TETN & Distance Education
2008-2009 School Year

Please contact your Regional Education Service Center Consultant in the area of visual impairments to participate in these broadcasts. Sorry, but at this time the distance education broadcasts can be viewed in real time only within the state of Texas.

• TETN Schedule in (61k)
• TETN Schedule in (67k)
• Workshop Evaluation (41k)
• Workshop Evaluation (41k)
• Roster Participants (49k)
• Roster Participants (31k)
• ACVREP Credit Request (57k) ** needed foreach workshop
• ACVREP Credit Request (63k) ** needed foreach workshop

Getting Your Protégé Up and Running
(TETN # 30902)

September 3, 2008
 Presenter:  Chrissy Cowan, Mentor Coordinator, TSBVI Outreach
Time:  12:00-4:00 PM
Audience:  TVI/COMS Mentors

This workshop is for TVI/COMS mentors who will be mentoring protégés with a caseload of visually impaired students.  Participants will learn the most critical areas that should be addressed with their protégés during the first 3 months of the academic year.  Topics include mentoring tips and strategies for organizational techniques, scheduling, role(s), and effective consulting.  Mentors will be given the opportunity to share forms they find useful for documenting VI services.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

• Get Protege Up Handout (299 kb)
• Get Protege Up Handout (259 kb)
• Get Protege Up (14 mb)
• ACVREP Credit Request (57k)
• ACVREP Credit Request (63k)

VI Transition Discussion Group
(TETN #30903)      

September 17, 2008
Presenter:  Eva Thompson-Lavigne, Transition Specialists, and David Wiley, Transition Specialist, TSBVI VI Outreach
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI Professionals, Family Members and others interested in transition from school to adult life

This TETN is the first in a series of two facilitated discussions on transition issues facing students with visual impairments and deafblindness. The focus of this first transition TETN will be on transition issues, strategies, and tools for working with students who are multiply impaired. A process for Person Centered Planning will be shared with examples of action plans and IEP 's developed through the process. Teachers, TVIs, COMS, and parents can learn and share ideas for helping to work for more successful outcomes in the adult transition from school to adult life. We ask participants to come prepared to share what is working in their area.  If you have an interest in how to improve the transition process for your students who are visually impaired or deafblind, please join in on this informal discussion group.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

• Transition Discussion_handout (623k)

Part 1 of 2: Routines for visually Impaired and Deafblind Students
(TETN #30904)      

September 24, 2008
Presenters:   Sara Kitchen, VI Consultant and Chris Montgomery, Deafblind Consultant, TSBVI Outreach
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  Special Education Teachers, VI Professionals, Deaf Education Professionals, Family Members, Interveners and Paraprofessionals

This special two-part broadcast will help you create routines like the pros do!  Learn how to develop fun interactive routines that infuse language development, communication, and functional skills. The first of this two-part broadcast will take you through the process for creating a routine.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

• Routines Handout (2 mb)
• Trouble printing the handout above, try
  Infused Skills Assessment 3.5mb and
  ISA Score Sheet 193k

Part 2 of 2:  Using Infused Skills Assessments Leading to Routine Development
(TETN #30905)      

October 1, 2008
Presenters:  Sara Kitchen, VI Consultant and Chris Montgomery,Deafblind Consultant, TSBVI Outreach
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  Special Education Teachers, VI Professionals, Deaf Education Professionals, Family Members, Interveners and Paraprofessionals

Learn how to develop fun interactive routines that infuse language development, communication, and functional skills. In the second part of this two-part broadcast, we will discuss using the Infused Skills Assessment as part of the collaborative process to guide instruction.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Please download the handout from the TETN Broadcast #30904 - Routines for Visually Impaired and Deafblind Students originally broadcast on September 24, 2008 if you did not attend this broadcast. This handout contains the Infused Skills Assessment that will be discussed during this broadcast.

