ATIA 2023 Pre-conference Seminars

Start learning early with one- or two-day educational seminars designed to give attendees in-depth education on critical assistive technology topics. Learn the in-depth professional development needed to successfully implement assistive technology in a variety of settings—including school, work, and at home, led by internationally recognized leaders in the field. Pre-conference Seminars are in-person only. 

Two-day Pre-Conferences by Strand:

• Education & Learning: Early Intervention – 12/Higher Education
• Vision & Hearing Technologies
• Assistive Technology for Physical Access and Participation

One-day Pre-Conferences by Strand:

• Education & Learning: Early Intervention – 12/Higher Education
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication
• Assistive Technology for Physical Access and Participation

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Two-day Seminars
Tuesday, January 31 and Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Strand: Education & Learning: Early Intervention – 12/Higher Education

Leading Systems Change: Strategies to Clarify and Unify AT Capacity Building

AT programs can improve their impact on student outcomes by systematically building their agency’s AT capacity. This session will offer ideas and strategies about capacity building for AT providers as well as practical tools and templates. Individual participants or teams will identify their most pressing AT capacity building needs and the ways in which they want to build new program capacity. Our focus will be to increase AT coherence across the agency and integrate AT services with instructional and information technology. There will be ample time for collaborative work as you develop components of a 3-year AT services plan.

Speakers:​

Gayl Bowser AT Collaborations	Aaron Marsters DoDEA Europe	Janet Peters Independent Consultant

2023 AT Bootcamp! Understanding and Implementing Assistive Technology

This two-day pre-conference workshop experience is designed for people new to the field of Assistive Technology or first time conference attendees. Day 1 will provide a fundamental overview of assistive technology (AT) service delivery processes that includes AT consideration, assessment, and application as well as a structure to further your personal learning experience. Areas of AT covered during the first day will include Access, Mobile Devices and Communication. Day 2 extends participants’ experiences by strengthening their knowledge and experience working with AT devices, and providing AT services. This session continues participants’ explorations of AT devices including literacy, cognition, social integration.

Speakers:​

Mike Cole Use Your Words P.C.	Kelly Fonner Fonner Consulting	Mike Marotta Inclusive Technology Solutions, LLC	Brian Wojcik Assistive Technology Partnership

Strand: Vision & Hearing Technologies

Practitioner’s Handbook: AT Services for People who are Blind or have Low Vision

This 2-day seminar is designed for experienced AT specialists and others who provide training and support to people who are blind or who have low vision. We will explore AT assessment within the continuum of AT services designed for people with visual impairments and other disabilities. A review of assessment strategies will include frameworks, models, tools, and protocols. Other topics will include exploration of various types of AT, digital accessibility and universal design, as well as approaches to stay up-to-date with emerging technologies for people who are blind or who have low vision.

Speakers:

Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky Lighthouse for the Blind of the Palm Beaches and UMass Boston	Sean Tikkun Northern Illinois University	Stacy Kelly Northern Illinois University	Saraelizabeth Baguhn Western Michigan University and University of Alabama Huntsville

Strand: Assistive Technology for Physical Access and Participation

Making AT and Becoming a Rapid Problem Solver

The AT maker’s movement continues to grow. Explore the wonderful world of making and become a rapid problem solver. This two day hands-on workshop teaches participants the skills in working with an assortment of tools and materials for making hundreds of devices in minutes. Participants will make 10 different devices to take home with them. An additional $50 materials fee is collected on site for this two day – hands-on AT maker training.

Speaker:

Therese Willkomm University of New Hampshire

Communication, Learning and Access: Severe Physical and Multiple Challenges

Are you working with children who have complex communication needs and who also face severe physical, multiple challenges and CVI ? This 2-day workshop will look at what current brain research tells us about learning, motivation and engagement. How do you provide a comprehensive aided-language, motor and vision learning environment for children who face such significant challenges? How do you teach motor movements for accessing communication devices and computers for learning? A range of technologies from ‘light tech’ to ‘high tech’ will be demonstrated. Come explore creative and practical strategies to overcome these complex barriers to access language and learning.

