Best Buddies Best Buddies presents…presents…

e-Buddies:e-Buddies:Friendships Friendships

through through TechnologyTechnology

What is Best What is Best Buddies?Buddies?

Best Buddies is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.

““The only way to have a friend is to be one” – Ralph Waldo EmersonThe only way to have a friend is to be one” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Best Buddies Best Buddies ProgramsPrograms

Best Buddies seeks to achieve our mission of friendship and inclusion through our six programs:

• Best Buddies Middle Best Buddies Middle SchoolsSchools

• Best Buddies High Best Buddies High SchoolsSchools

• Best Buddies CollegesBest Buddies Colleges• Best Buddies CitizensBest Buddies Citizens• Best Buddies JobsBest Buddies Jobs• e-Buddiese-Buddies

What is e-What is e-Buddies?Buddies?

e-Buddies helps build one-to-one e-mail friendships between people with and without intellectual disabilities.

Why e-Buddies?Why e-Buddies?

Best Buddies is dedicated to promoting inclusion for individuals with disabilities.

Computers, the Internet and e-mail have made a significant impact in our lives…

We know that they can make an even more profound impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities.

People with disabilities are one quarter as likely as their People with disabilities are one quarter as likely as their non-disabled counterparts to use the Internet.non-disabled counterparts to use the Internet.

(Source: Dr. Stephen Kaye, “Computer and Internet Use Among People with Disabilities,”(Source: Dr. Stephen Kaye, “Computer and Internet Use Among People with Disabilities,”Disabilities Statistic Center, University of California – San Francisco, 2000.)Disabilities Statistic Center, University of California – San Francisco, 2000.)

How does e-How does e-Buddies Work?Buddies Work?

e-Buddies matches an individual with an intellectual disability in a one-to-one e-mail friendship with a non-disabled volunteer.

What do e-What do e-Buddies do?Buddies do?

Once matched, e-Buddies participants exchangee-mails with their e-Buddy once a week.

Of course, many of our participants enjoy the e-mail relationship so much, they e-mail each other every day!

““Through email, I don't think about his disability, Through email, I don't think about his disability, but think of him more like a fully capable person.”but think of him more like a fully capable person.”

- Jan Sandven, e-Buddies Volunteer- Jan Sandven, e-Buddies Volunteer

How e-Buddies can How e-Buddies can help you.help you.

• Provides an opportunity for one-to-one socialization for your students

• Provides a fun, interactive activity with educational benefits

““My kids fight to get to READ and WRITE e-mails!!! My students are soooooo My kids fight to get to READ and WRITE e-mails!!! My students are soooooo excited about the program and ask every day whether they received new emails.”excited about the program and ask every day whether they received new emails.”

- Robert McMahon, a special education teacher from Pennsylvania- Robert McMahon, a special education teacher from Pennsylvania

How e-Buddies can How e-Buddies can help you.help you.

• Helps promote the development of valuable literacy and computer skills

• Helps students expand upon and reach their educational goals

““The e-Buddies program allows me to assess IEP goals and The e-Buddies program allows me to assess IEP goals and State Standards in Writing, Reading and Spelling in a meaningful way.State Standards in Writing, Reading and Spelling in a meaningful way.

We never hear students complaining about communication with We never hear students complaining about communication with new friends in different parts of the country.”new friends in different parts of the country.”

- Ted Martch, a special education teacher from Oregon- Ted Martch, a special education teacher from Oregon

Want Best Want Best Buddies…Buddies…

but there are no but there are no programs available programs available in your area?in your area?

No matter where you are located, you can get started with e-Buddies right away!

Already have Best Already have Best Buddies?Buddies?

e-Buddies provides an additional friendship opportunity for your students!

Students who are waiting for an in-person buddy can be matched with an e-Buddy right away!

What You’ll Need What You’ll Need to Succeedto Succeed

• Routine access to a computer with Internet – computers can be in your classroom, or at your school library or computer lab

• Each participant will need their own unique e-mail address

"Ryan has never done so much writing in his life…"Ryan has never done so much writing in his life…and never before has he cared about his spelling.”and never before has he cared about his spelling.”

- Holly Carol, a special education teacher from Massachusetts- Holly Carol, a special education teacher from Massachusetts

Anything Else?Anything Else?

• Explain the benefits of e-Buddies to other teachers at your school! Informed and motivated teachers are vital to the success of e-Buddies.

• It is VERYVERY helpful to set aside regular computer time for your participants.

““e-Buddies has been very educational. Our students enjoy it so much, and it had e-Buddies has been very educational. Our students enjoy it so much, and it had been a big help to them. They have increased their skills on the computer, been a big help to them. They have increased their skills on the computer,

as well as sentence structure, punctuation, and thinking ability.”as well as sentence structure, punctuation, and thinking ability.”

- Pam Roberts, a special education teacher from Virginia.- Pam Roberts, a special education teacher from Virginia.

e-Buddies Guide toe-Buddies Guide toInternet LiteracyInternet Literacy

To help teachers integrate e-Buddies into their curriculum, Best Buddies developed the e-Buddies Guide to Internet e-Buddies Guide to Internet LiteracyLiteracy.

The Guide is a comprehensive program that provides a series of lessons for teachers to facilitate e-mail friendships

e-Buddies Guide toe-Buddies Guide toInternet LiteracyInternet Literacy

The e-Buddies Guide includes:The e-Buddies Guide includes:• Lesson Plans – a year-long sequence of

lessons to guide e-mail exchanges• Teacher's Manual – describes instructional

procedures and provides materials for planning lessons

• Student Guidebook – provides prompts and references to help teach students to read and write e-mails.

e-Buddies Guide toe-Buddies Guide toInternet LiteracyInternet Literacy

Want a preview?Want a preview?You can download and view the America Online version of e-Buddies Guide from our website for free!

