Page 10 - Abacoa Community News - January '22

Page 10, Abacoa

FAU FeAtUres

FAU Diplomacy Program effectiveness of remote audio coaching when delivering on- Richard S. Isaacson, M.D.,
Claims Third National Title, topic workplace communication skills to adults with ID and To Lead Alzheimer’s Disease
retention of those skills after RAC removal.
Placing First Overall At will measure behavior through direct observation across Prevention
A quantitative single-subject design methodology
Model U.N. Competition numerous RAC sessions. Four college students diagnosed
with ID and little to no work experience will participate By Gisele Galoustian
The Leon Charney Diplomacy Program at Florida Atlantic in intervention sessions via Zoom until four consecutive Fl o r i d a At l a n t i c
University recently competed in the annual diplomacy sessions show unprompted employment conversation University is pleased to
competition in Washington, D.C., finishing first overall out of exchange at 90 percent or higher. Data collection will welcome Richard S.
51 competing universities and receiving five delegation awards. resume one to two weeks after the last intervention session Isaacson, M.D., a world-
The Leon Charney Diplomacy Program, a unit of the FAU to determine if students maintained the skill. renowned neurologist and
Peace, Justice and Human Rights Initiative of the Dorothy F. The study will culminate in a paper submission to researcher, as director of
Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, was established in 1996 ARDRAW and a webinar presentation of the processes and the newly launched FAU
and works to train students in world affairs, dispute resolution results. If RAC increases on-topic work communication, then Center for Brain Health
and debate. To date, the program has won 52 national and Downey will undertake a second study to determine if RAC within the Schmidt College
international awards for academic excellence and three national will increase on-topic workplace conversations in real world of Medicine, established
titles in the past four years. community employment settings with novel professionals. through the generous
“This exceptional group of students worked diligently to Downey plans to present the proposal for a second study with support of The Harry T. Mangurian, Jr. Foundation. He also
prepare and train for this national competition,” said Timothy generalized outcomes to her dissertation committee. will direct the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic and lead an
Steigenga, Ph.D., assistant director of the Leon Charney “I am hoping that, with the use of RAC, we can help adults academic clinical research program aimed at reducing the
Diplomacy Program and professor of political science, Harriet with ID eliminate the issues that arise through conversations risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease, and
L. Wilkes Honors College. “Placing first overall this year is at work and ultimately maintain their employment positions,” Lewy body dementia in individuals with a family history of
yet another incredible accomplishment for the program and a said Downey. Downey serves as curriculum and training these diseases who do not yet have any cognitive decline or
testament to the excellence of the students.” specialist for FAU Academy for Community Inclusion (ACI), a other clinical complaints.
In 2017, the program was named in honor of the diplomatic college program designed to increase overall independence in “Most people are unaware that Alzheimer’s disease and
legacy of Leon Charney, a key player in the 1978 Camp employment, self-determination, and community experiences related dementias begin silently in the brain decades before
David Accords. The program will compete next in a national for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. memory loss and other symptoms begin. This leaves ample time
competition in New York City in April 2022. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Exceptional Student
For more information about the Leon Charney Diplomacy Education at FAU College of Education. FAU Features on page 11
Program, visit www.fau.edu/artsandletters/pjhr/diplomacy.
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Angelica Downey Receives

ARDRAW Research Grant

By Teresa Crane Expires 1/31/22.
Florida Atlantic
Uni ve rsi t y doc t ora l State Licensed & Insured
student Angelica Downey Serving Palm Beach County CPC # 1457468 • LPG#30099
was awarded $10,000 for
her proposal to conduct
research on an employment
intervention for college
students with intellectual and CAMPBELL AND KARLIK, P.A.
developmental disabilities
(IDD). The Social Security ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Administration’s (SSA)
Analyzing Relationships between Disability, Rehabilitation
and Work (ARDRAW) selected Downey as a graduate-level
recipient of this one-year stipend to conduct research designed Wills • Trusts • Estate Planning • Probate
to ferret out innovative and fresh perspectives on disability,
specifically rehabilitation, work. Taxation • Real Estate • Corporations
“ARDRAW has been administering these grant
opportunities for SSA, opening doors for serious graduate
students to conduct research. Angelica’s selection for this
grant shows the value of her employability research with
people who have IDD – it shows just how talented she is,” said
Mike Brady, Ph.D., chair and professor, FAU Department of
Exceptional Student Education. “Her work is cutting edge and
shines a light on the important work done at FAU’s Academy
for Community Inclusion! We hope she is just the first of many
doctoral students at FAU to gain support for their research.”
Studies suggest that on-topic conversational skills,
and the instruction of these skills are a critical part of
employment training programs designed for adults with
intellectual disability (ID). Downey proposes to employ
remote audio coaching (RAC) to help college students with
ID overcome social skill deficits that put job promotion
and retention at risk, specifically on-topic workplace and
employment related communication. Diane L. KarLiK
The RAC intervention follows a study Downey published
earlier this year that demonstrated using literacy-based
interventions via e-books proved an effective teaching tool,
Teaching Virtual Job Interview Skills to College Students Tel: (561) 625-5220
with IDD Using Literacy-Based Interventions. This earlier 3450 Northlake Boulevard Suite 210 Fax: (561) 625-5201• Mobile: (561) 797-5004
study suggests that remote instruction is successful with Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33403 EMail: dlkarlik@aol.com
this population. Her current research aims to measure the