Motivational Monday

 

FCA Winter Wonderland Holiday Party

 For those local to the Long Island area, tickets are now on sale for the FCA's Winter Wonderland Holiday Party! The event takes place on Saturday, December 18, and includes an evening of music, fun and festivities! Click here for details: www.lifesworc.org/holiday2021

Identifying and Managing School Related Anxiety

Many children with learning disabilities also experience anxiety related to school and academics. Positive Parent Solutions created this graphic listing anxiety symptoms which can help to identify whether your child or student is struggling with anxiety and the article "6 Essential Tools to Help Your Child Overcome Anxiety" to provide strategies to support those struggling with anxiety. 

Source: Positive Parenting Solutions 

Webinar Wednesday: Top Tips for Dyslexia and Technology

To help celebrate Dyslexia Awareness Month, Dafydd Henke-Reed, Head of Accessibility at AbilityNet shared his expert advice about dyslexia and technology in a free webinar. Dafydd championed the ways technology has helped with his dyslexia. He examined the digital barriers to avoid and explained good practice for enabling dyslexic users online.

This webinar covers the range of topics including:

• Challenges with communication including written text and verbal communication
• Tech and tools available to help with dyslexia, including emojis, voice chat, and multimedia messaging
• Speech to text software: Dragon Naturally Speaking, Siri / Alexa, Office Dictate, Mac OS / iOS Dictation
• Text to speech software: Read & Write, ClaroRead, Office Speak, Mac OS / iOS Speech

If you're dyslexic, are looking for advice about how technology can help you, or are interested in how technology can revolutionize the learning experience for those with dyslexia be sure to watch. For digital professionals, the free session also examines digital barriers to avoid, and what you can do to make your websites more accessible for people with dyslexia and other cognitive issues.

   

Additional Useful resources
Factsheet: Dyslexia and Technology
Designing for Accessibility posters from UK Home Office website
AbilityNet's digital accessibility training courses

Jamie Oliver Made By Dyslexia Interview

Jamie Oliver talks to madebydyslexia.org about his dyslexia and shares personal insights and advice.

Dyslexia Awareness Month

October may be the start of beautiful fall weather and pumpkin spiced....everything, but it is also the start to celebrating those who have dyslexia. The month of October is dedicated as Dyslexia Awareness Month which provides a good opportunity to not only raise awareness and understanding of dyslexia , but also to bring about positive changes. There are many ways you can provide support from changing your profile picture, to attending a dyslexia awareness event such as a webinar or conference, sharing information regarding dyslexia on your social media pages or wearing red. This year people across the nation will be Wearing Red for Dyslexia Day on Thursday, October 7, 2021. It's a simple act, but can make a big impact to drive conversation and raise awareness.

To learn more about Wear Red for Dyslexia Day visit The #SucceedWithDyslexia Facebook page.

Webinar Wednesday: ELLevating All: Overlapping Strategies for ELLs and students with SLD (including dyslexia)

PATINS Specialist, Amanda Crecelius, will provide resources and tools for English Language Learners (ELLs) and/or students with Specific Learning Difference (SLD), including dyslexia in this live webinar. This is an overview of overlapping strategies for promoting literacy for ELLs and students with SLD with a focus on how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can eliminate barriers for ELLs/students with SLD and all students. In the "ELLevating All" training, you will learn many helpful strategies, including the Literacy Building UDL Checklist - VICS

Visuals (Phonological Awareness) Interaction (Multisensory) Connections (Context & Culture)  Scaffolding (Gradual Release of Responsibility)

Date: October 5, 2021 at 3:00 pm EST/2:00 pm CST Target Audience: General Education Teachers, Special Education Teachers, English Language Teachers PGPs/ASHA Hours: Yes  To request this training at a different date and time, please email Amanda Crecelius

Webinar Wednesday: Dysgraphia? What is it anyway?

Is illegible handwriting why your child is failing school? Could the illegibility be a symptom of something else? In this presentation, learn how to differentiate dysgraphia in your discussions with the IEP team members.

