Session 3

Session 3-A: Creating An Accessible Home Environment

Tom Nurse, Assistive Technology Consultant and Inspired Parent: Thomas Nurse is a recognized public speaker and disability advocate on a variety of topics including assistive, instructional and accessible technology, self-determination, transition planning and special needs estate planning. This session will outline in detail the Nurse family’s experience in renovating their home to provide independent access for their daughter Shelby and will offer ideas and resources to other families considering a similar project.

Session 3-B: Making a Difference in Teaching and Learning Through Assistive Technology

Shannon Lohse, Teaching and Learning Consultant, Promethean, Inc.: Promethean, Inc. is dedicated to supporting learning and knowledge transfer. This collaborative classroom system has been developed to help teachers engage learners and improve understanding. Come and join us in experiencing a renewed way of teaching and learning through assistive technology in the classroom. With everything available in the palm of your hand, the world is truly within reach.
Activstudio | ActivBoard+2 | Activote | Activpanel | Activprimary | Activslate | Activwand (pdf)

Session 3-C: The LoTTIE Kit - (Low Tech Tools for Inclusive Education)

Sylvia Arango, Curriculum Support Specialist for Programs for Learning Disabilities, Miami-Dade County Public Schools: The LoTTIE (Low Tech Tools for Inclusive Education) Kit is a collection of low and mid tech tools designed for teachers and professionals to use with students (grades K-12) who have special needs. This session will highlight the contents of the kit and demonstrate how they can be used to assist students with academic tasks.
LoTTIE KIT (Powerpoint)

Session 3-D: Inspiration

Lourdes Whittington, Educational Specialist for Instructional Technology, Miami-Dade County Public Schools: Inspiration is an essential software tool that helps students to visualize, think and learn. With the integrated Diagram and Outline Views, students can create graphic organizers and expand topics into writing pieces. Drag-and-drop actions and hyperlinks make it easy to gather research and connect to web resources.
Inspiration (pdf)

Session 3-E: RFB&D Learning Through Listening

Daniel Jones, Jessica Falcone and Kim Norkin Educational Outreach Staff, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic is a national, non-profit organization that records and distributes audio books on digital CDs to people with print disabilities (learning disabilities, visual impairments, and other physical disabilities) and to institutions that serve these populations. This presentation will provide information on how to access RFB&D’s services, a demonstration of the specially-formatted digital audiobooks using computer software, portable players, and desktop players and a brief question-and-answer period.
RFB&D Learning Through Listening (Website)
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (Word Doc)

Session 3-F: Positive Behavior Support for Young Children Using Assistive Technology

Dolores Mendoza, Supervisor, Miami-Dade County Public Schools: Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is a broad set of systematic and individualized strategies designed to achieve important learning outcomes and an enhanced quality of life for the child and family while preventing the occurrence of problem behaviors. PBS focuses on identifying environmental factors that are related to challenging behaviors and teaches the child new skills to replace them. A variety of low tech tools will be presented that help facilitate PBS strategies.

Session 3-G: ABCs of AAC: A Way to Begin Communicating via Augmentative Communication

Tina McAlpin, Speech and Language Pathologist, & Eric Sanders, Regional Support for Assistive Technology, Miami-Dade County Public Schools: This session will discuss a way of beginning to use augmentative communication to discover the possibilities for students who are non-verbal or minimally verbal. A guideline for what to present with which students based on demonstrated abilities in other areas – i.e. social communication and gestural communication - will be outlined and discussed.