Family Resource Group- Nov 2023

Can you believe it's already November? The weather may be changing, but we're not. We continue to support our families and students by sharing resources and important information. There are two new sections of the newsletter to check out: "ECC at Home" and "Resources to Keep." Read on to learn more!

Updated newsletters will be shared at the beginning of each month. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact me at any time. To be sure that you continue to receive all future updates, directly to your email address, sign up on the Family Resource Group mailing list.

Tess Nasehi

Family Resource Group BVI Editor

tnasehi@pattankop.net

- For Fall -

- For the Seasons Ahead -

- ECC at Home -

- Resources to Keep -

*Each section contains 1-4 topics.

If your child is preparing to read tactile media (braille, tactile graphics), this webinar from Access Academy of the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) may be of interest to you. Information shared will cover how to help students with visual impairments develop exploration skills through touch. Tactile exploration skills are the building blocks for learning to read braille and tactile graphics. Click the link below to learn more about this webinar and others offered through Access Academy!

This training will be offered at no-cost on:

Tuesday, November 14, 2023, 3:00pm-4:00pm (ET)

Join us in celebrating high expectations for students with low incidence disabilities and to support families and school staff who are working hard to make those expectations a reality in our current school environments.

This annual statewide conference offers an opportunity to learn and engage with families, presenters and professionals, all while highlighting effective instructional strategies and interventions designed for students with low incidence disabilities, such as blindness/low vision.

Participants may attend in-person at the Lancaster Counter Convention Center or virtually via Zoom. Visit the 'Parent Information' page for scholarship information.

For all conference questions, please email helix@pattankop.net.

As much as we try to avoid conflict, we may sometimes still find ourselves in disagreement or challenging situations. This training will focus on skills to successfully resolve conflicts and communicate well throughout a child's educational experience. Topics covered include: introduction to conflict resolution; conflict management styles and self-assessment; communication skills, perceptions and attitudes; and a six-step conflict engagement model.

This training will be offered at no-cost on:

Wednesday, December 6, 2023, 1:00pm - 4:00pm

The 2024 Winter Camp, hosted by Camp Abilities Delaware, is an educational sports camp for athletes with visual impairment, ages 5-17. Last year's camp featured instruction in tennis, football, lacrosse, golf, as well as first aid and fire safety. Students cooked lunches and also participated in evening activities, such as bowling and an escape room.

The Winter Camp runs from February 17-19, 2024 and will be held in Lewes, DE at the University of Delaware's Virden Center. Pennsylvania students are welcome to register. A $25 deposit per child is required. However, families are encouraged to contact Camp Abilities Delaware about potential scholarship opportunities at CampAbilitiesDelaware@gmail.com. Click the button below for more information and to register.

Save the date for the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Bureau of Special Education's signature event. This annual statewide conference offers an opportunity to learn and engage with nationally recognized presenters, as well as families and educators from across the state, highlighting effective instructional strategies and interventions designed to make an educational difference for all students.

The InSights Art competition from the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is back! This international art competition, for both amateur and professional artists who happen to be blind, has been running since 1992. Winners will earn prizes, have their artwork displayed in APH's annual exhibit, and have the opportunity to attend APH's annual InSights Art awards celebration in Louisville, Kentucky. Click the link below to learn more and sign up!

Submissions will be accepted until March 29, 2024.

Click here or the link below to find out more.

Students who are blind or visually impaired are taught skills from the 9 areas of the expanded core curriculum (ECC). You might already be teaching or reinforcing some of these skills at home!

Areas of the ECC include assistive technology, compensatory skills, career education, recreation and leisure, orientation & mobility (O&M), social skills, self-determination or advocacy skills, visual efficiency, and independent living skills. Read on to find ways to continue reinforcing the ECC in your own home and community, and click here to learn more about the ECC.

We will spotlight a new area of the ECC each month! This month, we're starting with compensatory or functional academic skills, including communication modes such as braille.

Are you interested in learning to read braille but not sure where to start? The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) can help! Braille Brain is a self-paced, online braille tutorial that may be used by families and educational team members to better understand braille and support students' braille literacy and mathematics instruction. Click the link below to learn more and begin reading braille!

Another option for learning to read braille, among other topics, is through Hadley. Hadley's website hosts a collection of lessons to help anyone learn to read braille online at your own pace. You can choose to learn by sight or touch, contracted or uncontracted, special braille symbols, and much more. While these lessons are offered at no cost, users must create an account with Hadley to access the full lessons. More details are available on the Hadley website.

Deciding if your child should read print, braille or both can be tricky. Families and educational teams may consider several factors, including student preferences, family input, and data from both Functional Vision Assessments (FVAs) and Learning Media Assessments (LMAs). This article, "Should My Child Read Print or Braille or Both or?" from Paths to Literacy, provides useful information on how families and educational teams may guide their decision-making. Happy reading!

For the remainder of this year, any child who is blind or visually impaired living in the U.S. or Canada is eligible to receive up to four FREE storybook kits from the Special Collection program by the Braille Institute. Check out the Special Collection Catalog to order your selection of braille books and story kits at no charge.

The deadline to submit your order is December 31, 2023.

Are you interested in connecting with other parents and 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 7:30pm-8:30pm (ET). Visit the FamilyConnect website to view additional details and resources.

Looking for a little help navigating the special education process? This bundle includes several different publications that provide essential, comprehendible information to families who are new to special education.

Topics include procedural safeguards, special education resources, special education evaluation and reevaluation, a glossary of special education terms, and more!