Conference Details

Strategies in this course will equip you to provide intervention--including hands on learning opportunities--to children who are deaf-blind. The strategies build on each other and work together. Learning and implementing these four strategies (as well as strategies you have acquired in other courses) will take time to incorporate into practice. We will explore how to move at the pace most effective with the student with whom you work.

Objectives

Participants will:

• Demonstrate observation skills that promote understanding of the intervener strategies covered in this module.
• Describe the principle of “do with not for” and identify ways to "do with" students who are deaf-blind.
• Describe the challenges of being a bridge, rather than a barrier. Identify possible solutions to these challenges.
• Explain the importance and rationale of hand-under-hand technique and demonstrate the technique.

Target Audience

Teams and Individuals working with and/or interested in professional development regarding students who are deaf-blind, such as parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other service providers, including those who are not seeking to become interveners.

Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.

This course covers the 10 guiding principles which are the foundation of an effective travel routine. We will review the responsibility of an O&M specialist to design suitable routes and routines to facilitate skill development. Travel routines embed skill development and should be practiced consistently in the context of daily routines. The course will highlight the benefits of an intervener knowing about orientation and mobility, therefore, the greater benefit to the student.

Objectives

Participants will:

• Review how an effective travel routine can support a student´s practice of O&M skills.
• Explain the "10 Principles of Effective Travel Routines" and how to apply intervener strategies to support student learning related to each principle.
• Describe how environmental features help a student learn about the concepts of space and distance.
• Analyze how environmental features can be sequenced to help a student know where he or she is in space (orientation).
• List the skills a student acquires in the context of travel routines have a direct, positive impact on his or her inclusion in family, school, and community life.
• Identify the skills acquired in the context of travel routines that lead to higher levels of safe, efficient, and independent travel.

Target Audience

Teams and Individuals working with and/or interested in professional development regarding students who are deaf-blind, such as parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other service providers, including those who are not seeking to become interveners.

Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.

By understanding the importance of touch and by using effective touch and engagement strategies, an intervener supports a student in exploration and learning about the world. This course will illustrate how experiences are the beginning of the development of concepts for students with deaf-blindness. It will review how the opportunities for exploration and varied experiences provide building blocks for the formation of concepts. An intervener can help bridge the gap between deaf-blindness and experiential and incidental learning. The course will also differentiate between concept development and skill development and how they are both important.

Objectives

Participants will:

• Identify the impact of deaf-blindness on an individual’s development of concepts and incidental learning.
• Compare and contrast skill development and concept development.
• Identify that trusting relationships are essential for the development of concepts about the self (and concepts about the self are essential for learning).
• Explain the role of language and communication in the development of concepts.
• Describe methods for incorporating experiential learning and functional tasks.
• Apply deaf-blind strategies in the development of routines which support active learning and concept development.

Target Audience

Teams and Individuals working with and/or interested in professional development regarding students who are deaf-blind, such as parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other service providers, including those who are not seeking to become interveners.

Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.

This course explores the many kinds of “time pieces” (e.g., clocks and calendars)—also known as "time tools"—to keep us on track and oriented in the world. Time pieces are also extremely important for students who are deaf-blind. We will cover the use of customized calendars being a key educational strategy for students with deaf-blindness. Calendars help a student learn time concepts and time vocabulary, provide a way for her to understand and have some control over her schedule, and support conversations about everyday life activities. The goal of this course is to begin to give you some insights into how a child with deaf-blindness has different experiences of everyday situations. By understanding some of the impacts of deaf-blindness, an intervener or communication partner can begin to interpret a child´s responses to the environment in new ways and provide supports to the child based on that understanding/p>

Objectives

Participants will:

• Explain why a student with deaf-blindness might have difficulty learning time concepts, time vocabulary, and understanding traditional timepieces.
• List the continuum of time frames in calendar systems and identify several student characteristics that are prerequisites for each.
• Identify ways that calendar systems are individualized for students with deaf-blindness.
• Describe strategies to depict the past events for each time frame.
• Describe how calendars move from concrete to abstract across the time frames to teach vocabulary about the future.
• List example of how calendars support communication for students with deaf-blindness.
• Summarize the crucial role that calendars play in supporting and clarifying genuine conversational interactions.

Target Audience

Teams and Individuals working with and/or interested in professional development regarding students who are deaf-blind, such as parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other service providers, including those who are not seeking to become interveners.

Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.

Intervener support is one form of accommodation under supplementary aids and services. This course will review how interveners provide one to one support to address the educational need of accessing information for students with deaf-blindness. Also reviews is assistive technology devices that help students access the curriculum in the classroom and at home.

