Are you interested in learning more about professional development opportunities from Allied Instructional Services and other leading professionals in the field of Visual Impairment? Good news - you've come to the right place! 

Join AIS for an all-day professional development event! Our schedule includes three concurrent sessions in three different time slots. Session topics include information for those interested in learning more about vision, AT, O&M and multiple impairments; check out descriptions and additional information for each session below. 

Sessions are free for AIS contractors and $15 each for outside participants per session or $45 for 5 sessions. ACVREP and CEUs are available to attendees.

Remit payment through PayPal. Click the registration link included with each session topic and register for your preferred sessions. We will see you soon!

Session Details

AIS Academy is a full day of 3 concurrent sessions running in 4  different time slots over the course of the day on February 16th, 2026.  Our Keynote Session will be at 9:00 am with Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen. Be sure to register. 

9:00-10:00 EST

Keynote Address: How Far Can Access Go: From Bus wrecks in Toledo, to Tokyo Subways, to the Orbits of Neptune and Pluto 

Presenter: Sheri Wells Jensen

Description: Let’s talk about how teaching can be an authentic, joyful, irresistible force driving the world toward greater access for everyone, and how the small messages given as we teach braille and tactile graphics can change lives. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.  

Take aways:

• Take stock of how accessible the average blind person’s environment is now.

• Imagine what strategies are needed to negotiate this environment without gas lighting yourself.

• Consider how the messages we send while teaching support or sabotage those strategies.

10:15-11:15 EST

Title: Using Accessible Media with Students who are Blind and Low Vision

Presenters: Rachel Hage and Cindy Camp

Research has shown that the use of multimedia is beneficial to all students.  However, it is not always easy to find educational media with high-quality audio description.  The Described and Captioned Media Program is a federally funded program that provides accessible educational media for students and professional development for educators. Learn about this free resource of over 18,000 online videos.  There are videos to teach all academic areas as well as self-advocacy, career exploration, and much more.  We’ll discuss how to use accessible media in your students’ classroom and at home. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will learn how description benefits all students.

2. Participants will explore how to evaluate the quality of description.

3. Participants will discuss uses for accessible video in academic settings.

4. Participants will be able to find DCMP media and match titles to classroom learning objectives.

Title: Back to the Basics with Screen Readers

 Join Mike Fish, Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist at AIS, and learn when and how to begin instruction in using a screen reader. This session is designed for those who are new to using screen readers or who are unsure how to implement screen readers into their day-to-day tasks. Participants will gain a practical understanding of what screen readers are, when/where they can be used, and how to introduce them effectively without overwhelming students or themselves. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

After attending this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify the five most commonly used screen readers and the operating systems with which they are compatible

• Differentiate between operating system keystrokes and screen reader–specific commands

• Apply effective strategies for introducing and implementing screen readers in the classroom and beyond

Title: Finding Wheels: A Tool for Teen and Early 20 Travelers Who are Blind or Have Low Vision

Presenter: Dr. Penny Rosenblum

 During this session attendees will be introduced to Finding Wheels: Strategies to Build Independent Travel Skills for Those with Visual Impairments (Corn & Rosenblum) a tool designed for teens and those in their early 20s to explore travel as a nondriver or potential low vision driver.  After an overview of the chapters of Finding Wheels and the activities designed for travelers, time will be allocated to share ideas of how attendees can use this tool with their students. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Objectives:

• Attendees will describe three activities included in Finding Wheels.

• Attendees will list 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of different travel methods (e.g., personal wheels, public wheels, hired wheels).

• Attendees will give examples of two ways in which they can use Finding Wheels with their students.

11:30-12:30 

Title: Stronger Together: Teamwork that Transforms Deafblind Instruction

Join Mikel Kersey, TVI; and Michelle Gagnon, TDHH  to learn about the essential role of collaborative teams in creating meaningful, accessible learning experiences for students who are deafblind. Participants will explore how shared assessment data—including functional vision, hearing, communication, sensory, and O&M assessments—drives aligned, student-centered instructional decisions. Through a real-world student scenario, attendees will apply a teamwork framework to define roles, shared responsibilities, and coordinated supports that strengthen outcomes across environment.  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Objectives:

• Explain the critical role of collaborative teams (TVI, TDHH, O&M, SLP, OT, PT, interveners, general educators, families, and specialists) in creating meaningful access for students who are deafblind.

• Describe how shared assessment data (functional vision, functional hearing, communication, sensory, and O&M assessments) can guide aligned instructional decisions across the team

• Apply a teamwork framework to a sample student scenario to determine roles, shared responsibilities, and coordinated supports

Title: Understanding the CVI Brain and Its Impact on Literacy

Description: Get ready to light up your neurons with Christina Liebler and Olivia Ferreira in this dynamic session, we’ll dive into the fascinating world of how the brain interprets what we see—and what happens when that process gets disrupted by Cerebral Visual Impairments (CVI). We’ll journey into how the brain processes visual information and uncover how CVI can shape—and sometimes shake up—the way students learn to read, write, and communicate. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

• You’ll discover the difference between higher and lower processing and how it can play a part in shaping learning and literacy in surprising ways. 

• You will walk away with more confidence, tools, and strategies to support our learners with CVI. 

• Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the field, you will walk away with more tools for your CVI tool kit!

Title: Why Sports for the Blind?

