Perkins Training Center Schedule

The Perkins Training Center (PTC) is a provider of in-service professional development opportunities to vision educators and families of students with visual impairment. These training events are conducted by instructors from the national arena as well as Perkins School for the Blind teachers and clinicians. PTC conducts seminars, workshops and institutes (university approved continuing education training) on the campus of Perkins School and onsite in local agencies and organizations.  

Table of Contents

• Regional Training and Conferences
• Strafford Learning Center/PTC Series
• Klarman Teacher Series
• Parent/Professional Seminar Series
• Assistive Device Center
• 2012 Summer Institute
• State and Program Specific Training
• Perkins Products

For additional information or to register, contact:  

PerkinsTrainingCenter@Perkins.org
Perkins Training Center
175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 972-7712
(617) 972-7213  

The goal of the Perkins Training Center is to improve the educational programs of students by efforts to:  

• Conduct training, workshops, conferences and seminars on topics of effective practice.
• Collaborate with key agencies and programs providing services to facilitate access to In-service training.
• Assist states in the development of training for key audiences.

Regional Training and Conferences

“FOCUS” on Vision Impairment & Blindness Conference
March 14, 2012
Norwood, MA

The 7th annual “FOCUS” on Vision Impairment & Blindness Conference is designed for people working with individuals with vision loss and intellectual disabilities. This year’s conference will be held in Norwood, MA and include presentations on current research and practice in areas of medical, clinical, recreation and technology that can positively impact the lives of these individuals.

Western Massachusetts Technology Expo
March 24, 2012
Chicopee, MA
download flyer and registration

Please join us for the 4th Annual Western Massachusetts Technology Expo for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The purpose of this Expo is to demonstrate the variety of resources and technology available to individuals with visual impairment. This Technology Expo will feature key exhibitors providing presentations and demonstrations of Assistive Technology of interest to the consumer.

Social Skills and Visual Impairment
April 13 & 14, 2012
Gifford Medical Center, Randolph, VT
Download flyer and registration

Sharon Zell Sacks, Ph.D from the California School for the Blind will conduct this one day workshop sponsored by the Vermont Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired and Perking Training Center for professionals working with students who are visually impaired including those with additional disabilities on strategies for assessment and program planning to incorporate the development of social skills into the daily lives of students. Participants will be introduced to an over-riding perspective regarding the need and importance of teaching social skills and its influence on later success in school and adult life. On Saturday, April 14th, Dr. Sacks will conduct a one day workshop for parents on social skills.

Bookshare in Depth
**RESCHEDULED** for September 14, 2012
Watertown, MA

This Bookshare in depth workshop is a full day hands-on interactive professional development opportunity. The workshop is designed to increase the awareness and knowledge for participants of strategies to integrate accessible materials into the classroom. This workshop will enable teachers to enhance the literacy experiences of students with visual impairment in order to equalize their educational experience and empower them with books and technology. Please note the April 21st date is tenative; see our schedule online for more information.

Taking Care of Our Children ...Taking Care of Ourselves
April 28, 2012
Watertown, MA

This year’s 29th annual conference is presented by The New England Regional Seminar for Families of Children with Visual Impairments, ages 0-7. Parents of young children with visual impairments or deafblindness and other family members and professionals throughout New England and New York State are invited to come and participate in this learning and networking opportunity. The conference offers an opportunity to participate in presentations and discussions on topics of interest to families. Activities and childcare will be provided for your children by counselors assigned, according to your child’s age, disability, and special considerations.

Self Directed Achievement, Perceptual Development, and FlashSonar: An Overview
May 4 & 5, 2012
Watertown, MA
Download flyer and registration

Daniel Kish of World Access for the Blind will conduct this two day workshop integrating perceptual and achievement strategies into orientation and mobility programs. This immersive, fun, hands on, experiential workshop provides and demonstrates a comprehensive overview of using perception based, achievement oriented methodology to naturally foster the development of self direction, including perception, intentional discovery, mutual social engagement, and psycho-emotional processes. We demonstrate and discuss conditions that foster or disrupt the development of this process, as well as methods for remediation. We cover extensively perception based instructional strategies that foster the natural development of self direction, such as intentional discovery learning, early perceptual intervention, fostering mutual social engagement, and achievement oriented perspectives. We discuss the disruptive impact of passively imposed methods of guidance and external direction. We cover individualizing the curriculum to unique student circumstances. Most importantly, we have fun.