Objectives

Participants will:

• Examine the role of the intervener in the assessment process and ongoing decision-making practice for assistive technology.
• Review components of both the general education and expanded core curriculum.
• List factors that challenge access to curricula for students with deaf-blindness.
• Identify materials, equipment and strategies that provide physical access for students with deaf-blindness and physical challenges.
• Describe modifications and accommodations that support access needed for students with deaf-blindness and intellectual disability.
• Review the range of equipment used to provide communication access and the factors that influence choices to use/not use specific equipment materials
• Describe how and why assistive communication provides access (communication. learning, socialization, etc.) at school and at home.
• Describe the collaborative nature between family and school team members to ensure access to curriculum.

Target Audience

Teams and Individuals working with and/or interested in professional development regarding students who are deaf-blind, such as parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other service providers, including those who are not seeking to become interveners.

Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.

This course addresses transition and the on-going and personalized process involved in transitioning. The transition process involves people in all areas of the student´s life, all of which are integral to a successful adult life. Additionally, content will explore other facets of life impacted by transition, such as forming relationships and pursuing goals outside of vocation are overlooked by the team. Content will examine how a person led program with full learner self-advocacy and cohesive outside partnerships pave the way for achieving successful transition and a meaningful adult life.

Objectives

Participants will:

• Describe transition for deaf-blind youth as moving towards personally meaningful adult lives with multiple possibilities.
• Define transition as a life-process that takes place over time, and that preparing for transition needs to start well before transition actually occurs.
• Identify the intervener’s role in supporting the voice of the student during the transition process.
• Review need for a student to actively participate in the transition process through self-discovery, self-direction, and self-advocacy.
• Reflect on one’s own values and the student’s values, and how these values impact choice-making.
• Identify opportunities at school, at home, and in the community to facilitate a student’s vocational exploration and exposure to deaf-blind adults who lead meaningful lives.
• List your student’s likes, dislikes, and aptitudes, including conditions leading toward success and barriers to success.
• Describe how recreation and leisure activities are essential to providing a well-rounded life experience.

Target Audience

Teams and Individuals working with and/or interested in professional development regarding students who are deaf-blind, such as parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other service providers, including those who are not seeking to become interveners.

Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.

This course focuses on sexuality and that sexuality is a part of human life. Content will review that by providing information and support about sexuality to students who are deaf-blind, we are helping people have the information that they need to lead a self-determined life.

Objectives

Participants will:

• Define sexuality as a natural and healthy part of the human experience.
• Examine issues of sexuality which are relevant across the lifespan.
• Describe sexuality education content for various ages (i.e., infant/toddler, preschool, school age, middle and high school, transition).
• Distinguish sexuality myths from facts and understand the importance of sexuality education that is factual, medically accurate, age appropriate, and free of bias.
• Describe the important role that self-esteem plays in self-determination and making healthy, informed choices.
• Review the importance of being proactive with sexuality education and providing instruction before it is needed or becomes a problem.
• Identify how sexuality education may be governed by laws and policies and must be conducted in collaboration with educational teams and families.

Target Audience

Teams and Individuals working with and/or interested in professional development regarding students who are deaf-blind, such as parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other service providers, including those who are not seeking to become interveners.

Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.

This course will provide insights into how a child with deaf-blindness has different experiences of everyday situations than other individuals in the same environment. By identifying some of the impacts of deaf-blindness, an intervener or communication partner can begin to interpret a child´s responses to the environment in new ways and provide supports to the child based on that understanding. This understanding is the vital key to enable the student to become a more proficient communicator.

Objectives

Participants will:

• Explain the importance of clear communication for the team dynamic.
• Describe strategies to support good team communication.
• Identify the role and responsibilities of each member of the team, including the family.
• Understand the importance of role release.
• Describe strategies for conflict resolution.

Target Audience

Teams and Individuals working with and/or interested in professional development regarding students who are deaf-blind, such as parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other service providers, including those who are not seeking to become interveners.

Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.

This course reviews how behavior can communicate what is going on with a child, how to identify the function of the behavior, how expectations can influence behavior, and how the environment impacts behavior.

Objectives

Participants will:

• Examine the purpose of behavior, and how to identify that purpose.
• Define a child´s behavior as a functional strategy to cope with a given situation.
• Describe how expectations, both high and low, impact behavior.
• Identify how the environment impacts behavior, and can be modified.

Target Audience

Teams and Individuals working with and/or interested in professional development regarding students who are deaf-blind, such as parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other service providers, including those who are not seeking to become interveners.

Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.