• Infused Skills Assessment_handout (28K)
• Trouble printing the handout above, try
  Infused Skills Assessment 3.5mb and
  ISA Score Sheet 193k

What’s New?  TSBVI Products
(TETN #30912)      

October 8, 2008
Presenter:  Debra Sewell, TSBVI Curriculum Coordinator
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI Professionals

Want to learn more about the exciting new products available from Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired?  Tune into this special TETN as Debra Sewell, Curriculum Coordinator, shares information about some of the newest products including Empowered, An Activity-Based Self-Determination Curriculum; and EVALS, A five-part publication of evaluations for ECC and Practical Academics Curriculum; and Better Together, Building Relationships with People Who Have Visual Impairment and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

What's New - TSBVI Publications

Functional Hearing Assessment
(TETN #30922)

October 29, 2008
Presenter:  Jim Durkel, Deafblind Census Coordinator, TSBVI Outreach
Time:  10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Audience:  VI and Deaf Education Professionals, Deafblind Specialists, Diagnosticians, Special Education Administrators

Due to changes in the Deafblind Census, students may be listed as in need of further testing for only one year.  Students can be reported as having documented functional hearing impairments.  This session will review several ways that such a functional loss could be documented.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Using Drawing with Low Vision Deafblind Students
(TETN #30907)      

November 19, 2008
Presenters:  Chris Montgomery, Deafblind Consultant and Kate Hurst, Statewide Staff Development Coordinator
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  Special Education Teachers, VI Professionals, Deaf Education Professionals, Family Members, Interveners and Paraprofessionals

Dr. Jan van Dijk suggests that drawing is one strategy to consider for developing communication skills in students who are deafblind with residual vision.  Pictures and drawing can be efficient communication tools and also serve as a way to improve conversation and interactions.  This broadcast will look at specific strategies for using and developing drawing skills in students with deafblindness in the classroom, home, and community.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Tools to Assist in Recruiting VI Professionals
(TETN #30932)      

December 2, 2008
Presenter:  KC Dignan, Professional Preparation Program Coordinator
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI Professionals, Special Education Administrators, Family Members, or anyone involved in recruiting VI staff

As the need for VI professionals continues to increase at a rapid rate, it is important for all VI professionals to be highly skilled recruiters. This INTERACTIVE broadcast will provide participants with an opportunity to increase their skills at advocacy communication.  Advocacy communication, whether for recruitment or other purposes, is easy to learn and use with a little practice.

In addition to practicing conversational skills, we will also explore techniques for developing a flyer, brochure or other printed recruitment tools.  While no one will be expected to develop a finished product, participants will be given an opportunity to outline a flyer for future use.  Participants can expect to interact with others during the broadcast and to participate in the creative process.  This will be an INTERACTIVE broadcast, not just a “sit and listen” event.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Recreation and Leisure for Visually Impaired Students
(TETN #31688)      

January 9, 2009
Presenter:  Mark Gronquist, TSBVI Recreation Director
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI Professionals, Physical Education Instructors, Special Education Teachers, Camp Directors, and Family Members

One of the most critical areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum is Recreation and Leisure.  Without skills to participate in physical, social and recreational activities, the life of a student with visual impairments is diminished.  This is often the way friends are made, employment connections are made, and overall health and functioning are improved.  This broadcast will offer ideas for adapting recreational and leisure activities so that students with visual impairments may participate more fully in these activities.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Students with Visual Impairment and Learning Disabilities
(TETN #30911)      

January 14, 2009
Presenter:  Cyral Miller, Outreach Director, and Marnee Loftin, Associate School Psychologist, TSBVI
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI Professionals, Diagnosticians, General & Special Educators

In this broadcast our presenters will explain why testing for specific learning disabilities is important and the characteristics of learning disabilities for students with visual impairments.  They will also discuss the process for testing these students and share selected strategies for instruction.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Game of Life:  Follow-up for Parents and Visually Impaired Professionals
(TETN #30920)      

February 4, 2009
Presenters:   Sharon Nichols, Technology Specialist and Eva Thompson-Lavigne, Transition Specialist
Time:  11:30 AM-1:00 PM
Audience:  Registered adult participants in the Game of Life training

This follow-up event to the Game of Life will help the adult participants to prepare to support the student acquire skills that lead to independence. 

