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

Through Monarch RISE: Resources for Inclusion, Skills, and Employment 250 Monarchs (over the next five years) will be distributed to employment and educational professionals and individuals seeking competitive integrated employment across the United States. Learn more on the APH Monarch RISE Website.

Who is Eligible:

• Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists, AT Specialists, Job Placement Staff, Faculty, Disability Office Staff, TVIs, O&Ms, etc.;
• Blind Professionals competitively employed in industries outside of blindness services.
• Individuals 14+ preparing for or transitioning to competitive employment

Application: Opened on February 3, 2025

Questions: Contact RISE@aph.org

As schools prepare for the upcoming Preschool EI to school-age transition process, The Pa Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) would like to remind you of the available resources to assist families and professionals.

The first publication is helpful in identifying key considerations for all children transitioning to school-age programs and explains what parents/guardians can expect as their child experiences this important transition. The second and third publications are particularly beneficial for children who are blind/visually impaired and children who are deaf/hard of hearing or deaf-blind, respectfully. All three publications can aid IEP teams in on-going planning and discussions as it relates to transition.

• PaTTAN - The Transition Process From Early Intervention to School-Age Programs

• PaTTAN - Preschool to School-Age Transition: Considerations for Children Who Are Blind/Visually Impaired

• PaTTAN - Preschool to School Age Transition Considerations for Children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deaf

Slide-A-Round Math Manipulatives provide visual aids and a hands-on approach that increases students’ understanding and comprehension of place value, estimating and rounding of whole numbers and decimals, simplifying and comparing fractions, as well as addressing the standards of elapsed time, weight, and capacity. Students of various ages and ability levels can easily manipulate the movable slides as the student works to solve problems and check responses to lessons in a cost-effective manner. Students can snap the movable slides into the back of the main piece when they are finished with a lesson to provide easy storage!

In the West...

• Allegheny Intermediate Unit: 475 E Waterfront Drive Homestead, PA 15120

• March 14, 2025; 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Contact Patricia D’Ascenzo for more information.
• Refer to the flyer in the Google Professional Drive for details.

In Central/East...

• The Veering Cane via Kutztown University; In the Beekey Educational Center
• February, 15, 2025

• Contact theveeringcane@gmail.com for more information.

Humanware announced in December that latest firmware update for the Brailliant BI X and Mantis braille display. This update introduced highly anticipated features, including text-to-speech support on the Mantis Q40, EPUB 2 compatibility, Wikipedia and Wiktionary access, as well as an offline dictionary.

Here’s what’s new...

• Explore knowledge with one tap: Access Wikipedia and Wiktionary directly from your device with the new search feature that is tailored to your selected braille table language. With a single keystroke, instantly look up the word under your cursor for quick and convenient information. This feature works seamlessly in the Editor, Braille Editor, or Victor Reader/Library, making it easy to explore and learn as you go!
• Wikipedia Search: Brailliant: Press Enter + W; Mantis: Press Ctrl + Shift + W
• Wiktionary Search: Brailliant: Press Enter + Dots 2-5-6; Mantis: Press Ctrl + D.
• New offline dictionary (English only) & EPUB support: The Mantis Q40 and Brailliant BI X now include an offline English dictionary (Wordnet), allowing for word lookups no matter where you are, even without internet access. To activate the offline dictionary (Brailliant) press Space with D (Mantis) Press Ctrl + Shift + D. We’ve also added support for unprotected EPUB 2 files, further expanding your reading options!
• Text-to-speech and audio support comes to the Mantis Q40: You can now connect Bluetooth headsets or speakers to your Mantis or Brailliant BI X. To enable Text-to-Speech and audio features on your Mantis Q40, connect a Bluetooth headset or speaker. Similarly, if you'd like to use a Bluetooth headset with your Brailliant BI X, you can pair the device using the Bluetooth Pair Audio option. Once paired, you can easily access your list of audio devices using a quick shortcut, making it simple to switch between connected devices. (Brailliant) Press Backspace + Enter + A (Mantis) Press Ctrl + FN + A
• Performance upgrades and fixes: This version includes support for Apple TV, header navigation for ODT files, Danish OctoBraille, Hebrew and Finnish keyboard integration and support for the upcoming Braille HID for Android.

• BVI Family Support Specialist: The younger sister of a man who is blind and former TVI/COMS, Tess Nasehi is the PaTTAN Statewide BVI Family Support Specialist for families of students with blindness or low vision. She can share resources, answer questions about PaTTAN’s offerings, connect families with other organizations in their community, discuss BVI special education topics, and more. Reach out to Tess at tnasehi@pattan.net.
• DeafBlind Family Engagement Consultant: Patti McGowan is the parent of a young adult who is deafblind. As a parent of a son who is deafblind, she is skilled in supporting other parents and families who are facing challenges. In addition to being the family consultant for the Pennsylvania DeafBlind Project, Patti is the moderator of the Pennsylvania Family Listserv which is used across the commonwealth to network, share resources, and educate families and interested professionals. Reach out to Patti at pmcgowan@pattan.net.

Each month PaTTAN puts out a Family Resource Group: Blind/Visually Impaired Newsletter. It provides valuable information and resources to families. Although families are the target audience, the newsletter is also open to teachers, therapists and school staff who work with a student with blindness/low vision. Learn more in our Family Resource Group: Blind/Visually Impaired February Edition. Some of this month's newsletter highlights:

• Upcoming Family Events and Winter Camp Opportunities
• Early Connections Conference from Perkins
• ECC at Home - AT is this month's theme
• Family Feedback

Learn how to sign-up in our Family Corner section below.

