Joseph Robert Shaw Foundation Inc

PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS OR OTHER ENTITIES ENGAGED IN RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND INNOVATION RELATED TO CHILDREN WITH BRAIN INJURIES, THEIR TREATMENT, REHABILITATION, RECOVERY AND ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING.

THE AUGMENTATIVE LEARNING PROGRAM OF STUDY CREATES AN ALTERNATIVE SETTING FOR LEARNING AND INCLUDES BOTH TYPICAL STUDENTS AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. THE PROGRAM MEETS THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WHO CANNOT BENEFIT FROM DISTANCE LEARNING TECHNOLOGY AND WHO NEED CONTACT WITH OTHER CHILDREN. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION FOR CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES SO THEY ALL CAN LEARN WITH AND FROM EACH OTHER. THE PROGRAM HAS A STRUCTURED, INCLUSIVE, AND PROJECT-BASED CURRICULUM THAT EMPHASIZES READING, MATH, AND COMMUNICATION. THE STUDENTS MEET THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR TWO HOURS EACH WITH A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST, AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST.

CONTINUED SPONSORSHIP OF A MAJOR CLINICAL DEVICE DEVELOPMENT ENTITLED PEDIACORE, AN IMMERSIVE, INTERACTIVE MOVEMENT TRAINING SYSTEM FOR TODDLERS AND PRE-SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN CREATED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER OF THE KENNEDY KRIEGER INSTITUTE AND THE CENTER FOR BIOENGINEERING INNOVATION AND DESIGN PROGRAM OF JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY. THIS DEVICE WAS CREATED TO IMPROVE TRUNK STABILITY IN YOUNG CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY. TRUNK STABILITY IS IMPORTANT FOR MANY DAY-TO-DAY FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING SITTING, STANDING AND WALKING. A SECOND-GENERATION PROTOTYPE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED AND IS IN CLINICAL TRIAL. JOEY'S FOUNDATION WILL CONTINUE SPONSORSHIP OF THE SYSTEM THROUGH A SINGLE-BLIND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME WILL BE A CLINICAL MEASURE OF POSTURAL (TRUNK) CONTROL THAT IS COLLECTED THROUGHOUT THE INTERVENTION PHASE AND AT TWO FOLLOW-UP POINTS AFTER THERAPY (THREE AND SIX MONTHS). THIS DEVICE COULD IMPACT NEW PHYSICAL THERAPY TECHNIQUES.

JOEY'S CORNER PROVIDES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES. THE ORGANIZATION IS ENGAGED IN THE CREATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF MULTISENSORY ADAPTIVE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN WITH MOTOR SKILL IMPAIRMENT. TO CREATE THESE ADAPTED BOOKS, JOEY'S FOUNDATION IS SPONSORING WORKSHOPS TO MAKE BOOKS MORE ACCESSIBLE, AVAILABLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE FOR ALL LEARNERS. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY ADDING MATERIAL TO PROVIDE STABILIZATION AND HELP WITH INDEPENDENT PAGE TURNING. ADAPTED TEXT AND SYMBOL-SUPPORTED VERSIONS OF READING MATERIAL WILL BRING BOOKS TO LIFE IN A VISUAL AND PHYSICAL WAY. PROPS LIKE PUPPETS OR TOYS ENHANCE A STORY AND INCREASE UNDERSTANDING. REMOVABLE, LAMINATED COPIES OF IMAGE OR CHARACTERS MAKE THE READING MATERIAL INTERACTIVE. FINALLY, THE USE OF SPEECH-GENERATING DEVICES ALIGNED TO A TEXT WILL INCREASE INTERACTION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE STORY. MULTISENSORY BOOKS ARE CREATIVE, FUN AND ENHANCE COMPREHENSION. AS MORE BOOKS ARE ADAPTED, THE ORGANIZATION WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT JOEY'S CORNER IN MORE LOCATIONS.