Category Archives: Accessibility

All Header Images © Daniel Voegelin http://www.danvoegelin.com/  
 
11/14/20

Inclusive Fitness

 Inclusive Fitness, founded by Greg Austin, is a fitness program and center dedicated to helping neurodiverse people and their families and other caregivers create healthy lifestyles.

They have opened the first IF location in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. Our 8,700 square foot facility is designed for in-person one-on-one and small-group training for both neurodiverse and neurotypical athletes. In addition to in-person training, they offer online and hybrid programs.

Their team of trainers, in addition to holding accredited Personal and Group training certifications, are all Autism Fitness Certified Professionals with experience working with both neurodiverse and neurotypical populations. They are athletes, parents, educators, professionals, and friends of the neurodiverse community, each with a vested interest in enhancing the fitness and wellness experience for these inspiring athletes and their families.

President & CEOGreg Austin

Phone: 617-706-7904

Mobile: 857-207-8431

Email: greg.austin@inclusivefit.net

 http://www.inclusivefit.net

10/23/20

Story Time: “Accessibility Matters” Disabilities Month

Pickney Time Story Time Caribbean Children’s Afterschool Program Program 1 – October 28, 2020
Co-Hosted by Andrew Sharpe & Miranda Alexander Theme: “Accessibility Matters” Disabilities Month | Kweyol Heritage Month | Calypso History Month Disability Featured – Visual or Sensory Impairment – Blindness.

Register Here

Pickney Time | Story Time

Program Themes & Sub-Topics:

 

Program 1 – October 28 – “Accessibility Matters” – Disabilities Awareness Month – October 2020 Differently-Abled Inclusion – Visual or Sensory Impairment – Blindness Featured Books – Anya goes to Jamaica by Nikko M. Fung Chung | Yes I Can: A Girl and her Wheelchair by Kendra J. Barrett | All Because You Matter by Tami Charles

 

Program 2 – November 11 – “Growing Stronger” – Indigenous People/Food Security Differently-Abled Inclusion – Auditory Disability – Hearing Impaired Featured Books: The Little Red Hen by Jerry Pickney | Fruits: A Caribbean Counting Poem by Valerie Bloom | A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennet Coverley Found Her Voice by Nadia L. Hohn

 

Program 3 – November 25 – “Turkey Thursday” – Celebrate Thanksgiving Differently-Abled Inclusion – Intellectual Disability – IEP Special Learning and Dyslexia Featured Books: Don’t Call Me Special | Mama God Papa God A Caribbean Tales by Richardo Keens-Douglas | Did you say Pasghtti? Dusty and Danny tackle Dyslexia by Tammy Fortune | Turkey Hokey Pokey

 

Program 4 – December 9 – “Go For the Torch” – Special Olympics Differently-Abled Inclusion – Physical Disability Featured Books: Don’t Call Me Special by Pat Thomas | We All Sing with the Same Voice by J. Philip Miller and Shep Greene (video)

Activities: Miniature Games | Arts & Craft Activities

09/25/20

Waypoint Adventure

PRIVATE LESSONS

Private or Semi-Private lessons have launched in response to Covid-19 and have been a great way to continue the mission of providing access to the outdoors! We believe in the power of the outdoors and know that adventure can bring about healthy change in people’s mental and physical lives. We hope you’ll consider signing up for a Private Lesson with one of our staff or trip leaders and participate (with guidelines) in an outdoor excursion that helps you get exercise, fresh air, and a mental-health boost!

All Waypoint programs are uniquely adapted to accommodate people with a wide range of disabilities. Our team has extensive experience working with youth and adults with intellectual, physical, and social-emotional disabilities ranging from moderate to severe. Make sure to check out our Kayaking, Hiking, and Biking pages to see pictures of adaptive equipment and some of our many techniques. Please reach out if you have any questions! We love talking through specific situations.

Lessons are 90 minutes unless otherwise specified and whether you’re signing up for a Private Lesson or just going out on an adventure on your own, Waypoint recommends following these guidelines. Please review these before you join us.

Check out our options below and then go to our Program Calendar to sign up!

