BVI Newsletters - Archived Editions

The October 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• PaTTAN Website Changes
• BVIS Tech Page, including section on Chat GPT for VI Tech Support
• Overbrook School for the Blind's AmeriCorps Program
• It's That Time of Year - Assessment, 504's & IEPs Oh My!
• Publications on the LMA and 504 services
• PaTTAN IEP Development Resources
• Reminders and Tips:
• Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP)
  
• Federal Quota Permission Form
  
• PSSA and Keystone Exams Braille and Large Print Orders
• The Attract-Prepare-Retain (APR) Mentoring Project
  
• 2024-2025 Camp Abilities Events (PA, NJ, and DE)
  

The September 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• PaTTAN Technology Adventure for Students with Vision & Hearing Needs
  
• Science Accessibility
  
• Google Maps Accessibility Update
  
• Starting the School Year - BVI Resources
• Resources for Classroom Teachers
• Resources for TVI/COMS
• Reminders and Tips for TVI and COMS
• Assessment Reminder: Determining Eligibility
  
• Itinerant Tip
  
• COMS Tip
  
• Upcoming BVI Trainings

The May 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• The Monarch
• Brailliance
• End of year wrap-Up resources

• Accommodations to the Physical Environment: Setting Up a Classroom for Students with Visual Disabilities

• What About HELIX 2024?
• The Attract-Prepare-Retain (APR) Mentoring Project Will Continue in 2024-25

The April 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• The Importance of Recreation and Leisure for Students with Visual Impairments
  
• Gaming, Games and Visual Impairment
• Music and Visual Impairment
• Sports, Exercise, Active Hobbies, and Visual Impairment
• Resources for Enjoying the Theater as Someone Who is Visually Impaired
• Art, Crafts, and Visual Impairment
• Teaching Resources for Recreation and Leisure

The March 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• O&M and CVI
• Create Accessible Digital Math with MathKicker.ai: Instantly Convert Inaccessible Math Expressions and Formulas to Accessible Digital Math Worksheets!
• JAWS Resources

• Independent Living Skills (ILS) resources (e.g., ILS Checklists, Grade Guides, and Modules, Oh My!)
• The E.A.R.S for Eyes Program

• Does the New Federal Quota Eligibility Category Require Students to Have IEPs
  
• PA Secondary Transition - Independent Learning and Community Engagement
• Student-Led IEP Resources

The February 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• CVI by the Numbers: Understanding the Leading Cause of Childhood Blindness and Low Vision
• Google Accessibility Updates

• Social skills resources (e.g., Social Skills and Implications for Individuals with CVI)

The January 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Now Counting ALL BVI Students - Federal Quota Updates
• Attending a University as a Person who is Blind or Has Low Vision
• Project INSPIRE (Increasing the STEM Potential of Individuals Who Read Braille)
• The Changing Landscape of Math Education for Learners with Visual Impairments
• Be My AI App

• Self Determination Resources

The December 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• New Publication! UEB Math/Science and UEB with Nemeth: A Guidance Document for IEP Teams
• Using AI to Prevent Blindness
• Apple Accessibility Feature: Personalized Sound Recognition
• Accessible Equation Editor
• Lookout-Assisted Vision App
• ReBokeh App

• Helpful Apps for Students Who are Blind or Have Low Vision - APH Family Connect
• Assistive Technology Products Resources

• New! Student Led IEP Resource Hub
• Understanding the Language of Special Education: A Glossary for Families and Educators

The November 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Blindness and Autism Spectrum Disorder - APH
• New O&M App! OKO: AI Copilot for the Blind
• New Resource! Braille Brain

• Position Paper on Clinical Low Vision Evaluation and Treatment of Students with Visual Impairments for Parents, Educators and Other Professionals - American Academy of Optometry
• Resources on Low Vision

• Matching Assistive Technology (AT) Features to Low Vision Needs
• Digital Eye Strain: Symptoms and Solutions
• Education ABCs
• Secondary Transition: Entitlement vs. Eligibility

The October 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Educational Visual Impairment Eligibility
• Answering Special Considerations for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
• Teacher Desk References: Chapter 15/Section 504 Service; Preparing for IEP Meeting

