Perkins Training Center Schedule
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Perkins Training Center
2010 Professional Development
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.
Download the 2010 Perkins Training Center catalog.
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.
Table of Contents
- Regional Training and Conferences
- Assistive Device Center
- Adaptive Technology, A Division of Perkins Products
- State and Program Specific Training
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
Regional Training and Conferences
New England Trainings
Creating Literacy Opportunities for Students with Visual Impairment in Pre-School
January 30, 2010
Watertown, MA
Download flyer and registration.
This workshop will present a basic understanding of literacy for pre-school age children with visual impairments/multiple disabilities. The workshop will be conducted by Sharon Stelzer and Mary McAdams of the Perkins School for the Blind, and will include an overview of literacy, process for creating adapted age appropriate books and ideas for integrating literacy into all activities within the pre-school classroom.
Strategies, Modifications and Resources to Support Students with Visual Impairment in Chemistry & Lab Based Science Classes
February 27, 2010
Watertown, MA
Download flyer and registration.
This workshop, conducted by Kate Fraser, TVI & Secondary Science Teacher at Perkins School for the Blind will discuss the best practices in teaching strategies for facilitating access for students with visual impairment in lab based science classes. In addition adaptations, modifications and resources to support students will be shared with participants through lecture and ‘hands on’ activities.
Foundations of ORIENTATION & Mobility
March 5-6, 2010
Boston, MA
Download flyer and registration.
Diane Brauner, Orientation and Mobility Specialist will conduct this 2 day workshop on the topic of Orientation as a critical foundation for successful mobility skills. Ms. Brauner is a private contractor providing O&M services in North Carolina and is working in collaboration with the University of North Carolina computer science and biomedical engineering departments to develop software and devices specifically for students with visual impairment. At the workshop, Diane will address the teaching of the ‘foundation’ orientation skills including strategies, evaluation, and motivating games, along with computer based activities and resources.
“FOCUS” On Vision Impairment & Blindness: Meeting the Needs of Individuals with Cognitive Disability and Vision Loss Conference
March 10, 2010
Norwood, MA
Download the conference brochure.
This year’s annual “FOCUS” conference will feature a keynote address entitled “Comprehensive Cataract Care & Cataract Surgery for Special Needs Populations” delivered by Susannah Rowe, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor Boston University School of Medicine, Vice Chair Dept. of Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, High Risk Cataract Surgeon. In addition to this timely presentation, the conference will offer presentations relevant to quality services and supports for individuals with cognitive disability and vision loss. This conference is conducted annually by New England Eye Institute, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, Shriver Clinical Services, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services and Perkins Training Center.
The HANDLE Approach to Learning and Development in Children with Sensory Impairments: Free Community Information Presentation
Thursday, March 25, 2010 6:00 – 8:30 pm
Perkins Training Center – Hallowell House
Download flyer and registration.
This presentation will give insight into understanding these challenges, and how HANDLE can help. HANDLE — Holistic Approach to NeuroDevelopment and Learning Efficiency — is a non-drug, gentle alternative that works, for all ages, in homes or schools!
Numerical Literacy: Concepts and Strategies
POSTPONED: Date TBD
Watertown, MA
Stan Dick, Ph.D, Assistant Professor in the Curriculum and Instruction Department of the Graduate College of Education, UMASS Boston will conduct this workshop and address numerical literacy – what it is, and why it is so widespread. Concepts of numerical literacy, arithmetic operations on the counting numbers, integers (signed numbers), fractions, and real numbers (numbers expressed in decimal form) will be discussed, with particular emphasis on the major stumbling blocks or more difficult concepts in these areas. The workshop will also include ways to adapt the most enlightening manipulative and understanding numeracy for the student with visual impairment. Participants will be encouraged to share strategies which they have found useful in enhancing the understanding of numerical literacy (numeracy) for the student with visual impairment.
Western Massachusetts Technology Expo
Saturday, April 10th, 2010
Chicopee Public Library
449 Front Street, Chicopee, MA
Fee: Free.
Download flyer and registration.
Please join us for the 2nd Annual Western Massachusetts Technology Expo for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The purpose of this Expo is to demonstrate the variety of technology available and will feature exhibitors from the field of visual impairment and be an open house and product/service demonstration.
