Posted on March 18, 2020 by naricspotlight
Life is
looking very different right now, thanks to the coronavirus outbreak. Many people are
staying close to home, teleworking or telelearning, and restricting their
social interactions significantly. During this unprecedented time, people may
want to explore opportunities to learn and interact online, and they may be
looking for activities they can participate in while keeping up the recommended
social distancing. We’ve gathered some resources from the NIDILRR community and
elsewhere which we hope will help you stay engaged, active, and connected to
your community.
Keep Learning
Online
courses, webinars, and programs can help you stay mentally engaged. Many of
these learning tools also offer continuing education credits which can be
applied toward certifications, memberships, and professional licensing.
·
The ADA National Network and its Regional Centers offer a wide variety
of courses, webinars, and training videos, from the Basic Building
Blocks of the ADA to architectural laws. There’s also a course geared toward
customer service professionals.
·
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on
Employment for People with Blindness and Other Visual Impairment has an Online Employment Preparation Program called Career Advantage.
Fill out the brief form to access this free course.
·
Are you a community mental health provider? The RRTC on Community
Living and Participation for People with Serious Mental Illness (TU
Collaborative) offers Jump-Starting Community Inclusion: A Toolkit for Promoting
Participation in Community Life for ways to support your
clients’ participation in everyday life.
Are you
a Vocational Rehabilitation professional? Try these course options:
·
Learn about evidence-based practice in VR from the
RRTC on Evidence-Based Practice in VR
·
Explore the VR Self Employment Guide and the Telecom
Toolbox from the RRTC on Place-Based Solutions for Rural
Community Participation, Health, and Employment
·
Sign up for online
short courses for VR professionals working with clients who are blind or have
visual impairments and their employers from the RRTC on
Employment for People with Blindness and Other Visual Impairment
Stay Active and Engaged Close to Home
We may
not be able to go to our favorite gym or exercise class, but we can still be
active and stay within the recommended guidelines.
·
Create a virtual wellness group with this Wellness Activity Manual from the RRTC on
Integrated Health Care and Self-Directed Recovery.
·
Explore resources for exercise and physical activity after spinal
cord injury or burn injury from the Model Systems Knowledge
Translation Center (MSKTC).
·
Check out assistive technology guides for sewing, drawing and painting, gardening, video gaming and exergaming, and working out, from AbleData.
Connect to the Community Virtually
Many of
us are turning to our social media feeds and our email inboxes to stay
connected to friends, family, and coworkers. It can also be useful for
researchers who want to get their research results into the community without
traveling to conferences and meetings.
·
The TU Collaborative guides you through Using Social Media to Enhance Community Participation.
·
The Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research
hosted a webcast How Can Social Media be Useful to You, covering how
social media and learning networks can be used to increase researchers’
connections.
·
MSKTC also shares resources
for researchers on planning, using, and measuring social media
for knowledge translation.
Consider Online Participation in Research
From
surveys to phone or web interviews, there are many ways to participate in ongoing research that
can benefit you and your community without leaving home. We regularly feature
these opportunities in our News and Notes from the NIDILRR Community and Beyond
weekly newsletter. Here are just a few currently recruiting participants:
·
The Survey of User Needs at the Rehabilitation
Engineering Research Center for Wireless Inclusive Technologies is an ongoing
survey that asks participants about the mobile and communication technology
they use, how they use it, and whether or not it meets their access needs.
·
MSKTC is recruiting occupational therapists to help test a knowledge translation
course.
·
OSU Nisonger Rehabilitation Research and Training Center: Can
You Hear Me Now? Listening to People with Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities in Health Research is conducting a survey of the practices and accommodations used by mental health
professionals who provide treatment to adults with intellectual disabilities.
·
The Southwest ADA Regional Center is conducting a survey
to investigate the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to
understand how far we’ve come and where we have room to improve.
In
addition to these resources from the NIDILRR grantee community, you might want
to explore these websites from other agencies, organizations, and national
sites:
·
National
Park Service – find and virtually explore national parks nearby
and far away, learn about discount programs for seniors and people with
disabilities.
·
Smithsonian
Institutions – virtually explore the Smithsonian’s collections
and exhibits, plan a future trip, visit the Science Education Center for
fun games to play online.
·
National
Gallery of Art – virtually explore the exhibits, find lessons
and online courses for adults and kids.
·
National
Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability – find
articles, videos, and more to keep you healthy, active, and engaged.
·
211.org –
the Information and Referral community is fully engaged in helping people
connect to help in their community. Call 211 or visit 211.org to find your
local help line, speak with a community resource specialist, and find the
support you need.
·
National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled –
NLS is a free braille and talking book library service for people with
temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, or a physical disability that
prevents them from reading or holding the printed page.
We hope
you and your community remain healthy, active, and connected during this stressful
time. Please contact our information specialists if we can be of any
assistance!
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