Keynote Speakers 

KEYNOTE: Thursday, February 23rd, 2023 (8:30-9:45) in the Grand Ballroom

KEYNOTE: Friday, February 24th, 2023 (8:30-9:45) in the Grand Ballroom

2023 Illinois AER Vision Conference

February 23rd-24th, 2023 Marriott Naperville, IL

THURSDAY, February 23rd, 2023

KEYNOTE in the Grand Ballroom (8:30-9:45)

"Choose to Be Exceptional..."

Robbin Clark

**Early Intervention (EI) Credit**

Description: Of all the choices we can make as professionals, let us choose to be exceptional in our practice. Let us raise the bar with our expectations, upgrade our instruction to meet the needs of today's learners and be vulnerable to try new things. We can increase our impact together!

IAER Board Meeting in the Grand Ballroom (9:45-10:15) 

All Illinois AER Members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Focus on Exhibits in the Naper Ballroom (9:45-5:00)

Get a chance to talk to vendors and see all the latest and greatest! 

BREAKOUT SESSION 1 (10:30-11:30)

Room B

The Need for Speed: Techniques for Teaching Auditory Speed Reading

Rachel Bell

Both braille and print readers can benefit from learning and practicing auditory reading at high speeds. Learn and share some techniques for teaching auditory speed reading, collecting data, and monitoring progress in the classroom and beyond.

Room C

Co-teaching With Your O&M Specialist

Jen Perkins, Erit Ott, & Samantha Undesser

**EI Credit**

Vision and O&M skills often overlap in the daily lives of our learners. Join us to learn about ways we have expanded our collaboration to create meaningful assessment and lessons. We will discuss barriers of co-teaching, various collaboration styles, and provide examples of successful co-teaching experiences.

Room D

Make, Take, Teach!

Morgan Foreman, Tracy Wilks, Maura Guimon-Warren, & Dr. Rosey Nave Stawasz

**EI Credit**

This make-and-take presentation is designed to review research-based activities that promote the growth of developmental skills of early learners and learners with multiple disabilities. Participants will have the opportunity to create materials that support the areas of gross motor, sensory, social emotional, fine motor, cognition, literacy, communication, independence/self-help, and math/science. TVIs, D-TVs, COMS, DT-O&Ms, multi-needs teachers, and parents are all welcome!

Room F

Sex Education on the Cheap: Meaningful Health Methods and Materials for Students with Visual Impairments at a Low Cost

Gaylen Kapperman, Stacy Kelly, Julie Pahr, & Emmett Yost

**EI Credit**

Procedures will be demonstrated that can be used to provide people who are visually impaired with meaningful sex education costing little and requiring a minimal amount of time to develop including an online 15-minute video and the process by which clay models of the male and female external and internal reproductive anatomies can be made.

Room Bailey

Acceptance of Vision Loss

Cheri Sinnott Springer

**EI Credit**

Parents and students experience struggles with acceptance of vision loss. This presentation will review challenges experienced by both and the various stages of grief and acceptance.

Room Hobson

Cracking the Code –teaching coding concepts to the Blind

Peter Tucic

Coding curricula proliferate today’s educational landscape, which can pose challenges to a blind student. This presentation will demonstrate how to use accessible tools to introduce coding concepts through tactile pods, as well as demonstrate how a student can easily write and edit code using a refreshable braille device.

LUNCH & AWARDS in the Grand Ballroom (12:00-1:30)

BREAKOUT SESSION 2 (1:45-2:45)

Room B

CVI in Higher Ed Programs

Mindy Ely

In this session, we will report the results of a survey study of higher education programs (TVI, O&M, RT, etc.). Findings include the amount of time dedicated to CVI content across curriculum and details about that content. Your input into what should be included in future higher ed training content is welcome!

Room C

Back to the Basics of Planning and Mapping for Travel

Kirstin Peahl & Tracey Nardi

Maps, scripts, and other travel tools will be introduced to assist in advanced travel O&M trips. Although we work within the RTA system in Chicago, these can be generalized to other areas and for younger learners. Discussion will include techniques on “how to teach” orientation skills.

