Www.tsbvi.edu



SWOMA 2011-12

Out of the Box and On a Shoe String

Session Guide

Thursday, November 10th

1:00-4:30 PM

Auditorium DARS-DBS: Use of the Structured Discover Method

Presented by Joleen Kinzer, NOMC and Scott Meyer, COMS, DARS-Division of Blind Services

Much has been said about DARS-Division of Blind Services "structured discovery method" of providing orientation and mobility instruction to consumers. This session will explain the philosophy and the instructional approach that COMS working for DARS-DBS use. There is nothing new about this approach, but it is often misunderstood and considered controversial by many. This session hopes to shed light on the approach and the philosophy behind it. Opportunities will also be provided for discussion and questions.

Hatlen Room: GPS Systems: An Overview of Devices and Hands-On Experience

Presented by Craig Phillips, COMS/CTVI, Shawnee Mission School District in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, Cori Scruggs, Ronita Jones, and Rebecca Munjak, Blind Rehabilitation Specialists, Veterans Affairs in the Blind Rehabilitation Unit, Waco, TX

Usage of a GPS device enables travelers with visual impairments to have control of their environment, fosters the development of efficient travel skills through enriched travel experiences, and provides information about the environment that aids in the development of conceptual understanding of one’s position in space and nurtures the development of environmental literacy. This presentation covers the description and different demonstrations of various accessible GPS devices. We will look at a variety of devices and then break into different sessions for hands-on practice. This wide range of devices will help you determine which unit will fit your students’/clients' individual needs.

Silverrain/Barraga Room: A Foundation: O&M / Purposeful Movement for Infants and Toddlers who are Visually Impaired

Presented by Marjie Wood, COMS

It is essential that children who are visually impaired have learning opportunities and receive instruction that facilitates early purposeful movement. Students who do not develop purposeful movement skills will have difficulty accessing the environment without assistance in all stages of development. It is the responsibility of each team member working with the child to structure activities that encourage purposeful movement and create a level of interdependence that matches the needs of the learner. This session will provide participants with foundational information upon which to develop and implement a quality O&M program for students who are visually impaired. Guided by the O&M Specialist, this O&M instruction will focus on movement that provides opportunities to gather and utilize sensory information, and to communicate and make choices. This session is limited to 20 participants.

Friday, November 11th

9:00-10:00 AM General Session

Auditorium A Facilitated Discussion of Issues Facing COMS in the Workplace

Facilitated by Melanie White, COMS, Weatherford, TX

More than ever, COMS are facing a variety of challenges in providing orientation and mobility to individuals. Many COMS work with a range of students from infants to elderly individuals, those with multiple disabilities, head injury, cortical visual impairments, and those using sophisticated technology. They work in a variety of settings which include schools, rehabilitation agencies, and veteran’s administration hospitals and in the community. This session provides an opportunity for COMS to discuss the issues facing them in the workplace, steps they need to take to be competitive as a provider, and how to insure that their profession continues to reflect the highest standards of service.

10:30-11:45 AM General Session

Auditorium Traumatic Brain Injury

Presented by Dr. Richard Temple, VP of Clinical Operations, CORE Health Care, Dripping Springs, TX

In this session Dr. Temple will provide an overview of acquired brain injury. Topics covered include physiological mechanisms both at the time of the injury and points in the future, cognitive and emotional consequences of brain injury, and the process of recovery from brain injury. The speaker will also discuss issues relevant to the vision-impaired community, including unique challenges of recovery.

1:00-2:30 PM Breakout Sessions

Auditorium Orientation and Mobility Instruction for Students with Multiple Disabilities and Wheelchair Users

Presented by Lisa Calaci, COMS and Brenda Gregory, PT, Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Many students who attend Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired have, in addition to their visual impairments, severe physical, cognitive and communication challenges that can hinder their ability to develop more independent travel and movement. This session will include information from COMS who work with these students and also information from other team members who play a critical role in orientation and mobility instruction, the physical therapist and occupational therapist. This session will provide information on a team approach to providing O&M instruction and include information on working with students who are wheelchair users.