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Evidence-based Practice for Academic and Non-academic Visually Impaired Students       
(TETN #30908)

February 11, 2009
Presenters:  Cyral Miller, Outreach Director, Jim Durkel, APH Coordinator and invited others
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI Professionals, General & Special Educators, Administrators

How do you know that your instructional strategies are effective ways of providing services?  Could you give evidence for why what you are doing is good practice?  This session will discuss what evidence-based practice is and give resources for VI Professionals to discover the evidence on their own.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Literacy and the Student with Deafblindness
(TETN #30913)      

March 4, 2009
Presenters:  Holly Cooper, Deafblind Consultant, Deafblind Outreach
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI and Deaf Education Professionals, Interveners, Reading Instructors, and Family Members

All students with deafblindness should have a meaningful literacy medium whether it is Braille, pictures, print or even objects.  This broadcast will explore the range of literacy media for various levels of learners and discuss instructional strategies that can be considered for the student with deafblindness.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Visually Impaired Transition Discussion Group
(TETN #30906)      

March 25, 2009
Presenter:  Eva Thompson, Transition Specialist, and David Wiley, Transition Specialist, TSBVI Outreach
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience: Family Members, VI Professionals, Transition Specialists

This TETN is the second in a series of two facilitated discussions on transition issues facing students with visual impairments and deafblindness and focuses on transition issues, strategies, and tools for preparing the more academic student for life after graduation. Teachers, TVIs, COMS, and parents can learn and share ideas for helping to work for more successful outcomes in the transition from school to adult life. If you have an interest in how to improve the transition process for your students who are visually impaired or deafblind, please join in on this informal discussion group.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Game of Life for Parents and VI Professionals
(TETN #30909)      

April 1, 2009
Presenters:   Sharon Nichols, Technology Specialist and Eva Thompson-Lavigne, Transition Specialist
Time:  11:30 AM-1:00 PM
Audience:  Registered adult participants in the Game of Life training

This TETN is the second of two broadcasts for adults participating in the Game of Life.  Strategies will be shared with the adults about ways to support the student in the “reality” challenges.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Sensory Integration and the Visually Impaired Student
(TETN #30914)      

April 15, 2009
Presenter:  Lisa Ricketts, OTR, TSBVI
Time: 1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI Professionals, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, General and Special Educators, Family Members

This broadcast presents an OT review of sensory integration theory including the role vision plays in motor development.  Lisa will discuss how the tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular systems work.  She will also discuss imbalances of the sensory systems and activities we can use to help decrease disorganization and defensiveness.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Using A Braille Display with Screen Readers
(TETN #30921)      

April 22, 2009
Presenters:  Sharon Nichols and Pat van Geem, Technology Specialists, TSBVI Outreach
Time: 1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI Professionals and Braille Production Professionals

This session will provide basic level training on using a Braille display with screen readers and offer instructional strategies for working with the Braille reading student.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

O&M for Multiply and Visually Impaired and Deafblind Students
(TETN #30923)      

April 29, 2009
Presenter:  Ruth Ann Marsh, O&M Consultant, TSBVI Outreach
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  COMS, TVI, Family Members

This broadcast will focus on the O&M skills critical to students who are visually impaired and have additional disabilities or deafblindness.  Ruth Ann will discuss a number of important instructional strategies to improve body and spatial awareness, techniques for motivating movement and developing purposeful movement, and task analysis to help break down activities so skills can be infused into teachable moments.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast.

Visually Impaired Students with Vestibular Issues
(TETN #30910)

May 13, 2009
Presenters:  Kate Hurst, Statewide Staff Development and invited guest speakers
Time:  1:30-3:30 PM
Audience:  VI Professionals, Deaf Education Professionals, PT, OT, and Family Members

Many visually impaired students have conditions and syndromes that result in vestibular issues.  This broadcast will review the literature on the educational issues related to vestibular problems and suggest best practice approaches in instruction to address the students needs brought about by this condition.  Special guest speakers will be included in this broadcast.

Please contact the Distance Learning Consultant at your local education service center to access this broadcast. 

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Last Revision: October 2, 2008