Events

Barbara Miles with a dad during a workshop at TSBVI.
Barbara Miles with a dad during a workshop at TSBVI.

Below are a list of events and training activities sponsored or co-sponsored by the Texas Deafblind Project and events sponsored by others that focus on deafblind issues. Registration for TSBVI events is through TSBVI  ESC Works online registration. Links are provided for all events for registration or more information . 

Many of these events provide continuing education units (CEU) through ACVREP and the Texas State Board of Education Certification (SBEC). This amount of CEUs will be indicated on the registration site if credits are being offered.

Events

April 25, 2024

Mental Health Symposium for Deaf/DeafBlind Youth

You’re invited to join us for the Mental Health Symposium for Deaf/DeafBlind Youth: Building Toward a Better Tomorrow.
 
It will be April 25, 2024, 8:30am-4:30pm.
 
This year, you’ll have the ability to attend in-person at the Education Service Center Region 13 in Austin or participate through live streaming.
 
Some of the amazing presenters include:
    • Kevin Richmond
    • Gabriel Lomas, Ph.D
    • Grace Lester, BSW
    • DeafBlind panel
The cost is $50, and you can register anytime before March 31, 2024 at https://tsd.formstack.com/forms/24mhsymposium
 
We look forward to seeing you there! For more information, visit texasdeafed.org or reach out anytime by emailing txdeafblindproject@tsbvi.edu!

 

September 7, 2023

Family Recharge Zone: Three Ways Families Can Get a Strong Start to the School Year

What is Family Recharge Zone? A blend of family-picked and family-focused training followed by a conversation exclusively for adult family members with children and adults who are blind, low vision, or deafblind (combined vision loss and Deaf/Hard of Hearing).

Join us in chatting about the three ways families can get a strong start to the school year.

    1. What you can do to build collaborative relationships with everyone on your child’s school team, including the transportation and cafeteria team.
    2. How you can proactively and quickly share your child’s story and tips to help new staff feel more confident in interacting with them.
    3. Tips for organizing all your information, including the evaluations, IEP, and your child’s portfolio.

ASL Interpreting for the 11:30-1:00 Gathering! 

No need to register,  just join the Zoom Meeting on your computer, tablet, or smart phone.

Spanish Interpreting for the 6:30-8:00 Gathering!

No need to register,  just join the Zoom Meeting on your computer, tablet, or smart phone.

September 18, 2023

TSBVI Coffee Hour: Don’t Build Your House on the Sand: IEPs, PLAAFPs and Goals
Hosted via Zoom 

When building a house, it’s important to build on a strong foundation so it doesn’t fall down later. Creating an IEP starts the same way–with strong statements of present levels that lead to pertinent and collaborative standards-based goals. As boring as this topic may sound, we’ll have some fun this session while we review the necessary components for a strong and compliant foundation for students’ IEPs.

 
Participants will:
    • Know and understand the components of a PLAAFP statement
    • Know and understand the components of goals for IEPs
    • Describe the connection between PLAAFP statements, state standards, and goals, and how working collaboratively will benefit the process.

Captioning will be provided, if you need anything else, please email Kaycee Bennett. Some logistics will be different with our Coffee Hours, as compared to the past, but you can expect the same commitment to providing information, discussion, and collaboration on topics important to students who are blind, visually impaired, or Deafblind.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

September 21, 2023

CVI Study Group
Hosted via Zoom 

During this study group, topics relevant to CVI will be explored by the group. Study Groups may be instructor and/or participant led and may include discussions of recent developments in research, assessment, neurology, intervention, etc.
 

Participants will be made aware of new developments in CVI.

    • Participants will be introduced to resources that they may use to enrich student instruction.
    • Participants will be connected to the CVI community.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

September 21, 2023

TSBVI Tech Tea Time: Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Hosted via Zoom 

TSBVI Outreach Tech Tea Time is a weekly one-hour gathering for individuals working with students with visual impairment including blindness who use various technologies to access their daily curriculum. We will share new and exciting devices and advancements, helpful tips, tricks, and innovative lesson ideas for teaching our students. While building a robust community of practice for assistive technology support. 
 

