The UCLID Center at the University of Pittsburgh is proud to announce Adrienne Wiley, former UCLID trainee, was awarded a William J. Fulbright scholarship. Adrienne recently began examining programs that address the needs of minorities with disabilities currently in place in the United States and New Zealand. With this scholarship, she will analyze the Maori objective of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) with a focus on its creation and implementation. She will consider whether this framework for service delivery, which promotes the rights of cultural minorities with disabilities in New Zealand, can inform the development of systems in the United States, particularly for Native Americans with disabilities. Congratulations Adrienne!

Dr. Stephen J. Bagnato, Professor of Pediatrics & Psychology and Core UCLID faculty member was awarded a $1 million, 4-year collaborative research grant (2005-2009) from the Heinz Endowments and the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development, Departments of Public Welfare and Education.

The grant is awarded to conduct longitudinal research on the impact and outcomes of the state’s new Partnership for Quality Pre-Kindergarten Initiative (PQP). PQP uses Accountability and Head Expansion funds from the state to fund preschool program’s in 17 high-need school district/community early childhood partnerships. Dr. Bagnato’s evaluation research project entitled, Pennsylvania Pre-Kindergarten Analysis (PAPREKA), will document the relationship between child progress in early learning skills, program quality, and the type of partnership program employed in a school district. All child outcomes will be mapped to the new PA Early Learning Standards. Overall, the potential success for 17 school district partnership programs serving approximately 1,000 children will be evaluated.

The UCLID Center at the University of Pittsburgh has published its second Advocacy Network Newsletter. To read about the families, professionals and individuals with disabilities who have made an impact on our Center this Spring, click here.

The UCLID Center at the University of Pittsburgh is proud to announce the National Association of Future Doctors of Audiology, University of Pittsburgh Chapter (NAFDA@pitt) won OUTSTANDING CHAPTER OF THE YEAR for the 2004-2005 year. Marie-Lys Cattanach, UCLID Fellow & President of NAFDA@pitt, and the 3-year organization were recognized by the national NAFDA board in front of fellow students and esteemed professionals for their dedication to the advancement of the field of audiology and for the continuous support they provide to the graduate students of the CSD/Audiology program at Pitt as well as to the greater Pittsburgh Community. Among their many accomplishments are the Annual White Coat Ceremony, the Annual AAA Encore conference; collecting 58 used hearing aids and $100.00 to benefit the Starkey Hearing Foundation; helping a local audiologist rebuild her practice after the floods of May 2004; and providing audiology students with educational resources and leadership opportunities.

The UCLID Center at the University of Pittsburgh is sponsoring a film to be shown at the 12th Annual Pittsburgh Jewish-Israeli Film Festival. Nitsan and Sagi, a film about a young couple with Down Syndrome, is showing on Sunday, April 17 at 11 a.m. in the SouthSide Works Cinema. For more information, click here.

The UCLID Center at the University of Pittsburgh has published its first Advocacy Newsletter. To read about the families, professionals and individuals with disabilities who have made an impact on our Center this fall, click here.