This webinar with Cheri Dotterer, MS, OTR/L and Dysgraphia Life took place on June 23, 2021. The full recording is archived above.

Cheri Dotterer, MS, OTR/L is an international speaker, author, and consultant who equips educators and therapists to help students succeed in school by overcoming the social-emotional trauma associated with illegible handwriting and dysgraphia.

Her book, Handwriting Brain-Body DisConnect, has remained in the
Top 100 on Amazon since publication in Handwriting Reference and Learning Disabilities. It was also a Top 10 Finalist in the Author Academy Awards in 2019.

​Being an occupational therapist for 25 years, she has worked in many concentration areas. It wasn't until starting her own private practice that she found her passion. She has been an adjunct instructor at Penn State, Alvernia, and Misericordia Universities and has guest lectured at several other colleges throughout her career. She lives with her husband of 30 years. They have two adult children. She and her team seek to synthesize best practices surrounding dysgraphia, build community across all disciplines working with the students, and transform personal perspectives to empower lifelong learners.

​
Resources mentioned in the Webinar:

For Parents:

Dotterer Dysgraphia Toolkit

Parent's Guide to Dysgraphia (FREE)


For Professionals:

Professional's Guide to Dysgraphia (FREE)

Dotterer Dysgraphia Method

2021 ATAC Virtual Assistive Technology & Community Living Summit

The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC) at Disability Rights New Jersey is hosting their 5th annual virtual AT Summit on September 23rd and 24th. This year's event includes over 45 sessions and 2 keynotes providing valuable information related to K-12 education, higher education, employment, and community living.  

Visit their conference website to see the sessions, keynote speakers,  schedule AND to register for your free ticket.

Motivational Monday: Back to School

 

This is Not About Me

 Take a look into the life of Jordyn Zimmerman- a 26-year-old non-speaking autistic woman. Spend time with her, her family, and others as they recount her experiences growing up. Follow her on her journey from running away from school when she was unable to communicate to finishing high school in a year and pursuing degrees in Education to improve the education system. While this documentary follows Jordyn’s experiences, they are similar to many others across the world. This Is Not About Me shows us what happens when we judge someone based on what they can or can’t say, and what can happen when educators foster an inclusive education culture by presuming competence.

                                         

               Meet Jordyn          Explore AAC & Autism

                                               Resources

Source: This Is Not About Me from This is not about me on Vimeo.

Back to School Tips

Schools across the country are reopening their doors and welcoming students. For parents of children with varying needs the start of the school year can prove to be a stressful time. Thoughts swirling if their children's needs will be met and if their child will succeed in their new environment, socially, emotionally and academically. The article linked here from LD Online puts together a list of eight helpful back-to-school tips that aim to make the transition into a new school year a little easier for parents and their children.

Learning Through Reflection

I wrote the following blogpost as a guest bloggers for the PATINS Project. The PATINS Project is a state-wide technical assistance network that connects Indiana's local education agencies (LEAs) to Accessible Materials, Assistive Technology, Professional Development & Technical Support through the Indiana Departments of Education and Administration. PATINS helps to ensure that all students can access, participate, and progress within their general curriculum.

Click here to view the original blog post, along with their previous posts and resources.

As John Dewey once said, “We do not learn from experience….we learn from reflecting on experience.” If you have spent any time over the past 15 months working in the educational system, you can unquestionably agree that the pandemic certainly provided its share of opportunities for reflection. What we once knew about education was swiftly flipped. The equivalent of literally having the rug pulled out from underneath your feet. Yet, with no notice teachers across the nation rose to the occasion to revamp every aspect of how they provided instruction to their students. Even if this looked different based on where you work or the student population you work with, the one thing educators had in common was that we were navigating uncharted territories together.  

As a mother to two school-aged children and an educator for the past 20 years, I was able to view the educational impact of the pandemic from multiple lenses. Questions swirling about how our children would make up for lost months, closing educational gaps, meeting their social and emotional needs, ways to creatively provide accessible instruction with various constraints. So many unknowns.  