Join Hal Simpson as he highlights how sports create meaningful opportunities for physical health, social connection, and life-skill development through real stories from Matt and GBSA. Participants will learn how parents, educators, and advocates play a critical role in helping students access athletics, build confidence, and pursue their dreams. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Identify the physical, social, and emotional benefits of sports participation

• Describe key life skills developed through athletics, including teamwork, confidence, and perseverance

• Recognize the holistic impact of being an athlete on overall well-being

• Understand their role as advocates in supporting access to sports opportunities

1:15-2:15 

Title: Dot Pad X: Revolutionizing Tactile and Braille Literacy

Join Tim Hornik to discover the Dot Pad X, a refreshable tactile graphics and multiline Braille display revolutionizing Braille and tactile literacy. This session will showcase its ability to render images and multiline Braille in real-time, enhancing learning, work, and personal experiences. This session explores the broad screen reader compatibility, highlighting its potential to boost independence and quality of life for the visually impaired. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Learning Objectives

• Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to identify the unique capabilities of the Dot Pad X as a refreshable tactile graphics and Braille display.

• Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to describe the importance of tactile literacy alongside Braille literacy in educational programs.

• Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Describe the importance of tactile literacy alongside Braille literacy in educational programs.

• Recognize the Dot Pad X's comprehensive compatibility with major operating systems and screen readers (Windows/NVDA/JAWS, MacOS/VoiceOver, iOS/iPadOS/VoiceOver).

• Explore practical applications and integration strategies for the Dot Pad X within their respective professional and personal contexts.

Title: AMD Transitions

Presenter: Lynn Gautreaux, M.S., COMS

Using an extensive checklist can be helpful in determining if O&M instruction begins with a cane or an AMD. And, if an AMD is the appropriate mobility tool, modifying an AMD gives mobility instructors the advantage and flexibility of teaching several cane specific transition skills prior to cane-based instruction. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Objectives:

•  How to use an AMD checklist for determining if an AMD is appropriate for a student

•  Several cane specific transition skills that prepare students for using a cane while using a modified AMD configuration

• That using a Modified AMD Tip gives students the same frontal protection advantages of a typical AMD but are using a cane instead

Title: From Hours to Minutes: Tips and Tricks for Accessible Material Creation

Presenter: Ellie and Jessica

Description: Tired of spending endless hours making materials accessible for your students? In this session, Ellie Protzman and Jessica Kleinsteuber will share practical tips and workflow hacks to help you save time while creating accessible documents and braille files. Walk away with strategies that give you back valuable hours in your day while ensuring your students get the accessible resources they need. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Objectives:

• Explore various strategies (AI, screenshots, OneNote) to efficiently create accessible documents

• Explore using Brailleblaster to create braille files with ease

• Explore how AIS’ transcription department can help support you when you are overwhelmed or short on time

2:30-3:30 Sessions

Secure Without Sight

Presenter: David Moyle

Join David Moyle as he highlights Secure Without Sight, a program designed to teach TVI’s and mobility teachers how to teach self-defense to their non-sighted or partially sighted students. Obviously one session is not enough to take on such a monumental task, however, after studying the martial arts for 40 years and doing OM for 28, David wanted to give teachers a few basics  that would help them on their way and give them a starting point. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Objectives

• Create a framework for a COMS or a TVI To be able to teach practical self-defense skills to someone who is non-sided or has low vision.  

• Help to shape the self-defense philosophy of the teacher, so it can be related effectively to the visually impaired student. 

• Give teachers a list of materials that could help them in facilitating some of the critical skills needed for pragmatic self-defense.

Title: Voices of Experience: Guidance for TVIs and O&M Specialists

Presenter: Panel

Description: Join a dynamic conversation with blind and visually impaired adults as they reflect on the tools, skills, and learning experiences that helped shape their success. Designed for TVIs and O&M specialists, this session provides real-world guidance on effective instruction, technology integration, and mobility training. Participants will leave with concrete strategies to enhance their practice and better prepare students for meaningful adult lives. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Objectives:

• Participants will identify at least three ways that the lived experiences of blind/visually impaired adults can inform and improve instructional decision-making in TVI and O&M practice.

• Participants will describe at least three instructional or mobility strategies—validated by panelists’ experiences—that can enhance student independence in areas such as self-advocacy, assistive technology, braille/literacy, or travel skills.

• Participants will analyze examples shared by panelists to develop two actionable changes in their own practice aimed at fostering high expectations, autonomy, and effective collaboration with students, families, and school teams.

Title: Review of the CVI Protocol

 Join Julia Hutchinson, Remote Vision Services Coordinator at AIS, as she reviews the newly released Perkins CVI Protocol - its components, flow and data-driven recommendations for educators working with students who have CVI. The CVI Protocol is quite detailed, so this session will focus on how the data collected can be used to make informed decisions when developing IEPs. It is recommended that you download the CVI protocol previous to the session: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Objectives: During the session, participants will:

• Receive an overview of the various components of the CVI Protocol.

• Identify how data collected from the CVI Protocol can be used to create student-specific IEP goals.

• Identify how data collected from the CVI Protocol can be used to make informed decisions about the appropriate accommodations and instructional strategies

Learn About Pre-ETS Opportunities in VA

Join Becky Keller and Discover how the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (VDBVI) Student Programs (Pre-ETS) can support your students ages 14–22 who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind through FREE, engaging virtual, residential, and family-centered experiences. This session highlights hands-on career exploration, college readiness, self-advocacy, and work-based learning opportunities, and shows how DBVI partners directly with educators to make transitions easier for students and families, with no wrong door for referrals.

Learning Objectives- By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Identify the five core Pre-ETS service areas and explain how DBVI Student Programs support students in preparing for employment, postsecondary education, and independent adulthood.

• Describe the range of DBVI Student Programs (virtual, residential, and family engagement) and understand how these no-cost opportunities remove barriers and build skills, confidence, and community.

• Explain how to refer students and collaborate with DBVI, including how DBVI works directly with students and families to reduce the workload for educators and ensure seamless access to services.