Want to get your own copy?Want to get your own copy?There are versions of the e-Buddies Guide for AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail, and Outlook available for purchase.

Need e-mail Need e-mail addresses?addresses?

Try Gaggle.net!Try Gaggle.net!Gaggle.net supplies teachers with free

e-mail accounts that are specifically designed for the classroom.

Gaggle.net gives the teacher complete control over what e-mails each student can send and receive.

To take a quick tour or sign up for Gaggle.net, please visit Gaggle.net.

More Options!More Options!

Even if your students cannot participate in class, send information about e-Buddies home with them…Some of your students may already have e-mail access at home!

““I enjoy e-Buddies very much.I enjoy e-Buddies very much.It has helped me open myself as a person in a lot ways.” It has helped me open myself as a person in a lot ways.”

- Dale Mustered, e-Buddy from Illinois- Dale Mustered, e-Buddy from Illinois

How to sign up!How to sign up!

• The e-Buddies application is online! Simply visit www.ebuddies.org and click on the “Join e-Buddies!” button.

• If your students will be participating in e-Buddies as a classroom activity, we recommend our simplified Group Application to help expedite the sign up process.

Managing e-Managing e-BuddiesBuddies

The Group Admin Tool:The Group Admin Tool:• Allows teachers to view a roster of students

involved in e-Buddies• Quickly and easily sign up new students• Track and monitor e-mail exchanges

between students and their e-Buddies

Highly recommended for teachers who use Highly recommended for teachers who use e-Buddies as an in-class activity!e-Buddies as an in-class activity!

How long does it How long does it take take

to get an e-Buddy?to get an e-Buddy?• Typically, it takes between one and four

weeks to conduct the necessary background and reference checks.

• Once we have completed the screening process, it can take between two days and two weeks to find an appropriate match.

Is e-Buddies Is e-Buddies safe?safe?

Best Buddies is committed to making Best Buddies is committed to making e-Buddies a fun, fulfilling, and SAFE e-Buddies a fun, fulfilling, and SAFE

experience.experience.• We conduct background checks and

contact references for all e-Buddies applicants.

• We do not match participants that live in the same state.

Is e-Buddies Is e-Buddies safe?safe?

e-Buddies E-mail Systeme-Buddies E-mail System• The e-Buddies E-mail System allows

participants to e-mail each other without divulging their actual e-mail address.

• Our E-mail System also allows us to track e-mail exchanges between matched e-Buddies.

e-Buddies Code of e-Buddies Code of ConductConduct

All e-Buddies participants must agree to the All e-Buddies participants must agree to the e-Buddies Code of Conduct.e-Buddies Code of Conduct.

Violating the e-Buddies Code of Conduct can Violating the e-Buddies Code of Conduct can result in immediate dismissal from result in immediate dismissal from

e-Buddies.e-Buddies.

e-Buddies Code of e-Buddies Code of ConductConduct

The Code of Conduct PROHIBITS:The Code of Conduct PROHIBITS:• Exchanging home addresses, actual e-mail

addresses, and telephone numbers• The transmittal of offensive or

pornographic content, or e-mail attachments of any sort

• In-person meetings, unless arranged by a Best Buddies staff member

What else do you What else do you need to know?need to know?

What is the age range for e-Buddies?What is the age range for e-Buddies?• e-Buddies is open to all participants that are

10 years old and up.• There is no maximum age to participate in

e-Buddies!

"My students have difficulty maintaining friendships for various reasons. Speech "My students have difficulty maintaining friendships for various reasons. Speech problems may interfere with communication or students' conversational skills problems may interfere with communication or students' conversational skills

may be inadequate. These problems do not translate to the computer."may be inadequate. These problems do not translate to the computer."

- Jeanne Sabol, Special Education Teacher- Jeanne Sabol, Special Education Teacher

What else do you What else do you need to know?need to know?

Consent from a parent / legal guardian:Consent from a parent / legal guardian:• All participants under the age of 18 must

have permission from a parent or legal guardian to join e-Buddies.

• All participants 18 years or older who have a court-appointed guardian must also receive permission to participate in e-Buddies.

What else do you What else do you need to know?need to know?

Does e-Buddies cost anything?Does e-Buddies cost anything?• e-Buddies is ALWAYS free for individuals

with intellectual disabilities.• There is a one-time fee for volunteers that

DO NOT have a disability and are 18 years old and up.

The e-Buddies The e-Buddies ImpactImpact

As of January 25, 2005, e-Buddies has:As of January 25, 2005, e-Buddies has:

1,092 active matches

2,178 participants exchanging e-mails

6,250 participants served since 1999

Contact UsContact Us

For more information please visit our website For more information please visit our website at:at:

www.ebuddies.org

"Because of e-Buddies, e-mail has become something I look forward to, "Because of e-Buddies, e-mail has become something I look forward to, and the computer has become a way for me to make friends."and the computer has become a way for me to make friends."

- Joshua Handler, New Jersey Special Olympics Athlete- Joshua Handler, New Jersey Special Olympics Athlete

Best Buddies Best Buddies presents…presents…

e-Buddies:e-Buddies:Friendships Friendships

through through TechnologyTechnology