• Annotated IEP & Annotated IEP Companion Checklist
• BSE/OVR - Inviting OVR to the IEP Meeting
• Writing Effective IEP Goals
  
• Formative Assessment: Monitoring the Progress of Students with IEPs
  

The September 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Rural Technology Fund

• Encouraging Collaboration: Beginning of the School Year Advice for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVIs)
• Tips for TVIs and Classroom Teachers
• Facing the Challenges of Itinerant Teaching: Perspectives and Suggestions from the Field

• New PaTTAN Publications: Teachers' Desk Reference: Deaf-Blindness; The Pennsylvania Deaf-Blind Child Count
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): Visual and Environmental Considerations

The March 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Financial Literacy Course for High School Students
• CVI for the TVI
• Teach CVI
• PIMD-CVI Assessment
• Google Classroom CVI Self-Paced Short Course
• AER: Neurological Vision Impairment Division
• The Framework for Access & Belonging with Supplementary Aids and Services (FAB)

The June 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• A Bill of Rights for All Children with Visual Impairment and Their Families
  
• Summer Academy Is Back! (Hip, Hip, Hooray!)
• Perkins Secondary Transition Websites
• Utah School for the Blind’s ECC website and the High School Readiness Checklist
• PA’s The Academic Standards for Career Education and Work “I” Statements for Curriculum Integration and Portfolio Development
• New Publication! Considerations for Educating Students With CVI: The Learning Environment

The 2022 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Braille Bites
• APH Braille Refresher Weekly Questions
• Seedlings Free Braille Book Program for TVIs (TVIP22)
• Braille on Demand
• Goodmaps at PaTTAN Central

The August 2022 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• National Agenda for STEM Education for Students with Visual Impairments
• ILS Modules
  
• Free and Easy Tactile Graphics: Tactile Graphic Image Library from APH
  
• It's Changed! Pennsylvania Federal Quota Order Deadline
  
• Federal Quota Add New Student Form
• State Testing Enrollment Deadlines for Accommodations
• New! Teacher Desk Reference: Visual Impairment
• New! Vision Therapy and Educational Visual Impairment Services: What's the Difference?
• New! Visual Impairment Scale of Staffing Pattern Analysis

• Helen Diller Vacation Home Scholarship of $5,000 per year for 4 years (total = $20,000)!
• Exploring TVIs Experiences with PreK-5 Pre-Braille/Braille Readers Development of Graphic Literacy Skills: Share Your Experiences Through an Online Survey
• Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) eLearning
• Gathering Books & Materials for 2022-23!

The January 2022 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• APH Virtual ExCEL Academy is Back!
• New Mastercard Easier To Use for Blind and Visually Impaired
• Desmos Graphing Calculator - Web and Mobile App
• CVI Resources
• Summer Programs/Camp Registration
• New PaTTAN BVI Publication! Matching AT Features to Low Vision Needs

The October 2021 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Check out the Expanded Core High School Readiness Checklist
• APH: FamilyConnect and ParentConnect
• Teacher's Pet Online
• Braille Institute Releases Atkinson Hyperlegible Font
• Good Maps Makes Travel Apps for Free
• White Cane Safety Day is October 15th
• American Printing House New Product Releases
• Short Term Loan Updates and Additions
• Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA) Updates

The August 2021 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• BBVS Continues Strive On Program
• What to do When Bookshare Does Not Have Your Book
• Federal Quota Add New Student Form
• State Testing Enrollment Deadlines for Accommodations
• PA Secondary Transition Website Gets a BIG Update
• Short Term Loan Additions

PaTTAN East - 333 Technology Drive Malvern, PA 19355

• Jenifer Edgar - jedgar@pattan.net - Educational Consultant; BVI Initiative Lead

PaTTAN Central - 6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112

• Greg Gerhart - ggerhart@pattan.net - Educational Consultant

PaTTAN West - 3190 William Pitt Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

• Tim Knight - tknight@pattan.net - Educational Consultant
• Greg Lazur - glazur@pattan.net - Educational Consultant

PaTTAN Statewide

• Tess Nasehi - tnasehi@pattan.net - Statewide BVI Family Support Specialist