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Updated April 2, 2012

• March 2012
• April 2012
• May 2012
• June 2012
• July 2012
• August 2012
• September 2012
• October 2012
• November 2012

March 2012

March 7, 2012

TETN # 10101 Why Parent Organizations Matter

Date and Time of Broadcast:  March 7, 2012 from 1:30-3:30 PM

Texas is fortunate to have a strong network of family organizations that provide information, family connections and leadership specifically to parents of children with sensory losses.  A panel of representatives from Texas Association of Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (TAPVI), Deaf-Blind Multihandicapped Association of Texas (DBMAT), Texas Chargers, National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation, and others will share the importance of these organizations to families and the impact they have on public policy.

March 29-30 and 30-31, 2012

TAER/Texas Focus

Location: Omni West Hotel, Houston, TX

Summary of Conferences: In these tough economic times, we need to find ways to save money, and few of us have much release time to attend conferences. This year, in an effort to make both events more convenient and cost effective for individuals to attend, TAER and Texas Focus have decided to collaborate to host our first combined conference at the Omni Houston Westside (http://www.omnihotels.com/findahotel/houstonwestside.aspx) 13210 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77079.

These two events will be held back-to-back over three days in March. TAER runs from Thursday morning until Friday afternoon. Texas Focus begins Friday evening with a keynote and runs through Saturday afternoon. A single registration site is established so you may opt to attend all or part of the event and pay accordingly. We have done everything we can to keep the registration costs as low as possible to make it easier for you to attend.

The Texas Focus portion of the agenda begins with a keynote on Friday evening. There will be multiple breakout sessions throughout the day on Saturday. Professionals, paraprofessionals and parents will find great topic options no matter where their individual interests lie.

Limited stipends will be available to family members wishing to attend this combined event. These stipends will be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis to family members who do not have other resources available to cover the cost of participating in this event. Information about requesting these stipends will be available on the Outreach Programs website in the early fall months. Please also note that Texas AER is currently in the planning stages and the format for that portion of the Back-to-Back will remain very similar to previous TAER conferences.

Texas Focus On-line Evaluation

April 2012

April 20-22, 2012

Transition Weekend for Parents of Students with Deafblindness and Visual and Multiple Impairments

Presenters: David Wiley and Eva Lavigne, Transition Consultants, TSBVI Outreach

Location: TSBVI Outreach Conference Center

Workshop Summary: This workshop will address how to take a more active role in Transition Planning to help move learners with visual and multiple impairments or deafblindness toward a personally satisfying adult life in the community. Transition Planning is based on setting personal goals for a meaningful and productive life, taking steps toward realizing those goals, and making connections with allies who can help.  This weekend workshop is designed for families of children who have visual impairments or deafblindness, as well as additional disabilities which limit their independence and create a need for ongoing support, supervision, and assistance as they move into adulthood.  Participants will learn effective strategies to make the most of the secondary school years by being prepared to set clear and realistic goals that reflect the students preferences and abilities.  Though primarily designed for parents, professionals and paraprofessionals involved with the participating families may attend.

Audience: Parents of students with deafblindness or visual and multiple impairments, their invited educational team members

Length of Training: 2 days.

Register now!

May 2012

May 2, 2012

TETN # 10102 EXIT (Experiences in Transition) Program

Date and Time of Broadcast: May 2, 2012 from 1:30-3:30 PM

This presentation will share information about the Experiences in Transition (EXIT) Program at TSBVI. Designed to focus on transitioning young adults from school to the adult world, this course of study provides programming for Practical Academic students ages 18-22 in an environment that more closely replicates the adult environment in which they will be living.

May 10, 2012

How to Teach Braille Music

Presenters:  Linda Washburn, TVI, Master in Braille Music and Sharon Nichols, Technology Consultant

Location: Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired - Conference Center

Time: 8:30 AM - 4:15 PM

Want to help your student with visual impairments learn to read braille music?  This hands-on workshop will provide resources and strategies for introducing their student to the exciting world of braille music. The workshop will demonstrate how to begin to teach braille music to your student using Solfege,(using do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and ti, as heard in The Sound of Music movie). The workshop will also allow the participant hands-on experience reading and writing braille music code, focusing on the most basic symbols beginner music students usually learn.  Several sample lessons and a variety ofresources for teaching braille music will be shared.