Looking back a year later, virtual students are returning to in-person learning, desk shields are being removed from classrooms, masks requirements are lifted in some establishments for those who are vaccinated, schools are beginning to reopen, and a small sense of normalcy seems to finally be on the horizon.  But it’s safe to say that COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on education, casting a critical light on everything from ed tech to student equity to accessibility to school financing.  

Many aspects of education were directly impacted by the pandemic leaving years for schools to successfully get students back-on-track, not only academically but also socially and emotionally.  Teachers, parents and students spent the better part of the year being pushed outside of their comfort zones and likely will seek a return to the educational world they once knew. However, we can argue that some changes resulting from COVID-19 were for the better and efforts will be placed by educational leaders to maintain those changes.  

With the end of the school year here or on the near horizon make time for reflection. The act of reflection provides an opportunity to pause amidst the chaos while sorting through and creating meaning from your experiences. The questions below are adapted from article Reflection Questions for Teachers and Students: Looking Back at Our Year created by Lydia Breiseth and Elena Aguilar’s Questions for Reflecting on a Year of Learning. The hope is for you to pause and think back on the challenges, the successes, the impact they had on and how it shaped yourselves, your students and families.

• What was the most difficult challenge (or series of challenges) I faced this year? my students and their families faced this year?
• What strengths did I show in addressing those challenges?
• Who or what helped me address those challenges? What helped my students and their families begin to address those challenges?
• What opportunities did those challenges create?
• What did I learn about my students’ lives, families, and past experiences? my colleagues? my school community? my local community? myself?
• What impact did I have on my students and their families?
• What impact did I have on the systems in my classroom, building, or district?
• How did I grow as an educator this year? 
• How can I harness what I learned and continue to move forward with it? 
• What do I anticipate facing next year? What is my plan of action?
• What has given me hope?
• Who or what was particularly helpful in a moment when I needed it?
• How did I take care of and nurture myself this past year?

If the past year has allowed us to reflect on anything, it’s that our teachers, students and their families are not only resilient but adaptable. It has taught us that our educators should not be taken for granted. It has taught us that not all COVID-19 changes were necessarily obstructive. It has taught us the powerful impact technology has had on how instruction is delivered. It has taught us a valuable reminder of the importance of in-person interactions and engagement both in and out of school settings. It has taught us there is more work to be done to change the challenges of our educational system and the inequities many students face. It has taught us to place priority on the things and people who matter most to us. It has taught us to celebrate small victories. It has taught us to be flexible and to step outside of our comfort zones.  And most importantly it has taught us to be forgiving and patient with ourselves as we continue to navigate these unchartered waters.

As we near the close to another unprecedented school year I can say with certainty that although the path we journeyed may have been divergent, with hills and valleys along the way, we emerged changed but maybe in some ways for the better. 

Webinar Wednesday: Assessment of Dyslexia: Constructs and Challenges

 

The purpose of this session is to discuss the cognitive, linguistic, and reading and writing abilities that should be included in a comprehensive dyslexia evaluation.  In addition, the presenter will describe several challenges that are inherent in the assessment of dyslexia, including the current identification procedures under IDEA 2004; the difficulty with early identification; the dilemma of twice-exceptional students; and the existence of co-occurring disorders, such as ADHD and language impairments. The presenter will also briefly describe the Tests of Dyslexia which will be available in 2022.

Nancy Mather is a Professor Emerita at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She has served as a learning disabilities teacher, a diagnostician, a university professor, and an educational consultant. She has published numerous articles and books and conducts workshops on assessment and instruction both nationally and internationally. Dr. Mather is a co-author of the Woodcock-Johnson IV. Her most recent book on dyslexia is:  Essentials of Dyslexia: Assessment and Intervention and on learning disabilities: Learning Disabilities and Challenging Behaviors. She is currently working on the Tests of Dyslexia, a comprehensive measure designed to help evaluate individuals for dyslexia.