• Internship: Did you know NASA offers internships for students interested in a range of STEM areas? NASA's summer internships run from early June until early August for college students and from late June until early August for high school students. All student interns get paid. Contact Dr. Craig Moore (craig.e.moore@nasa.gov) or Dr. Robert Shelton (robert.o.shelton@nasa.gov) for information on internships for students with visual impairments. The deadline to apply for Summer 2025 internships is February 28, 2025. You can also find information about the Science Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students online.

• Scholarship: Each year, NFB awards thirty $8,000 merit-based scholarships, and additional scholarship opportunities, to blind students across the country. The application is open and closes March 31, 2025. Check out the NFB scholarship website to learn more including eligibility criteria.

Paths to Literacy is starting a ECC Monthly Challenge. Each month a one pager with vocabulary, activities, and experiences for each teacher to use as a lesson and more. The first month is Orientation and Mobility. In addition, a parent/at home calendar to go along with the TVI monthly challenge will be created. Learn more on the Paths to Literacy ECC Monthly Challenge website.

• Pennsylvania Organization of Parents of Blind Children provides resources, advocacy, and connections for parents with blind and low vision children.

  Learn more about PA Org. of Parents of Blind Children

• Pennsylvania Association of Blind Students shares details on scholarships, workshops, conventions, and internship possibilities. Learn more about PA Association of Blind Students

• National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) helps families and blind children maximize their skills, independence, and opportunities, while holding high expectations. Visit NOPBC's website

• Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services (BBVS) assists Pennsylvanians who are blind or visually impaired gain the skills necessary to live and work independently in their communities. Visit BBVS's website

• TSBVI Family Recharge Zone serves as a virtual space for families to collaborate on the first Thursday of each month. Learn more about Family Recharge Zone

• ParentConnect: A Family Support Group offers a virtual support group for families on the first Wednesday of every month. Learn more about ParentConnect

• Telesupport Group for Parents of Blind/Visually Impaired Children Announcing a virtual support group for families of blind/visually impaired children in the Philadelphia region. This group, sponsored by Educating Communities for Parenting, connects every-other Thursday from 6:30-7:30pm via Zoom. Families share resources, information, and encouragement with other families in the Philadelphia region. Contact Maria Ceferatti at mcef869@gmail.com or 610-212-5566 for more information.

• NUEVO: Charlando con Conchita This is a support group for Spanish-speaking families of blind/low vision children. When: Tuesday of each month; first session began January 28th at 4 pm EST. No registration required

Check out the Family Resource Group: Blind/Visually Impaired February Edition for more organizations that support families.

This training will provide supervisors an opportunity to delve into low incidence sensory impairments topics. Sessions will explore topics and trends relevant to current practice.

When: March 4-6, 2025

Where: In-person at PaTTAN Central - Harrisburg, PA

More information coming soon!

We are excited to announce a new networking and learning opportunity for youth, families, school teams, and community partners. This conference will highlight best practices, research, and practical strategies for autism, sensory and other low incidence disabilities (including visual impairment), and secondary transition. Learn more about Bridging Knowledge to Know-How: Empowering Pennsylvania Educators and Partners conference. Parent scholarships may be available!

When: July 28 -31, 2025

Where: State College, PA

More information coming soon!

The Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education (BSE), in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is sponsoring a year-long opportunity for early career (three years or less) special education teachers, teachers of the deaf, teachers of the visually impaired, special education administrators, and school psychologists to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of special education professionals with five or more years of experience. The application for mentees is currently open. Learn more on the APR website.

The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)/Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS) Summer Academy Program is designed to offer high school age students with visual impairments an opportunity to develop their knowledge, experiences, and awareness as it relates to their future academic and employment goals. Students will participate in 7-day program on a college campus where they will receive assessments, information, and educational experiences in various curriculum areas related to independent living, travel skills, vocational development, and assistive technology.

Location: Penn State University Park Campus

When: Monday, June 16, 2025, to Monday, June 23, 2025 (7 Days)

Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Link to Apply: 2025 BBVS Student Application

Learn more by checking out the Flyer and Student Pamphlet in the Professionals Serving Students with VI Google Drive.

Consider attending the 8th Annual 2025 Mobility Matters Conference. This year's theme, Navigating Knowledge: Mapping and Community Partnerships, explores the connection between navigation and community as a part of our ongoing quest to build more inclusive communities. Don't wait to register to reserve your spot and join in on these rich discussions. This event is appropriate for anyone interested in accessible maps, environmental literacy, multimodal transportation, and community partnerships.

Where: Virtually

When: Thursday, February 27, 2025

Time: 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Cost: Professional - $100, Educator or Parent (of registering students for the event) - $60, Individual Advocate - $20, College Student - $20

Credit: ACVREP; Professional Development certificate available for non-Washington State educators

Registration Closes February 24th, 2025

Consider Attending the The 2025 Penn-Del AER Conference "Sharing Our Stories and Continuing Our Legacy."

When: Wednesday, April 30–Friday, May 2, 2025

Where: Best Western Premier Central Hotel and Conference Center - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Registration: Registration Open

Access the Conference Registration Brochure and Exhibitor Information to learn more.

The BVI Family Resource Group Newsletter includes information about upcoming events, seasonal topics (such as summer camps), the expanded core curriculum, family organizations, and a family feedback form. We encourage you to share this resource with families!

• 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

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

PaTTAN Statewide

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