PaTTAN BVI Newsletter

• In the News
• Special Addition! Secondary Transition Resources
• It's That Time of Year
• PaTTAN's Desk
• On the Horizon
• Leisurely Learning

*Each section contains approximately four topics.

Tim Knight will be joining Greg Lazur in our west office as a Blindness/Visual Impairment and Deaf-Blind Educational Consultant. In addition to meeting your BVI training and technical assistance needs together with Greg, Tim will also be providing these services for AT and Inclusive Practices.

Tim has been in our BVI field for over twenty years. He not only has a background as a TVI/COMS but also has functioned as an AT TaC. Most recently Tim worked as an AT TaC for the Pittsburgh School District.

As a PaTTAN Blindness/Visual Impairment team, we are starting our discussions around next year's (2023-24) training plan. We would LOVE your input to help us determine what your needs are so that we can make data-informed decisions.

Please complete this 8-question need survey by Sunday, January 29th.

The leaders of COSB and the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) have teamed up to develop a clear, concise ‘Bill of Rights’ as a resource to inform parents, professionals, and legislators on the basic educational rights of all children who are blind or visually impaired. The authors hope that this resource will be widely distributed and endorsed (formally or informally) by interested individuals and organizations. It is not fully inclusive of all rights; it is a starting point for teams when planning individualized programs for children with visual impairments.

The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation/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 a week-long 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.

• Program Dates: Saturday, June 24, 2023, to Friday, June 30, 2023

• Available at no cost to eligible students

• Students reside at Penn State University, University Park, in a dormitory, and share a room with another student, and eat meals at a campus dining hall

• The program curriculum will focus on the areas of Orientation and Mobility, Assistive Technology, Vision Rehabilitation Therapy, Low Vision, Vocational Development, and evening recreational activities

• Students must commit to attending the entire program

To Learn More and access the application check out the flyer, also located in the BVI Professional Google Drive (Folder "Flyers"). Application Deadline: February 1, 2023

• Perkins College Readiness Resource Center is designed to help the many people involved in helping students prepare for college (and life in general) with thoughtful, expert guidance to plan for successful outcomes, whatever they are – whether that’s straight to college, pre-college training programs or heading straight to work. Check out the College Readiness Checklist and Technology Competencies for College-Ready Students with Visual Impairments.

• College Success @ Perkins is an initiative to address the gaps in college readiness for all students with visual impairments – as early as possible, in order to increase efficiency, promote self-advocacy, and set students up with the strongest possible foundation for success.

• Paths to Transition Explore ideas and resources related to the transition from school to adult life for youth who are blind or visually impaired, including those who are deafblind or who have multiple disabilities.

• ECC Website: There are resources for parents, students, and teachers.
• High School Readiness Checklist is for students to be competent in high school. The road to high school success starts in preschool. Students who are engaged in rigorous high school level work can then focus on the road to success in college or the workforce.

  
  

  The Expanded Core High School Readiness Checklist is divided into three grade bands:

  • Preschool & kindergarten

  • First through fourth grades

  • Fifth through eighth grades

"I" Statements provide student-centered activities and competencies which address the CEW standards, for each strand at each grade level. They can be used for curriculum integration and as a guide for career portfolio development. All grade bands and standards are shown in this document. The letters in parentheses after each item is the alignment to the Career Education Work standards. Locate and download the resource under "Resources Available to Help Your Team Build Your Plan." Also located in the BVI Professional Google Drive in the resource folder.

Go to “For Teachers and Professionals”

• Transition to College Program Activity Guide
• Transition to Work Activity Guide
• Lessons provided in other areas, such as social skills, problem-solving, money management, etc.

The deadline for the Penn-Del AER Richard L. Welsh Service Award and Elinor Long Educator of the Year is quickly approaching!!!

• Nominations deadline: February 1, 2023
• TVI and COMS, nominate a colleague with whom you work or your supervisor.
• Family members, consider nominating a BVI professional who works with your child.

Nominations must include:

• Nominator’s letter of support

• At least three (3) additional letters of support
  

• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
  

  
  

Check out the award nomination description and requirements, and download the award nomination form on the Penn-Del AER website under Recognitions.

The Division of the Visually Impaired and Beaf-Blindness of CEC will hold a pre-convention virtual workshop on February 24th. Earn up to 6 ACVREP Credits.

• 9:00 am - 12:00 pm: Supporting Students with Visual Impairments when Language Might be a Barrier by Erika Fundelius
  
• 1:00 am - 4:00 pm: Building Language and Literacy Skills of English Learners with Visual Impairments by Cheryl Kamei-Hannan
  

To learn more about each session check out the flyer in the BVI Professionals Serving Students with Visual Impairments Google Drive.

Free for CEC DVIDB members; $60 for non-members. Register Here

2023 FQ Census

• All Federal Quota points of contact have been contacted with 2023 census information required for registration.
• APH has waived the eye report requirement.
• Students must be registered by March 8th, 2023

FQ APH Order Form

• Updated APH Federal Quota Order Form
• Date of signed parent permission required on file.

FQ Repair Requests
Repair costs and evaluation fees will be deducted from accounts #176 or #177. Click here to access the Federal Quota Repair Request Form. Send completed form to the Pennsylvania EOT for approval. If approved, additional information will be shared regarding shipping and handling of your APH Federal Quota repair item.

If you have questions or concerns regarding the annual Federal Quota registration and/or ordering, please contact:

• Gregory Gerhart, Pennsylvania Ex Officio Trustee, 717-901-2223, ggerhart@pattan.net
• Julie Breneman, Pennsylvania Ex Officio Trustee Assistant, 717-901-2238, jbreneman@pattan.net

Students with cortical/cerebral visual impairment (CVI) have unique learning needs that differ in complexity from students with an ocular visual impairment. This tool facilitates team discussion and problem-solving and offers practical ideas to implement throughout the school day, with the intent to promote a student’s access to instruction in a positive learning environment. View the pub on the PaTTAN website under publications - visual impairment.

Salus University is currently providing a 50% tuition discount for a PA cohort in the areas of:

• Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI)
• Orientation & Mobility Specialist
• Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
• Low Vision Therapist

Watch this Salus PA Cohort Information Video to learn about their initiative to support Pennsylvanians entering the field of blindness and low vision.

Helen Diller Home for Blind Children is an ACA-accredited camp in Avalon, NJ providing FREE OF CHARGE week-long beach vacations for children who are blind and visually impaired (ages 7-15). The 2023 brochure (in the BVI professional drive - flyer folder) highlights the camp facilities, activities, and staff as well as ways to get involved. Please consider sharing with any and all families who would be interested in sending their child. (brochures can be mailed out upon request).

• Enrollment will begin on February 1st through their website.
• Please contact Emily Mulhern, camp supervisor, at dillerblindhome@gmail.com with any questions you may have.
• You can also visit their site at www.dillerblindhome.org to learn more about our program.

Mobility Matters (google.com)

• Virtually explore accessible adventures
• March 10, 2023
• Trip to Alaska, Pearl Harbor, and Tropical Arboretum in Hawaii
• Breakout discussions, tips, and takeaways for your own community adventures
• $30 for educators

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

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