This newsletter is not an endorsement of any organization that may appear.

Please take a 3-5 minutes to complete our Blindness/Visual Impairment Needs Assessment (11 questions) so that we may know how to better support you next school year.

Last year we listened to your input and provided, or are currently working on the following supports:

• Monthly newsletters - BVI professional and family editions
• Separate virtual discussions - TVI Time; Coffee, Tea, and O&Me -- each provided quarterly
• UEB Math/Science and UEB with Nemeth: A Guidance Document for IEP Teams - PaTTAN publication

• CVI professional development - 2023 HELIX Conference
• O&M professional development - 2023 HELIX Conference
• School psychologists and VI assessment - 2024 PDE Conference
• Tactile Graphics (coming soon!)

• PaTTAN Technology Adventure For Students with Vision & Hearing Needs

  (coming soon!)

Perkins' CVI Now highlights the importance of O&M for students with CVI. Check out their 4-part article series:

• Part 1 - Why O&M is essential for students with CVI: Discover our guide to CVI-centered orientation and mobility and why all students with a visual impairment benefit from O&M.

• Part 2 - How does O&M address CVI visual behaviors? CVI and O&M: - Next up in our guide to CVI-centered O&M: How the CVI visual behaviors impact a student’s ability to orient in space and move independently.

• Part 3 - How do you center CVI in O&M assessments? Strategies for CVI and O&M: Discover considerations and strategies for centering CVI when assessing a student for orientation and mobility needs.

• Part 4 - A guide to O&M program planning for the CVI student. CVI and O&M: Learn how results from a CVI-specific assessment are used to create O&M goals and accommodations for students with CVI.

Creating accessible digital math materials tends to be time consuming and often challenging. What if you could instantly convert inaccessible print or digital math expressions and formulas worksheets into accessible digital documents? Even better, what if your student who uses a screen reader could instantly convert math resources on the fly? Now you can! Continue reading on more on Perkins website.

What's New in JAWS 2024 Screen Reading Software

This page describes the new features and improvements available in JAWS 20

JAWS Introduction Course

Do you have a student who needs to learn JAWS? Are you looking to brush up your knowledge and skills? If yes, then check out this JAWS Training Introduction from The California School for the Blind. Course objectives include:

• Objective 1: Understand the purpose of a screen reader.
• Objective 2: Learn to use keyboard navigation to read text on the screen.
• Objective 3: Learn to interact with, group, and search for various web elements including headings and links.
• Objective 4: Learn to use keyboard navigation to create and edit text.
• Objective 5: Learn how screen readers interact with images.
• Objective 6: Learn to navigate tables.
• Objective 7: Learn the difference between the JAWS cursor, virtual cursor, and scan cursor and case uses for each.

This YouTube presentation from Maryland School for the Blind include theories and best practices for teaching independent living skills to students who are blind or low vision. The session identifies categories of independent living skills, shares tips for collaborating with other critical team members, and discusses different types of skills inventory and checklists for students who are blind or have low vision.

The Michigan Department of Education's Low Incidence Outreach Website includes the following ILS Resources:

• Checklists - Use the ILS Checklist to document when a student is able to accomplish each skill.
• ILS Guides - These guides outline what skills are appropriate by the end of each grade. The skills are included on the ILS Checklist.
• ILS Modules - These easy-to-follow, downloadable ILS modules contain sample lessons, templates, checklists, and embedded trainings.
  
• ILS Calendars - These calendars provide suggestions for practicing one ILS task each weekday. The tasks are to be completed at home, and the sheet may be returned to the student’s teacher at the end of each month.
  
• Tips and Lessons - These resources explain how to teach different ILS. Categories include general, kitchen and food, and leisure.
  

This article from APH's Family Connect provides an introduction to ILS, and includes topics such as:

• Why Is It Important to Teach as a Specific Area?

• Preparing for Their Future

• How Do TVIs Approach Instruction?

• School and Home Needs

• How Can We Support Instruction in Independent Living Skills in Schools?

Enrichment Audio Resource Services (E.A.R.S.) is a nonprofit public charity. They provide, free of charge, audio lessons that teach adaptive daily living skills to the vision impaired and their caregivers. The lessons, modeled after current blind rehabilitation techniques, are a must for anyone coping with loss of eyesight.

From cleaning and cooking to managing money and medication, learn how to live in your home independently. Learn more on APH's website.

This TSBVI website page provides step-by-step directions on various independent living skills, such as:

• Vacuuming Floors
• Using a Toaster
• Emptying a Trashcan
• Cleaning a bathroom
• Cleaning kitchen counters
• Clothing care

No! A student does not have to have an IEP to be included under the new definition. Any student receiving educational visual impairment services that does not meet the first two definitions should be included under the third category. (If a student is on an Equitable Service Plan or attends a private school, please contact Greg Gerhart - ggerhart@pattan.net - for further instructions).

Reminder, to be included in the Annual Federal Quota Child Count students must...

• Be enrolled in a formally organized public or private, nonprofit educational program of less than college level
  
• Have the parent permission form signed

New Category Definition:

APH has modified the definition of blindness for the purpose of carrying out the Act to Promote the Education of the Blind by creating a third category. If the student does not meet either of the first two categories, Meet the Definition of Blindness (MDB) or Function at the Definition of Blindness (FDB), they will qualify under the category for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) definition of blindness — an impairment in vision, that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance (34 CFR §300.8(c)(13)).*

Students can become independent when they are taught to manage their health, set up where and how they want to live, learn how to get to places and manage money, transportation and schedules. Check out the PA Secondary Transition website's page on independent living.