Notice: Tech Tea Time is an interactive session where registrants are encouraged to converse and participate with others. Be advised that this session will be recorded and posted for later viewing in our website. By registering for this session, you hereby grant TSBVI Outreach permission to publish the contents of this recording; which may include image and audio of you the registrant.

Objectives: The objectives for the weekly sessions are to gather support and meet the needs of students through sharing lessons, ideas, new advancements, and troubleshooting.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

September 28, 2023

TSBVI Tech Tea Time: Assessment – TX 4 step and the multidisciplinary Team approach
Hosted via Zoom 

TSBVI Outreach Tech Tea Time is a weekly one-hour gathering for individuals working with students with visual impairment including blindness who use various technologies to access their daily curriculum. We will share new and exciting devices and advancements, helpful tips, tricks, and innovative lesson ideas for teaching our students. While building a robust community of practice for assistive technology support.

Objectives: The objectives for the weekly sessions are to gather support and meet the needs of students through sharing lessons, ideas, new advancements, and troubleshooting.

Notice: Tech Tea Time is an interactive session where registrants are encouraged to converse and participate with others. Be advised that this session will be recorded and posted for later viewing in our website. By registering for this session, you hereby grant TSBVI Outreach permission to publish the contents of this recording; which may include image and audio of you the registrant.

REGISTER

September 25, 2023`

TSBVI Coffee Hour: IFSP Meetings are not ARDs/IEPs for Babies
Hosted via Zoom 

In this Coffee Hour, we will talk about required documentation, the laws and rules around IFSP meetings, who is required to attend, and what a typical meeting looks like.

Captioning will be provided, if you need anything else, please email Kaycee Bennett. Some logistics will be different with our Coffee Hours, as compared to the past, but you can expect the same commitment to providing information, discussion, and collaboration on topics important to students who are blind, visually impaired, or Deafblind.

REGISTER

October 2023

October 5, 2023

TSBVI Tech Tea Time: Travel tech
Hosted via Zoom 

TSBVI Outreach Tech Tea Time is a weekly one-hour gathering for individuals working with students with visual impairment including blindness who use various technologies to access their daily curriculum. We will share new and exciting devices and advancements, helpful tips, tricks, and innovative lesson ideas for teaching our students. While building a robust community of practice for assistive technology support.

Objectives: The objectives for the weekly sessions are to gather support and meet the needs of students through sharing lessons, ideas, new advancements, and troubleshooting.

Notice: Tech Tea Time is an interactive session where registrants are encouraged to converse and participate with others. Be advised that this session will be recorded and posted for later viewing in our website. By registering for this session, you hereby grant TSBVI Outreach permission to publish the contents of this recording; which may include image and audio of you the registrant.

REGISTER

October 5, 2023

Family Recharge Zone 
Hosted via Zoom 

Haga clic aquí para el Enlace a la información en Español

Join us for 90 minutes of learning, connection, and encouragement. This is YOUR time so settle your kiddos in an activity where they can be safely entertained, grab a snack and drink, and give yourself this time!

What can you expect from the Family Recharge Zone?

We are excited to offer a blend of family-picked and family-focused training followed by a conversation exclusively for adult family members with children and adults who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind (combined vision and hearing loss). We appreciate professionals honoring this families-only event.

Need foreign language or sign language interpreting? Texas families, if you need accommodations for interpreting, then you must register for each session by the Monday before to allow us time to secure those services for you.

¿Necesita interpretación de lengua extranjera o lengua de signos? Familias de Texas, si necesitan adaptaciones para la interpretación, deben registrarse para cada sesión antes del lunes anterior al mediodía para que tengamos tiempo de asegurar esos servicios para ustedes.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

October 11-12, 2023

2023 Introduction to the Intervener Team Model

Hosted at TSBVI Outreach 

Interveners need specialized skills related to deafblind education in order to provide one-on-one instructional support to students who are deafblind. They need appropriate supervision and support from the IEP team. To help meet the needs of interveners in Texas, the Texas DeafblindProject at Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is pleased to announce this year’s Introduction to the Intervener Team Model. 
 