Target Audience: Parents, students, adult consumers, special and regular educators, Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, Vision Rehabilitation Therapists, Low Vision Rehabilitation Therapists, Rehabilitation Counselors, Career Counselors, Special Ed. administrators, early intervention specialists, and anyone else interested in technology for blind and visually impaired.
In addition to the day long exhibits, there will be presentations of specific products.
Taking Care of Our Children ...Taking Care of Ourselves Conference
May 1, 2010
Watertown, MA
This year’s 27th annual conference is presented by The New England Regional Seminar for Families of Children with Visual Impairments, Ages 0-7. Parents of young children (ages 0-7) with visual impairments or deafblindness and other family members and professionals throughout New England are encouraged to come and participate in this opportunity to share our common concerns and to learn from one another.
Instructional Strategies in Teaching Numeracy
POSTPONED: Date TBD
Watertown, MA
In this workshop, conducted by Sharon Stelzer, Teacher, Perkins School for the Blind Deafblind Program and Tammy Reisman, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Newton Public Schools; participants will gain knowledge in the practical application of numeracy in the classroom. There will be a variety of examples of instructional strategies in the area of numeracy for students with visual impairments and multiple disabilities.
Sensory Integration
May 15, 2010
Watertown, MA
Download flyer and registration.
This workshop will be conducted by Julie Telep, OTR/L and Fran Honan, OTR/L and present an overview of Sensory Integration theories, strategies and techniques. Sensory diets and activities for the classroom will be discussed. Active participation in a variety of sensory awareness activities will be included in this workshop for vision educators.
Creating Classroom Activities to Support Occupational Therapy Treatment Plans for Students with Visual Impairment
June 5, 2010
Watertown, MA
Download flyer and registration.
The workshop will focus on how Occupational Therapists assess school aged children with visual impairments based on clinical observations and how that information is used to develop treatment plans. Workshop will include hands on materials and interactive activities that teachers may incorporate into their classrooms to address areas such as fine motor, perceptual, organizational and daily living skills. Sue Shannon and Sarah Monahan, from the Perkins School for the Blind Secondary Program will conduct this interactive workshop.
New York Trainings
19th Annual Upstate New York TVI Conference
March 19, 2010
East Syracuse
The 19th Annual Upstate New York TVI Conference will feature Maria Delgado, Field Representative, from the American Printing House for the Blind, who will discuss under utilized technologies available for students with visual impairments. In addition to Ms. Delgado’s presentation, the agenda will include hands on technology activities for the participants. This conference is hosted by Onondaga-Cortland-Madison Counties BOCES and coordinated by Trudy Zucher.
Immersion Weekend Series in Assistive Technology for Teachers of Students Who Are Blind/Visually Impaired: BRAILLENOTE
March 20-21, 2010
8:30 AM-3:00 PM
Download flyer and registration.
This weekend workshop will immerse you in BrailleNote, highlighting its use in the school environment. You will learn the command structure and basic operation of the main application programs and you will learn how to teach use of the device to your students.
Collaboration of Vision Professionals and Occupational Therapists for Efficient Programs and Services for Individuals with Vision Loss and Physical Challenges
March 27, 2010
New York City, NY
Download flyer and registration.
This workshop will be conducted by Bill Hixson, OTR/L, VRT, COMS and Teddy Kern, MS OTR/L from VISIONS and will address the benefits of effective collaboration between vision rehabilitation professionals and occupational therapists in providing effective programs and supports for individuals with vision loss and/or physical challenges. Sessions will address the commonalities and the misconceptions of the disciplines of vision rehabilitation and occupational therapy as well as intervention strategies that will promote effective collaboration between disciplines that improve services and supports for individuals with vision loss. Sessions will include “Effective Collaboration with Medical Personnel”, “Instructional and Support Strategies for Individuals who are Wheelchair Users” and “Specific Adaptive Devices Unique to Physical Rehabilitation Medicine.”