Speaker:

Linda Burkhart Augmentative Communication and Assistive Technology Consultant/Specialist

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One-day Seminars
Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Strand: Education & Learning: Early Intervention – 12/Higher Education

Leadership at All Levels: Making Digital Learning Accessible and Inclusive for Every Learner in Your District

Challenged by systemic barriers that keep students who use AT from full independence and participation in the gen ed curriculum? Discover a framework of evidence-based practices, co-developed by a cohort of diverse school districts across the country, for guiding effective collaboration across EdTech and AT to accomplish inclusive digital learning opportunities for students with disabilities. These practices align with leadership, teaching, learning, assessment, technology infrastructure, and family engagement. Take action with self-assessments and field guides that can be deployed in your own district. Continue the learning by joining our Community of Practice for creating and sustaining inclusive technology and education systems.

Speaker:

Maggie Pickett CAST	Michelle Soriano CAST

To A.T. Assessments and Beyond!

Join us on a fun, informative, and interactive journey. The NYC Center for Assistive Technology Team is continuously evolving and moving forward with the future of assistive technology. We will talk about our processes from inventory management, to building school-based capacity for High-Incidence Assistive Technology cases, preschool Augmentative Alternative Communication consultations, video case studies, and the latest addition, Assistive Technology Supplementary Support Services. We will delve and explore our A.T. toolkit and provide participants with hands-on A.T. exploration.

Speakers:

Lindsey Huntley NYCDOE Center for Assistive Technology	Maricris Formoso-Santos NYCDOE Center for Assistive Technology	Colleen Warn NYC Department of Education

AT Design Lab: Building an Inclusive Technology Ecosystem

A common thread in the AT world is the lack of awareness amongst educators and IEP teams of the available assistive and inclusive technology tools and how to leverage them for every learner. How can we better equip them to selection, acquisition and use of AT? Our session serves to provide a bridge between the “expert” and “coaching” models, equipping participants with the structure, tools, knowledge, and support to build their own Inclusive Technology Ecosystem. The facilitators will model this approach and provide continued learning opportunities after the live session via continued dialog through our #CommunAT.

Speakers:

Mike Marotta Inclusive Technology Solutions, LLC	Elisa Wern Alachua County Public Schools	Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles HillaryHelpsULearn
Leslie DiChiara North Bellmore UFSD	Mia Laudato	Rachel Herron PATINS Project
Kelli Suding PATINS Project

Strand: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

Designing and Delivering Empowering Experiences to Teach Language Using AAC!

This interactive experience explores strategies for teaching even the youngest students language through AAC by engineering environments so all communicators have opportunities for meaningful practice of language in the context of everyday routines. Explore how to design educational experiences using interactive and engaging technologies which empower the learner and their support network to achieve their lifelong language goals. Participants will take an in-depth look at building communication partner capacity using a coaching model to achieve optimal language outcomes. Particular emphasis will be placed on empowering parents and educators to promote the use of AAC in order to build a culture of language learning across all environments.

Speakers:

Christopher Bugaj Loudoun County Public Schools	Rachel Madel Rachel Madel Speech Therapy Inc.

Strand: Assistive Technology for Physical Access and Participation

Communicate to Participate: the Role of Assistive Technology in Childhood

The ability to express oneself is fundamental for engagement in all activities. This session will focus on the design and use of devices and services to support/enhance communication and optimize participation during play, learning, and socializing. Discussion guided by the Communication Bill of Rights and the use of case studies will illustrate assessment, feature matching, and the selection of a continuum of supports and communication options based on the context in which they will be implemented. Participants will leave with resources and skills to develop and customize a range of access solutions ranging from light tech to high tech.

Speakers:

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Judith Schoonover Adaptations and Tools for Participation LLC	Charlie Danger Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Between Manual Direct Selection and Eye Gaze: What Are We Missing?

This session focuses on alternative access to SGDs and other technology with emphasis on solutions other than eye gaze. Using actual products, videos, and case studies, the presenter will demonstrate and discuss options such as joystick, trackball, head mouse, switch-adapted mouse, voice interaction, touch adaptations, and Morse code along with existing technologies such as Bluetooth and device cameras to illustrate alternative access solutions that may not have been considered. This session features an interactive component, where participants will have the opportunity to set up and use different access methods (including eye gaze) connected to actual SGDs and then compare/contrast them.

Speaker:

Lisa Bardach Communicating Solutions, LLC

“Game of Access” Switches, Mounting and Positioning. Conquer your fear!

Hold the Door! Come and join us to explore various switches and mouse alternatives with an emphasis on conquering access to the curriculum. This session includes an overview of the critical considerations for seating and positioning for educational access. Communication devices, computers, interface alliances, and conflicts will be presented and include hands-on with a variety of switches and their features.

Speakers:

Lourdes Day AT Consultant	Kathie Glus AT Consultant	Nancy Hoppe Assistive Technology Specialist