Room D

Bringing in Reinforcements: Strategies & Interventions for TVIs & COMS to use supports and reinforcement to minimize challenging behavior in students with visual impairments and multiple disabilities

Bob Chada & Maddy Sawyer

**EI Credit**

This presentation will review behavior basics and effective use of reinforcement for students with visual impairments and multiple disabilities. Participants will learn about types of reinforcers, how to conduct preference assessments, and prevention strategies for minimizing challenging behavior.

Room F

STIs and How to Teach About Them in a Meaningful Manner: Safer Sex instruction for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Gaylen Kapperman, Stacy Kelly, & Alex Gillaspie

The presenters will offer a summary of meaningful methods for teaching about various sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to people who are blind or have low vision. The presenters will offer recommendations for providing additional meaningful instruction in safer sex practices including the use of condoms and dental dams.

Room Bailey

The Foundations of Building Relationships with Infants and Toddlers who are DeafBlind

Michelle Clyne

**EI Credit**

Building a trusted relationship with an infant, toddler or preschooler who is DeafBlind is not always intuitive. This session will review proven strategies using video from the new modules Teaching Children Who Are Deafblind: Professional Development for Educators.

Room Hobson

Easy to Implement: A Step-by-Step Process for Determining AT Tools

Dana Brosso & Justine Kylloe

Join us for a step-by-step discussion on how to effectively determine and implement AT solutions using a data driven approach and modified SETT process. This session will provide you with documents and resources to support and encourage you to make appropriate AT decisions for your students.

BREAKOUT SESSION 3 (3:00-4:00)

Room B

Calling all Future Vision Leaders!

Jean Deptolla & Panel

Leadership can be one of the most powerful ways you can make a difference in the lives of students with vision disabilities. If you have an amazing leader, or would like to become one, please join this panel discussion on the what, why and how of Vision Leadership.

Room C

The Guide Dog Process from Application to Training

Leslie Hoskins

Participants will learn how to identify a potential guide dog candidate and how to help prepare someone for a guide dog. There will be discussion of the application process and program requirements including the International Guide Dog Federation Standards (IGDF). Participants will leave the presentation feeling confident to assist clients in their journey to guide dog travel.

Room D

ONH Part 1: Medical Aspects of ONH 

Julia Bowman & Sara Edwards

**EI Credit**

Optic Nerve Hypoplasia is a complex medical condition that affects the visual, central nervous, and endocrine systems. An explanation of ONH is offered that breaks down the visual, medical, and behavior components in a way that will empower caregivers and educators in terms of daily adaptations and lifetime advocacy.

Room F

Research: Taking out the Fear Factor

Rosemary Nave Stawasz

When someone says “research”, people seem to cringe and shy away. You are a researcher and didn’t know it. Let’s take out the fear factor. The session will break research into manageable pieces and parts. Study design, methods, and general data interpretation will be discussed.

Room Bailey

Outsmarting the TVI Shortage: Reimagining EI Services

Rebecca Lambert, Ashley Keegan, & Tara Uding

**EI Credit**

The shortage of TVIs is affecting all ages of persons with visual impairments. The Delta Gamma Center is thinking outside the box to get services to families. We will share how we are training team members, staff, and methods of service. Discuss with us ideas to outsmart and reimagine services.

Room Hobson

Illinois Association of Orientation & Mobility Specialist (IAOMS) Poster Contest

BREAKOUT SESSION 4 (4:15-5:15)

Room B

Navigating the System

Molly Dunne & Lisa Tabaka

Co-Chairs of the IVLC (Illinois Vision Leadership Council) will facilitate a group discussion on current issues facing teachers of students receiving vision services. Topics may include Nemeth to UEB Math, recruitment, support within the field, and issues within the state. Participants should bring questions along with information to share. Molly and Lisa are available to present on Thursday. Unfortunately, we are unable to commit to Friday afternoon like usual.

Room C

Tactile Map Making on the Fly

Eric Ott & Jen Perkins

Life happens! Sometimes we find ourselves without exactly what we need when we need it. Join us for an interactive session on tactile map making on the fly. We will discuss features of tactile maps, and ways to use everyday objects in a quick and meaningful way.

