing innovative and effective practices within educational programs for students with autism. The project also provides opportunities for educators to receive professional development on the very specialized subject area of educational programs for students with ASD and to provide an in-service training mechanism that would ensure that research based practices are implemented and evaluated within classrooms. For more information, please contact Donna Casella.
Technical Assistance Center for Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS)
This program is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs. The overall goals of the Technical Assistance Center for Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) are to:
Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children
The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) was funded by the Office of Special Education Programs to identify, disseminate, and assist with the implementation of the most successful, evidence-based practices available to improve the social, emotional, and behavioral functioning of young children with or at risk for delays or disabilities. TACSEI offers information, training opportunities, materials, and technical assistance related to the implementation of the Pyramid Model for promoting young children's social emotional competence and addressing challenging behavior within early intervention and early childhood programs. The TACSEI web site offers a rich array of resources for families, professionals, trainers, and system administrators. Contact Lise Fox for more information.
The Learning Academy at the University of South Florida is a 30 week program designed to provide a structured employment-focused curriculum for individuals diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, between the ages of 18-25 after they have graduated from high school. Participants engage in multiple career assessment activities to identify their strengths, skills, talents, interest and learn how they translate to work. Real life experiences and expectations through internships and peer mentoring complement the class work to provide generalization of skills and support personalized goals. For more information, please contact Susan Richmond.
Behavior Support
 |
FCIC Fact Sheet: Inclusion Works for All This fact sheet provides information about inclusion, self-determination, and the supports needed to ensure inclusion happens. |
 |
FCIC Fact Sheet: Individualized Positive Behavior Support This fact sheet provides information about the PBS process and effectiveness in schools, as well as critical elements to sucessful application and a variety of FCIC programs. |
 |
Two videos describe the multi-tiered approach to behavior that is supported by the FLPBS Project: Discovering School-wide PBS: Moving Towards a Positive Future & Response to Intervention for Behavior. Watch videos. |
 |
Implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Support for Behavior: A Practical Guide This manual is a resource for school, district and state personnel to follow in developing and implementing a multi-tiered support system (MTSS). The manual provides the background and key components of MTSS for behavior and describes implementation guidelines, data collection and documentation requirements, and systems changes that are required to support MTSS for behavior. |
 |
Family Involvement in Functional Assessment Family Involvement in Functional Assessment provides information on promoting family involvement in the functional assessment and behavior support process. A manual that school can use may be downloaded here. |
Sexuality Education
 |
Sexuality & Developmental Disabilities Across the Lifespan The subject of sexuality can be daunting. Add to the mix a physical or cognitive disability and you may find yourself feeling totally unprepared to deal with the subject matter. Staff from the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities collaborated with the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council and the Center on Intellectual Disabilities at the University of Albany to create an easy to use workbook for families and educators of individuals with developmental disabilities. The Instructional Manual and the accompanying Resource Guides are designed to help educators and family members assist individuals with developmental disabilities in their exploration of self and sexuality.
|
This page includes links to both internal (FCIC) and external (non-FCIC) websites. External links are selected and reviewed when the page is published. However, the FCIC is not responsible for the content of external websites. The FCIC website does not accept submissions or requests.
Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services
Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services administers programs for students with disabilities. Additionally, the bureau coordinates student services throughout the state and participates in multiple inter-agency efforts designed to strengthen the quality and variety of services available to students with special needs. This web site provide state ESE policy documents, annual reports, and other information related to the implementation of special education and related services in Florida schools.
National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB)
The purpose of the National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness is two-fold. The first purpose is to promote academic achievement and results for children and youth (birth-26) who are deaf-blind through technical assistance, model demonstration, and information services activities that are supported by evidence based research. Beneficiaries will include families, service providers, state deaf-blind projects, state and local education agencies and other organizations responsible for providing early intervention, education and transition services. The second purpose is to help address State identified needs for highly qualified personnel by ensuring that personnel have skills and knowledge.
This site was created to provide a "one-stop shop" for resources related to IDEA and its implementing regulations. The site provides searchable versions of IDEA and the regulations, access to cross-referenced content from other laws (e.g., the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), etc.), video clips on selected topics, topic briefs on selected regulations, links to OSEP's Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA&D) Network and a Q&A Corner where you can submit questions, and a variety of other information sources.
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilties
NICHCY is very pleased to offer you a wealth of information on disabilities! We serve the nation as a central source of information on disabilities in infants, toddlers, children, and youth. Here, you’ll also find easy-to-read information on IDEA, the law authorizing early intervention services and special education. Our State Resource Sheets will help you connect with the disability agencies and organizations in your state.
Department of Education resources for teachers who want to make a difference.
Education Resources Information Center (ERIC)
The Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) is an internet-based digital library of education research and information sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education. ERIC provides access to bibliographic records of journal and non-journal literature from 1966 to the present.
What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) was created in 2002 to be a central and trusted source of scientific evidence for what works in education. The high volume of research on different programs, products, practices, and policies in education can make it difficult to interpret and apply the results. WWC reviews the research and then seeks to answer the question “What works in education?”. The goal is to provide educators with the information they need to make evidence-based decisions.
Trainings
PEPSA Professional Development Opportunities
The Partnership for Effective Programs for Students offers regional trainings throughout the state of Florida to ensure access and professional development on diverse topics. All trainings are FREE but pre-registration is required. To learn more, visit PEPSA’s Training Calendar.
Education Webinars
Seclusion and Restraint: Concerns and Solutions
Presenter(s): F.Daniel Armstrong, Mailman Center for Child Development; Lise Fox, Florida Center for Inclusive Communities; Margaret Hooper, Florida Developmental Disabilities Council; and Sylvia Smith, Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc.
Date: February 8, 2010Duration: 28 min
| A DD Act Agency Collaborative Event |     |
Description: Families, educators, advocates and students are becoming increasingly concerned about the use of seclusion and restraint in school settings. In Florida, there are documented cases where seclusion and restraint has been used with disastrous and tragic consequences. This panel discussed the concerns related to the use of seclusion and restraint; provide information on its use within Florida Schools, and presented current efforts for ensuring how schools can provide effective and safe behavior intervention procedures including proposed state legislation, resources and training opportunities.
| Related Materials: |
Department of Child & Family Studies • College of Behavioral & Community Sciences • University of South Florida
Copyright 2011 © All rights reserved. Contact webmaster.
FYI Transition
The Learning Academy at USF