PROJECT VIISA: Early Intervention for Infants & Toddlers with Blindness and Visual Impairment and their Families
May 22-23, 2012 & July 17-18, 2012
Download flyer and registration

Are you working with a family with a child who is visually impaired or blind? Do you want to learn teaching strategies for working with this child? Do you have a child with a visual impairment on your caseload? This course is designed just for you. Created for Early Intervention providers/professionals, Special Education Teachers, Teacher/Consultants for Children with Visual Impairments and Orientation & Mobility Instructors who are working with at least one infant or toddler with blindness or visual impairment, it will provide you with strategies and techniques addressing the unique needs of these infants. We strongly encourage teams of parent, vision professional, and early intervention provider to register for the course together.

Course content: The purpose of this course is for participants to gain and develop skills in understanding the unique needs of infants and toddlers with visual impairments as well as the concerns of their families. Participants also learn about the vision agencies and professionals they should be working with providing services to children as well as how to access special services. The course is intended to enhance the working relationship of all professionals involved with these children and unique needs of infants.

Topics include:

• Vision Impairment and effects on learning and development
• Medical aspects/implications of eye disorders
• Visual conditions, including CVI
• Vision Development, Assessment and Intervention
• Compensatory Skills: hearing, touch, taste and smell
• Attachment, communication and social skills
• Motor development
• Orientation and mobility
• Play cognition and concept development including active learning
• Childcare routines (feeding, sleep issues)
• Prematurity
• Infants with multiple disabilities

NEW YORK STATE

The Brain: Science to Support Learning in Children with Sensory Impairments
March 16, 2012
East Syracuse, NY

This year’s Upstate TVI conference will include a workshop entitled “The Brain: Science to Support Learning in Children with Sensory Impairments”. It will be conducted by Ellen Cadigan Mazel, M.Ed., CTVI from the Perkins School for the Blind. This is an exciting time to teach with all the latest available research about the brain and learning. With improved brain imaging techniques, we have new information and understanding of how the typical brain processes information from the senses. As we understand these processes, we gain better understanding for working with children with a variety of sensory deficits. In the workshop we will discuss basic brain anatomy, practice observation of sensory learning and create goals and objectives to capitalize on student strengths and focus on adaptations and accommodations for weak areas.

Dominican College Weekend Workshops for Personnel who Work with Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Weekend workshops at Dominican College will continue and offer professional development opportunities for Teachers of the Visually Impaired and other vision educators. Located in Rockland County, NY; the workshop sessions will be scheduled on Saturday from 10:00am-4:00pm and Sunday from 9:00am-12:00pm. The cost per weekend workshop is $75.00. Accommodations are available at a Holiday Inn, within walking distance of campus.

Please check Perkins Training Center for more information on registering.

Apple iPod, iPhone, & iPad iOS Devices for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired
March 31-April 1, 2012
Download flyer and registration

AFB technology access specialists Darren Burton and Morgan Blubaugh will conduct training on the Apple iPod, iPhone, and iPad iOS devices. They will discuss what these devices can do, demonstrate how to do it, and discuss techniques for teaching students with vision loss how to use them. Darren will focus on training for people who are blind, while Morgan will focus on training for people with low vision, and their training will cover the basics of using the devices themselves as well as an exploration of several apps of interest to people with vision loss.

An Evening of AT for Individuals with Visual Impairment @ The Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ Arts Experience
April 17, 2012
Seneca, NY

Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS) will be holding The Arts Experience: A festival celebrating inclusion and the Arts in Seneca Lake, NY. In collaboration with ARC, Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES, and HWS, Perkins Training Center will co-sponsor an evening event focused on Assistive Technology for Students with Visual Impairment. This AT event will include a keynote presentation and Q&A by leading vendors in the field of vision education & rehabilitation, and opportunities to network with HWS students, faculty, community and other professionals in the field of vision education.

Assistive Technology and the Student Who is Blind/Visually Impaired: Finding the Right Match
April 21-22, 2012
Download flyer and registration

Assistive Technology and the Student Who is Blind/Visually Impaired: Finding the Right Match will be presented by Mr. Ike Presley, National Project Manager, American Foundation for the Blind, April 21-22, 2012. This weekend workshop will review the components of and information needed to conduct an Assistive Technology (AT) assessment of a student who is blind or visually impaired, address how to determine which technology tools are best for accomplishing specific tasks and how to present the appropriate rationale and justification when recommending specific AT for students.

