Family Resource Group
October 2022 (Bonus!) Deaf-Blind Edition
Registration for the HELIX 2022 Conference is now OPEN - please see the update with registration links below, as well as a few bonus items since our most recent edition was sent out for this month. Plus, a new version of the Communication Plan, which is part of the IEP (Individualized Education Program) for students who are deaf/hard of hearing or deaf-blind has also been released. It is an exciting month! To be sure that you continue to receive all future updates, or information, directly to your email address, sign up on the Family Resource Group mailing list.
Erin Campion
Family Resource Group Editor
The HELIX Conference page has been updated and registration is now open!
Click here to register for the HELIX In-Person Conference.
Click here to register for the HELIX Virtual Conference.
Family Scholarships are available to attend HELIX.
A partial scholarship covers the cost of registration for either virtual or in-person attendance. A full scholarship covers the cost of registration and lodging for those attending in-person and traveling 50 miles or more (one-way). Please note: Scholarships do not include travel expenses; all participants will need to provide their own transportation.
Scholarship application deadline is October 28, 2022. Preference will be given to applicants who have a child with a low incidence disability and who have not received a low incidence scholarship previously. You will be notified of the decision on your scholarship two weeks prior to the HELIX Conference.
HELIX Sessions for DHH, for DB, and for BVI...
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Strand (DHH)
- Collaboration with General Education Teachers for Itinerant Teachers
- Transition Planning for Students who are DHH
- Collaborative Team Partnerships & Consistent Team Service
- American Sign Language for Young Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students
- Student-Led IEPs
- Audiological Assessment for Students with Complex Needs
Deaf-Blind Strand (DB)
- Deaf-Blindness & Autism: Characteristics
- Deaf-Blindness & Autism: Behavior Interventionsr
- CHARGE Over the Lifespan: Developmental, Medical, Behavioral and Transition Issues
-
Transition Start-to-Finish: A Closer Look
Putting It All Together: The Deaf-Blind Resource Teams Training Process
Student Led IEPs
Audiological Assessment for Students with Complex Needs
Blind/Visual Impairment Strand (BVI)
- The Connection Between Learning Theory and Student Progress: Reducing Barriers to Success
- Executive Functioning: Foundational Skills
- Literacy for Phase I and Early Phase II Students with CVI
- Literacy for Late Phase II and Phase III Students with CVI
- The LMA for Students with CVI
- Expanded Core Curriculum
- Vision Therapy and Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments
BSE Releases Updated Communication Plan for Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Deaf-Blind Students
Here is the Standard Version of the Communication Plan:
Here is the Annotated Version of the Communication Plan:
NFADB Presents My Family's Journey Webinar October 27 - Registration Closes October 20!
This 90 minute presentation will be free of charge for families and caregivers ($100 per person donation is suggested for professionals and friends of NFADB wishing to attend) and features personal experiences shared by parents and grandparents of deaf-blind children from around the country.
Registration for this highly anticipated event closes on Thursday, October 20, so don't delay! Please share this information with families of your deaf-blind students.
Teaching Children Who Are Deafblind: Professional Development for Educators Now Online!
Tech OWL Offering Free AAC Essentials Online Courses Now!
For more information or to register, please visit the Tech OWL AAC Community site.
NTID Virtual Science Fair Competitions Happening October 7 - December 9
RIT/NTID is proud to present a series of virtual events for middle school deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The Virtual Science Fair is a competition that will test your scientific knowledge, creativity, and hands-on skills in a variety of topics.
Egg Drop Competition
Put your hands-on skills to the test with our next competition, the Egg Drop competition! Make a care package for your egg and test its limits by dropping it from different heights. Try and find out!
When: October 7 - November 2, 2022
Kickoff Webinar: October 7, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET
Submission deadline: November 2, 2022, 11:59 p.m. ET
Register for the Egg Drop Competition here.
Rube Goldberg Machine
Participants are encouraged to create the craziest combination of contraptions to perform a simple function. The machines that wows the judges the most will win prizes.
When: November 14 - December 9, 2022
Kickoff Webinar: November 14, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET
Submission deadline: December 9, 2022, 11:59 p.m. ET
Register for the Rube Goldberg Competition here.
Global LSL Symposium Coming in June 2023
AG Bell is pleased to bring back its Global Listening and Spoken Language Symposium as a virtual event in 2023! The Symposium will take place live, June 28-29, as well as be available on-demand throughout the summer. Mark your calendar and plan to join professionals all over the world to learn about emerging and best practices for listening and spoken language development.
New Guidance Document on Least Restrictive Environment from Federation for Children With Special Needs
This guidance recommends practices to follow when considering the appropriate learning environment for students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH). While this document includes resources for Massachusetts families, it summarizes Federal guidance and DHH best practice documents, applicable to all US states.
To access the document, click on the embedded link below.