In this issue:
- Upcoming Events and Opportunities
- Additional Resources
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The newsletter this month is a little shorter this month in order to share many wonderful upcoming opportunities and new resources available for professionals and families.
Rose and Brandy
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"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around"
Leo Buscaglia
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Upcoming Events & Opportunities |
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Join the SD Deaf-Blind Project in a FREE 3-part webinar series for students with sensory and complex needs. Learn how to use assistive technology to level the playing field, gain an understanding about the Communication Matrix and how to implement communication intervention strategies, and finally incorporate adapted literacy strategies and interventions for students at early stages of literacy development. |
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Wednesday, February 17th 3:30pm-4:30pm
Thursday, February 18th 3:30pm-4:40pm
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SD DOE is pleased to offer a Core Content Connector (CCC) training, led by Karen Guettler, co-developer of the CCCs.
By the end of the training participants will be able to use resources to find core content connectors and related content, as well as use the CCCs in instruction of the South Dakota Content Standards in ELA, Math, and Science for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
This webinar will be an hour long with a 15 minute Q and A session to follow.
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Ready, Set, Advocate:
Standing Together for Kids with
Sensory Disabilities
Tuesday Evening, February 16, 7:30pm EST
To attend, register free of charge HERE
Who Should Attend?
—All who are concerned about the special education and related service needs and rights of students who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or who may also have additional disabilities.
What’s Happening?
—On Tuesday evening, February 16, at 7:30pm Eastern, leadership of the sensory disabilities special education fields are hosting a community-wide virtual gathering to launch a comprehensive agenda for change with a new Congress and Administration. This coalition kickoff event will brief attendees on progress made to date to affect national legislative and regulatory improvements to America’s special education system. Attendees will learn about immediate next steps in Congress, the strategies and tactics to be deployed in 2021 and beyond, and how everyone can play a part in these critical efforts as we make the most of new opportunities to achieve results.
What Will Be Expected of You?
—We hope you will join in this important gathering to launch our 2021 coalition activities. Participation is free of charge, but you are asked to register to attend. We will be discussing ways in which participants can help all of us amplify our messages and urge policymakers to take action. We want this coalition kickoff event to be as inclusive as possible, so please do consider sharing this open invitation to participate with your own networks.
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The Cogswell-Macy Act would:
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ensure specialized instruction specifically for students who are visually impaired, deafblind, or deaf or hard of hearing.
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increase the availability of services and resources by ensuring all students who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind are accounted for.
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enhance accountability at the state and federal levels.
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increase research into best practices for teaching and evaluating students with visual impairments by establishing the Anne Sullivan Macy Center on Visual Disability and Educational Excellence—a collaborative consortium of nonprofits, higher education institutions, and other agencies to provide technical support, research assistance, and professional development.
(afb.org, 2021)
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HKNC provides several different types of summer long distance training opportunities for Youth. Typically, financial support would need to be pursued through vocational rehabilitation services, but other options may be available.
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Did you know that as a result of the pandemic, Helen Keller National Center is offering free online training opportunities for students, families, and providers of students with Deaf-Blindness?
There is something for everyone!
School Teams may benefit from the session called “The Team Approach” or Pre-Employment Transition Services”
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors/Job Coaches may benefit from the session called “ VRS Training: Working with Individuals Who are Deaf-Blind” or Working with Individual who are Deaf-Blind: A course for Vocational Counselors or Other Professionals”
Families may benefit from the session called “The Top 5 Keys to Successful Transition for Deaf-Blind Youths; A Guide for Families”
Mental Health Professionals may benefit from the session called “Working with Individuals Who Are Deaf-Blind: A course for Mental Health Professionals”
To get your promo code to access these trainings at no cost, contact the HKNC Representative for South Dakota, Laura Benge at: Laura.Benge@hknc.org
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TSLP provides regionally based events and activities for high school students with disabilities, their parents, educators and adult agencies. These transition events and activities provide education and information for students to make a seamless transition from high school to the adult world of employment, education or training, and independent living.
Go the the TSLP webpage to find recordings of past sessions or join the next Roundup on February 24th 3:00-4:00 pm CST.
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Save the Date
The CHARGE Syndrome Foundation virtual symposium will begin on the evening of Friday, July 16th and run through Sunday, July 18, 2021.
Both live and prerecorded sessions will be available for families of individuals with CHARGE and professionals.
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New release from Active Learning Space
Many children have very limited use of their hands and feet and/or arms and legs. They may not be able to hold objects in their hands or be able to bat at or shake the objects. One thing you can do to give a child like this the ability to make things happen on his or her own is to place objects directly on the body. Here are some strategies for doing that.
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Highlighting a new webinar:
This presentation will focus on supporting family-centered practices, including naturally embedding opportunities to improve easy adaptations of the home environment and activities within the families' daily routines.
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Here are 3 video tutorials for making adaptations using Keynote and You Doodle.
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Coffee Hour is on:
Mondays at 3:00 PM CST and
Thursdays at 12:00 PM CST
These coffee hours are free, but they do require registration.
Highlighting a few upcoming sessions:
February 11th: Story Time: Creating Meaningful Experience Stories With Your Students
February 18th: OT Review of Sensory Processing
February 22nd: Active Learning and Orientation and Mobility
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South Dakota Deaf-Blind Project |
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Wondering who can help in South Dakota? Every state in the nation has a Deaf-Blind Project and South Dakota’s is located at the Center for Disabilities. We are funded through the US Dept. of Education-Office of Special Education Programs. We provide technical assistance, training and resources for families and service providers of children (birth to 21) with varying levels of both hearing and vision loss. Even mild losses qualify due to neither primary sensory gathering channel is able to compensate for the loss in the other sense.
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Rose Moehring, M.A. Spec. Ed.
Certified Low Vision Therapist
Deaf-Blind Program Director
Rose.Moehring@usd.edu
(605) 357-1437
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Brandy Sebera, M.S. Spec. Ed.
Deaf-Blind Program Instructor
Brandy.Sebera@usd.edu
(605) 357-1437
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SD Deaf-Blind Program Grant #H326T180053 |
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