This workshop will also present an overview of how to use the Goodfeel software to create braille music. We will explore the possibilities both for teachers and students who wish to obtain Braille scores from either hard copy or electronic print scores, and also for music students to produce both Braille and print scores of their own music or harmony exercises.  You will learn how a page of print music can be scanned into a computer. This scan can be edited in the Lime notation package. The Lime can also be used with Lime Aloud (a set of JAWS scripts which not only describe the musical symbols, but display the line of Braille on screen and on a Braille display). The final stage of the process will turn the page of print music into Braille which could be sent directly to a Braille embosser. 

Please bring your student if possible. They may attend free of charge!  Registration is $25 if you register by May 9th!  Registration on the day of the workshop is $35.

To register go to http://www.certain.com/system/profile/web/index.cfm?PKWebId=0x2737723dd6

May 16, 2012

TETN # 10374 Portfolios for Students with Visual and Visual and Multiple Impairments

Date and Time of Broadcast: May 16, 2012 from 1:30-3:30 PM

Portfolios are more than just notebooks, files or a collection of student performance. Portfolios are excellent self-advocacy tools that can document student strengths and abilities, interests, use of adaptive equipment, levels of independence, strategies for being successful, etc. This TETN will examine introduction portfolios as an effective communication tool to assist others in getting to know the student for who he/she is and not just for his/her disability. We will also look at elements of a self-advocacy portfolio including sections researching and learning more about the student’s eye condition and being able to explain it to others in their own language, including how they best learn, and what they need to be successful in different environments. The TETN will also cover the elements and use of transition portfolios as an excellent basis for IEP development and transition planning focusing on career information including interests; strengths and preferences, vocational, post-secondary and daily living goals.

TETN # 10374 Portfolios for Students with Visual and Visual and Multiple Impairments Handout

June 2012

June 6, 2012

Essential Assessment Rubric for VI (Workshop #33566)

Presenter:  Mary Ann Siller

Location: Region III Education Service Center, Victoria, TX

Contact:  Peggy Thornsburg at pthornsburg@esc3.net or 361-573-073

June 18, 2012

Differentiating Instruction for Diverse Learners with iPads (Workshop #33648)

Presenter:  Larry Lewis

Location: Region III Education Service Center, Victoria, Tx

Day Two of a special iPad series to help teachers utilize the iPad for educational purposes with students who are visually impaired.

Contact:  Peggy Thornsburg at pthornsburg@esc3.net or 361-573-0731.

June 19-20, 2012

LID Academy 2012 – Active Learning Conference

LID Academy 2012 – Active Learning Conference Registration

Presenter: Patricia L. Obrzut

Location:  Region X ESC, Richardson, TX

This professional development will provide strategies and resources for teachers and paraprofessionals who serve students with low incidence disabilities (i.e. severely cognitively disabled, medically fragile, and/or deafblind). Motivating and inspiring an individual with special needs to engage in their environment can be challenging. Join Patty Obrzut, M. S., O.T.R., Assistant Director of Penrickton Center for Blind Children, as she provides you with a fresh an innovative approach for creating and understanding; Active Learning; environments, providing new ways to promote skills attainment and independence in children of all developmental ages. A valuable resource for teachers, parents, therapists and support staff.

The presentation will include an introduction to the concepts of active learning. The participant will gain skills in identifying and creating active learning environments. Perceptual aides including the little room, hopsadress, support bench, and resonance board will be presented. Develop your skills as an observer, teacher, therapist and role model while promoting skill attainment and independence.

Participants must attend two days for credit. You must register by June 5, 2012. There is no fee for this session for participants associated with Region 10. Out-of-Region participants will be charged $50 per day for the session and will be wait-listed until two weeks prior to this session. Persons outside of Region 10 must call 972-348-1624 to be placed on the waiting list.

Registration Deadline:  6/12/2012

Audience: TVI, COMS, Sp. Ed. Staff, Parents

Contact: Gayle McNurlen, Gayle.McNurlen@region10.org or 972-348-1598 or go to http://events.ednet10.net/FE2Production.nsf/eventdetails?readform&eventid=EVT-EVES-8GSLNF

June 12-14, 2012

Texas Assistive Technology Regional Conference

Location: Region 4 ESC

Registration fees: Still pending

For more information please contact Kirk Behnke at kbehnke@esc4.net or call him at 713-744-6559.

