Three important workshops (with multiple offerings) have been planned to help postsecondary disability service providers to better serve the students in front of them now, today! DAIS has long been recognized for the very practical information shared in professional development activities, and these workshops are no exception. Whether you need to think through the "why's and wherefore's" of the accommodations you are providing ("Back-to-Basics: What IS the Accommodation, and Why Am I Making It?"), or need to know more about the laws that guide program implementation ("Understanding the Legal Mandates Without Becoming an Attorney"), or are struggling with helping faculty in hands-on programs to create nondiscrimnatory guidelines ("Developing Technical Standards and Eligibility Criteria That Are Appropriate and Legally Defensible"), DAIS has something to offer you this Spring.

In the wake of an interesting philosophical discussion on the DSSHE-L, I have resurrected an article written nine years ago for the DAIS Newsletter. Under the category of for-what-it's-worth, you can read "The Letter or the SPIRIT of the Law" by clicking on the link, at left, for the DAIS Online Newsletter, or go directly to http://daisweb.com/node/2.

Word from Charlotte is that Janie is at the AHEAD conference and is looking forward to sharing her insites next week in this spot.

Check out the DAIS Online Newsletter link to the left to find a newly posted version of an old discussion. DAIS Newsletter REDUX (from May/June, 2003) is entitled, "Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't!" The article speaks to the struggle of the disability community to decide how, and when, we want to be portrayed in the media, and parallels a discussion of recent days on the DSSHE-L listserv.

The February edition of the DAIS Online newsletter is now available (barely!). This newsletter provides the second installment of the two part series regarding the use and abuse of notetaking as an accommodation. The January newsletter, with Part 1, is still available on the DAIS Online Newsletter page, below the newest installment.

The January edition of DAIS Online has been posted. This month's newsletter is the first of a two-part series on the "Use and Abuse of Notetaking As An Accommodation." It could also have been titled "The Who-What-Where-When-Why-How" of Notetaking." Intrigued? Go check it out!

The December issue of the DAIS Online newsletter (http://daisweb.com/node/2) is my personal holiday greeting to one and all. Here's hoping you have a happy and healthy holiday season. We'll get back to work after the first of the year!

Dates have been established for two DAIS institutes, previously projected for the 2006-2007 school year. . On January 8/9, you can attend "Adaptive Testing Programs from A-Z." On January 10/11, join us for a separate institute entitled, " (Re)Developing Policies and Procedures to Guide your DS Function." There is some expanded information about these institutes to be found at the link to your left marked "Something New From DAIS - Inservice Training Offsite" (http://daisweb.com/node/8) . The product from the first institute will be a completely reworked set of policies and procedures to guide your testing oversite - you will leave Columbus with a new set of policies and procedures ready to be implemented for Spring, 2007.

The November issue of the DAIS Online Newsletter is now available. This newsletter deals with a topic that seems to be very much on the minds of DSS folks and students with disabilities as they prepare for the start of a new semester -- the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, and HOW of taking a reduced class load without loss of benefits/privileges, and how this impacts on financial aid status (and vice versa!). You can read the newsletter online or download it in Word or PDF formats to peruse at your leisure.

A new (old!) resource is now available for the taking in the DAISweb Public Library. A creative exercise for explaining why extended time is necessary as an accommodation for students with disabilities has been posted to (http://daisweb.com/node/175) . It can also be reached by using the link, to your left, for the "Public Library," then following the link WITHIN the library to "Inservice Training Materials." I wish I could say the Color Card idea originated with me, but someone much more clever thought it up many years ago and it has become part of DSS folklore.