Sessions

So, you are transitioning from School Age to Adult Services. You use assistive technology / AAC. Did you know that most of your technology will not follow you to your adult program? During this presentation we will discuss what you need to know about your AT / AAC before transition so that it can continue. We will also discuss what information you need to insure follows an individual to their next adventure in life.

The Power of Choice and AAC; Tracy Lee

According to the National Joint Committee's Communication Bill of Rights, everyone has the right to make choices from meaningful alternatives and to request desired objects, actions, events, and people. This session will focus on the power of choice with an emphasis on supporting individuals who benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems and strategies. Techniques such as modeling, “this or that” and least-to-most coaching will be exemplified. Come ready to make functional and impactful choices and to learn ways to help others do the same!

Aging in Place and Smart Home Technology ; Linda Chinman Pollock

Being properly prepared to Age In Place or Live In Place is extremely important. You will learn what modifications should be done to stay in the home that you love safely.

Exploring the AT Consideration Process; Leslie DiChiara, Elisa Wern

Assistive Technology (AT) must be considered each year for all students with an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) to comply with IDEA. But what does that process really look like? This session will discuss AT consideration as a process which involves, but is not limited to, many aspects from student needs to the learning environments to the model of service delivery. Participants will explore the differences between AT service and devices, how the SETT framework guides the consideration process, explore the comparison of low to high tech tools, discuss the importance of feature matching and the connection of UDL principles that tie into the AT consideration process. Participants will leave with a treasure trove of resources to guide their consideration no matter what role they play on the student's team!

Hands on AT Demonstrations with the staff of Advancing Opportunities

Session B: 11:10-12:10

Be a Captions Captain; Hillary Goldthwaite-Fowles

With the shift to more techology based applications in the delivery of curriculum and assessments, video content is everywhere. It's in our social media feeds. It's in webinars. It's in how we create content. It's in how we ask learners to demonstrate understanding. However, it is CRITICAL that closed captioning is available and accessible. Furthermore, agencies that receive federal funds must caption their video content. Learn about the ways you can create captions that are inclusive and available for all learners.

Falling for Visuals; Beth Poss

Learn how to create visual schedules, low tech AAC systems, engaging curriculum resources and more in this fun, fast-paced, fall themed session! We will use LessonPix, along with Google Slides, PowerPoint, Book Creator and Jamboard to create fall themed visual learning and communication supports. Using the theme of fall and a fun fall book, appropriate for all ages, this session will take you through the process of finding images, choosing a template, and making a ready to use digital or print resource quickly and easily.

Turn a Wish into an AAC Plan, Mary Giunta

Speech Pathologists wish that their student’s AAC device would be used across environments. How can this turn into a plan? Attendees will learn how to chronicle an AAC user's area of strength, what routines the school team can target (communication needs for TODAY), as well as how to model and build for the future (communication needs for TOMORROW). This plan weaves in concepts of change and participation, documents caregiver/staff training, provides details surrounding the settings in the AAC device, considers areas of AAC competencies and reasons to communicate, and most importantly, records the AAC user's preferences and unique communication actions.

AT Resources + ABLE Accounts; Laurie Schaller

People can use assistive technology (AT) to help them learn, gain independence, work and recreate at any age. ABLE accounts are for people who have a disability and want to save and invest more than SSI and Medicaid resource limits. Learn about AT resources and how an ABLE account can help people afford the AT they need and develop a good credit history too.

Solving the disparity gap between mental health, disability, technology and minorities, Carmelys Vincent

Let us engage in a dynamic conversation on how to solve the accessibility crisis. Create a community involvement action plan. Have conversations with those persons that consider themselves marginalized. How to engage every person within every age group.

Innovative Ways to Develop and Expand AAC Inclusion in Schools; Kate Flaxman, Catherine Fredericks

When general education students, teachers and staff are exposed to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), they can begin to understand that AAC is beneficial for a wide variety of learners, not just those who are unable to verbalize. AAC can be a tool for language development, language expansion, social interaction, language equalization, speech clarification, literacy, and more. Education is not possible without communication. This presentation will highlight innovative activities within public school settings, including photographs and videos, which have resulted in a schoolwide culture of increased AAC awareness, understanding, integration and support of AAC users. The concept of AAC “invasion” will be presented. Presentation content is applicable to all grade levels, from preschool through high school.

Session C: 1:15-2:30

Got AT Problems - Get AT Solutions; Hillary Goldthwaite-Fowles

What do I say: a guide to alt-text and alternatives to image descriptions: Jason Khurdan

This presentation will be a hands-on training on for how to do alternative descriptions for complex images and charts. Participants should bring a laptop or other device connected to the internet. We will take you through several image types and best practices for how to think about creating alt-text. In cases where you are unable to create a usable alt-text, we will go over alternatives such as how to create tactile graphics, and 3D prints.

