Welcome
Lunch and Comments from President
Pulliam Gymnasium
Jeremy Legaspi and LaConda Walker Ross: Adapting LAMP Words for Life for Children with Visual Impairment
MLB Tach Lab
Implementing the Language Acquisition through Motor Planning approach, a consistent motor pattern paired with auditory output and a natural response has been trialed in several settings with nonverbal individuals with significant visual impairment with positive results. Modifications to the LAMP Words for Life language system supporting the unique challenges of visually impaired communicators will be discussed with hands-on demonstration.
Dolores Nolan and Brenda Kreitinger: Valley Metro Transit Education and Travel Training
Pulliam Gymnasium
Transportation is vital to a healthy, productive and rewarding life and learning to use it is an important skill. This is a presentation discussing Valley Metro and public transportation. A brief overview of fixed route, paratransit, travel training, and other Valley Metro programs is provided, along with information on how access the system.
Kelly Pritts and Debbie Zufan: Curriculum Accessibility for Braille Readers in the General Education Classroom
Multipurpose Room
This session discusses how braille readers are often left behind in the general education classroom and steps we can take to ensure that materials are accessible.
Amy Thomas: Learning Barriers: How Vision Can Disrupt Learning Even When 20/20
Don Tapia Boardroom
This presentation will show how vision develops, what can go wrong, what happens when vision does not develop as expected, how to screen for vision problems that affect reading, and how to accommodate and treat these vision problems.
Spencer Churchill and Melanie Audet: Using Technology to Teach Orientation and Mobility
Pulliam Gymnasium
There are an increasing number of resources for orientation and mobility. No matter what skillset you are working on, there is an A.T. product to support a safe and accessible learning experience. Everything from the compass to self-driving cars will be introduced during this presentation. Then, presenters will highlight several of their favorite resources and dive into the unique implications and technicalities of each. There will be opportunities for participants to ask specific questions and share their own stories.
Bill Koehler: On Being the “Good TVI/COMS”!
Mark Dewane Conference Room
Publication themes report lack of administrative support as a major factor in the work of TVI/COMS. Themes suggest administration having more information about TVI/COMS duties allows enlightened decision making about such things as staffing and caseloads; the reality is quite different. This discussion will briefly review much of what has been written about being the “good TVI/O&M”, calling the question about roles administration and all levels of teacher training must accept if we are going to give TVI/COMS the tools they need to be the best they can be. Specific recommendations are presented, including current research and administrative activity.
Gina Lipko: Make and Take Story Boxes
Don Tapia Boardroom
During this session you will learn about using story boxes as a teaching tool to use with students who are blind or visually impaired. You will also get to make and take your own story box.
Megan Mogan: An Online Tour of the Communication Matrix
MLB Tech Lab
The Communication Matrix is an assessment designed to document the expressive communication skills of children and youth who have severe or multiple disabilities, including sensory impairment(s). It honors all forms of communication used by our students such as eye gaze, vocalizations, even leg kicking! Designed by Dr. Charity Rowland, it documents the skills and progress of students who are pre-linguistic. This presentation will guide participants through the free online version of the Communication Matrix and offer guidance on using results to develop goals and objectives for students at the earliest level of communication. All assessment experience levels are welcome.
Pati Robitaille: About Guide Dogs for the Blind
Elaine Baldridge Boardroom *No live audio*
This presentation is to acquire the information and process for getting a guide dog and to gain a better understanding of the GDB organization. Attendees will learn about the history of guide dogs, life as a puppy, becoming a guide dog, requirements to receive a guide dog and benefits of the GDB organization.
Julie Rock: Orientation and Adjustment to Vision Loss as it Affects and is Affected by Family Support
Multipurpose Room *This Videos has no audio*
Presentation and discussion regarding the importance of involving the family and possibly close friends in the adjustment to disability process.
Presentation and discussion regarding the importance of involving the family and possibly close friends in the adjustment to disability process.