Option #1: ADVENTURE WITH A WAYPOINT STAFF MEMBER: Utilize the expertise of our experienced team and get access to the locations and equipment that would best suit your goals and needs. Our team has years of experience and we are constantly evaluating and re-evaluating best sites, trails, boat launches, and equipment to best suit your needs. Please note, bathrooms may not be available at all locations. If a bathroom is a “must-have”, let us know and we will do our best to find a location where there is one or look into best portable bathroom options for you. Click sign up button below after reading through all information.

Hiking (Private) – *$100 – Specialized equipment, skill-building, and personalized instruction all included. A third person from your home must be present (see below in More Details for “third person” guidelines). “Urban Hiking” and “Trail Walks” are all under the activity “Hiking” as well. Our team will review your registration and determine – with you – best fit on site, activity, and designing an experience that meets your needs and goals.

Hiking (Semi-Private) – *$100 – a Semi-Private Hike would be for two or more participants coming from separate households to socially-distant hike together. This could be a great break for parents and/or a great way to reconnect with friends while doing something fun. Specialized equipment, skill-building, and personalized instruction all included. “Urban Hiking” and “Trail Walks” are all under the activity “Hiking” as well. Our team will review your registration and determine – with you – best fit on site, activity, and designing an experience that meets the needs and goals of your small group.

Kayaking (Private or Semi-Private) – *$150 – Enjoy the peace and serenity of the water on a kayaking adventure! Check eligibility criteria in Covid-19 Confirmation form for more details. At this time, participants must be able to either paddle independently in their own single kayak or have someone from their household join in a tandem kayak who is a competent paddler. Please reach out if you have questions! Kayaking season coming to a close in mid-September!

Cycling or Biking (Private or Semi-Private) – *$150 – Get out on a sidewalk or trail and feel the speed! We have tandem road-bikes to provide (if you have someone from your household who is a competent tandem-bike peddler to ride with you), but otherwise you bring your own bike. We can go road-biking on paved paths and sidewalks or go trail biking with mountain bikes on the trails!

*Please note: Prices above reflect typical year-round fees for Private Lessons and what it costs to run these individual excursions. Please note: it is our first and foremost priority to provide these to you regardless of what you can pay. Please reach out to sign up even if price is a barrier; we have scholarship available.  In addition, donations in any amount help fund this opportunity for others. Payment and donations are discussed during your registration.

OPTION #2: I JUST WANT TO RENT EQUIPMENT: If you don’t need the support of a Waypoint staff or Trip Leader and just want to rent an off-road wheelchair, trekking poles, or adaptive paddling set-up, check out our Wheelchair Rental Program page which includes info on how to rent our adaptive recreation equipment.

More Details about Private Lessons:

  1. Forms:  During your registration, you will make an account through our online system, Jumbula, and be asked to sign up for a particular session. You will fill out both the Waypoint Adventure Medical Info form AND a Covid-19 Confirmation form. Please read these over carefully and especially consider if the Essential Eligibility Criteria on the Covid-19 Confirmation form applies to you before you sign. Please note, you have to set up a Jumbula account to participate. Our team can help!
  2. Third Person:  There will always be a “third party” present. We will work with you to determine who that third person may be. It’s one of our policies that staff and participants are not out of sight of the public at any time. We’ll ask you if you have a friend, family member, PCA, or person you’ve been isolating with who wants to join us. If you don’t have anyone to join, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide a second staff member or volunteer as we are spread thin at this time.
  3. Masks and Hand Sanitizer: We ask that you bring your own mask and hand sanitizer to your lesson. We’ll have extra if you forget. We’ll only require mask wearing when we are within 6ft of each other.
  4. Bathrooms:  Please be aware that many bathrooms are not in service. If there is not a bathroom at the location, we recommend using the bathroom at your home before you come and then if we need to use the bathroom in the woods, check out our How to Use the Bathroom in the Woods video on our YouTube channel. If a bathroom is a “must-have,” let us know and we will do our best to determine best options for you.
  5. Transportation:  You must provide your own transportation to and from these Private Lessons.
Sign Up
08/18/20

Special Education Rights During Covid-19

LOCATION

Zoom:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82084138611?pwd=WG81T2prTlJpenk2QlRTeGYrTFkwQT09 

Meeting ID:

820 8413 8611

Passcode: 

618526

 Interpretations will be available in Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Cape Verdean Creole, Somali &  ASL

 

Spanish

Portuguese

 

 

Vietnamese

 

 

Cape Verdean Creole

 

Chinese

 

 

 

Haitian Creole

 

French

 

Arabic

 

 

Somali

 

 

 

08/7/20

SpEd Reopening Question & Answer Meeting

Please RSVP here.

