Thursday, March 25, 2021

Screen reader tips:
  • All of the main sessions are formatted as a heading level 2 with the options formatted as a list directly under the heading.
  • The  breaks and lunches are formatted as a heading level 3. 
  • You may use the buttons/links at the bottom of the page to access the schedule for Friday or Saturday

9:00 -11:00 Pre-Conference
  • Literacy, Adaptations, and Materials for Students with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)-Diane Sheline
    • ​This TAER Pre-Conference training will examine existing literacy programs and discuss how we might adapt and modify these programs by considering student results from The CVI Range (C. Roman, 2018).  In addition, use of a CVI Overlay (J. Endicott, 2019), implementation of CVI Core Instruction (C. Roman, 2018) techniques and consideration of Matt Tietjen’s, “What’s the Complexity?” Framework, all add up to help create a unique literacy program specifically for your student or child.  Examples of adaptations and modifications will be shared as well as links and resources for adapting your own materials.   
      NOTE: Participants who attend this training would benefit from having an understanding of the 10 visual and behavioral characteristics of The CVI Range (Roman, 2018)
  • Where in the World Am I? Playtime for Infants and Toddlers-Kathie Preece
    • ​During this fun, action packed make it / take it session, participants will make items to be used as toys / tools to encourage the development of concepts in young children or MIVI students.  Materials will be provided for participants to make at least 9 items that will promote sensory stimulation, concept development, and active learning participation.  Ideas of how to use every homemade item will be shared, as well as appropriate IEP goals.
  • Creating and Using Maps for O&M-Sue O’Brien & Ryan Conlin
    • ​During this fun, action packed make it / take it session, participants will make items to be used as toys / tools to encourage the development of concepts in young children or MIVI students.  Materials will be provided for participants to make at least 9 items that will promote sensory stimulation, concept development, and active learning participation.  Ideas of how to use every homemade item will be shared, as well as appropriate IEP goals.

11:00-12:00 Social Session Networking and Connecting

12:00-1:00 Lunch Break

1:00-2:15 Welcome and Keynote: Friends Matter: Promoting Authentic Social Opportunities for All by Dr. Zachary Rosetti
  • Friendships are personally valuable and developmentally important relationships for all people, yet friendships between individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) remain infrequent. Extant research indicates that (a) opportunity barriers may play a more prominent role in friendship development than the social skills of individuals with IDD, and (b) when friendships between individuals with and without IDD have developed, direct support from educators, staff, and/or families has been a critical facilitator. Thus, this keynote presentation shares personal stories of social successes and challenges, as well as research-based strategies to promote authentic friendship between individuals with and without IDD.

2:15-2:30 Break

2:30-3:45 Session I

  • Make Space for Tech- Jim Allan
    • ​Whether students are going to Space Camp or transitioning to work, a solid foundation of tech skills is critical.
  • Lessons Learned from Providing Hybrid and & Distance O&M to over 500 Schools in the Spring Semester- Marty Schultz
    • ​Based on helping 500 schools use our distance-learning curriculum in the spring, we help schools adapt to hybrid learning. The ObjectiveEd hybrid curriculum is based on reinforcement learning -- encouraging students to practice what you have taught them in face-to-face, hybrid, and distance learning settings.
  • Game of Life- Andrew Bernet & Valerie Alvarez
    • ​This presentation will provide participants with real life ideas and strategies for how blind youth can work toward becoming employable and dateable. These ideas will come from two professionals who work in Rehabilitation and who are both blind and leading lives that some might consider "normal".

3:45-4:00 Break

4:00-5:15 Session II
  • Connecting with APH ConnectCenter- Kathryn Botsford & Olaya Landa-Vialard
    • ​Learn what's new with the revitalization of some of your favorite online resources: FamilyConnect, CareerConnect, VisionAware. Discover how you can use the APH ConnectCenter resources to increase your family outreach, transition-planning resources, and teaching efficacy.
  • BCVDDP’s Future Planning 101 for Individuals who are Blind or Visually Impaired: A Collaborative Model- Sarah Karmacharya, Haley Greer, & Ashley Melero
    • ​This presentation will describe a collaborative model of development of a future planning training that addresses the unique transition needs of individuals who are blind or visually impaired and their families. This includes: person-centered thinking and planning, goal setting, community building, financial planning, and supporting life decisions throughout the future.
  • Deafblind Hot Topics- Hillary Keys & Kaycee Bennett
    • ​Information to clarify participants' understanding of determining eligibility for students who are deafblind will be shared, and we will discuss support considerations for serving students who are proficient communicators. Current news and resources from the field and an open discussion time will round out the session.​

5:15-6:30 Social Break-Out Rooms
  • Hosted by TAER Board Members

6:30-7:30 Session III: Division Meetings
  • O&M Division Meeting- Andrew Burnet
  • Multiple Disabilities/DB Division Meeting- Hillary Keys
  •  Itinerant Division Session- Cyral Miller and Jill Brown​