Megan Mogan and Pat Jung: Issues in Deafblindness: Q & A with Arizona Deafblind Project Specialists
Don Tapia Boardroom
This is your chance to brush up on Deafblind techniques and strategies, collaborate with statewide service providers, and ask questions specific to your student(s) with combined vision and hearing loss. Deafblind Specialists Pat Jung and Megan Mogan will guide a discussion acknowledging the diverse, individualized needs of students who are deafblind and the practical implications for meeting those needs in an educational setting. Post-Workshop follow-up will be provided within the scope of the Arizona Deafblind Project’s services.
Jenny Nordine: Driving to Independence: Low Vision, Bioptics, and Learning to Drive
Pulliam Gymnasium
Regardless of a vision impairment, driving provides mobility, independence and freedom. These are common attributes most adolescents and adults are seeking. This workshop will provide information on the Arizona Motor Vehicle vision requirements for restricted and non-restricted driver’s license and how to navigate the medical review program. Bioptic driving is permitted in Arizona as an adaptive method of driving. We will discuss the pre-driving and driving recommendations common for those needing to drive with a bioptic lens.
Eva Prince and Sarah Gaines-Boehm: Executive Functioning: Testing Beyond Traditional IQ; Implications for Teaching
Elaine Baldridge Boardroom
Executive Functions play a command role in guiding and regulating thought and behavior. As is the case with most dimensions of psychological development, the emergence and development of executive control functions vary across individuals in terms of the age of onset, the rate of development, the level of proficiency at any given age, and the trajectory of skill acquisition. Increasingly, research suggests that assessment and intervention in learning differences should include remediation directed toward theses control strategies. This 60-minute presentation aims to introduce the domains of executive function, executive skills seen at various ages of development, and the general principles of interventions to promote regular behavioral/cognitive routines to maximize independent, goal-oriented problem solving and performance.
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Joanne Szabo: Gross Motor Skill Development in Children with Visual Impairments
Multipurpose Room
Seventy-five percent of early learning comes from the use of vision (Gogate et al., 2011). Without visual information, a child is at high risk for having delayed motor skills (Brambring, 2006; Houwen et al., 2009; Wagner et al. 2013). Additionally, a lack of vision also affects the proficiency of motor skills. Typically, the proficiency of a child’s skills naturally increases with age (Butterfield et al., 2012). This improvement with age is not seen in children with visual impairments (Haibach et al., 2014). Intentional motor skills training from family, early interventionists and school based providers is critical to support these needs.
Carol Green: Exploring the Navajo Braille
MLB Tech Lab
After being introduced to the Navajo Braille Code, participants who are interested in learning the Navajo Braille Code will create tactile counting books using English and Navajo braille. In addition, they will play a BINGO game using Navajo Braille. BEFORE creating books and playing the game however, participants will be informed about a summer program in which students can learn more about the Navajo Braille Code and participate in a field trip to Monument valley. A 3-D map of Monument Valley will be shared along with applications and brochures on how to sign up for the program. I will share my experience in using the Navajo Braille code to take a Navajo language course at San Juan College using the Navajo Braille Code. Students of all ages, parents, teachers and transcriptionists are welcome to attend.
Pulliam Gymnasium
Megan Mogan: Easing Transitions for Students with Deafblindness or MDSSI
Don Tapia Boardroom
Moving from one activity to another can be an especially stressful time for students who are Deafblind or MDSSI. Many special education classrooms for sighted and hearing students use concrete, visual systems of communication to support transitions while developing time concepts. How can we re-think the design of these systems to provide access to students with dual sensory impairment or visual impairment and additional disabilities? This presentation will offer practical techniques to support the perception, processing, and understanding of transition times for early communicators.
Karla Rivas-Parker, Suzi Gunn, and Natally Bones: Low Tech and High Tech Options for Safe and Efficient Travel
Pulliam Gymnasium
State of Arizona Independent Living Blind (ILB) professionals will discuss and demonstrate the use of various low and high technologies available for safe and efficient travel in different environments, e.g. in-doors, out-doors, urban, rural, etc. The Orientation and mobility professionals will demonstrate client centered sampling of applications of these technologies encompassing various visual impairments and special needs. The audience will have an opportunity to participate in open discussion to share their own experiences using low and high technology.
