Free Regional AT Trainings for the 2017-2018 School Year

Based on needs assessment data collected by Infinitec and ISBE, this year Infinitec has organized regional training offerings around two strands.

-       Autism

-       Assistive Technology Decision Making  

-       AAC / Communication

·       Executive Functions

·       Transition

-       Significant Disabilities

Below you will find descriptive information about trainings offered in each strand along with links to flyers with additional information and registration forms for each scheduled session.

 

 

Communication:  Every Move Counts, Clicks and Chats: A Sensory Based Approach to Communication and Assistive Technology.          

Facilitated by:  Jane Korsten, MS, SLP, ATR  

Course Description:

Three-day workshops present non-traditional assessment and intervention strategies appropriate for the development of communication in individuals having complex communication needs, severe sensory motor differences, developmental differences, and/or autism. Information is relevant to the needs of those individuals who are currently perceived as unable to communicate wants and needs spontaneously in their environment, regardless of age or severity of physical and/or communicative differences. Techniques incorporate current research in the areas of communication, education and sensory integration.

 

 Participants will be able to:

•distinguish language from communication and understand the prerequisite skills

necessary for each

•recognize and assess abilities rather than disabilities through a process oriented

assessment approach.

•design an effective individualized communication program that builds on the

abilities identified through the Every Move Counts assessment package

•effectively integrate communication training into daily activities by providing

appropriate choice-making opportunities

•progress through a hierarchy of alternate and augmentative communication

systems in order to identify and provide the system that best meets an individual's

 

needs and abilities.

Dates, Locations & Registration Forms:

 

10/11, 11/29, 1/17/18 Kishwaukee, IL  

10/12/17 Mokena IL  11/30 & 1/18/18 Tinley Park, IL  -  

  

10/13, 12/1, & 1/19/18 Bloomington, IL   

 

 

AAC & Language: Steps to Deepen Implementation & Build Sustainability

Facilitated by Marlene Cummings   

Description:  

There are many powerful AAC implementation strategies grounded on core language, but how do I apply these all day long? We will explore: the right questions to ask, those barriers that may be getting in the way and the instructional strategies that bring them all together.

Participants will:  

*discuss their current use of 3 implementation strategies

*describe 2 instructional strategies that support language

 *list 3 barriers the impact implementation sustainability

Dates, Locations & Registration Forms:

10/10/17 - Moline, IL 

10/11/17 - East Peoria 

 

10/13/17 - Belleville, IL 

 

Autism:  The Hidden Curriculum         

Facilitated by Dr. Brenda Myles 

Course Description:  

The Hidden Curriculum refers to the set of rules or guidelines that are often not directly taught but are assumed to be known (Garrett, 1984; Hemmings, 2000; Jackson, 1968; Kanpol, 1989). This curriculum contains items that impact social interactions, school performance, and sometimes health and well-being. The curriculum also includes unspoken rules, slang, metaphors, body language, etc. While this information may be intuitive for neurotypical individuals, it is not for those with autism or other special needs. This session includes practical tips for teaching these hidden social needs to children and to adults and stresses the importance of making these a part of everyday life.

 

Participants will be able to:

•define the hidden curriculum.
•explain the hidden curriculum's applicability to school,
community, and home.
•identify hidden curriculum areas and items across preschool,
middle school, high school, and adulthood.

Date, Location and Registration Form

2/20/17 - Tinley Park, IL  

2/21/17 - Rockford, IL   

2/23/17 - Champaign, IL  

 

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE THAT SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH AUTISM

Facilitated by Kris Bretl M.Ed., BCBA, Autism, Behavior, Technology Supports, Inc.

Description:

This workshop will discuss autism characteristics and challenges for school professionals and how to choose and use the evidence based practices that are established, within school settings. These evidence-based strategies that address social communication, behavior, and classroom/academic supports for students with autism will be explored, considered and practiced.  The two projects that have identified evidence based strategies for autism spectrum disorder, the National Standards Project from the National Autism Center and National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder will be used as reference and support. Participants will be considering the best
practices from these projects and how they relate to supporting our students with autism within the classroom and school environment.

Outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

•identify the characteristics that are used to classify autism as described in the DSM-V and the Illinois School code, and identify how these characteristics may provide challenges for students within the school environment.
•recognize and select evidence based strategies that have been categorized as support for social communication deficits and academic needs within a school setting.
•identify evidence-based strategies that can be matched to function when selecting interventions.

Dates, Locations & Times:

11/14/17 Springfield, IL  

11/15/17 Centralia, IL  

11/16/17 Sparta, IL                                      

 

 

AT Decision Making:  The Journey to AT Success

Facilitated by:  Mike Marotta

Description: 

Assistive Technology consideration must be more than a checkbox on an IEP and buying the latest app. But what does it mean? What process does your team use to "consider" AT? Do you have a formal process? This session will explore Assistive Technology from start to finish: Consideration to Implementation. Participants will evaluate their organization's process and develop an action plan for effective consideration of assistive technology. Once technology has been identified, the process is not complete! In fact, we are only halfway to success. Successful implementation strategies will be identified to include trial periods, roles and responsibilities and planning for follow up.

Outcomes 

explore best practices for AT consideration and model these practices within their own school

identify a minimum of 5 key factors that lead to successful AT implementation for students with disabilities

build a professional learning community in order to continue learning about successful strategies for AT integration

Dates, Locations & Registration Forms:

10/31/17 Tinley Park, IL   

 

Executive Functions: Advanced Training In Interventions To Improve Executive Function Skills  

Facilitated by Sarah Ward                                                                                    

Description:  

This advanced Executive Function skills training defines, demonstrates and practices executive function skill interventions with hands on activities. Proficiency in the use of executive function interventions at the basic level is assumed and in this workshop participants will learn and practice more in depth therapeutic interventions. This advanced course is designed to help professionals bring their practice to the next level of competence and effectiveness. Woven throughout the day will be case examples, IEP goals and how to formally and informally assess executive function skills. Prior to the event provide us with the grades of students you work with and you will receive a hands on packet of materials for those grades.

**All registrants must have verification of attendance at one of Sarah Ward's introductory trainings on Executive Function (if it was not offered by Infinitec). If you don't, please contact Debra Eubanks for a link to a webinar that will qualify you for attendance.**
 

Outcomes: 

Participants will be able to:

•name 4 techniques to teach a student how to create a mental visual and motor image of the
future and sustain this forethought in working memory as a mental anchor while they carry
out a task they pre-imagined.
•explain the method for teaching students to calculate the required time for a task.
•list 3 advanced applications of the Get Ready Do Done Model to teach a student how to
visualize complex tasks and then sequence and plan the requisite steps to complete assigned
work
•define the 3 factors that impact speed of information processing and list 3 interventions to
increase the speed with which students can process, retrieve and organize information.
•list 2 strategies to improve the executive function based skills for written expression.
•name 2 technology application that can be used to improve executive function skills.

 

Dates, Locations & Registration Forms:

 

11/14/17 - Tinley Park, IL  

 

 

 

 

 

Significant Disabilites:  Cortical Visual Impairment, Identification, Assessment, & Intervention

Facilitated by:  Christine Roman - Ph.D, Diretor of Pediatric VIEW at WEst Penn Hospital & Consultation Services through CVI resources

Description: 

This workshop will provide content about Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI), the definitions of CVI, the characteristic behaviors, the medical causes, assessment of functional vision for students with CVI, and intervention strategies for individuals with CVI. Examples of instructional adaptations and specialized environments will be shared and video samples will reinforce the specialized methods. 

Outcomes  

Participants will be able to:


•describe the diagnostic criteria used to identify CVI.

•list the medical causes associated with CVI.

•describe the use of The CVI Range assessment


•identify the interventions used to facilitate access to materials and environments


Dates, Locations & Registration Forms:

3/26/18 Ste. Marie, IL  

3/27/18 Ullin, IL/TBD