Current Practice in Transition Planning and Programs for Students with Visual Impairment
April 2, 2010
Geneva, NY
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This one day workshop is presented by Perkins Training Center and the New York State School for the Blind Resource Center and is designed to address the key elements required to effectively plan, develop and provide transition programs that result in successful post secondary placements for students with visual impairment. The workshop will include information on state and federal guidelines, and elements of transition planning that support the success of students.
Enhancing the School Experience for the Child who is Blind or Visually Impaired, Including those with Multiple Disabilities
April 12, 2010
Fairport, NY
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This one day workshop will be conducted by Dr. Rona Shaw, Joanne Russotti and Judy Strauss-Schwartz to address key topics of value to paraeducators to providing services and supports to students with visual impairment. Topics will be presented as lectures and hands-on, experiential learning opportunities in areas of the expanded core curriculum. This workshop will examine the roles and responsibilities of the paraeducator working with students with visual impairment, including those with multiple disabilities. Sessions will provide an overview of visual impairment, and discuss ways to support students in academic and non academic activities. Although this workshop is designed for paraeducators, others are welcome to attend.
Increasing Literacy Levels through Assessment: FVLMA & NIMAS/NIMAC
May 20-21, 2010
North Syracuse, NY
Download flyer and registration as a PDF or Word Document.
North Syracuse Central School District, American Printing House for the Blind and Perkins Training Center present a two day literacy institute on assessment for students with visual impairment in the educational environment. This workshop will present an in depth review of the Functional Vision Learning Media Assessment for children who are pre-academic or academic and visually impaired in grades K-12 by Dr. LaRhea Sanford and a presentation and discussion on NIMAS/NIMAC by Judi Piscatello.
VI & Autism Spectrum Disorder Summer Institute
July 7-9, 2010
The New York State School for the Blind and Perkins Training Center will be presenting an Institute on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Visual Impairment July 7-9, 2010 in Albany, New York. This three day institute will be conducted by D. Jay Gense, Ed.S. and Marilyn H. Gense, MA., from Oregon. Jay and Marilyn are leading authorities on ASDVI and are the authors of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Visual Impairment: Meeting Students’ Learning Needs. This workshop will address assessment and program planning for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders & Visual Impairment.
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.
An Introduction to Cardboard Carpentry
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Download flyer and registration.
Learn about the benefits of building assistive devices out of corrugated material. This three layered cardboard is lightweight, bendable, strong, easy to work with, and relatively inexpensive. Following demonstration of construction techniques and a safety orientation for tool use, participants will design and construct simple adaptive items out of cardboard.
Arts & Crafts Based Skill Activities for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities
February 24, 2010
Download flyer and registration.
Get some ideas for affordable art projects that promote cognitive, perceptual, and motor skills and yield attractive, age respectful products. Simple cardboard carpentry tables, shelves, or trays will be featured along with bowls and other items made with appropriate paper-based technology techniques. Other projects that have been completed at Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries in the Day Habilitation Program will be shared.
Basic Electronics for Switch Construction & Toy Modification
March 31, 2010
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.
Little Rooms: Using Artist’ Stretcher Frames to Build Foldable Sensory Exploration & Stimulation Activities
April 28, 2010
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.
Custom-Made & Adapted Games
May 26, 2010
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 students with visual, cognitive, or visual impairments to play, or design a unique game to promote spatial, matching, social, and/or motor skills.
Customized Training Opportunities
The Assistive Device Center staff, Occupational Therapist, Molly Campbell and Mechanical Engineer, Tim Moore offer program specific training to schools and organizations upon request. Workshops will be customized to focus on the individuals with disabilities served by the audience with additional consideration of the host site’s capacity for construction. For information regarding this training initiative, contact Betsy Bixler, Manager, Perkins Training Center at 617-972-7213.
Adaptive Technology, A Division of Perkins Products
Adaptive Technology, a division of 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.
Below find a listing of upcoming workshops. These events are presented free of charge. Space is limited. To register or learn more about these sessions contact Adaptive Technology at 978-462-3817 or email Gayle Yarnall.
JAWS 11 - What it Can Do? - Freedom Scientific will demonstrate the amazing new features of JAWS 11. Get a chance to talk to the experts and find out why you should become a JAWS user or upgrade your current JAWS to version 11. This workshop is meant for anyone who is a JAWS user or who has a student or client who would benefit from the use of a screen reader.