Student-Led IEPs (SLIEP) Hub - This PaTTAN resource is great way for students to develop self-advocacy skills, such as learning how to speaks to others about their visual impairment. It has topics and resources for youth, families, and school/educators. To get started checkout the "SLIEP Assessment of Practices" to determine baseline data and create an action plan for future goals.
PaTTAN Recordings

• Student-Led IEP (SLIEP) Team Meetings: An Introduction for Professionals
• Student-Led IEP (SLIEP) Team Meetings: An Introduction for Youth and Families

The 2024 InSights Art Contest is Officially Open! Since 1992, The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) has hosted the InSights Art Competition, an international art contest open to artists of all ages with vision loss. This popular program reflects APH’s mission to promote the independence of people who are blind and low vision by encouraging artists to create original works, in addition to improving arts education and arts opportunities for individuals who are blind and low vision.

• Students from preschool through high school can download the Student Entry Form 2024
• Only one artwork per artist can be submitted each year.
• Lean more on their website page.
• Deadline is March 29, 2024

Encourage your students to submit an entry!

The Pennsylvania-Delaware Chapter of AER invites you to participate in their annual conference as they focus on Shared Stories: Magnifying Our Impact. This nationally respected conference offers a notable line-up of professionals who will present three general sessions, 35 concurrent sessions, an exhibitor hall with a large group of exhibitors on Thursday’s Exhibitor Day, professional poster presentations, the Penn-Del AER awards banquet, their AER Chapter meeting, and a tempting silent auction!

• April 24–26, 2024
• Best Western Premier Central Hotel and Conference Center
• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
• Registration information

Did you know that PaTTAN has a monthly BVI Family Newsletter? The BVI Family Newsletter for March includes information about the Parent UEB survey, ESY Determinations, summer camp options (more to come in future newsletters), and a family special education quick start guide. We encourage you to share this resource with families and check it out yourself!

• Sign up

All families of children who are blind or visually impaired (BVI), deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), or deaf-blind (DB) are invited to sign up for the PaTTAN Family Resource Group.

The goal of this group is to send out resources, event information, and contacts that can benefit your family and child. It is an easy way for you to get updates and take advantage of any available opportunities.

For more information:

• Watch our 2-minute video
• Contact us by email: FamilyResourceGroup@pattankop.net
• Check out the PaTTAN website for additional information!
• Sign up today: Blind-Visual Impairment Initiative and Family Resource Group Sign up

Resources to share with families:

• Family Resource Group Information
  
• Family Resource Group Poster
  
• Family Resource Group Flyer
  

Do you know families who may be interested in connecting with other families of children who are blind or visually impaired? APH (American Printing House for the Blind) FamilyConnect and the Chicago Lighthouse have partnered together to provide a virtual support group that connects on the first Wednesday of every month from 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm (ET). Visit the FamilyConnect website to view additional details and resources.

AER continues with synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities, with a discount if you are an AER member. AER is releasing has a slew of exciting upcoming live opportunities , which can be viewed on their events page. They also created an extensive library of recorded courses, presented by experts in the field. Complete your continuing education from anywhere: home, work, even at the park! Every webinar on this site is approved for ACVREP credits and will provide a certificate upon completion.

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) Hive offers a variety of free online courses for vision professionals and educators to increase their ability to respond to the needs of students with visual impairments. This “one-stop” for professional development offers ACVREP continuing education units upon successful completion of a course.

The APH ConnectCenter includes FamilyConnect, CareerConnect, and VisionAware – a hub of websites that offer curated advice and resources to assist children, parents, adults, job seekers who are blind or visually impaired, and their associated professionals, leading to greater independence and success in their lives.

Access Academy is your one-stop resource for the meaningful education and training webinars you need to get the most out of APH products and services. From tutorials on new products and hacks on how to get the most from your beloved tech, to information on resources, services, and programs: our goal is to give you the info you need for home, the classroom, and the workplace.

APH is also hosting many live events, including a focus on transition. Visit the APH Connect Event page to register for live online learning opportunities and earn ACVREP credits.

Eschenbach Academy is a "new online educational platform designed to supplement the knowledge and training they currently provide via in-person and webinar formats. Eschenbach Academy’s educational content ranges from interactive low vision courses, low vision training modules and general business courses useful for practice managers and owners.

This new eLearning platform provides training content that will help you and your staff become more efficient and effective in providing low vision care to your patients who have a vision impairment. In so doing, it will allow your low vision care service to deliver even more successful outcomes for both your patients and your practice."

This resource will be added to future newsletters under "Leisurely Learning."

Hadley offers a variety of free online learning opportunities in the following categories:

• Daily Living
• Recreation
• Braille
• Adjusting to vision loss
• Technology
• Vision loss

*Sign-up/log-in to get access to the entire training.

Perkins School for the Blind has a number of offerings for those working with students with visual impairments to increase their knowledge and skills. Visit the following sites to learn more:

• Perkins eLearning - Professional Development
• Accessible Science
• College Success
• Paths to Literacy
• Paths to Transition
• Paths to Technology

We encourage all supervisors and professionals in the field of visual impairment to sign up for access to our drives. We will be posting recorded presentations, resources and much more! Sign up today! Select your group below to request access.

• Supervisor Access Request Form
• Professional Access Request Form

PaTTAN East - 333 Technology Drive Malvern, PA 19355

• Jenifer Edgar - jedgar@pattan.net - Educational Consultant
• Tess Nasehi - tnasehi@pattan.net - BVI Family Consultant

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