Jared Leslie, Spencer Churchill, Chris Hawk, and Melanie Audet: Blind Buccaneers—Sailing Past Obstacles
MLB Tech Lab
On November 10th, 12 students and 12 sighted guides chartered 3 sailboats and navigated the Spanish Virgin Islands starting and ending in Fajardo, Puerto Rico – over a 6-day period. The students came from all different backgrounds, some blind and some low vision, some since birth, some for a few years. The sighted guides were FBC staff and community partners who have long supported FBC. It was a life changing trip for the students and guides. This presentation will be covering how we successfully adapted the instruction of sailing and the lessons about independent travel, advocacy and social skills.
Laura Stoner: Teaching Pre-Literacy Skills to Visually Impaired Students
Multipurpose Room
This presentation will share ideas about using early childhood literature to teach both pre-braille and visual concepts. Participants will discuss how to use a variety of tools such as story boxes, visual story cards, textures, and technology to teach pre-braille skills as well as develop visual concepts for visually impaired students.
Colin Wong, Joanne Gabias, and Tarik Williams: Walking in Step with Structured Discovery
Elaine Baldridge Boardroom
Ever wondered what Structured Discovery is? Come join us to learn what it is and what it isn’t. We will be discussing how we use the cognitive paradigm through non-visual training to build students’ confidence and independence. This presentation will be interactive with testimonies from consumers with multiple disabilities, videos of how structured discovery is utilized in Independent Living Skills, Braille, AT and O&M classes as well as time for questions.
Kathie Zeider: ACVREP: History, Focus and Services, Vision for the Future
Pulliam Gymnasium
Steve Kortenkamp and Jinseok Park: The Use of Tactile Graphics and 3d Model Printing
Multipurpose Room
Producing tactile materials requires extra time and effort. Background knowledge in technologies may be the biggest obstacles. Such obstacles can be reduced by using free-to-use online resources. This presentation aims to introduce methods of ways to make tactile graphics and 3d printing materials. The presenter will discuss ways to utilize tactile graphics and materials in education for students with VI. The presenter will introduce on printing 3d materials as well as processing images into tactile graphics with PIAF machine. The session participants will have an opportunity to discuss how to utilize the materials for students with VI in educational settings.
Sandra Stirnweis: Game On!
Don Tapia Boardroom
We all find ourselves in a rut from time to time. Sometimes it takes a brainstorming session to develop new and creative approaches to standard skills and objectives to you need to teach. In this hands-on workshop, the presenter will share some creative games and activities. Then, the participants will divide into small groups, be given a collection of items and supplies, and be asked to create a game or activity that teaches or reinforces a commonly taught subject area.
Amy Lewis, Cody Franklin, Alex Fabrega, and Kimberly Nelson: Orientation & Mobility Events: AZ Regional Cane Quest & an Overview of the 2019 International O&M Online Symposium
MLB Tech Lab
This presentation will give an overview of the Arizona Regional Cane Quest event and the 2019 International Orientation & Mobility Online Symposium. Attendees will learn about the Cane Quest contest developed by Braille Institute. Presenters will discuss how students and vision professionals can be involved in the Arizona Regional events. Presenters will give an overview of the 2019 International Orientation & Mobility Online Symposium. The Symposium featured 12 excellent sessions about O&M related topics. Come learn about the Symposium. It’s a great way to attend a conference without traveling or spending a significant amount of money!
Daniel Martinez: Essential Employment Skills
Pulliam Gymnasium
Presenting a white paper on preparing people who are blind for employment. The paper should be used as a resource that may benefit clients in preparing for employment.
Vicki Numkena: CampAbilities Flagstaff 2020
Elaine Baldridge Boardroom
Join us for a brief summary of the status of the creation of Camp Abilities Flagstaff and what needs to happen next. Included in the discussion will be how to work with Camp Abilities Tucson to provide student athletes in Arizona with a variety of summer sports camp opportunities. Come and join an enthusiastic group of TVIs and O&Ms who want to make this happen!