Comcast and The Arc Partner to Expand Tech Training and Special Education Advocacy for People with Disabilities The Arc of Weld County to Receive $22,000 from Comcast to Establish a Tech Coaching Center Offering Special Education Advocacy Curriculum to Spanish-Speaking Families.
GREELEY, Colorado
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April 19, 2023 07:45 AM Mountain Daylight Time
Comcast announced that it is expanding its partnership with The Arc of the United States to foster digital and advocacy skills in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. The expansion comes in the form of Comcast providing two new grants to The Arc totaling $710,000, which includes $22,000 for The Arc of Weld County.
The funding will allow The Arc to establish more Tech Coaching Centers at chapters across the country, including one at The Arc of Weld County. The centers will offer The Arc@School special education advocacy curriculum to Spanish-speaking families. These programs have already helped over 3,500 people with IDD develop more independence, equity, and opportunities for their future.
“We know and deeply understand that digital access is essential to inclusion and many times it can be the great equalizer to support community participation,” said Amelia Koehmstedt, Executive Director of The Arc of Weld County. “Tech coaching centers address digital inequities while providing a unique niche for learners of all abilities to gain skills that translate into greater independence. Transitioning this opportunity to include family and caregivers allows these individuals to learn alongside those they care for with IDD and maximize opportunities and effectiveness of digital literacy. By supporting all community members, the inclusion of people with IDD and their success with technology grows exponentially. These opportunities support our vision of inclusion, acceptance and belonging for all.”
A first grant of $560,000, will support The Arc’s Tech Coaching Centers at 10 locations across the country. It will also expand the training model to include caregivers and family members of people with IDD to ensure they can support in the implementation of technology across all environments, including assistive technology.
With technology being an increasingly vital part of navigating and participating in today’s plugged-in world, including transportation, employment, recreation and social interaction, people with IDD face unique barriers to understanding and adopting digital tools, which is exacerbated by a higher rate of poverty and lower overall income. Since 2014, Comcast has supported The Arc’s Tech Coaching Center, reaching nearly 2,500 people with IDD through 19 chapters and giving them access to devices, services, and training that advance measured outcomes in employment, health, independent living, education, and interpersonal connections.
“We know that digital skills training can open new doors to opportunity and help people living with disabilities gain independence,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation. “That’s why we are proud to continue our long-standing partnership with The Arc to reach even more people with IDD – including their caregivers and families — and to create pathways that can help enrich their lives.”
A second grant of $150,000 will go towards advancing efforts to help marginalized communities better advocate for their education. This investment will allow The Arc to fully translate the curriculum into Spanish to better meet this population’s needs and increase access to the content.
Academic achievement and graduation rates for students with disabilities lag far behind their peers, trends marked by inordinate discrimination, suspensions, and isolation within school settings across the country. In 2016, The Arc created The Arc@School, an evidence-based, self-paced online training program designed to help families, educators, and advocates navigate the special education system. Since 2021, Comcast has partnered with The Arc to connect underserved communities to these educational advocacy resources. To date, more than 500 families of color and low-income households have been given free access to The Arc@School, in addition to a facilitation guide, Spanish language overview of the special education process, and cultural competency resources and sections.
These grants were distributed through Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion commitment to reach tens of millions of people in order to advance digital equity and help create a future of unlimited possibilities.
About The Arc of the United States
The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy, and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of nearly 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with IDD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis. Visit www.thearc.org or follow us @TheArcUS to learn more. Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on connectivity, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
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