Click here to register

Webinar Wednesday: Microsoft Ability Summit 2021

Microsoft recently hosted their Ability Summit. The intention was to bring people with disabilities, allies, and accessibility professionals together to imagine, build, include, and empower the future of disability inclusion and accessibility.  They released the on-demand recordings of their sessions which can be explored using the link below. 

 

Microsoft Ability Summit 2021 On-Demand Sessions

Motivational Monday

 

GAAD: Apple Software Updates Designed for People with Disabilities

    Global Accessibility Awareness Day, GAAD, is a day dedicated to focusing on digital access and inclusion for the more than one billion people with disabilities and impairments. It is celebrated annually and highlights that accessibility is a fundamental right.  

    In line with GAAD, Apple released a preview of several software updates specifically designed for people with disabilities such as SignTime which allows Apple customers and users to remotely access on-demand Sign Language interpreters or an update to the Apple Watch which will allow users to navigate Assistive Touch. Other updates include eye-tracking support for the iPad, exploring images with VoiceOver, new bi-directional hearing aids which enable those who are deaf or hard of hearing to have hands-free phone and FaceTime conversations, the ability to import audiograms to customize the settings within Headphone Accommodations, new background sounds to help minimize distractions, sound actions for Switch Control, more customizable Display and Text Size settings for colorblindness or visual impairments and New Memoji customizations to widen their representation of individuals with varying needs.

To read more about these updates, click the link below to access the full article.

Apple Software Preview Article Link 

Source: Apple, GAAD  

Motivational Monday

 

Could Your Child Have an Executive Function Deficit?

The following information was shared on the ADDitude website regarding 

executive function disorder. 

Source: ADDitude Magazine: Executive Dysfunction, Explained! 

The seven executive functions (self-awareness, inhibition, non-verbal working memory, verbal working memory, emotional self-regulation, self-motivation, and planning and problem solving) develop consecutively over time. Self-awareness starts to develop around age 2; by age 30, planning and problem solving are fully developed in a neurotypical brain. Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD), however, generally lag 30 to 40 percent behind their peers in developing one executive function, and then the next.

Executive Function Disorder is often difficult to ignore during the transitions to 6th or 9th grade, when school structure and schedules change dramatically, and academic expectations increase. Parents and teachers often don’t get why kids can’t work independently on an assignment, and assume they'll "pick up" the necessary skills. It's important to start helping kids with ADHD / EFD early, and acknowledge the problems those disorders cause so that kids don't feel stupid or lazy.

If your child has trouble getting started, can only remember two or three things at a time, struggles with problem solving, or feels overwhelmed at school, he or she might have an executive function deficit. Complete this test for a clearer picture.

This screening test is designed to determine whether your child shows symptoms similar to those of an executive function disorder. Only a trained healthcare professional can make a diagnosis through clinical evaluation. This screener is for personal use only.

Source: ADDitude  magazine

30 Great Accommodations for Children with ADHD

 

Motivational Monday

 

AT Town Hall

Are you an AT specialist, teacher, parent or AT user who has questions regarding assistive technology, accessibility or UDL? Are you looking to expand your PLN with others in the field? Or maybe you are interested in learning more about assistive technology and discussing current related topics? If you have answered yes to any of these questions consider join the AT Town Hall every Monday @ 12PM (EST) for a free-flowing discussion exploring effective implementation of AT. The AT Town Hall, facilitated by the Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC), always welcoming to new people who want to learn and contribute to a discussion on everything AT. Click the link below to watch some previously recorded AT Town Halls or see below to register for the weekly meetings. 

