NEWS from PATHFINDER By Melissa Fortson Tennessee Disability Pathfinder has phone, Web, and print resources in English and Spanish to connect the Tennessee disability community with service providers. Referral services, free of cost, are provided to persons with disabilities, family members, service providers, and advocates. Pathfinder is a joint project of the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development. Education-related Events On Pathfinder Calendar Tennessee Disability Pathfinder maintains the Pathfinder Disability Calendar, an Internet calendar of disability-related events. Organizations post events to this calendar, the most comprehensive listing of Tennessee disability events. The events below are just a sample of the more than 200 events currently listed on the calendar by over 70 individuals from across the State. For more information about these or other events, visit www.familypathfinder.org and click on “Pathfinder Disability Calendar.” Basic Rights—A Parent’s Introduction to Special Education Individualized Education Program (IEP) Preparing for Transition Evaluation and Assessments Adaptations for Promoting Play at Home & School Managing the Differentiated Classroom Instructional Strategies Inclusion and Least Restrictive Environment Supporting Positive Behavior at Home and School Working as a Team. And many more! If you would like to submit a calendar listing for a conference, training, meeting, or other disability-related event, please contact Ashley Coulter at ashley.coulter@vanderbilt.edu or 800-640-4636 (ext. 15). Resource Spotlight: Tennessee Education Resources These education-related resources—and more!—can be found on the Pathfinder Web site at www.familypathfinder.org . Disability Coalition on Education of Tennessee (DCE) A statewide alliance of family members, educators, state and advocacy organizations focused on bringing about positive change in the education of students with and without disabilities. DCE maintains an e-mail list to keep subscribers aware of educational concerns and happenings throughout the State. For more information, or to join, contact DCE at dce@dce-tn.org . Project LINK—Leaders In Education Networking for Kids A program that educates parents of children with disabilities about the special education process so that they may advocate for their own children’s education and assist other parents. Through the efforts of three regional coordinators, LINK strives to empower and organize parents to form local parent education groups, which can then be “linked” up with other parent groups and statewide educational initiatives. The project also works toward promoting school systems that are welcoming and include and support all children in general classrooms. East Tennessee Coordinator: Mary Ann Schenk, 423-267-0500 Middle Tennessee Coordinator: Loria Hubbard-Richardson, 615-215-2065 West Tennessee Coordinator: Treva Maitland, 731-559-4187 Regional Resource Centers Established by the Tennessee Department of Education, Division of Special Education, these three centers provide information and guidance to teachers, administrators, parents and others who have or serve children with disabilities. Centers are staffed with educational consultants who provide a variety of services, including technical assistance through management and compliance issues, and training in areas such as early childhood/preschool, secondary transition, behavior and autism services. East Tennessee Center: 865-594-5691 Middle Tennessee Center: 615-532-3258 West Tennessee Center: 731-421-5074 Support and Training for Exceptional Parents (STEP) STEP provides free information, advocacy training, and support services to parents of children eligible to receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). STEP services are available to Tennessee residents who are parents or family members of a special education student or a student who may need special help in school (birth through age 22). There is no charge for services to parents. For more information, contact STEP at information@tnstep.org or 800-280-STEP (7837). What You Need to Know About Special Education The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands publishes this free, easy to read legal help booklet. The 36-page booklet explains “how special education works in schools” and includes sample letters families can use to request testing, mediation or a due process hearing. The booklet is available on the Legal Aid Society’s Web site at http://www.las.org (click on “Self Help Booklets”) or by calling 1-800-238-1443. Stay Connected With Pathfinder Pathfinder publishes The Pathfinder, an e-newsletter containing information about program activities and other disability-related resources in Tennessee. Past issues of the publication are archived on the Pathfinder Web site (under Pathfinder Features, click on “The Pathfinder: News from Tennessee Disability Pathfinder”). To receive future news from Tennessee Disability Pathfinder via e-mail, please contact us at tnpathfinder@vanderbilt.edu . For Further Information Tennessee Disability Pathfinder (615) 322-8529 (Nashville area, English & Español) (800) 640-4636 (toll-free, English & Español) (615) 321-8834 (fax) TTY/TDD users: please dial 711 for free relay service www.familypathfinder.org tnpathfinder@vanderbilt.edu Melissa Fortson is information & referral specialist/program coordinator with Tennessee Disability Pathfinder.