This workshop provides information for the intervener and the team on:
    • Experiencing the World of Being Deafblind.
    • Impact & Implications of Being Deafblind.
    • Intervener Competencies & Training Updates.
    • Intervener and Team Roles & Responsibilities.
    • The Five Components of Quality Intervention.
    • Intervention Issues & Considerations.
    • Identification of Tools and Strategies to Support the Student Profile.
Important Session Information:
This workshop is for those individuals who are newly assigned in the role as an Intervener, or for current interveners who have not yet had the opportunity to attend this introductory training.  
 
Each intervener should attend this training with a professional member of the educational team (ideally the classroom teacher, but this could also be a teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing or teacher for students with visual impairments or another professional regularly involved with the deafblind student). Family members (parents or guardians) of the student are welcomed to attend, as well.
 
Session ID: 40813
Credits Available: 13 (CEU)
Fee: $50.00 USD
Dates: 10/11/2023 thru 10/12/2023
Location: TSBVI Outreach (Google Map)
 

October 12, 2023

TSBVI Tech Tea Time: O&M – 3D Printing and More
Hosted via Zoom

TSBVI Outreach Tech Tea Time is a weekly one-hour gathering for individuals working with students with visual impairment including blindness who use various technologies to access their daily curriculum. We will share new and exciting devices and advancements, helpful tips, tricks, and innovative lesson ideas for teaching our students. While building a robust community of practice for assistive technology support.
 

Objectives: The objectives for the weekly sessions are to gather support and meet the needs of students through sharing lessons, ideas, new advancements, and troubleshooting.

Notice: Tech Tea Time is an interactive session where registrants are encouraged to converse and participate with others. Be advised that this session will be recorded and posted for later viewing in our website. By registering for this session, you hereby grant TSBVI Outreach permission to publish the contents of this recording; which may include image and audio of you the registrant.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

October 19, 2023

Active Learning Book Study: Lilli Nielsen’s ‘Are You Blind?’ 
Hosted via Zoom

“Are You Blind?” provides foundational concepts and practices for Lilli Nielsen’s Active Learning approach. Participants will engage in discussion of sections of this book in four parts throughout the 2023-2024 school year. Please read the section before the date of the study group. The dates and corresponding chapters are Oct 19th, 2023 chapters 1-5, Dec 21, 2023 chapters 6-9, Feb 15th, 2024 chapters 10-11, and April 18th, 2024 chapters 12-15.
 

Objectives:

  • Participants will increase their understanding of the natural progression of learning and factors that can interfere.
  • Participants will increase their knowledge of effective materials and strategies that promote learning for children with interfering factors.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

November 2023

November 2, 2023

TSBVI Tech Tea Time: Bliss Tactile Symbols
Hosted via Zoom

TSBVI Outreach Tech Tea Time is a weekly one-hour gathering for individuals working with students with visual impairment including blindness who use various technologies to access their daily curriculum. We will share new and exciting devices and advancements, helpful tips, tricks, and innovative lesson ideas for teaching our students. While building a robust community of practice for assistive technology support.

 

Objectives: The objectives for the weekly sessions are to gather support and meet the needs of students through sharing lessons, ideas, new advancements, and troubleshooting.

Notice: Tech Tea Time is an interactive session where registrants are encouraged to converse and participate with others. Be advised that this session will be recorded and posted for later viewing in our website. By registering for this session, you hereby grant TSBVI Outreach permission to publish the contents of this recording; which may include image and audio of you the registrant.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

November 2-4, 2023

Southwest Orientation & Mobility Association (SWOMA) Conference

The Southwest Orientation & Mobility Association Conference is back… and this year is virtual! This coming November we will be hosting our conference live via Zoom. We can’t wait for you to join us!!

We are excited to bring back our virtual conference format this year, with timely and informative keynotes and breakout sessions, as well as the opportunity to connect with exhibitors.

Over 13 hours of CEU’s (ACVREP and SBEC) are offered through SWOMA this year.

Conference Dates:

    • November 2nd: Pre-Conference (Optional)
    • November 3rd – 4th: Main Conference

Registration Fees:

    • Professionals – $100 (Early) & $125 (Late)
    • Family Members, Univ. Students, & Paras – $25 (Early) & $50 (Late)

Late registration begins October 2nd, and all registration ends October 26th @ 5:00 PM Central!