Hatlen Room GPS Devices for Adults and Children

Presented by Craig Phillips, COMS/CTVI, Shawnee Mission School District in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, Cori Scruggs, Ronita Jones, and Rebecca Munjak, Blind Rehabilitation Specialists, Veterans Affairs in the Blind Rehabilitation Unit, Waco, TX

This session will give a quick overview of different GPS options and give you tips and suggestions to assist you in determining the best device for your student or adult client. Goals and objective for teaching travel skills with GPS will be reviewed, both for the school age user and the adult user. Come and explore GPS curriculums for teaching all ages!

Silverrain/Barraga Room Meeting with Traffic Engineers

Presented by Melanie White, COMS, Parker County Co-op, Weatherford, TX

This presentation will cover how to meet with a traffic engineer to request an APS or consult on the installation of an APS. Topics covered are the role of the COMS in the installation process as stated by the Manual for Uniformed Traffic Control Devices, how to write a letter to request an APS, and how to use the Intersection Rating Scale.

3:00-4:30 PM Breakout Sessions

Auditorium Happy Tapping:  Teaching Beginning Cane Skills to Toddlers

Presented by Ruth Ann Marsh, COMS, Orientation and Mobility Consultant, Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Outreach Programs, Austin, TX and Mary Tellefson, COMS/ TVI, Wisconsin Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Janesville, Wisconsin

Joseph Cutter introduced 2010 SWOMA participants to the idea of using teaching canes with the youngest of their students. Many of us enthusiastically embraced his ideas and others were skeptical. In this session Ruth Ann Marsh and Mary Tellefson will share their experiences and some of the experiences of other COMS in teaching cane skills to toddlers along with videos of the babies in action. Mary will also provide a brief summary of a research project she did with kids under 6 using guide dogs!

Hatlen Room Just Do It: Using Recreation and Leisure Activities to Motivate in O&M Instruction

Presented by Christy Householder, COMS, Region 10 Education Service Center with Zach Arambula, Bobby Lakey, Sasha Rangal, David & Brandon Adame, Joe Pascall and a representative from The Seeing Eye

A panel of active and successful young adults with visual impairments will share their stories of how their involvement in hobbies and sports influenced their lives. They will take questions from the conference attendees in hopes to inspire, motivate, and educate O&M instructors and others on how to incorporate leisure and recreational activities into regular routines and lessons.

Silverrain/Barraga Room New Issues for Blind and Visually Impaired Pedestrians…an Open Forum

Presented by Mike Goehring, Field Representative, Guiding Eyes for the Blind

Mike will look at some of the modern conveniences that are impacting a blind/visually impaired pedestrian’s ability to travel safely and confidently on our streets. Among the issues he will discuss are: (1) Quiet cars and making traffic judgments; (2) problem-solving around obstacles (how dogs are trained for this). (3) GPS systems and how they can be used safely. For each of these issues participants will look at perspectives from both training the dog and how handlers adjust. We will also discuss ways to advocate for the safest solutions to problems. There will be plenty of time for questions and brainstorming.

Saturday, November 12th

8:30-10:00 AM Breakout Sessions

Auditorium Spatiotemporal Development: A Framework for Understanding Developmental Needs in the Area of Orientation and Mobility. - Part 1

Presented by Mary Tellefson, COMS/ TVI, Wisconsin Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Janesville, Wisconsin

What do we do for babies and call it orientation or mobility? Though both domains are inextricably connected, we typically understand early mobility, but don’t understand the foundational skills that lead to formal “orientation” skills. This two-session presentation will introduce  an uncomplicated framework based on 4 levels of spatiotemporal development within which you can evaluate needs and instructional strategies appropriate for babies and developmentally young children who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities. The framework integrates the concepts of space/time (which are the foundations of “orientation”) with the role of vision in development and offers a few visual and non-visual strategies that facilitate age/stage development in each level. Beyond these sessions, and over time, participants will be able to integrate prior knowledge, their own guiding principles, and tried-and-true strategies from their own tool-boxes into the framework resulting in a working document that answers the question: What does O&M look like for infants and toddlers?