Thursday, August 13, 2020
6:00-7:30p
Zoom: https://bit.ly/2PqdmWn Meeting ID: 999 2061 9783
Passcode: 013617

07/19/19

ABLE Summer Music Program for Musicians with Disabilities

ABLE (Arts Better the Lives of Everyone) Day Sessions Summer Music Program for Musicians with Disabilities

ABLE Program at Berklee

At Berklee, we believe that the arts better the lives of everyone. That’s why we offer the ABLE Day Sessions program for musicians with disabilities. Study your instrument in group lessons. Play or sing with other musicians in an ensemble. Experience music through drumming, singing, and music technology workshops. Learn from other musicians in clinics. Share your music in a performance with your ensemble at the end of the week.

You must be at least 9 years old by the start of the program, and you must have at least six months of playing or singing experience.

Ages: 9–17

When: July 22–26, 2019, 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., and July 29–August 2, 2019, 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (Students may attend one or two weeks.)

Tuition: $998 per week. Financial aid is available to families that qualify.

Students must be able to participate effectively in lessons or classes, and maintain an environment that is safe for themselves and others.

Schedule

Monday
8:00 a.m.–8:45 a.m., Check-in, orientation, activities
8:45 a.m.–9:00 a.m., Greeting song and warm-up
9:00 a.m.–9:45 a.m., Music-making for placement
9:45 a.m.–10:30 a.m., Workshops (students rotate between drumming, chorus, and music technology)
10:30 a.m.–10:45 a.m., Snack break (provided by Berklee)
10:45 a.m.–11:30 a.m., Ensembles
11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m., Music skills
12:00 p.m.–12:30 p.m., Lunch (provided by Berklee) and activities
12:30 p.m.–1:15 p.m., Group lessons and sectionals
1:15 p.m–2:00 p.m., Ensembles
2:00 p.m.–2:45 p.m., Clinic
2:45 p.m.–3:00 p.m., Goodbye song and wrap-up
3:00 p.m., Pick-up

Tuesday–Thursday
8:00 a.m.–8:45 a.m., Check-in, orientation, activities
8:45 a.m.–9:00 a.m., Greeting song and warm-up
9:00 a.m.–9:45 a.m., Workshops (students rotate between drumming, chorus, and music technology)
9:45 a.m.–10:30 a.m., Workshops (students rotate between drumming, chorus, and music technology)
10:30 a.m.–10:45 a.m., Snack break (provided by Berklee)
10:45 a.m.–11:30 a.m., Ensembles
11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m., Music skills
12:00 p.m.–12:30 p.m., Lunch (provided by Berklee) and activities
12:30 p.m.–1:15 p.m., Group lessons and sectionals
1:15 p.m–2:00 p.m., Ensembles
2:00 p.m.–2:45 p.m., Clinic
2:45 p.m.–3:00 p.m., Goodbye song and wrap-up
3:00 p.m., Pick-up

Friday
8:00 a.m.–8:45 a.m., Check-in, orientation, activities
8:45 a.m.–9:00 a.m., Greeting song and warm-up
9:00 a.m.–9:45 a.m., Ensembles
9:45 a.m.–10:30 a.m., Workshops (students rotate between drumming, chorus, and music technology)
10:30 a.m.–10:45 a.m., Snack break (provided by Berklee)
10:45 a.m.–11:30 a.m., Ensembles
11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m., Music skills
12:00 p.m.–12:30 p.m., Lunch (provided by Berklee) and activities
12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m., Ensembles
1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., Performance
3:00 p.m., Pick-up