Room D

ONH Part 2: Strategies for Working with Students 

Julia Bowman & Sara Edwards

**EI Credit**

Students with ONH may face challenges in the sensory, language, social skills, and vision domains. The goal of incorporating ONH strategies shared in this workshop is to empower students with ONH of all ages and abilities to be an independent and active learner as much as possible.

Room F

Vision Research and the story of the Foundation Fighting Blindness

Steve Sroka

**EI Credit**

The Foundation Fighting Blindness is the world's largest funder of inherited retinal disease research, and an organization you should know. We are committed to finding treatments and cures for our shared BVI community. We will discuss current research, outreach programs available for your students and case portfolio, resources available, and upcoming events/activities.

Room Bailey

The Essential Guide to Your Chicago Lighthouse IIMC

Joseph Nast

Chock-full of information you need for ordering, returning, and transferring equipment, aids, consumables, large print and Braille materials, this presentation is for new and veteran visual disability educational professionals alike! Rules, deadlines, resources and updates… join us for an interactive learning experience that doesn’t feel like an info dump!

Room Hobson

Illinois Association of Orientation & Mobility Specialist (IAOMS) Poster Contest

Networking & Job Fair Happy Hour 

Following Thursday’s Conference 

5:15-6:30PM outside of the Vendor Hall

FRIDAY, February 24th, 2023

KEYNOTE in the Grand Ballroom (8:30-9:45)

“Diagnosis, Treatment and Management of Visual Impairments from Doctor’s Chair to Classroom Setting and Beyond.”

Dr. Sudhi Kurup, MD, Dr. Noreen Shaikh, OD, Dr. Magdalena Stec, OD, Haleigh Nierman M.S. OTR/L, & Molly Dunne, Director of Professional Learning and Coaching, NSSEO 

**EI Credit**

This presentation consists of a panel discussion of 4 to 5 visually impaired patients among experts. Each expert will provide their exam and treatment recommendation for each patient which can be used as a guide to manage patients with similar conditions. The panel consists of a pediatric ophthalmologist, pediatric optometrists, an occupational therapist specializing in vision rehabilitation, and a vision teacher. The purpose of the presentation is to discuss medical diagnoses and current treatment as well as visual impairment rehabilitative strategies from doctor’s chair to classroom setting and beyond. It highlights the importance and the benefit of multidisciplinary collaboration to deliver the best experience for the person with visual impairment and support to their family.

Focus on Exhibits in the Naper Ballroom (8:30-12:00)

Get a chance to talk to vendors and see all the latest and greatest! 

BREAKOUT SESSION 5 (10:30-11:30)

Room B

What Would MacEYEver Do? Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary items for VIPs

Susan M. Dalton & Jennifer Ottowitz

**EI Credit**

Using MacGyver’s method of unconventional problem-solving, our session will provide you with a multitude of uses for items found in most households. With a little creativity, we can discover how these objects can be transformed into something that’s entirely different, amazing – AND, highly useful for us as teachers as well as our students/clients who are visually impaired.

Room C

Train Station Orientation: Union & Ogilvie

Tracey Nardi & Kirstin Peahl

A collaborative discussion on “how to teach” orientation skills at Union Station & Ogilvie Transportation Center. Maps, scripts, and other travel tips will be shared.

Room D

Guidelines for Providing a Meaningful Description of a Gynecological Exam for Individuals Who Are Visually Impaired

Stacy Kelly, Gaylen Kapperman, & Rachel Newland

The presenters will describe how to assemble the contents of a kit of materials designed to enable an instructor to offer meaningful instruction regarding the procedures involved in a gynecological exam for individuals who are visually impaired. Directions on how to use the kit will be included.

Room F

Literacy for students with CVI and Multiple Impairments Part 1

Sumer Bellinder & Kirsten Safley

**EI Credit**

Attendees will see ways to adapt themed books and Unique stories for elementary students who have phase 1 or 2 CVI and are in a life skills program. We will show how we adapt stories using Google Slides. Adapting stories into a hard copy will also be covered. Attendees will leave with ideas and if they're lucky...some freebies!

Room Bailey

SCIVIS: Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students

Katie White & Katie Hansen

The presentation will give an overview of what activities/skills are a part of Space Camp.