Hatlen Room Finding Wheels: A curriculum for non-drivers with visual impairments to gain control of their transportation needs

Presented by Dr. Ann Corn, Professor Emeritus, Vanderbilt University, Austin, TX

"Finding Wheels" is a curriculum designed for adolescents in middle school and high school who have visual impairments (or other disabilities) and who would benefit from exploring what their options are as non-drivers. The curriculum was written by Dr. Anne Corn, Professor Emeritus of Vanderbilt University and Dr. L. Penny Rosenblum. In this session Dr. Corn will discuss each of the four sections of the curriculum and share strategies for working with teens who may become low vision drivers.

Silverrain/Barraga Room APH Showcase of Materials for Orientation and Mobility

Presented by Terrie Terlau, PhD, Adult Life Project Leader, American Printing House for the Blind

Want to learn more about the new products available on orientation and mobility from APH such as the APH Talking PC Maps Software and the O&M Family Booklet software? Need more information about other APH products and how to use them during instruction? Visit this session to learn more about all the APH products and how they can benefit your student.

10:30 AM-12:00 PM Breakout Sessions

Auditorium Spatiotemporal Development: A Framework for Understanding Developmental Needs in the Area of Orientation and Mobility. - Part 2

Presented by Mary Tellefson, COMS/ TVI, Wisconsin Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Janesville, Wisconsin

What do we do for babies and call it orientation or mobility? Though both domains are inextricably connected, we typically understand early mobility, but don’t understand the foundational skills that lead to formal “orientation” skills. This two-session presentation will introduce an uncomplicated framework based on 4 levels of spatiotemporal development within which you can evaluate needs and instructional strategies appropriate for babies and developmentally young children who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities. The framework integrates the concepts of space/time (which are the foundations of “orientation”) with the role of vision in development and offers a few visual and non-visual strategies that facilitate age/stage development in each level. Beyond these sessions, and over time, participants will be able to integrate prior knowledge, their own guiding principles, and tried-and-true strategies from their own tool-boxes into the framework resulting in a working document that answers the question: What does O&M look like for infants and toddlers?

Hatlen Room Providing Orientation and Mobility Services to Senior Citizens

Presented by Nora Griffin-Shirley, Professor, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

As the "baby boomer generation" continues to age, there will be an increase in the need for services to senior citizens, including orientation and mobility services.  This session will explore some of the issues involved in serving this group and specific strategies to improve the quality of services they receive.

Silverrain/Barraga Room Developing Orientation and Mobility Functional and Standards-Based IEPs

Presented by Diane Barnes, COMS, Region 13 Education Service Center, Austin, TX

Do COMS need to write standards-based IEP goals? What about functional goals? What does TEA require? This session will address the influence of federal regulations in determining eligibility for special education and related services and the impact in the provision of O&M Services. The O&M evaluation, documenting service needs, and IEP development will be discussed.

12:15-1:45 PM General Session

Cafeteria SWOMA Working Luncheon: An Update on Professional Information

Facilitated by the SWOMA Planning Committee

Once again, SWOMA provides an update on professional issues and news over a working luncheon. Representatives from education, rehabilitation, universities and professional organizations share important information for COMS working with any population of individual or in any service setting.