Date: February 9, 2010
Using Your Computer When You Begin to Experience Vision Loss - There are a lot of built in features in PCs and especially Apple computers that will allow someone who is losing vision to continue using their computer. These features will be demonstrated. Large print access software will also be demonstrated so users can understand that they will never have to give up using a computer because of failing vision.
Date: April 27, 2010
Old Friends New Features - It is not easy to stay current on the many changes in the products we use. It is even more difficult to understand the new products that arrive on the scene on a weekly basis. We will gather the best of the new products and share information on upgrades to products you already use.
Date: June 1, 2010
To register or to learn more about any of these sessions, call 978-462-3817 or email Gayle Yarnall.
State and Program Specific Training
State and program specific trainings are customized for agency participants only.
New England Trainings
Communication & Emergent Literacy for Young Children who are Visually Impaired
Catholic Charities Maine
January 29, 2010
Augusta, ME
This one day workshop will be conducted by Tanni Anthony, Ph.D. of the Colorado Department of Education. This workshop, designed for TVIs will focus on literacy instruction and experiences in the home, school and community. Case studies will be used to highlight and discuss the assessment and program components of sensory packaging, communication systems, developmental perspectives, and research based reading programs content from the perspective of young learners.
Total Literacy Experience: Using the Learning Media Assessment with Young Children
Board of Education and Services for the Blind
March 12, 2010
Windsor, CT
Teachers of students with visual impairments are mandated to annually assess using the Learning Media Assessment by age three. Ellen Mazel of Perkins School for the Blind will conduct this workshop on ways to use the Learning Media Assessment with young children and children with multiple disabilities. As teachers of these young minds, it is especially important that we provide children with skill experiences for all types of educational access using both vision and all compensatory skills: a Total Literacy Experience. Since literacy starts at birth, we will explore the roots of these skills and discuss ways to build competencies across available media and how the LMA provides us structure for defining educational goals.
Instructional Strategies for Students with Visual Impairment in Science Education
Board of Education and Services for the Blind
May 13-14, 2010
Middletown, CT
This two day workshop will be conducted by Noreen Grice, M.S. Astronomy, Operations Coordinator of the Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Science, President of the You Can Do Astronomy LLC. & Kate Fraser, TVI & Secondary Science Teacher at Perkins School for the Blind. This workshop will address instructional strategies, modifications and accommodations to enhance access for students with visual impairment to the science curriculum. The content will focus on key concepts from the Connecticut science standards in elementary, middle school and high school.
New York Trainings
Tactile Graphics
New York Institute for Special Education
January 22-23, 2010
A two-day workshop in designing and producing tactile graphics will offer New York Institute for Special Education participants an overview of the soon-to-be-released BANA braille code for tactile graphics, hands-on experience in production, and insight into designing tactile graphics to meet the needs of their students. Production methods of collage, tooling, microcapsule paper and Tiger graphics will be highlighted.
Social Skills Assessment and Program Planning for Students with Visual Impairment
Lavelle School for the Blind
Sharon Zell Sacks, Ph.D., California School for the Blind, will facilitate training project on social skills for students with visual impairment at the Lavelle School for the Blind and address the best practice in assessment and program planning to address this area of the expanded core curriculum.
Weekend Assistive Technology Workshops for Personnel who Work with Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Dominican College
A series of 4 weekend workshops, each one addressing a specific program or device for totally blind or visually impaired students, will be hosted by Dominican College in Rockland County, New York. Participants will arrive Friday night and can stay at a Holiday Inn within walking distance of the campus. Class is scheduled for Saturday from 9:00- 3:30, and Sunday from 9:00 - 2:30. Participants will learn how to use the program/device and learn how to teach and incorporate it into a student’s curriculum. A team consisting of a representative from the company who makes the product and a master TVI will work together to provide an intensive immersion experience that enables participants to feel confident about teaching the targeted technology.
Workshops will start Spring, 2010; dates and device/program to be announced. For more information, contact Rona Shaw, Ed.D., Coordinator, Program for Teachers of Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired; Dominican College, 470 Western Hwy, Orangeburg, NY, 10962; 845-848-4081; rona.shaw@dc.edu
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