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ORLANDO, June 2, 2008 — A project designed to improve the early communication, language and literacy skills of young Central Florida children with disabilities has received funding from Walt Disney World's Helping Kids Shine Grants Program, reported Jennifer Kent-Walsh (second from right), assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders and director of the project.
Disney awarded $19,000 to implement "Project TELL: Targeting Early Language and Literacy for Children with Disabilities and from At-Risk Environments." The project comprises several parent, teacher and child-focused intervention programs that will be conducted by highly qualified speech-language pathologists, educators and occupational therapists over the coming year.
The grant was awarded to the FAAST Center (Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, Atlantic Region Assistive Technology Demonstration Center), which is housed in the college's Communication Disorders Clinic under the direction of Kent-Walsh.
Kent-Walsh accepted the grant on behalf of the FAAST Center at a ceremony held by Walt Disney World on May 23 at the Osecola County School for the Arts. "It was a fun ceremony — and very different from most grant-award ceremonies because of the presence of the Disney characters and performers," Kent-Walsh noted.
For further information about Project TELL, contact Kent-Walsh at jkent@mail.ucf.edu or 407-823-4800.
Click here to read Disney's announcement of this and other 2008 Helping Kids Shine grants.
-- Karen Guin
Photo by Carlee Thomas
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