Let's Explore: Chromebook Tools for the Inclusive Classroom; Mike Marotta

Assistive Technology is changing. Google Chrome and web based applications are taking over. Are you new to Chromebooks and not sure how these devices will meet an individual’s needs? Do you know how to set up the built in accessibility options for customized support? What about all those different Chrome apps and extensions? Do you need to know about alternative access solutions for Chromebooks? What about virtual reality and Google Cardboard?

This session will aim to answer those questions and more! Join the fun as we explore all things Chrome and how to use this powerful tool to support individuals as an AT solution.

How AT Can Aid People with Brain Injury; Tom Grady

Brain injury is a complex injury with a unique set of challenges. Some of these challenges may be mitigated with the support of assistive technology. Assistive technology has the power to help those in the brain injury community successfully participate in everyday life. The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey would like to share how assistive technology can benefit people impacted by brain injury and how survivors can advocate for themselves with the use of assistive technology.

Open Forum -Participant led

The content of this participant-led program is up to you. Have a free-flowing conversation and brainstorm solutions for the topics you select. Come up with ideas, connect with others, and expand your network. Learn and grow your knowledge and achieve the unthinkable in this session.

Note: refer to Open Forum Notes for possible topics or add or own. This session is all about you and your needs!

Mouse and Keyboard Show and Tell!; Kristen Russell

Session D: 2:40-3:40

Inclusion: The Fight Against Exclusion; Beth Poss

This session is focused on using a collaborative game based problem solving process to consider and generate solutions to barriers that individuals with disabilities face in school, community or work settings. Participants will work together to examine problems of practice and the strategies and tools that can create more inclusive experiences for all. Solutions will be shared and discussed as a group and the problem solving process will be something that school or work teams can replicate in their settings.

Evaluating Tools for d/Deaf + Hard of Hearing Students ; Jason Khurdan

This presentation will provide you with confidence to identify and evaluate tools for d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. In this presentation we will cover: • Emerging AI tools and how to evaluate if it’s right for you

• Free and paid for tools for Automated Speech Recognition

• FM systems, and how to determine if it will work with the students device • Alternative solutions to FM systems

How AT + AAC Changed Me; Jessica Smith

I will be giving a presentation on my story of my autism and then sharing the groups I work with and then I will talk about how doing these projects have helped my mental health and makes we feel important and gives me a space in the community. Then at the end doing a make and take for assistive technology.

The IEP + AT Evaluations; Nicole Pratt

An introduction to the Basic Rights in Special education along with the responsibilities of familie of students with special needs under the law. This presentation will focus on the evaluation process that will highlight various types of evaluations including the importance of Assistive Technology evaluations.

Implementing AAC with Deaf / Hard of Hearing Students ; Quinn Kelly

This presentation will discuss the “Determining Candidacy for an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Device” resource and how to match candidates to the most supportive AAC application. The resource was created by three American Sign Language (ASL) -fluent speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with extensive experience working at schools for the Deaf. This screening tool can help broadly determine whether a signing Deaf child is a candidate for an AAC device. Many Deaf children who communicate using ASL are also encouraged to use AAC devices when they are not candidates, and likely would not benefit from them. This tool can help providers minimize those occurrences. Once the individual is identified as a candidate, what are the next steps? The participants will then learn about different Deaf-Friendly AAC features in a variety of applications. They will also further understand the app trialing process and how to navigate the journey of selecting an app that best fits the communicator while continuing to support the individual's signing.

Hands on AT Demonstrations with the staff of Advancing Opportunities

DAY 2:

Session E: 8:30-9:30

Supporting the Arts with the Help of AT, Janet DeSenzo

Lessons that focus on the arts can often be challenging to adapt for students with specific physical, cognitive, and neurological disabilities. This presentation will focus on a variety of lessons presented to students with a wide array of complex needs. Participants will see video examples of students creating art and music using assistive technology. Equipment demonstrations will also be given. You will hear from both art and music teachers as they share their teaching philosophy and instructional goals. Finally, participants will leave with a toolbox of lesson ideas that could be used both with and without specific equipment.

OTs Role on the AAC Team; Dina Krupa

This session will go over a checklist of how OTs can assist with robust language assessments and discuss the process and results of implementing it in a high school in NJ along with suggestions for implementing it in other schools and settings.