Room Hobson

Job Fair & IAOMS Poster Contest

Boxed Lunches available at 11:30 outside Grand Ballroom

**Illinois Association of O&M Specialist Lunch Meeting- Room C**

BREAKOUT SESSION 6 (12:30-1:30)

Room B

Virtual, Homebound, VI, HI, CVI "Oh My!"

Dana Brosso

**EI Credit**

The presentation will showcase strategies, adaptations, parent collaboration and instructional methods to a multi-faceted learner with vision loss, hearing loss, CVI and unique communication needs in a virtual homebound setting.

Room C

CBEs and the ECC: How Community Based Education Trips Can Support the ECC

Cynthia Bergeron, Katie White, Jennifer Duncan, Laurel Kramer, & Elizabeth Freeman

**EI Credit**

This presentation will include ideas on how to use Community Based Education Trips (CBEs) to support the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC). Attendees will come away with CBE destination and activity ideas linked to various ECC areas, a permission slip template, and learn how to connect CBEs to IEP goals.

Room D

The Alex Program for CVI: What are People Saying?

Mindy Ely & Susan Sullivan

**EI Credit**

Parents, TVIs, and other educational team members provided feedback about their experience at the Alex Program for CVI. You’ll hear the good, the bad, and the ugly! We will also be asking for your input as we work toward building the best possible state-level support on CVI.

Room F

Literacy for Students with Multiple Impairments Part 2 (Part 1 is Sumer Bellinder and Kirsten Safley)

Megan Thomas & Brian Kulaga

**EI Credit**

Is your curriculum inaccessible by students with multiple impairments?! Laaaaaaame. Overcome this obstacle by adapting materials from alternative curriculums. Participants will learn strategies for creating customized books for learners with visual impairments and multiple disabilities. (Part 2 of Literacy for Students with Multiple Impairments)

Room Bailey

Camp Lions of Illinois: Providing a fun camp experience for the blind, low vision, Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind

Lisa Borgo

Come learn about Camp Lions of Illinois and spread the word to students and families. Camp Lions is an inclusive camp for children and adults who are blind, low vision, Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind. Camp Lions provides opportunities for campers to socialize with their peers. They are able to experience activities such as horseback riding, ziplining, swimming, team building activities, and much more! This is a place where everyone can be themselves! All activities are adapted so that campers can participate fully.

Room Hobson

Job Fair & IAOMS Poster Contest

BREAKOUT SESSION 7 (1:45-2:45)

Room B

iPhone vs Android Showdown

Richard Stauder

At least 3 features or apps available for iOS 16.x on iPhone 13 Pro will be compared with similar apps or features available for Android 12.x Snow Cone or 13.x Tiramisu on a Samsung Galaxy S22. Examples include multi-tool apps i.e. Seeing AI, TalkBack vs VoiceOver, etc.

Room C

Become a Trauma-Informed Educator

Tracy Wilks

Do TVIs and O&Ms need to be trauma-informed educators? YES—and this session will tell you why. Come for the learning, stay for the compassion.

Room D

What I Wish I Knew as a 1st Year TVI

Michael Altendork, Chandler Clark, & Brittany Payne

Intended Audience: Student Teachers and Cooperating Teachers. Answers to the question: What can be done to make sure 1st year teachers are prepared for the start of their professional careers?

Room F

Dot-5 K Yr Resources

Morgan Foreman, Amber Gulino, & Shannon Sweezy-Champion

**EI Credit**

How would you rate your knowledge of current teaching and learning resources? Totally confident and up-to-date? Overwhelmed and not sure where to start? Somewhere in between? This session is open to anyone interested in learning about available resources, implementation during instruction, and alignment with the Expanded Core Curriculum.

Room Bailey

Illinois School for the Visually Impaired (ISVI): A statewide resource!

Michelle Clark

Resources, resources, resources! What better resource to have than a statewide school for the visually impaired who employs experts in the field of blindness. ISVI provides services and resources to families, students, school districts, and other agencies across Illinois. This presentation you will learn what services ISVI has to offer, and the variety of programs offered to students enrolled at ISVI. You will also gain additional resources and contact information to add to your resource list.

Room Hobson

Job Fair & IAOMS Poster Contest

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