Session 3 - Thursday, Dec. 5th      2:15 PM - 3:10 PM

Unlocking Language: Strategies for Successful Core Vocabulary and Access Implementation - Worship Center

Session Description:

Emily Smith and Marjorie Posey are a speech-language pathology team serving a large special education population at the elementary level in Fulton County Schools. This course will share some successes and failures of a decade long journey to implement core vocabulary in a functional and meaningful way across school settings. The school they serve has 6 special education classes as well as interrelated resource and co-teaching models. They will offer functional implementation ideas for widespread use of core vocabulary and access implementation across school settings. Activities, ideas, and demonstrations will target academic and speech-language related interventions for students with mild to severe intellectual disabilities, autism, and related needs. You will leave with practical and engaging resources and ideas to target academic and speech-language IEP goals and objectives. These ideas will require little to no preparation time but return big language results! 

Speakers: 

Marjie Posey, M.Ed., CCC-SLP

Marjie Posey, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, completed a B.S.Ed. as well as a M.Ed. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Georgia. She has spent the last 14 years working as a school-based SLP. She currently serves at Alpharetta Elementary School and has recently completed LAMP Certification. 

Emily Smith, M.Ed., CCC-SLP

Emily Smith, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, works at Alpharetta Elementary and is a LAMP (Language Acquisition through Motor Planning) certified provider. Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Development from the University of Georgia and a Master of Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Georgia State University. 

AAC: Ready-Set-Goal! Part 2 - Theater

Session Description: 

This course follows AAC: Ready – Set – GOAL! Part One. In Part Two, we will continue to address the unique challenges of writing goals for individuals who use AAC, including differences in language acquisition, environmental considerations, and communication partner considerations. Rather than reviewing a bank of goals, in this course, we will continue to use the goal attainment scale and SMART terminology as a framework for writing meaningful goals. This course will pick up with covering the communicative competences for AAC, taking an in depth look at social and strategic communicative competencies. Participants will engage in goal writing in order to learn SMART terminology. We will discuss monitoring progress, as a goal is only as good as your ability to measure it. This course will help participants reflect on where their client is (baseline), where they want to go (goals), and how to get there (a plan). It is necessary for participants to take Part One prior to taking Part Two for understanding. 

Presenters: 

Shirbendra Thomas 

Shirby has witnessed the value of AAC in her professional, as well as, personal experience. She is excited for the opportunity to continue to share her enthusiasm for the gift of communication. 

Nicole Palumbo 

Nicole has worked in the field of Speech-Language Pathology for many years with a special interest in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Nicole has always known she wanted to be a Speech-Language Pathologist since she was in high school and shadowed an SLP. She’s worked in a variety of settings with a variety of ages and believes everyone deserves the ability to successfully communicate. 

Avenging UDL: Guardians of Inclusivity - The Hub

Session Description:

Join us to uncover the game-changing alliance of departments and tools that have made this possible for students across both vast and humble districts. We will reveal how we harnessed the mighty data from the uPAR protocol to ignite vital conversations across our educational realms about what reading can be and how to empower struggling readers to soar to heroic heights. Witness how we assembled our team, wielded the powerful uPAR protocol, and implemented follow-up training on the enchanted Texthelp, Microsoft and iOS tools for ALL students. 

Presenters: 

Amanda Inman, Ed.S.

Amanda is in her 29th year as a special education staff member and 24th  year serving as a Paulding County Assistive Technology Specialist. She began her career as a Severe and Profound Teacher then transitioned into an itinerant Orthopedically Impaired Teacher and AT Specialist. Amanda has an M.Ed. in Leadership with Technology Certificate and Ed.S. in Teacher Leadership with Instructional Technology. She has co-chaired the program committee for the Georgia Assistive Technology in Education Seminar (GATE) for 11 years and is currently co-chairing the conference. Amanda has also sat on the program committee of Georgia Educational Technology Conference (GaETC) to assist in increasing sessions relating to UDL/Assistive Technology into the conference schedule for 11+ years. Amanda was a recipient of the Georgia Tools for Life Innovation Award and received District Support Service Employee of the Year 2023. She has shared her passion for Assistive Technology, AEM and UDL at ATIA, ISTE, GaETC, IDEAS, GPAT Summer Institute, GATE and locally to staff, parents, and students in her district. 

Dr. Cecille Bolton 

Dr. Cecille Bolton is a reading-endorsed veteran educator, with over 20 years of experience in special education. Dr. Bolton has served as a PK-5 low-incidence teacher, grade chair, and Department of Special Education chair. She currently serves as an Assistive Technology Specialist in the Paulding County School District supporting the implementation of academic learning aids and organizational tools for high-incidence learners. She received her doctorate in Educational Leadership/Educational Technology from University of Phoenix and is a published children’s book author (Georgia Blue) and storytime enthusiast (Instagram - @drsunshinepresentsllc). Dr. Bolton has presented at GaETC, Georgia Association for Educators of Young Children (GAEYC), Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA), and Georgia Assistive Technology in Education (GATE) conferences. Dr. Bolton is also a member of the GATE steering committee (2022 and 2023). 

Somer Smith 

Somer is the Coordinator for Assistive Technology, Related Services & Itinerant Teachers, and Speech Language Pathologists for Marietta City Schools. Somer supports assistive technology ranging from low incidence to high incidence as well as AAC. Somer is currently participating in the AEM Cohort pilot program in GA and participates on the GA DOE AEM Leadership committee. Somer received her bachelors of science in communication sciences & disorders from University of Georgia, her master’s of science in communication disorders from Western Carolina University, and her educational specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University. 

Level Up: Empowering Students through Adaptive Gaming - The Clubhouse

Session Description: 

Video games have often been dismissed as senseless violence and a waste of time. But is this reputation deserved? Join Tools for Life team members as they provide an overview of adaptive gaming and its potential benefits in the classroom. We will consider the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional skills gained through gaming and how these can support students achieve their goals. We will introduce attendees to popular assistive technology supports for gaming, and provide a road map for implementing and justifying gaming activities with students. This will be an engaging session with opportunities to see and try various assistive technology devices! 

Presenters: 

Rachel Scarboro 

Rachel Scarboro (she/her) is a Board Certified and Licensed Occupational Therapist in the state of Georgia. Rachel currently works as an OT at Georgia Tech’s Tools for Life program, where she provides individualized AT consultation and demonstration to support Georgians with disabilities. Rachel also leads the program’s Adaptive Gaming activities. Inquisitive and a problem-solver by nature, Rachel is passionate about the unique ways assistive technology and inclusive design can enable us to live full and meaningful lives. 

Hunter McFeron 

Hunter manages the Tools for Life lending library and provides guidance and resources related to the acquisition of assistive technology for individuals across the state of Georgia. His background as a certified Speech-Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP) sparked a robust interest in augmentative and alternative communication, leading him down the path to assistive tech. He is proud to be working with a phenomenal team as they advocate for and support the needs of the community. Hunter earned his bachelor’s and master’s in Communication Science and Disorders from the University of Georgia.