Introduction to Cortical Visual Impairment: Assessment and Intervention
May 15, 2012
Rochester, NY
Sandy Newcomb, PhD.
Download flyer and registration info

This workshop will provide an introduction to Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) with an overview of causes, characteristics, and phases. CVI assessments will also be discussed.

Northeast Regional Seminar:
Medical and Behavioral Aspects of CHARGE Syndrome
Friday, June 22, 1:00 pm-4:30 pm
Saturday, June 23, 8:30 am-4:30 pm
Download flyer and registration

Helen Keller National Center
141 Middle Neck Road
Sands Point, NY 11050

This workshop will be conducted by Meg Hefner, Genetic Counselor, Kim Blake, General Pediatrician, and Laurie Denno, Certified Behavior Analyst. All three of our speakers are leading authorities in the area of CHARGE syndrome. The information they present will enhance the seminar participant’s basic understanding of the genetics of CHARGE syndrome; provide valuable medical information that impacts those with CHARGE syndrome, and identify behavioral issues that also impact the daily lives of those with CHARGE syndrome.

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Stafford Learning Center/PTC Series

This training series will be developed and conducted by Strafford Learning Center, Somersworth, NH & Perkins Training Center and held at the...

Mary Lyster Meeting Place
36 Canal Street
Suite 110
Somersworth, NH

Download flyer and registration

Facilitating Literacy Opportunities for Students with Visual Impairment and Multiple Disabilities
March 5, 2012
Terry Lemaire, TVI, Strafford Learning Center
Betsy Bixler, Perkins Training Center

This workshop will address the topic of literacy for students with visual impairment and multiple disabilities. Presenters will discuss literacy assessment with consideration for sensory loss and cognitive disability as well as instructional strategies to incorporate literacy throughout the day. The workshop will be interactive and allow participants to develop a literacy plan for an identified student with visual and multiple disabilities. The literacy plan will include modifications and accessibility strategies and techniques, as discussed in the workshop, so students with vision loss or cortical visual impairment with additional disabilities may access the general education literacy curriculum. Participants will work in small groups to develop their plan and will have the opportunity to review customized literacy materials.

Apps for Achieving Educational Success
March 28, 2012
Therese Willkomm, Director, ATinNH, University of NH

The use of the IPAD to improve educational success continues to grow. This hands-on interactive workshop will explore how to successfully use the IPAD for students with disabilities. Apps that will be explored include: apps for reading and writing; communication apps, memory, prompting and organizational apps, app for hearing or visual impairments, apps for early learning, apps for math and science, and apps for conducting assessments. In addition, this workshop will discuss and demonstrate various IPAD accessories, switches, keyboards, and mounting solutions to accommodate students who experience physical impairments.

ASD & Blindness/Visual Impairment: When Blindness or Vision Impairment is Complicated by an Autism Spectrum Disorder
April 11, 2012
Betsey Field, Consultant/Trainer

This workshop will consider briefly the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorders and talk about common problems in language, behavior, social interaction and learning patterns that occur with ASD accompanied by vision loss. This interactive training will further address characteristics that suggest a possible autism diagnosis that may be a result of other factors. The session will present strategies to address the common challenges across a range of ages and developmental abilities, in both individual teaching sessions and classrooms.

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Klarman Teacher Series

The 2011-2012 Klarman Teacher Series sponsored by the Klarman Family Foundation, “Developing Tactile Skills with Students who are Visually Impaired” will include 4 sessions on materials, resources and strategies that can improve the tactile skills of students with visual impairment. Sessions will include presentations of high and low tech generated tactile graphics and other manipulatives that can enhance the educational experience of students in curricular areas such as math, science, orientation and mobility, etc. Session 5 will present a curriculum for teaching tactile graphics. This series is designed for Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Special Educators and other members of the program team. All workshops will be held in Perkins’ new Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology located in Watertown, MA.

Student Generated Graphics
March 10, 2012
Kim Charlson, Braille & Talking Book Library, Perkins School for the Blind
Download flyer and registration.

This hands-on workshop, will explore the importance of providing children and adults who are blind with awareness, understanding, and the skills to create braille drawings using a Perkins Brailler as well as other methods and materials to create tactile graphics. Based on the book Drawing with Your Perkins Brailler, learning to draw pictures with the Brailler strengthens several key developmental concepts and allows children and adults to experience the pride and self-esteem in the creation of drawings that can be shared with sighted classmates, family members, and friends. Techniques and actual design patterns will be shared, and the group will make some actual pictures on the Perkins Brailler. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to discover the use of other materials and production methods that facilitate the development of tactile skills across curricular areas.

