• 
• How Can NSW NDCOs Help?

  We're a great contact!

  Read more... find your local NDCO!

  > Click here for more info

Staff Resources and Training

In the Newcastle-Hunter Region we have a professional email list - DEN-List - to help you stay connected to what training is occurring, what activities have been organised for students or people with a disability, and to link with colleagues and other services about a range of issues. There are also other links and resources that will be useful...

Staff Training

See the What's On page for comprehensive information on events and training organised by the NDCO and others within the Region. Upcoming events include:

• Enhancing the Links day for staff and people with a disability - details to be advised
• Proposed Australian Association of Special Education Conference

Staff E-Lists for Newcastle-Hunter

The best way to stay linked across the Region is to join one or all of our regional staff e-lists managed by the NDCO. Follow the links below, or email kay.dean@newcastle.edu.au to subscribe.

Are there central points for regional information?

• Yes… try the What's On page on this website
• Join den-list
• Summary of Regional Activities - below
• Participate in a free Enhancing the Links seminar - pathways information day run by the NDCO
• School Leavers Expos - come along to one of the many School Leavers Expos organised for the area - schedule on the What's On page

I have questions or need resources to help me in my work

• NDCO Program - read about NDCO Program services and resources
• Watch and use the NDCO Movie from our new State site - Your Own Path to Success (NDCO can provide copies, particularly useful for Careers Advisers)
• ADCET - try the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) - it really is a one-stop shop for professionals
• Creating Accessible Teaching & Support (CATS) website - provides information to assist staff in higher education to better teach and support students with a disability - relevant other sectors
• Working Together: Disability Awareness for University Staff - the University has a manual for staff working with students with a disability… a great resource no matter what sector you're in!
• Disability Education Standards - have a look at Your Right to An Education - A Guide for Students with a Disability, Their Associates, and Education Providers - download PDF booklet, or go to the website www.ddaedustandards.info
• Learning Disability Resources and Weblinks
• Opening All Options II website…. a key resource in the area of learning disability

I'm assisting students or people with a disability plan their next step

• School Leavers Directory - it has all the information you'll need
• Get Ready for Study and Work - Top Ten Tips for Students with a Disability or Chronic Medical Condition - NSW Version Workbook
• Get Ready for Study and Work - National Version
• Show the NDCO Movie from our State site - Your Own Path to Success - copies NDCO
• Participate in a free Enhancing the Links seminar (NDCO pathways training day >> more info)
• School Leavers Expos - come along to one of the many School Leavers Expos organised for the area - schedule on the What's On page
• Factsheets - have a look at the Factsheets prepared by the NDCO
• What's the Difference: School vs Vocational Education and Training vs University - factsheet
• School subjects you like and jobs they lead to booklet - have a look at this - it has charts that show where the subjects students like might lead to career wise - download PDF
• Towards Success - a series of study guides which contain study skills and resources for people with a range of disabilities
• JobAccess website - a one-stop shop for employers, co-workers, and people with a disability, supported by a free professional telephone information/advice service 1800 464 800 - link to Workplace Modifications Scheme

Transition Websites

• Get Ready for Uni  - NSW website for people with a disability preparing for uni
• Career Moves - NSW DET site for students with a disability moving to further study, work, or other program
• Year 12 - What Next?
• Your Own Path to Success... the new NSW NDCO website

Stories

• Aspirations - audio collection of tertiary transition experiences of people with Asperger's Syndrome
• Grasp the Nettle  - audio collection of tertiary transition experiences of people with Learning Disabilities
• Regional Student Stories

Disability Awareness

• Communicating with People with a Disability - easy to read short booklet
• DDA Educations Standards - one stop shop website
• What is a Disability?
• What is a Learning Disability?
• Choosing Your Path: Disclosure, It's a Personal Decision - provides information about options and pathways that people with a disability can use in disclosing their disability in post secondary education and employment environments