To register, please go to: http://www.texasatconference.net/Register.htm.

July 2012

July 30-August 1, 2012

Statewide Conference on Education of the Deaf:  Achieving Student Success in a Digital World

Westin Galleria Houston, 5060 West Alabama Houston, TX 77056

Rates: $109 nightly rate (single) $129 (double) $144 (triple) $159 (quad)
Phone: (713) 960-8100
Registration: Online registration will begin September 1, 2011 at www.swced.org

• Professionals and Paraprofessionals: $190 - $225 after June 1, 2012
• Family Members and University Students:  $30 - $40 after June 1, 2012
• High School Students:  Free

Registration from family members, university students and high school students does not include the cost of banquet meals.

Training Strands: Parent/Infant Education, Preschool, Signed Communication/Interpreting, Listening & Spoken Language/Evaluation, English/Language Arts, Low Functioning Deaf/Transition, Deaf Studies/Culture, Administrative & Legal Issues, Technology, Accessing General Curriculum (math, science, social studies), Family Involvement

Special Presenters: Dan Herlihy and Susan Elliott

Special Features: Exciting childcare programs for children who are deaf and hard of hearing and their siblings (additional cost applies) Sign language interpreters provided. Spanish translators provided upon request. Registration includes free two year membership in T.A.P.E.D.

Conference Sponsors: Texas Association of Parents and Educators of the Deaf, Education Service Centers Regions 4, 10, 11, & 20, Texas School for the Deaf, Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Regional Day School Programs for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Additional Information: Vendor and exhibitor space available, contact Brenda Wellen at alice.wellen@saisd.org. The conference is accepting proposals for presentations; submit application online. For additional conference information contact Sandy Chance at sandra.chance@cfisd.net, Sandra Connatser at sconnatser@esc4.net or Kelley Watt at kjwatt@gccisd.net For questions regarding childcare call Lisa Crawford (512) 462-5447 or contact her at lisacr@tsd.state.tx.us.

August 2012

September 2012

September 21-22, 2012

Intervener Team Training Model

Special training event for new interveners their classroom teacher(s) and administrators.  This event provides information about the roles and responsibilities of the intervener, how the intervener functions within the educational team and an overview to working with students who are deafblind.  Please save the dates.  More information will be available soon!

October 2012

October 12-14, 2012

Deaf-Blind Multihandicappped Association of Texas (DBMAT) Annual Family Conference

Save the date!  Visit www.dbmat-tx.org for more information.

November 2012

November 1-3, 2012

Southwest Orientation and Mobility Association (SWOMA) Annual Conference

Location:  Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Austin, TX

Save the date!  More information will be available soon!

November 2-4, 2012

Texas Chargers Annual Conference

Location:  Camp Allen, Navasota Texas

Save the date!  Visit www.txchargers.org for more information.

November 17, 2012

Sowell Center Lecture Series:  Seeing Eye, Inc.

Lecture on complex intersections will be featured.  More information will be available, but save the date!  Go to http://cms.educ.ttu.edu/research/sowell/default/ for more information.

Attachments:

2011-12 SWOMA Conference Guide & Attendance Verification Form	562 Kb
Happy Tapping: Teaching Beginning Cane Skills to Toddlers	1726 Kb
Meeting with Traffic Engineers	1734 Kb
New Issues for Blind & Visually Impaired Pedestrians	140 Kb
O&M Instuction for Individuals with Mutiiple Imparments & Wheelchair Users	150 Kb
Learning Ally Formats.doc	33 Kb
APH Showcase of O&M Materials	133 Kb
Developing O&M Functional & Standards-Based IEPs	4878 Kb
Finding Wheels	181 Kb
Providing O&M Services to Senior Citizens	190 Kb
Spatiotemporal Development in Infants & Toddlers	126 Kb
A Foundation: O&M Purposeful Movement for Infants & Toddlers	148 Kb
DARS Structured Discovery Method	669 Kb
GPS: An Overview of Devices & a Hands-on Experience + GPS for Adults & Children	1495 Kb