PaTTAN BVI Newsletter

Must be a camper at HD for at least one year, completed an application, two letters of recommendation, and essay. These documents are due by May 1st. Recipients are notified by June 1st. Scholarship | Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children (dillerblindhome.org)

Give back to the field and consider participating in this research project. If you are a TVI who meets the criteria listed below, complete the online survey by May 1, 2022. (For more information see the flyer.)

• Working as a TSVI in the United States or its territories
  
• Employed as a TSVI for a minimum of 3 years
  
• Worked with a minimum of one braille reader in PreK-5th grade during the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and/or 2021-2022 school year
  

DCMP has a variety of learning opportunities for families, students, and the educational team through its online modules and workshops. Examples include:

• Access: Description - Student Version
• Access: Description - Teacher/Parent Version
• Getting a Job for Students who are Blind and Visually Impaired
• Raising a Visually Impaired Child
• Let's Describe
• Social Skills Cinema Series
• Braille Characters a-j, k-t, &u-z
• Braille Punctuation
• Braille Capitalization

Start planning 2022/23 material requests for the PaTTAN AIM Center. You will be required to send a copy of the requested publication with your order. To submit a request please visit: PaTTAN - AIM Center

This is a hybrid event, and you may register to attend either in-person or virtually. The in-person conference will take place in person at the Best Western Premier Central Hotel & Conference Center; 800 East Park Drive; Harrisburg, PA 17111. The virtual conference will take place via Zoom

Register via Google Forms for only one of the two formats; In-Person Registration: In-Person Link, or Virtual Registration: Virtual Link. The conference registration fee is based on participation format, the type of membership, and the postmark date. (See website for more infomration such as payment options.)

Reconnect with friends and meet new ones at the alumni events taking place at the Penn-Del AER Conference. All three-university personnel prep programs will host alumni/student receptions on Thursday afternoon (5:15pm).

Kutztown University

• Location: O'Reilly's Tap Room at the Best Western Premier
• Register prior to the conference to help us plan for food and drinks!

Pittsburgh University

• Location: O'Reilly's Tap Room at the Best Western Premier

Salus university

• Location: TBD

Program Details:

• Student Orientation: Thursday, September 1, 2022, 5 – 7 p.m.
• Classes: September 1 to November 17, 2022; Thursdays from 5 – 7 p.m.
• Fall 2022 Session topics will focus on post-secondary readiness in the areas of:

1. Assistive Technology
2. Personal Management/Independence
3. Post-Secondary Readiness

Application Process:

• Please complete the Fall 2022 STRIVE ON Application.
• Application Deadline Date: July 26, 2022

For additional information, such as application criteria see the flyer in the Professionals Serving Students with VI Goggle Drive - flyer folder. (See below for request access link.)

Questions -- contact Grace Fontanez at 814-949-7954 or grfontanez@pa.gov.

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 this group.

The goal of this group is to send out resources, event information, and contacts that can benefit families and students. It is an easy way for them to get updates and take advantage of any available connection opportunities. The Family Resource Group is a way for us to send information directly to families. It helps families have more access to what they need for success in school and beyond. It will also keep families more informed about the special education process and available supports across Pennsylvania.

For more information: Watch our 2-minute video

Webpage: PaTTAN - Family Resource Group.

This PDF compares the Matis Q40, Chameleon 20, and Braille trail Reader (which is no longer available). A sample of comparison questions includes:

• Which one is for me?
  
• Quota / Non-Quota price
• Number of braille cells
• Supported operating systems
• Vibration feedback
• Supported file formats
  

*PDF available in the Professionals Serving Students with VI Goggle Drive - resource folder. (See below for request access link.)

• July 20-24, 2022
• Union Station Hotel
• St. Louis, Mo

Stay tuned to these two sites for more information: Gateway to Community and AER Biennial International Conference.

Sixteen of the HELIX sessions will be revisited this April through an asynchronous Schoology course, including:

• Assistive Technology Feature Matching Overview for Students with Visual Impairments (Kirk Behnke)
  
• Assistive Technology Feature Matching for Students with Visual Impairments Workshop (Kirk Behnke)
  

Let the count down begin...

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.

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.

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.

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
• Paths to Literacy
• Paths to Transition
• Paths to Technology

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.

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

PaTTAN Central - 6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112

• Greg Gerhart - ggerhart@pattan.net

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

• Greg Lazur - glazur@pattan.net