Research & Evaluation Center
The Research and Evaluation Center shares the Vision and supports the Mission of Abilities! through identification of informational needs; innovative research and demonstration; establishing, implementing, and evaluating models for best practices; and broad dissemination of information.
Through collaboration with the divisions of Abilities! and outside entities, the Research and Evaluation Center is committed to having a beneficial influence on Abilities!, HVS, and Abilities, Inc. programs, services and activities; national policies, practices and awareness; and outcomes for people with disabilities.
Visit the website for the Abilities! Arts and Cultural Initiatives program.
Arts and Cultural Initiatives (ACI)
Parent Panel about museum experiences for children with disabilities
Through a relationship with the Museum Access Consortium (MAC) in New York and City Access New York (CANY) Abilities! has been involved with over 100 NY museums and organizations in facilitating increased access to museum and cultural programs by children and adults with disabilities. Fran Prezant, Director of Research and Evaluation at Abilities! (formerly the National Center for Disability Services) will moderate a MAC-sponsored panel discussion on September 10th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at The Whitney Museum of American Art, featuring parent perspectives on museum experiences with their children with disabilities. Several museum educators will also discuss programs and strategies within their own museums. Museum educators, parents and other professionals are invited to attend and participate in this interactive session that will further assist in creating improved program and physical access to programs.
Space is limited so please RSVP to Cathy White, (212) 879-5500 ext. 3561 or access@metmuseum.org if you are planning to attend.
Forum on Children with Disabilities, Shafallah Center
Because of her work in creating program access in the arts for children with disabilities and scholarly work in the area of family and parent issues, Fran Prezant, Director of Research and Evaluation, was among the 150 international invitees to participate in the First International Forum on Children with Disabilities at the Shafallah Center in Qatar in May 2006 sponsored by the Sheika Mosa of Qatar. This first conference celebrated the opening of Shafallah, the first school for children with disabilities in Qatar, brought together disability specialists, advocates, and family members from across the globe to discuss disability issues, research and programs in different countries.
International representation by Abilities! paved the way for another invitation for participation and further involvement of Abilities! this year for the Second International Forum focusing on the impact of media on the international perception of disability.
Married with Special Needs Children
Fran Prezant, Director of the Reseach and Evaluation Center at Abilities!, has recently
co-authored Married with Special Needs Children: A Couple’s Guide to Keeping
Connected. The book has been recognized with an iParenting Media Award in the 2007 Excellent Book category.
Exceptional Parent Magazine has listed this books as one of the ten best books for parents in 2007.
Fran and co-author Dr. Laura Marshak have been invited to present as guest speakers in October at the INSPIRE! Conference in Ottawa, Canada cosponsored by Ottawa Anaphylaxis Support Group (OASG) and Allergy and Asthma Information Association (AAIA) They will be conducting a workshop on Couples and Stress for parents of children with life threatening allergies.
Fran recently co-presented on "Strengthening Couple's Relationships for Parents of Children with Disabilities" at the 2008 Pacific Rim Conference on Disability in Honolulu.
They have also been invited as guest presenters to the National Autism Conference on Novemeber 8-10 in Atlanta, Georgia where they will be discussing families with children who have autism spectrum disorders.
Prezant and Marshak can be contacted directly at fprezant@abilitiesonline.org
International Family Therapy Association World Congress, Reykajavik, Iceland
Fran Prezant was invited to present internationally with co investigator Dr. Laura Marshak on long term work they have completed with families of children with disabilities. The international presentation was titled: Strengthening marriages: Parents of children with disabilities and was delivered at the International Family Therapy Association World Congress in Reykajavik, Iceland.
What’s Happening
Access to Jazz for Children with Physical Disabilities
Friends of the Arts, Abilities! and the Henry Viscardi School, invite music educators
and teaching artists to view a video teleconference on Disability Awareness and
Access to Music Education for Students with Physical Challenges. Funding for the
FOTA Jazz Sampler project for Students with Physical Challenges is provided by a
grant from the New York State Music Fund, administered by the Rockefeller Philanthropy
Advisors.
Click to view the Jazz
Program
HVS Jazz Sampler
This program provides performances, workshops, and residencies with professional artists. HVS students learn about the art of improvisation and scat, compose original songs, jazz up fairy tales and stories, learn about jazz masters as well as the elements and history of jazz. Read more about the Jazz Sampler...
Jazz Project Updates
2/4/08 - "A World of Jazz," created and directed by teaching artist Beth Jucovy, will be presented at HVS, featuring performances by jazz vocalist Louise Rogers, bassist Rick Strong and other jazz musicians.
3/10/08 - 3/19/08 - Dr. Kim McCord, Professor of Music Education from Illinois State University, will return to HVS to conduct a joint jazz residency with Jazz Vocalist Louise Rogers. Kim and Louise will work with several elementary classes on the mechanics of vocalization and instrumentation. During the course of the residency their work will be broadcast to a classroom of Special Education students at Illinois State University. Special Education students at ISU will have the opportunity to interact with HVS students, faculty and professionals in real time.
July 2008 - Fran Prezant and Dr. McCord have been invited to present “Students
with Severe Physical Disabilities Performing Jazz,” based on experiences from the
Jazz Sampler Project, at the Commission on Music in Special Education, Music Therapy
and Music Medicine Conference in Bologna, Italy.
Jennifer Noronha, Alinea Noronha & Nicole Noronha have been invited to present “Adapting
Music for Special Needs,” based on experiences related to the Jazz Sampler Project,
at the Commission on Music in Special Education, Music Therapy and Music Medicine
Conference in Bologna, Italy.
As part of the 2-year Jazz program, Dr. Kim McCord, Professor of Music Education from Illinois State University, spent a week working with HVS students using new adapted instruments made available through our ongoing collaboration on this program with Friends of the Arts. During this week long period, we facilitated interactive broadcasts between the working classes and Dr. McCord’s university students back at Illinois State. These future teachers included music educators, therapists and special educators who were involved in an active exchange of information with HVS students, therapists and teachers using the broadcast as the vehicle.
Earlier in the year, Dr. McCord was also here conducting an all day Saturday workshop for area educators on Adapting Music Instruction for Students with Disabilities. Two teachers from HVS were among the program participants
The Rainforest Connection Live!
Abilities! and the Henry Viscardi School participated in The Rainforest Connection Live! video conferences series during the Spring of 2007. The video conferences are broadcast from Panama and developed by Professional Resources in Science & Mathematics (PRISM).
You can view the session Adaptations of Invertebrates, hosted by Fran Prezant, on the Verizon New Jersey website.