TaME: Tactile Map Editor
March 24, 2012
Amy Lobben, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, University of Oregon
Download flyer and registration

The workshop will introduce participants to freely downloadable software that allows the design and production of tactile maps and other graphics. The software includes drag-and-drop map symbols that have been field tested for 3 years. The software is designed for users with some computer experience but no graphic design or mapping experience. The workshop, software, and materials are supported by grants from the National Science Foundation NSF-HRD #0928074, #0533251.

Reading More than Words: Graphicacy
June 9, 2012
Lucia Hasty, Rocky Mountain Braille Associates
Dawn Wilkinson, M.Ed., Assistive Technology Consultant, Technology & Curriculum Access Center, Easter Seals Arkansas
Download flyer and registration

In this workshop we will share first-hand accounts of real-life situations involving conceptual challenges faced by blind students. We will discuss strategies for developing basic decoding skills, explore additional techniques and resources for teaching older learners to understand and utilize content-laden and complex graphics. A new teaching curriculum will present activities for learning to use a key/legend, scale, multiple sections or views, map reading, indicators of direction/movement/process, data presentation, and interpretation of orientation and mobility graphics. Student activities focus on both reading and writing/producing graphics.

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Parent/Professional Seminar Series:

Genetics & Visual Disorders

Download flyer and registration

This seminar series, sponsored by the Klarman Family Foundation in collaboration with the New England Deafblind Consortium, Perkins School for the Blind’s Deafblind & Secondary Programs and Children’s Hospital will offer evening and weekend sessions on genetics and visual impairment. Sessions will offer lecture and Q&A with leading authorities on the condition.

Spring sessions will address such topics as Retinitis Pigmentosa including Usher Syndrome, Leber Congenital Amaurosis, Stargarts, and Septo-optic dysplasia.

Retinitis Pigmentosa & USHER Syndrome: What Do We Know?
Saturday, May 12, 2012
9:00am – 4:00pm
Download flyer and registration

**NOTE: The evening event "Rene the Unstoppable" has been postponed.

This full day workshop will be conducted by leading authorities in the field of genetics, visual impairment and Deafblindness. Sponsored by the New England Consortium for Deafblindness and the Perkins Training Center, this training is designed for parents, family members and professionals working in vision education.

**POSTPONED** Introduction to Genetic Concepts: Genes, Chromosomes, Testing, Inheritance Patterns
April 9, 2012
Grousbeck Center for Students & Technology
Watertown, MA
Download flyer and registration

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Assistive Device Center

Perkins Assistive Device Center is a workshop located in Lower School at the Perkins School for the Blind that creates customized materials for children with disabilities. Commercially available adaptations may not meet the needs of particular children, and the most esoteric may not exist. The Assistive Device Center, coordinated by Occupational Therapist Molly Campbell, designs and constructs such custom devices that help children lead rich and independent lives. Through PTC the following training opportunities conducted by Molly Campbell, offer custom-made items to meet the unique needs of individuals while being affordable, durable and attractive. 

Course announcements with more information will be distributed as each date approaches. Workshops will run from 9:00 until 4:00 unless otherwise indicated. PDPs are available when at least 10 hours worth of training has been completed. This can be achieved through attending a workshop and completing a follow-up project or by attending two workshops  

For more information contact Molly Campbell by telephone at 617 972-7520 or by e-mail at Molly.Campbell@Perkins.org.

Creating & Modifying Games
March 21, 2012
Download flyer and registration

See modifications of common games like Uno, Memory, brain teasers, and miniature sports games in the Games Exchange Project area of the Assistive Device Center. Participants will have the opportunity to use TriWall® corrugated material, wood, plastic, textured fabrics, Velcro, bump-ons and other materials to begin their own creations. Adapt a commercially available game to enable individuals with visual impairments including those with multiple disabilities to play, or design a unique game to promote spatial, matching, social, and/or motor skills.