 

SWOMA Pre-Conference Agenda - Thursday, November 10th

|10:00 AM-5:00 PM |Conf. Center Lobby |Registration |

|1:00 - 4:30 PM |Auditorium |DARS Structured Discovery Method |

| |Hatlen |GPS: An Overview of Devices and a Hands-on Experience |

| |Silverrain/Barraga |A Foundation: O&M / Purposeful Movement for Infants and Toddlers who are Visually |

| | |Impaired |

|6:00 - 8:00 PM |Hotel Lobby |Hotel Allandale Welcome Reception |

SWOMA Conference Agenda for Friday, November 11th

|8:30 AM |Conf. Center Lobby |Registration and Sign-in |

|8:45 - 9:00 AM |Auditorium |Welcome and Housekeeping |

|9:00 - 10:00 AM |Auditorium |General Session: A Facilitated Discussion of Issues Facing COMS in the Workplace |

|10:00 - 10:30 AM |Auditorium |Break |

|10:30 - 11:45 AM |Auditorium |General Session: Traumatic Brain Injury |

|11:45 AM - 1:00 PM |On your own |Lunch |

|1:00 - 2:30 PM |Auditorium |Orientation and Mobility Instruction for Individuals with Multiple Impairments and |

| | |Wheelchair Users |

| |Hatlen |GPS for Adults and Children |

| |Silverrain/Barraga |Users Meeting with Traffic Engineers |

|2:30 - 3:00 PM |Conf. Center Lobby |Break provided by Guiding Eyes for the Blind |

|3:00 - 4:30 PM |Auditorium |Happy Tapping: Teaching Beginning Cane Skills to Toddlers |

| |Hatlen |Just Do It: Using Recreation and Leisure Activities to Motivate Instruction |

| |Silverrain/Barraga |New Issues for Blind and Visually Impaired Pedestrians – Open Forum |

|4:45 - 5:45 PM |Hatlen |Blindfold Practice |

|6:00 - 9:00 PM |Threadgill’s Restaurant |SWOMA Dinner-Dance at Threadgill's |

SWOMA Conference Agenda for Saturday, November 12th

|8:30 - 10:00 AM |Auditorium |Spatiotemporal Development in Infants and Toddlers (Part 1) |

| |Hatlen |Finding Wheels: A Curriculum for Non-drivers with Visual Impairments to Gain Control of|

| | |Their Transportation Needs |

| |Silverrain/Barraga |APH Showcase of Materials for Orientation and Mobility |

|10:00 - 10:30 AM |Conf. Center Lobby |Break provided by The Seeing Eye |

|10:30 AM - 12:00 PM |Auditorium |Spatiotemporal Development in Infants and Toddlers (Part 2) |

| |Hatlen |Providing Orientation and Mobility Services to Senior Citizens |

| |Silverrain/Barraga |Developing Orientation and Mobility Functional and Standards-based IEPs |

|12:15 - 1:45 PM |Cafeteria |SWOMA Working Luncheon: An Update on Professional Information |

The Planning Committee for the 2011-12 SWOMA Conference includes:

Bob Chessey

Kellee Costello

Araceli Faz

Kate Hurst

Christy Householter

Kenalea Johnson

Carrie Keith

Joleen Kinzer

Brenda Lee

Ruth Ann Marsh

Scott Meyer

Michael Murphy

Melanie White

Edwina Wilks

Julie Wilson

Please take time to thank these folks for their hard work in bringing the 2011-12 SWOMA Conference to you. If you would like to be a part of the planning committee for our next SWOMA, please contact Kate Hurst at katehurst@tsbvi.edu as soon as possible. Participation on the planning committee involves approximately 6 conference calls and some personal time if you take on leadership in contacting a speaker, planning the social events, organizing the vendor exhibit, or presenting a session.

Please go online after the conference to complete your evaluation and request continuing education credits and a certificate. You may access this site from the SWOMA registration website or paste this address in your destination line. You will need the code from each session.



SWOMA thanks these companies for their sponsorship of our conference.

[pic]

Figure 1 Picture of informational brochure for Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

[pic]

Figure 2 Picture of the website for The Seeing Eye.

