NDCO Training and Resources

Links to all of these training activities and resources can be found on the What's On page

Training/Activities Organised by the NDCO

• Accessing the Future: Assistive Technology in Education and Employment Forums:
  • Convenor 2003 (Newcastle & Gosford)
  • Convenor 2005 (Newcastle)
  • Co-convenor 2007 (Newcastle, Sydney, Bomaderry)
  • Co-convenor 2009 Forums (Newcastle & Sydney)
• Assistive Technology Workshops - held yearly
• Guest Lecturing to University Students on Assistive Technology
• AASE Special Education Conferences:
  • Co-organisation 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2008 >> more info regarding the 2011 Conference to be linked shortly
• AASE Seminars - co-organised throughout the year in role on AASE Hunter Executive Committee
• School Leaver Expos (Hunter/Upper Hunter/Forster) - 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 co-organised with School Leavers Committees
• Workshops/Seminars for staff and students on transition, disability awareness, employment pathways and other topical issues
• Discover the Benefits: Employing People with a Disability - annual training for regional employers
• Enhancing the Links Seminars

NDCO Resources

• DEN Email List - the NDCO established and co-ordinates the Disability Education Network (DEN) email list - 470 subscribers from Hunter-Central Coast region and beyond
• AccessApps Kits - a manual which includes two free flash drives featuring free assistive technology and other resources (more information on AccessApps www.eduapps.org). Manuals already distributed to most regional high schools
• School Leavers Directory - Post-school transition guide for two regions updated annually by the NDCO. 2,000 copies of the 200 page directory currently in circulation, and downloadable from website
• Factsheets
• Booklet - Your Right to an Education: A Guide for Students with a Disability, Their Associates and Education Providers (2007). Copies available from NDCO, and available online
• CD - Will This Help? which provides information on popular assistive technologies to use in education. Produced by Tasmanian NDCO, 3,000 were reprinted and circulated to regional staff in 2005, updated by Newcastle/Hunter NDCO and Ability Technology with DEEWR Project funds in 2006/2007
• Website - the NDCO has developed an informative regional website
• Student Email List - MovingOn established to assist leaving students to stay connected
• TechAssist Project - NDCO gained a grant in 2006 to pilot a service, in collaboration with Ability Technology, to provide information, support and advice on assistive technology

NDCO Resource Bags Provided at Enhancing the Links

These NDCO resource bags are currently been circulated to schools who did not attend Enhancing the Links... contact the NDCO for more details (Note entered: 21 October 2010).

• AccessApps Kits developed by the NDCO which include a flashdrive with 90 free assistive technology programs - more info www.eduapps.org
• Tips for Tertiary DVDs - featuring the teenage female comedian Rebel Wilson
• Get Ready for Study and Work - Top Ten Tips for Students with a Disability or Medical Condition - transition workbook developed by fellow NDCOs from UWS
• Steps for the Future DVD - computer game focussed on positive transition messages for young people with a disability
• Getting Students Ready for Life After School posters
• Your Right to an Education: A Guide for Students with a Disability, Their Associates and Education Providers booklet
• Choosing Your Own Path - postcards for the updated disclosure website
• Making it Happen: Work Experience for All resource to support secondary and vocational teachers in providing work experience/work placements for students with a disability - contains a CD with printable workbooks and resources targeted at teachers, teachers' aides, and students

Items Available for Loan

If you are a professional in the Hunter, you can contact Kay Dean via email (or phone 02 4921 8844) if you are interested in borrowing any of the following resources - more to be added shortly.

• How Difficult Can This Be - the F.A.T. City Workshop - DVD by Rick Lavoie: A compelling demonstration of how intimidating the classroom can be through the eyes of a child with learning disabilities. In this unique workshop parents, teachers and other professionals participate in a series of classroom activities that cause them frustration, anxiety and tension (F.A.T.) - emotions familiar to the student with LD. More about Rick Lavoie, who visited Newcastle - NDCO co-hosted seminar.
• It's So Much Work to be Your Friend - DVD by Rick Lavoie: This new resource concentrates on teaching friendship skills to children with learning disabilities to use in the classroom, the homefront, and in the community. To purchase this and other Rick Lavoie resources, go to the SPELD website.
• WYNN Literacy Software - demonstration copy: WYNN includes optical character recognition (OCR) and the ability to scan printed pages and convert them into electronic text. Speech synthesis enables this scanned text to be read aloud. Additionally, WYNN Wizard can read word processing documents, PDF files, text files, and the Internet. More information about WYNN.
• Beyond Expectations DVD - TAFE NSW Disability Programs Unit 2007 resource which has a series of video profiles of people with a range of disabilities who are making their mark on the workforce.
• Aspirations DVD - a collection of tertiary transition experiences from people with Asperger's Syndrome, also viewable from the RMIT NDCO website.
• Grasp the Nettle DVD - a collection of tertiary transition experiences from people with a Learning Disability. Copies to keep and some to borrow - email kay.dean@newcastle.edu.au
• disAbility Aware - Communicating Effectively with People with a Disability DVD - a 2006 resouce developed by the Illawarra Disability Co-ordination Officer.
• Deaf Role Models - Encouraging Access to Higher Education - DVD produced by Deakin University 2005, link to additional information from Deakin website.