A late cancellation/no-show fee of $25 may be applied to registrations that are not cancelled by October 26th @ 5:00 PM Central. This includes “no-calls, no-shows.” If you suspect that you are unable to attend, please log into your account to cancel your registration or contact us ASAP to avoid this charge.

For more information about this conference, please visit our SWOMA Conference Page. You may also contact Toni Ericson at 512-206-9314.


Presenter and Session Lineup

An orientation and mobility instructor works with a young man who is deafblind and using a travel cane.
An orientation and mobility instructor works with a young man who is deafblind and using a travel cane.

Thursday, November 2nd

AccDomes, Bars and Trapezoids: What Are the Streets Trying to Tell You? – Alan C. Scott, Ph.D. & Linda Myers, COMS

It’s a “Sensory Thing” – What does that even MEAN? – Kate Beals, Retired Occupational Therapist

Navigating the Changing Urban Landscape (floating bus stops, leading pedestrian intervals, APS beaconing) and the Need for Advocacy – Alan C. Scott, Ph.D. & Linda Myers, COMS

Hand-UNDER-Hand Facilitation for Improved Intervention Outcomes: How neurology research supports the use of Hand-UNDER-Hand Facilitation, and what it means for writing goals and objectives – Kate Beals, Retired Occupational Therapist

Friday, November 3rd

Leader Dogs for the Blind: DeafBlind Program – Kathryn Roberts, GDMI, Adaptive Services Team Supervisor; Sarah Duyck, GDMI, COMS, BEI 1; Mara Turner, GDMI Apprentice

Goalball and the ECC – Beverly Jackson, M.Ed., COMS, Clinical Instructor, SFASU & Jake Czechowski, MA SpEd., Head Coach USABA Women’s Paralympic Goalball Team

Laying the Foundation Through Collaboration: Teaching Basic O&M Concepts and Skills in the Early Years – Mary Shore, COMS, Early Childhood O&M Consultant & Kathi Garza, M.Ed., TVI, VI Educational Consultant – Infants & Early Childhood

The Ins and Outs of Creating a Mobility Mural and how to Make one in your Community – Shelby Glass, COMS, VRT

Findings Wheels: A Tool to Promote Travel Knowledge of Teens and Those in Their Early 20s – L. Penny Rosenblum, Ph.D.

Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), Raising the Bar with High Expectations, Rubrics, and More – Robbin Clark, MA

Efficiency and Success Strategies of a Blind COMS – Bradley M. Blair, COMS, CATIS, CVRT

Creating Safe and Effective Environments for People with Vision Loss – Darick Wright, O&M Coordinator, Vision Studies Program, University of Massachusetts-Boston

Unique Orientation and Mobility in Australia – Kerri Weaver, BTeach Special Ed-Vision Impairment; Graduate Diploma Early Childhood; Masters of Human Services O&M

What’s in Your Assessment Toolbox? The Latest and Greatest for ECC (including O&M!) Evaluation – Stephanie Herlich, MA, TSVI/COMS & Shelby Zimmerman, MA, TSVI/OMS

Saturday, November 4th

Let’s Talk About Babies! – Mari Hubig, M.Ed

Let’s Explore Together….the Now Famous Multi Sensory Impaired Children Curriculum from the Victoria School, Birmingham, England – Naomi Feller Vaughan, M.Ed., TVI, COMS

OKO: Every Traffic Signal Accessible – Willem Van de Mierop, Founder

Fraudulent Service Dogs: Who Let the Dogs Out? – Rabih Dow, Guide Dogs for the Blind & Pat Pound, Past Director of Criss Cole

COMS and the FVE – DJ Dean, M.Ed., COMS/TSVI

Determining Instructional Minutes and Effectiveness of Various Instructional Arrangements for O&M: A Research-based Range That Aligns with O&M Career, College, and Community Readiness Standards 2.0 – William Koehler, M.Ed. COMS, TVI

Football vs.Eyeball: How to Explain Vision Loss – Toby Anne Penington, M.Ed., COMS, CLVT & Charlotte Simpson, MA, COMS, CLVT