Little Rooms: Using Artists' Stretcher Frames to Build Foldable Sensory Exploration Environments
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Download flyer and registration

Children with visual impairments or multiple disabilities need special encouragement to initiate exploration of their surroundings. The “little room” is a stimulating environment originally developed by Dr. Lilli Nielsen, a well- known Danish psychologist, to promote active learning. Children lie inside these box-like structures with favored toys, familiar household objects and items that have interesting sensory properties hanging from the ceiling and walls. All items are kept in the same spots inside the play space so that the child’s understanding of spatial relations develops along with curiosity, reaching and active play.

Each participant will construct one large (30”w, 30”l, 25”h) or one small (24”w, 24”l, 16”h) little room during the workshop. (Alternative sizes can be made with several weeks notice.) Attendees will assemble the wooden frames, mount the hinges, choose clear plastic or light-weight corrugated colored plastic for the panels, drill holes in the panels as desired and put the whole thing together. Items that can be hung in the little room will be discussed but not provided. Hanging systems for the toys will be made using string or elastic cord and dowel stoppers, cord locks or binder clips.

Introduction to Basic Electronics for Switch Construction & Toy Modification
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Download flyer and registration

Switches can enable children with disabilities to experience cause and effect, activate toys, and access computers. Course participants will be shown how to make battery interrupters, simple switches and homemade vibrating toys. Options for constructing durable and attractive switch housings that either challenge fine motor skills or allow for easy access will be discussed. Individuals will then construct customized switches or simple cause and effect battery operated devices. An engineer will co-teach the class to help those who may want to try a more complicated toy modification

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2012 Summer Institutes:

Implementing the I-M-ABLE: Diagnosing and Teaching our Non Reading Braille Readers
July 9 & 10, 2012
October 26 & 27, 2012

You can register online for this training or download the PDF flyer and registration and mail into the Perkins Training Center.

This year’s PTC Summer Institute will be led by Dr. Diane Wormsley, Brenda Brodie, Endowed Chair, Professor of Special Education in Visual Impairment, North Carolina Central University and Tammy Reisman, Instructor, UMASS Boston; TVI, Newton Public Schools. The training will be a hybrid (onsite/online format) based on the “I Am Able” Practice Guide developed by Dr. Wormsley. The Institute will be conducted with two on-site sessions and interim online classes and focus on the implementation of the practice guide I-M-ABLE with struggling braille readers.

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State and Program Specific Training

State and program specific trainings are customized for agency participants only.

For information regarding customized state and program specific training contact Betsy Bixler, Manager, Perkins Training Center at betsy.bixler@perkins.org or 617-972-7213.

Materials, Strategies and Resources to Enhance Literacy Skills for Students with Visual Impairment & Additional Disabilities
North River Collaborative
March 9, 2012
Rockland, MA

Sharon Stelzer, Special Education Teacher, Deafblind Program at Perkins School for the Blind will conduct this one day in- service training for the North River Collaborative staff. The workshop will include a presentation of materials, instructional strategies and resources that enhance communication and literacy skills for students with visual impairment. This workshop, customized for the North River Collaborative, will include presentations on materials and strategies that address the multi sensory needs of students.

BARD: Braille and Audio Reading Download
Boston Public Schools & Newton Public Schools
April 25, 2012
Watertown, MA

Developed for the Teachers of the Visually Impaired from Boston Public Schools and Newton Public Schools, Staff from the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library will provide workshop attendees with an opportunity to learn how to use National Library Service (NLS) digital playback equipment and to have hands-on experience using BARD (Braille & Audio Reading Download). Participants will learn how to use the NLS digital player with cartridges, the unit’s navigation capabilities, and search functions. Attendees will also learn how to sign up students for BARD, find titles, download them, extract them onto a cartridge or USB flash drive, and use them with the NLS digital talking book machine.

Creating Adaptive Devices for Students with Multiple Disabilities
Adaptive Design Center, Perkins School for the Blind
May 9, 2012 & May 16, 2012
Watertown, MA

Molly Campbell and her colleagues will conduct workshops for Assabet Valley Collaborative staff at the Adaptive Device Center at Perkins School for the Blind. These hands-on workshops will introduce participants to a protocol for assessment and design of customized adaptive devices for students of all ages. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to create individualized adaptive devices.

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Perkins Products

Perkins Products provides caring and experienced consultants to assist in making choices on devices that can best help you. They offer adaptive solutions for people of all ages who are blind, and visually impaired or learning disabled. Support and training is provided for family members, friends, teachers, support staff and businesses seeking accessibility in their workplace. Explore our adaptive devices at www.perkinsproducts.org.   

Brailler Repair Workshops
August 2011
Learn More

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