Using the Person Centered Approach to Providing AT Services; Adam Krass

Person-Centered approach to providing AT services is based on a collaborative model that begins with the consumer's goals, beliefs, preferences, interests, as well as the understanding that these can change over time. This model is focused on minimizing the "expert" model of AT services while maximizing the "partner" or "guide" model. This panel discussion session will explore Person-Centered AT services from a variety of perspectives.

Accessible Services Through the NJSL Talking Book and Braille Center; Stephen Felle

The New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center is known for providing no cost audio and braille books to people who are blind or print disabled. In addition to our books, TBBC connects eligible individuals with several other accessible services. Did you know we can sign people up for the audio news service, NFB-Newsline? Or classes that teach how to use accessibility tools on iPhones and iPads? How about a device that reads U.S. currency? Come learn how to sign up for our library and take advantage of the different services that we have available.

Open Forum -Participant led

Note: refer to Open Forum Notes for possible topics or add or own. This session is all about you and your need

Patient Lifts; Garth Heid

Products and techniques for lifting and moving individuals with profound physical disabilities to eliminate the risk of falling and to lower the potential for caregiver injury. 1) Identify the difference between a mobile lifter and an overhead or ceiling-mounted system. 2) Know which systems/approaches are considered durable medical equipment by Medicaid and what are not. 3) what are the primary indicators for ceiling-mounted systems

Session F: 9:40-10:40

Adaptations and AT for Overcoming Cognitive Impairment Challenges, Kiuanta Canteen

Cognitive disabilities affect executive functioning skills and can be classified as functional or clinical. Clinical diagnoses include Autism, Down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and dementia. Functional diagnoses focus on abilities and challenges like thinking, concentration, emotional reactions, problem-solving, reasoning, and memory. Assistive technology can improve the quality of life for individuals with cognitive impairments. In this session advocates will discuss adaptations and assistive technology needed for overcoming challenges like distraction, memory loss, organization, and task completion and the importance of why modifications should cater to individual users' skills and deficits, considering their unique strengths and challenges.

Transition from School To Adult Life: Jordan's World; Jordan Pratt, Nicole Pratt

Transition planning (starting at age 14) is crucial to increasing successful outcomes for life after high school. Discussions help identify interests and future plans, and how Assistive Technology plays an important role. Strategies for developing appropriate goals as part of the IEP process will be offered. Parents, students, and professionals will be informed about resources in the community they can connect with to build linkages and ensure a dignified life as a contributing and participating member of their community. We will have a real-life demonstration with a young adult real-life who graduated in 2021 to show what Assistive Technology is being used to help him to navigate his adult life. We will show how a young adult with a disability can have a life using various forms of technology.

Building Paraprofessional AT Knowledge with On Demand Modules; Patricia Holzman, Wendy Thompson, Catherine Fredericks

There are ongoing discussions regarding implementation of Assistive Technology (AT), including Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), within school systems. This presentation will discuss the New Jersey Coalition for Assistive and Rehabilitative Technology’s (NJCART) efforts to develop centrally located asynchronous training modules for paraprofessionals throughout New Jersey. These modules are being created to provide consistent information regarding a wide variety of AT, including AAC, and are available at no cost on the NJCART website. These modules provide an innovative solution for consistent and easily accessible training for paraprofessionals regarding a wide variety of AT tools and devices utilized by students.

Why SLPs Need to Know About AT; Priscilla Danielson

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) often serve within school communities as building therapists, as well as on AT/AAC evaluation and consulting teams. The intersection of AT and the Scope of Practice for SLPs, must include knowledge of varied AT tools, resources and supports in response to the presence of technology at all levels of education. This presentation will address a set of AT tools and resources that will allow the SLP to actively respond from a position of strength and knowledge to the responsibilities established within their Scope of Practice and to function better as classroom collaborators and support team members.

International Perspectives on Inclusion, Universal Design and Accessible Technology ; Dr. Elizabeth Dalton

In this session, she focuses on international inclusive education using examples of inclusive instructional design, UDL, and inclusive technology applications from practitioners and researchers around the world, and leads discussion on the impact of this work on different communities. Dr. Dalton is co-editor of three books on international inclusive education: Universal Access Through Inclusive Instructional Design: International Perspectives on UDL (Routledge, 2020); Building Inclusive Education in K-12 Classrooms and Higher Education: Theories and Principles (IGI-Global, 2023); and Developing Inclusive Environments in Education: Global Practices and Curricula (IGI-Global, 2023).

Hands on AT Demonstrations with the staff of Advancing Opportunities

Session G: 10:50-11:50

Photography for All, Apple Education

Discover how the robust creative photography features of iPad, combined with its built-in accessibility tools for vision, hearing, cognitive, and motor support needs, allow learners of all abilities to access visual information and explore new places in a creative and engaging way.