Inclusive Teaching Practice - Learn How to Be Inclusive

• Inclusive Practice is Good Practice
• http://www.cast.org - the seminal international website on inclusive practices
• Teaching Students with a Disability - go to factsheets on ADCET website, or consult the factsheets compiled with slight alteration by the NDCO. Prepared for university sector, but appropriate for all learning areas:
  • Teaching students who have a hearing impairment
  • Teaching students who have a learning disability
  • Teaching students who have a medical disability
  • Teaching students who have a mobility disability
  • Teaching students who have a psychological or psychiatric disability
  • Teaching students who have a vision impairment
• Working Together: Disability Awareness for University Staff - the University manual for staff working with students with a disability
• Fair Go in Training for People with a Disability: Meeting Your AQTF Obligations (for RTOs) >> PDF booklet
• Creating Accessible Teaching & Support (CATS) website - provides information to assist staff in higher education to better teach and support students with a disability - relevant other sectors
• Designing Accessible Student Support Materials and Instructional Media - how to caption etc
• Opening All Options II - Learning Disability Resource website

Assistive Technology

Also refer to Assistive Technology section on Useful Links and Resources page for more resources

Training

• Accessing the Future: Assistive Technology in Education and Employment Forums - held every 2 years in Newcastle and Sydney - very low cost and definitely worth attending!

iPods/iPhones/iPads/Smartphones

• The iPad as an Inclusive Device in Education *NEW Review* - Word Version  |  PDF Version
• iPhone and iPod Touch Apps for Special Education PDF 1.94 MB
• Guide to the Best Apps for People with Paralysis - Reeve Foundation website
• Why I Chose an iPad - using an iPad with a physical disability - view video from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation website

General AT

• Accessibility at the Centre for Learning Innovation - a blog to update NSW teachers on assistive technology
• Assistive Technology for Employers Book - a 2010 NDCO resource
• Assistive Technology Reviews by Gerry Kennedy (IT Consultant) - on the NDCO North Sydney-Central Coast's website
• Opening All Options website - have a look at the technology overview
• Workplace Modifications Scheme - financial assistance for workplace adjustments
• Hunter Institute Assistive Technology training day - Andrew Downie/Kay Dean
  Session Powerpoints (Warning: some included video clips may take time to download)
  • Overview of Assistive Technology - Kay Dean
  • Reading and Writing Assistive Technology - Kay Dean
  • Speech Recognition - Kay Dean
  • AccessApps - Kay Dean

AccessApps - freely downloadable suite of assistive technology

• AccessApps - watch the introductory video on YouTube to see how great it is!
• AccessApps - downloadable free software from this link
• AccessApps - User Manual - Word Version  |  PDF Version
• AccessApps - EduApps User Manual (incorporating AccessApps) PDF 5.37MB - an NDCO resource researched and written by Gerry Kennedy
• AccessApps Kit - resource developed by NDCO to accompany flashdrive with preloaded software. Available to Hunter staff by contacting NDCO
  • Section 1:  What is AccessApps?
  • Section 2:  Using the Flash Drive
  • Section 3:  AccessApps Guide
  • Section 4:  Making New Flash Drives
  • Section 5:  Downloading Other Suites of EduApps

Network

• Australian Adapted Technology User Group - an email list to ask those burning questions about assistive technology managed by Timothy Hart, NDCO North Sydney-Central Coast! Central Coast staff can link with Timothy....

Accessibility Guides - important information for staff!

Resources provided at the 2010 Spectronics Inclusive Technologies Conference

• Microsoft Word Accessibility - PDF 550KB
• Adobe PDF Accessibility - PDF 390KB
• Adobe PDF Easy Reading - PDF 393KB
• Making Your Presentations Accessible - PDF 485KB
• Using Digital Audio Recorders - PDF 380KB

Summary of What's Available in our Region

You can find more detailed information on the What's On page, and don't forget to subscribe to DEN-List so you can stay in the loop!