CURRICULUM VITAE
Tom Gilbert
I’ve spent the better part of the last 50 years in the field of intellectual disabilities and the last 28 years developing a program for teaching full literacy skills to those within this population (aspergers, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, dyslexia, traumatic brain injury, ADD, ADHD, etc.). I’ve tutored over 50 individuals from northern Ohio long term (years) one-on-one in one hour weekly sessions in a cooperative learning style taking many from zero literacy skills to independent reading. I’ve logged just shy of 10,000 hours in the process.
Work Experience
Part time tutoring North-East Ohio
May 1991 to present
Part time tutoring in Full Literacy Skill Development for M.R./D.D. adults and children in various settings in Northeastern, Ohio
NCC Solutions (Formerly Northeast Care Center) 12627 York Road, North Royalton Ohio, 44133
October 2014 to present
Specialty Services Coordinator for Alpha Complex and NCC Day Programs
Our Lady of the Wayside, 38135 Colorado Avenue, Avon, Ohio 44011
May 2010 to June 2013
Day Program Coordinator for ICF/MR clients from OLW group homes at Pathways Day Program site Westlake, Ohio
Alpha 2, Northeast Care Center, 12627 York Road, North Royalton Ohio, 44133
October 1989 to December 2009
Q.M.R.P., in charge of 18 bed group home for multi-handicapped adults under Medicaid, I.C.F./M.R. license.
Willowood Nursing Home, Hadcock Road, Brunswick Ohio
May 1988 to October 1989
Program Director for 96 bed I.C.F./M.R..
Berry’s World, Thompson Ohio
January 1988 to April 1988
Program Director, for 2 - Twelve bed group homes for Elderly M/R. individuals
Help For Retarded Children, Inc. East Cleveland, Ohio
August 1986 to January 1988.
Second Shift Supervisor, group home for 12 M.R. children.
Apple Creek State Institute, Apple Creek, Ohio.
May 1975 to January 1979
Assistant Unit “E” Supervisor, Direct Care Staff, Adult Education Coordinator/Teacher for MR/DD adults
Gruter Foundation, New Pittsburgh, Ohio.
April 1973 to May 1975
Direct Care Staff for 26 MR/DD adults and children
Education
The College of Wooster
Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology/Social Welfare, graduated 1986, June
Cleveland State University
Master’s Degree in Special Education Multi-handicapped, graduated 1993, June
Master’s degree in Reading Instruction, graduated 1996, June
PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS
Peer Reviewed Publications
Pershey, M.G. & Gilbert T.W. (2002). Christine: A case study of literacy acquisition by an adult with Developmental Disabilities. Mental Retardation, 40(3), 219-234.
Newsletters
Gilbert, Thomas W. & Gordon Pershey, Monica (2020) Literacy: The Key to Inclusion for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities, ANCOR, American Network of Community Options and Resources, Connections: A Monthly Publication of the Nation’s largest Community of Disabled Providers, Thursday, February 27th.
https://www.ancor.org/newsroom/news/literacy-key-inclusion-adults-intellectual-disabilities
Klein, S.D., Gilbert, T.W., & Pershey M.G. (2003). Adults Can Learn to Read. Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan, 6. Available: http://www.dsawn.org/PDF/NL200305.pdf
Klein, S.D., Gilbert, T.W., & Pershey M.G. (2002). Adults Can Learn to Read. The ARC InSight, Association for Retarded Citizens of the United States, 4,11,14.
Peer Reviewed Presentations
Gilbert, T.W , & Gordon Pershey, M. (2019). Case Studies in Literacy Development in Adults with Developmental Disabilities. Ohio Health Care Association Conference, (Columbus, May 1st)
Gilbert, T. W., & Gordon Pershey, M. (2018). Literacy: A work-related skill. Northeast Ohio Rehabilitation Association Annual Conference (Cleveland, October).
*Gilbert, T. W., & Gordon Pershey, M. (2018). Literacy: The key to inclusion and integration. Annual Meeting of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (June, St. Louis).
*Gilbert, T. W., & Gordon Pershey, M. (2018). Case studies in literacy development for adults with autism spectrum disorder. Milestones National Autism Conference (Cleveland, June).
Gilbert, T. W. & Pershey, M.G (2017) Literacy: A very possible, necessary tool for inclusion and integration, Presentation at the Annual QDDP Convention, Cleveland, Ohio, August 9th.
Pershey, M.G. & Gilbert, T.W. (2017) Literacy: A very possible, necessary tool for inclusion and integration, Poster Session AAIID Annual Convention Hartford Connecticut, June 27th.
Gilbert, T. W. (2016) Literacy: A very possible, necessary tool for inclusion and integration. Ohio Health Care Association Annual Convention, Columbus Ohio, September.
Gilbert, T. W. (2016) Literacy: A very possible, necessary tool for inclusion and integration. Ohio Health Care Association Annual Convention, Columbus Ohio, May.
Pershey, M.G. & Gilbert, T.W. (2009). A case Study of Literacy Acquisition: An Adult with Developmental Disabilities. Ohio Providers Resource Association Annual Conference on Disabilities (Columbus Ohio, October)
Pershey, M.G. & Gilbert, T.W. (2007). A Case Study of Literacy Acquisition: An Adult with Developmental Disabilities. International Conference on Developmental Disabilities. (Quebec City, Canada, August)
Pershey, M.G. & T.W. (2005). A Case Study of Literacy Acquisition in an Adult with Developmental Disabilities. YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities Annual International Conference. (New York, May).
Gilbert, T.W. & Pershey, M.G. (2004). Case Study of Literacy Acquisition: An Adult with Developmental Disabilities. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Annual Convention (Philadelphia, November)
Gilbert, T.W. &Pershey, M.G. (2004). Full Literacy Skill Acquisition for MR/DD Adults. Ninth National Conference of QMRPs (Qualified Mental Retardation Professionals) (Chicago, August)
Gilbert, T.W. & Pershey, M.G. (1998). Advocating for Christine: A Case Study of Literacy Acquisition in a Developmentally Disabled Adult, College Reading Association (CRA) Annual Conference (Myrtle Beach, SC, November)
Untied States Patent:
Children’s Learning Toy, January 23, 2001, for patent U.S. # 6,176,704 B1, for helping with the teaching and learning of orthographic skill development in the areas of pre-literacy skills. No longer holding patent, as of January 23rd, 2013. Patent has now gone public, as of January, 23rd, 2013 (anyone
can now manufacture the toy).