Risk Assessment, Safety Supervision and Liability in Orientation and Mobility Instruction – Post-COVID Edition – William Koehler, M.Ed. COMS, TVI

O&M Strategies and Communication Techniques When Working With Students Who are Deafblind – Carolina Gonzalez, COMS & Heather Withrow, COMS

November 9, 2023

TSBVI Tech Tea Time: When and How to Incorporate Switches with Active Learning
Hosted via Zoom

TSBVI Outreach Tech Tea Time is a weekly one-hour gathering for individuals working with students with visual impairment including blindness who use various technologies to access their daily curriculum. We will share new and exciting devices and advancements, helpful tips, tricks, and innovative lesson ideas for teaching our students. While building a robust community of practice for assistive technology support.
Objectives: The objectives for the weekly sessions are to gather support and meet the needs of students through sharing lessons, ideas, new advancements, and troubleshooting.
 
Notice: Tech Tea Time is an interactive session where registrants are encouraged to converse and participate with others. Be advised that this session will be recorded and posted for later viewing in our website. By registering for this session, you hereby grant TSBVI Outreach permission to publish the contents of this recording; which may include image and audio of you the registrant.
 

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

November 16, 2023

CVI Study Group – November 2023
Hosted via Zoom

During this study group, topics relevant to CVI will be explored by the group. Study Groups may be instructor and/or participant led and may include discussions of recent developments in research, assessment, neurology, intervention, etc.

Objectives:

    • Participants will be made aware of new developments in CVI.
    • Participants will be introduced to resources that they may use to enrich student instruction.
    • Participants will be connected to the CVI community.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

December 2023

December 7, 2023

Family Recharge Zone – December 2023
Hosted via Zoom

Haga clic aquí para el Enlace a la información en Español

Join us for 90 minutes of learning, connection, and encouragement. This is YOUR time so settle your kiddos in an activity where they can be safely entertained, grab a snack and drink, and give yourself this time!

What can you expect from the Family Recharge Zone?

We are excited to offer a blend of family-picked and family-focused training followed by a conversation exclusively for adult family members with children and adults who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind (combined vision and hearing loss). We appreciate professionals honoring this families-only event.

Need foreign language or sign language interpreting? Texas families, if you need accommodations for interpreting, then you must register for each session by the Monday before to allow us time to secure those services for you.

¿Necesita interpretación de lengua extranjera o lengua de signos? Familias de Texas, si necesitan adaptaciones para la interpretación, deben registrarse para cada sesión antes del lunes anterior al mediodía para que tengamos tiempo de asegurar esos servicios para ustedes.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

December 8, 2023

Conversation: CAPD and Educational Implications for Children who are Congenitally Visually Impaired
Hosted via Zoom 

Listen in as experts in the field of deafblind education talk about the challenges faced in assessing hearing loss in children with significant congenital vision loss and central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). Addressing these losses in educational programming requires us to learn more about children most at risk for CAPD, strategies for supporting access to learning, and the value of informal functional hearing evaluation.
 

You may want to take time to listen to Maurice Belote share information CVI and CAPD in this webinar from Perkins School for the Blind before joining this session. 

Objectives:

    • Participants will become familiar with central auditory processing disorder
    • Participants will become familiar with ways to assess functional hearing for children with significant congenital challenges
    • Participants will learn strategies for addressing CAPD and vision loss in educational programming

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER

December 21, 2023

Active Learning Book Study: Lilli Nielsen’s ‘Are You Blind?’ 
Hosted via Zoom

“Are You Blind?” provides foundational concepts and practices for Lilli Nielsen’s Active Learning approach. Participants will engage in discussion of sections of this book in four parts throughout the 2023-2024 school year. Please read the section before the date of the study group. The dates and corresponding chapters are Oct 19th, 2023 chapters 1-5, Dec 21, 2023 chapters 6-9, Feb 15th, 2024 chapters 10-11, and April 18th, 2024 chapters 12-15.
 

Objectives:

    • Participants will increase their understanding of the natural progression of learning and factors that can interfere.
    • Participants will increase their knowledge of effective materials and strategies that promote learning for children with interfering factors.

TIME ZONE NOTICE: All webinar times reflect Central Time.

REGISTER