PaTTAN BVI Newsletter

This newsletter is not an endorsement of any organization or product that may appear.

The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) has updated, expanded, and transitioned its TA Toolkit into the Collaborative Assessment Guide for Transition Planning Services. This guide is “intended to help develop a coordinated assessment approach for transition planning and service delivery.” For more information, refer to the NTACT website.

The Paige – Learn Braille app is designed for teachers, parents, and anyone looking to build or refresh their braille skills. It offers a variety of features, including lessons, games, built-in translation, and a daily braille Wordle. Don't have an IOS device? Not a problem. You can access the translate and learn features on the Paige Braille website for free.

Seedlings Braille Books for Children (BAP) offers free books to TVIs through its Teachers of the Visually Impaired Program (TVIP). TVIP allows certified teachers of students with visual impairments in the U.S. to order five free braille books from Seedlings per calendar year. It’s a great resource to help you build your braille library.

The Vision Through Music Program from Children's Eye Foundation of AAPOS is working to grow its network of teachers, students, and families nationwide. Explore its free educational resources, ranging from teaching strategies for first-year blind pianists to music technology, braille music, and braille and audio guitar lessons. To explore these and other resources, refer to the program’s website.

WalkSafe, developed in the UK for students without a visual impairment, is a virtual education portal. Its goal is to empower youth and families with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate their communities and promote safe streets. The site offers useful resources that COMS and families can use when teaching students about sidewalks, crosswalks, street design, traffic safety, the benefits of walking, and signage. It includes lessons and modules. To learn more, refer to the WalkSafe website.

The Perkins School for the Blind's CVI Now websiteoffers articles on CVI that are worth exploring, such as:

• How is CVI Diagnosed?: "CVI is the leading cause of childhood blindness and low vision. Learn how CVI is diagnosed and ways to advocate along the way."

• What Every Teacher Should Know About CVI: "An estimated 1 in 30 students may have CVI. Learn how to identify, accommodate, and support students with cerebral/cortical visual impairment."

• CVI for Classroom Teachers and Special Educators: "A brief overview of CVI for teachers. Learn how CVI impacts evaluation and intervention, and ideas for starting points."

• Making Art Accessible for Learners with CVI. The article discusses why accessibility in art matters, what it looks like, measuring engagement and success, tools and adapted materials, useful materials, favorite projects, balancing support and creative exploration, and creating and community.

• 8 Key Areas For Supporting Writing With CVI: from Braille to dictation to color highlighting, these individualized supports help students with CVI write efficiently and focus on sharing their ideas." To learn more refer to the CVI Now website.

• Why It’s Challenging For Some Kids With CVI To Eat: "Many CVI families are not only on a CVI journey but a feeding journey as well. Some children with CVI had difficulty gaining enough weight early in their lives, some use feeding tubes, some require years of feeding therapy, and some have difficulty chewing."

• 9 CVI Adaptations For Mealtime: "Strategies to support a more productive meal and snack time for your child with CVI"

The Paraprofessional Entry Level Credential of Competency Training Series has moved to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Standards Aligned System (SAS) website!

This training series is a pathway for paraprofessionals to reach "qualified status" as required by PA state regulations. The training series consists of seven flexible, self-paced modules that are user-friendly and interactive.

Log in to get started:

Standards Aligned System Website

Additional information is located on the

Entry Level Credential of Competency for Special Education Paraprofessionals web page.

Download your certificates from the current site, PaTTAN Framewelder, before it retires on June 30, 2026!

To learn more refer to the Para Entry Flyer in the Professionals Serving Students with VI Google Drive. If you are not a paraprofessional, please help get the word out by sharing this informationwith those you work along side!

The BK2KH (Bridging Knowledge to Know-How) conference is designed to unite Pennsylvania’s educators, community partners, families, and youth to explore insights and tools that bridge knowledge and practical application. This conference will highlight best practices, research, and practical strategies related to autism, sensory and other low-incidence disabilities (including visual impairment), and secondary transition. Learn more about the Bridging Knowledge to Know-How: Empowering Pennsylvania Educators and Partners

conference. Child caregiver reimbursement is available.

When: August 4-7, 2026

Where: The Lancaster County Convention Center; 25 S Queen St, Lancaster, PA 17603

Registration and Session Information Coming Soon!

The Technology Adventure for Students with Hearing and Vision Needs will now be part of the 2026 Bridging Knowledge to Know-How Summer Conference. For more information about participating as an exhibitor, please contact Tim Knight

The Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education (BSE), in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is sponsoring a year-long opportunity for early career (three years or less) special education teachers, teachers of the deaf, teachers of the visually impaired, special education administrators, and school psychologists to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of special education professionals with five or more years of experience. Applications for both will reopen this summer. A PaTTAN notification email will be sent out when both are open for the 2026-27 school year. Bookmark the APR Repository's Mentoring Page to learn more.

Tim, Greg, and Jen, the PaTTAN BVI Team, wish you a long and relaxing summer break! We look forward to connecting with you in the 2026–27 school year.

The Family Resource Group shares monthly newsletters containing resources, upcoming event details, and community networks that support families. Signing up is an easy way for you to get updates and take advantage of any available opportunities. Teachers can sign up too! Learn more on the PaTTAN Family Resource Group webpage.

Do you know families who may be interested in connecting with other families of children who are blind or visually impaired? APH (American Printing House for the Blind) FamilyConnect and the Chicago Lighthouse have partnered together to provide a virtual support group that connects on the first Wednesday of every month from 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm (ET). Visit the FamilyConnect website to view additional details and resources.

The content in this section remains the same in each newsletter.

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

• Jennifer Edgar - jedgar@pattan.net - Educational Consultant; BVI State Lead

PaTTAN Central - 6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112

• Greg Gerhart - ggerhart@pattan.net - Educational Consultant

PaTTAN West - 3190 William Pitt Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

• Tim Knight - tknight@pattan.net - Educational Consultant