[pic]

Figure 3 Images from Freedom Scientific's website includes their logo, a picture of a student teacher using their equipment and their trademark "empowering independence". Freedom Scientific provided GPS devices for several of our sessions.

[pic]

Figure 4 The Humanware logo and the words “see things. differently.” Humanware provided GPS devices for several of our sessions.

SWOMA would also like to thank the Statewide Leadership Services for Blind and Visually Impaired – Region 11 Education Service Center and Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired for their financial support in making this conference possible.

To the following speakers who donated their honorariums to SWOMA:

David & Brandon Adame

Zach Arambula

Diane Barnes, Region 13 Education Service Center

Lisa Calaci, Brenda Gregory and Joe Pascall, TSBVI Comprehensive Programs

Mike Goehring, Guiding Eyes for the Blind

Nora Griffin-Shirley, Texas Tech University

Christy Householter, Region 10 Education Service Center

Bobby Lakey, Freedom Scientific

Ruth Ann Marsh, TSBVI Outreach Programs

Scott Meyer and the DARS-DBS Presenters and Staff

Rebecca Munjak, Ronita Jones, & Cori Scruggs, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Waco, TX

Craig Phillips, Mission School, Kansas

Sasha Rangal

Terrie Terlau, American Printing House for the Blind

Melanie White, COMS, Weatherford, TX

[pic]

Take the Miller Drive entrance into the campus and turn left into the first parking lot across from the Outreach Conference Center. Sessions will be held in the following locations:

Outreach Conference Center - 605

Auditorium of the Fine Arts Building - 602

Cafeteria – 601

Pardon Our Construction! Please stay on the sidewalks and travel carefully around campus.

Please list the codes you are given at the end of each of your sessions to include with your on-line evaluation. You will need these in order to receive a certificate.

|Attendance Verification Codes |

|Time Slot |Code |Session Title |

|Thursday, Nov. 10 | |DARS Structured Discovery Method |

|1:00 - 4:30 PM | | |

| | |GPS: An Overview of Devices and a Hands-on Experience |

| | |A Foundation: O&M / Purposeful Movement for Infants &Toddlers who are Visually Impaired |

|Friday, Nov. 11 | |A Facilitated Discussion of Issues Facing COMS in the Workplace |

|9:00 - 10:00 AM | | |

|Friday, Nov. 11 | |Traumatic Brain Injury |

|10:30 - 11:45 AM | | |

|Friday, Nov. 11 | |O&M Instruction for Individuals with Multiple Impairments & Wheelchair Users |

|1:00 - 2:30 PM | | |

| | |GPS for Adults and Children |

| | |Users Meeting with Traffic Engineers |

|Friday, Nov. 11 | |Happy Tapping: Teaching Beginning Cane Skills to Toddlers |

|3:00 - 4:30 PM | | |

| | |Just Do It: Using Recreation & Leisure Activities to Motivate Instruction |

| | |New Issues for Blind and Visually Impaired Pedestrians – Open Forum |

|Friday, Nov. 11 | |Blindfold Practice |

|4:45 - 5:45 PM | | |

|Saturday, Nov. 12 | |Spatiotemporal Development in Infants and Toddlers (Part 1) |

|8:30 - 10:00 AM | | |

| | |Finding Wheels: A Curriculum for Non-drivers with Visual Impairments to Gain Control of Their |

| | |Transportation Needs |

| | |APH Showcase of Materials for Orientation and Mobility |

|Saturday, Nov. 12 | |Spatiotemporal Development in Infants and Toddlers (Part 2) |

|10:30 AM-12:00 PM | | |

| | |Providing Orientation and Mobility Services to Senior Citizens |

| | |Developing Orientation & Mobility Functional & Standards-based IEPs |

|Saturday, Nov. 12 | |SWOMA Working Luncheon: An Update on Professional Information |

|12:15 - 1:45 PM | | |

-----------------------

Figure 5 The logos from Region 11 ESC and TSBVI.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download