When Everybody Works, Everybody Wins!!,DRNJ Staff

People with mental health disabilities are no longer considered second class citizens incapable of leading full and productive lives. Or are they? Although segregation and discrimination have proven to be bad policy and practice, too many individuals with mental health disabilities continue to face unemployment and lifelong poverty. WE CAN CHANGE THIS! Hear how employment and community integration improves the quality of life for everyone in the community.

Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning and Aided Language Stimulation; Catherine Fredericks

Consideration of a robust language communication system for AAC is generally acknowledged as best practice. There are a number of robust language systems available, many of which are based on the concept of categorization. This presentation will focus on an approach to AAC which enables Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning (LAMP). Although the LAMP approach is most often associated with specific apps and systems, aspects of this approach can be incorporated into almost any system. There are compelling reasons to consider a LAMP approach to AAC. These reasons will be discussed and demonstrated.

Considering When to Ask: Reasonable Accommodations and Hidden Disabilities, Joe Zesski with the Northeast ADA Center

Can an employer ask a job applicant or employee if they have a disability? What is a reasonable accommodation request and when should I ask for one? This session will not only review what the Americans with Disabilities Act says about disability disclosure in the workplace, but also the very real human impact of disclosure. Through scenarios and a Q&A format, this session will explore the factors that can impact an employee with a disability’s decision of when to ask for a reasonable accommodation. Participants are encouraged to bring situations from their own work for discussion.

Open Forum -Participant led

Note: refer to Open Forum Notes for possible topics or add or own. This session is all about you and your needs!

Transitioning Students who use AAC into Adulthood; Kate Flaxman, Karen Gliniecki

Students who use AAC should have a plan for transitioning into adulthood with continued access to AAC. Frequently, teams and families are scrambling to acquire aided AAC systems at the end of the school year or hardware is returned to school districts leaving the AAC user without access to communication. This presentation will review recommended timelines, the process for acquiring hardware through insurance or through the Division of Developmental Disabilities, and family supports that should be in place.

LUNCh: 12:00- 1:00

Session H: 1:00-2:15

Accessibility with Apple, Apple Education

Join us to learn about tools and resources from Apple that allow all students to explore, communicate, and create in new and powerful ways. Explore the built-in accessibility features included on every iPad, Mac, and Apple TV that can be customized to help diverse learners succeed.

Technology, Voice & Persons with Disabilities: Faith Communities as Partners, Anne Masters

It is a basic human need to belong and feel understood, in all domains of human life. Yet without a voice this is difficult if not impossible. Technology can give someone a voice, but to express and even develop one’s voice requires a receptive community. This session invites participants to consider the potential for faith communities to be supportive partners in this process, not only to explore one’s spirituality, but also nurture development in other aspects of the whole person. We will explore the different opportunities in congregational life and what education congregations will need to be good partners.

It's My Party and I'll Adapt It If I Want To; Teresa Giardina, Courtney Grimes

This interactive workshop will outline the importance of accessing assistive technology in party planning for all individuals and demonstrate techniques for putting this into practice. Presenters will demonstrate the effectiveness of assistive technology used for choice-making, party planning, and adapted-play and provide specific examples. All examples will have tangible goals and feature students with complex needs, including physical/motor impairments, intellectual disabilities, and cortical visual impairment, demonstrating their successful use of assistive technology. Presenters will identify ways to implement these strategies within the school, home, and community settings. Participants will participate in hands-on party planning and leave with a virtual goody bag!

Proper and Safe Use / Maintanance of Home Adaptive Equipment; Brandi DeVeaux

Occupational therapy(OT) is a health profession that helps people with injury or long-term chronic conditions perform everyday activities. Common activities include bathing and using the toilet, mobility and dressing. Depending on the injury or condition, OT uses and customizes tools, machines, or devices called adaptive equipment for optimal quality of life and independence. Although adaptive equipment is available at healthcare facilities like Goodwill Medical, it is recommended to work with an OT to customize the equipment. This presentation will educate attendees on proper and safe use of adaptive equipment, as well as ways to maintain the equipment for longevity.

Open Forum -Participant led

Note: refer to Open Forum Notes for possible topics or add or own. This session is all about you and your needs!

AT Consideration Hands On!; Adam Krass

Many people familiar with AT have heard of AT Consideration, but fewer have actually done it in practice. AT consideration is a type of informal, school-based process to begin matching AT to students with disabilities. Using student case studies, checklists, actual assistive technologies, and planning worksheets, participants will conduct an AT consideration.

Session I: 2:30-3:15

Game Time with the ATAC Team: AT Jeopardy

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