|
Featured Video:
"How a blind astronomer found
a way to hear the stars"
Wanda Diaz Merced
|
|
Alt+Shift Update
We would like to extend a warm welcome to Megan Zell. Megan has joined the Alt+Shift team as an Assistive Technology Contractor. Megan is an occupational therapist who works for the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District. Megan has had the opportunity to work closely with Karen Erickson and David Kopenhaver with regards to literacy instruction for students with complex communication needs. Welcome Megan!
|
|
Accessible Materials Made Right
Accessible Materials Made Right (AMMR) is now a three-day training (non-consecutive) for teams responsible for providing training to their intermediate school districts and local school districts on creating accessible digital materials for publicly facing websites.
Alt+Shift is now accepting online team applications for teams wishing to attend this training in Berrien Springs. The application deadline is December 15, 2017.
When: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on January 11, February 2, and February 15
Where: Berrien Regional Educational Service Agency, Berrien Springs
Cost: There is no cost for this training. Registration is contingent upon Alt+Shift acceptance of the online team application.
Teams interested in applying should first visit the AMMR event webpage and review the AMMR Information Guide to learn more about the training.
Please send questions to accessibility@altshift.education.
|
|
Implementation Story
Educator: Jared Koski, Alt+Shift Consultant and SLP
Foundations of Communication training sites are doing wonderful things and the administrators and staff have truly made a commitment to helping the students in their local and intermediate school districts have more opportunities to communicate.
- Administrators have provided opportunities for related service providers, teachers, and paraprofessionals to receive initial training.
- Teams have developed co-constructed action plans with Alt+Shift and have documented goals and objectives.
- Time has been planned for implementation teams to meet regularly to follow-up on goals and strategies that have been developed.
- Core Vocabulary posters have been put up in classrooms, and individual Core Vocabulary materials have been made accessible.
- Teams have added these new strategies to their school improvement plans.
Teams have set goals that will expand training, knowledge, and skills to those who work with students with complex communication needs.
- Teams are using self-reflection forms so that all staff can evaluate themselves as they improve instructional strategies.
- Sites are eager for more skills and are expressing the need to get training in the areas of literacy and math instruction.
- Administration is trying to find ways to reach out to transportation, food service, and other staff who are involved with students on a daily basis to find ways to provide training for them.
- Therapists are exploring new methods to identify baseline data and track progress of students with complex communication needs.
- Teams are working collaboratively and will meet in February 2018 to work with teams from other parts of the state.
The administrators and staff I am currently engaged with are a true inspiration. At each of our face-to-face and virtual meetings, they bring an energy that is second to none. The administrators, therapists, consultants, teachers, and support staff are truly making the world a better place for students.
|
|
Resources
The Communication Matrix is a free online assessment tool to help families and professionals understand the communication skills of students in the beginning stages of communication. The Communication Matrix is free, easy to use, helps to establish baselines, helps to track progress, and is available in multiple languages.
|
|
Upcoming Events: Michigan
U.P. Special Education Conference
February 22-23, 2018
Marquette, Michigan
MCEC 78th Annual Conference
February 28-March 2, 2018
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Comprehensive Literacy Instruction for Students With Significant Disabilities and Complex Communication Needs
March 6-8, 2018
Romulus, Michigan
Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) Conference
March 7-9, 2018
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Michigan Speech Language Hearing Association Conference
March 22-24, 2018
Kalamazoo, Michigan
2017 MCTM Conference (Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics)
July 25–27, 2018
Traverse City, Michigan
|
|
|
Upcoming Events: National
Five Day Advanced Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display (PODD) Training
January 8-12, 2018
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Pre-Conference and Conference
January 30 - February 3, 2018
Orlando, FL
CEC 2018 Special Education Convention & Expo
February 7-10, 2018
Tampa, FL
CSUN - Assistive Technology Conference
March 19-23, 2018
San Diego, California
Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) Conference
July 11-15, 2018
Arlington, Virginia
Closing The Gap 2018
October 10-12, 2018
Minneapolis, Minnesota
|
|
|
|
|
|
|