AT Town Hall Facilitator:
Mike Marotta, Director, The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center, NJ

AT Town Hall Panel Members may include:
Chris Bugaj, Assistive Technology Specialist, Loudoun County (VA) Public Schools
Jennifer Edge-Savage, AT Consultant, Saltillo, Professor
Karen Janowski, AT Consultant, EdTech Solutions
Luis Perez, Technical Assistance Specialist, CAST
Kelli Suding, AT Specialist, PATINS
Elisa Wern, OT/AT Specialist

April 2021

Register for April 12, 2021 12:00PM – 1:00PM Eastern

Register for April 19, 2021 12:00PM – 1:00PM Eastern

Register for April 26, 2021 12:00PM – 1:00PM Eastern

May 2021

Register for May 3, 2021 12:00 – 1:00PM Eastern (Special Event with QIAT Leadership Team)

Register for May 10, 2021 12:00PM – 1:00PM Eastern

Register for May 17, 2021 12:00PM – 1:00PM Eastern

Register for May 24, 2021 12:00PM – 1:00PM Eastern

World Down Syndrome Day 2021

World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) takes place this year on March 21, 2021 and is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.

Join people around the world to create a single global voice for advocating for the rights, inclusion and well being of people with Down syndrome on March 21st.

How can you get involved? Choose some socks that are going to get noticed, albeit mismatched socks or your craziest and most colorful socks! Encourage your friends, classmates and colleagues to join in too! The notion behind #LotsofSocks is to start a conversation and help bring global awareness to World Down Syndrome Day. Grab those crazy, mismatched socks and start raising awareness! 

Friday "Appy" Hour: Assistiveware Autism Acceptance Month Discounts

Access to AAC and the right to communicate are basic rights that are being eroded by the stress the pandemic has put on the whole system. That’s why, to mark Autism Acceptance Month we offer our traditional discount for a longer period and to more products. Save the date From 30th March until and including 6th April 2021 we’re offering our usual 50% discount on: Proloquo2Go (Mac & iOS) the Gateway vocabulary (in-app purchase in Proloquo2Go) Proloquo4Text (Mac & iOS) Keeble  Pictello Our AAC videos on-demand For schools - the discount on our apps also applies to Apple’s Educational Volume Purchase Program (VPP). When your school or educational organization purchases 20 copies or more, you get an additional 50% off - that’s a total of 75% off! Read more about the discount

Webinar Wednesday: Let's Talk About Dyslexia

Join Dr. Helen Ross (Twitter: @drhelenross) and Jim Bowen (Twitter: @SP_JimBas) as they have open conversations regarding dyslexia in this "Let's Talk About Dyslexia" webinar sponsored by Scanning Pens. Dr. Ross will be sharing her story on dyslexia and her research on different technologies to help in the classroom. Her research explores stakeholder experiences of SEND provision within the mainstream education sector, focusing on the empowerment of young people to take ownership of their own learning journeys.

Presenter

Mr Jim Bowen

Jim is Dyslexic, but never let it stop him from succeeding in his career. Jim completed a BTEC National in marketing and business and then went onto Chester University to complete a degree in Business Studies. He began by working in retail, and then after 4 years joined Scanning Pens. Jim loves to help and encourage people to become better readers and succeed in their academic work. After working for Scanning Pens for 3 years, Jim is now the Secondary Schools Business Development Manager, as well as being involved in other UK and Ireland projects.

Presenter

Dr. Helen Ross

Dr. Helen Ross is a fully qualified special education teacher and former SENCO, currently working in a mainstream school in England. She also provides expert advice and research consultancy, as well as specialist tuition and CPD, through her own enterprise ‘Helen’s Place’, is an advisor to the British Dyslexia Association and is Chair of the Wiltshire Dyslexia Association. She has consulted for the British Dyslexia Association, The Committee for Science and Technology, and Wiltshire Local Authority.

Helen is also an independent researcher. Her research explores stakeholder experiences of SEND provision within the mainstream education sector, focusing on the empowerment of young people to take ownership of their own learning journeys. She is a qualitative researcher, using methods grounded within Bourdieu’s sociological project to explore barriers to participation in learning and engagement with institutions.
Helen tweets as @drhelenross and regularly speaks on dyslexia and special educational needs.