The Schedule

2025 Summer Institute - Schedule

8/11 Monday

8:30 - 11:30 AM - Central

Waisman Center Resources

Tim Markle (0.30 GS RID CEUs)

Tim Markle, Senior Outreach Specialist at the Waisman Center for over 16 years, will discuss the Waisman Center and its various programs. Come learn about the history, mission, and make-up of the Waisman Center. We will highlight programs that are being funded in collaboration with the Department of Health Services and we will mention other partners serving families with children and youth with special health care needs.

Wisconsin Deafblind Technical Assistance Program Panel (WDBTAP)

Jolene Gruber and Guests (0.30 PS RID CEUs)

Jolene Gruber - WDBTAP grant coordinator, and guest of WDBTAP will share what the Wisconsin Deafblind project has to offer to professionals and Deafblind students across Wisconsin. After the information session, the panel will host several Deafblind adults sharing their educational experiences. They will also share what they would change. Come and learn more about Deafblind with us!

12:30-3:30 PM - Central

Outreach Services - ASL Slang and City Signs of Wisconsin

*presented in ASL with spoken English interpretation*

Emma Vollmar, Bonnie Eldred and Guests (0.30 PS RID CEUs)

Emma and Bonnie who are Deaf will present ASL slang and specific Wisconsin City sign names in a fun way! There will also be time for questions and group networking.

Waisman Center - Audiology, Research, Collaboration

Carlos Benitez-Barrera, Cristina Manteca-Gacho (0.30 GS RID CEUs)

Both seasoned researchers, Carlos and Cristina bring a unique perspective to supporting students with a hearing loss. They will share current research through the Waisman Center-Madison, WI and share case studies regarding supporting Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deafblind students who use another language in the home.

8/12 Tuesday

8:30 - 11:30 AM -

Central

Transition Instruction – the Dr. Seuss Approach

“Would you, could you on a rock? Would you, could you in a sock?

The what, when, where and how of teaching Transition for all ages

Lynne Price (0.30 GS RID CEUs)

Effective transition instruction enables an individual to adapt communication strategies and problem-solving skills to meet wants and needs and achieve personal goals in any situation.

Success is measured by the type and number of skills used, the individual’s perception of success and the need for adaptation to achieve success.

Come gain a better understanding of transition for all age levels and learn specific goals, activities and measurement tools to develop competent transition skills in our students.

Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): How to Promote Desirable Behavior

Advance Behavior Consulting - Sarah Hardison (0.30 GS RID CEUs)

This training provides an overview of ABA, the science of behavior, including how to identify the function of problem behavior so that effective strategies can be determined to minimize challenging behavior and teach alternative skills. Primary concepts include behavior defined, functional assessment, replacement behaviors, new skill acquisition, reinforcement and data collection.

12:30-3:30 PM - Central

Is it time to move beyond 1880? Deaf education’s role in the epidemic of language deprivation.

*presented in ASL with spoken English interpretation*

Wyatte Hall (0.30 PS *PPO* RID CEUs)

The presentation will cover a broad discussion of deaf child development in the context of brain development, mental health outcomes, and the use of signed languages with and without cochlear implants. Attendees will learn about the neurocritical period of language acquisition and the relationship between childhood language experiences and adult outcomes in deaf populations.

Teacher of the Deaf and Educational Interpreter working together

LaWanda Brewer (0.30 PS RID CEUs)

Whether you’re a Teacher of the Deaf (TOD) or educational interpreter, we all share the same goal even though our roles look different. That shared goal is that every students’ needs are met so they can successfully learn the curriculum at school and have a social peer group. This presentation will look at the roles of both professionals and identify how we can work together collaboratively for a cohesive educational experience for our students. Successful strategies from a site based program with DHH and DeafBlind will be shared with practical tips and tricks that any TOD or interpreter could take back to their position, whether in a site based program, sole interpreter with itinerant TOD, or in a Deaf school. Tips and tricks shared can help participants identify essential lessons students may need with the TOD, provide a brainstorming opportunity to reach the intended skill based outcome for the student, or identify goals to address within the IEP.

8/13 Wednesday

6-7 PM - Central

Mental Health and Forgiveness (family focused)

Tim Markle - Forgiveness Factor *no RID CEUs available*

Being a parent/caregiver is hard work. Being a parent/caregiver of a child with special health care needs is harder (at least from my experience.) As a parent of a child with special needs and through working with other families, I’ve seen multiple families’ input be ignored, experience disregarded, seemingly meaningless barriers put in place. The journey can be draining and the opportunities to get angry and resentful . . . plentiful. But unforgiveness, toxic anger, bitterness all come with a cost to our mental health and our overall well being. Forgiveness is way for us to deal with, and heal from, people who have hurt us. We will learn what forgiveness is (and is not), why it matters, and how to start a journey of forgiveness.

8/14 Thursday

8:30 - 11:30 AM - Central

DCMP: Accessible Media in the Classroom Improves Access for All

Cindy Camp (0.30 GS RID CEUs)

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 captions and very little includes ASL. The Described and Captioned Media Program is a federally funded program that provides accessible educational media and much more. Learn about this free resource of over 18,000 online videos. There are videos to teach sign language and deaf culture, lipreading skills, self-advocacy, science, math, language arts, just to name a few. We’ll discuss how to use accessible media in the classroom and at home. Participants will also learn about the many other free resources DCMP has to offer.

6-7 PM -

Central

Department of Workforce Development (DWD) - Vocational Rehab (family focused)

Andrea Simon *no RID CEUs available*

Learn the "ins and outs" of what DWD can do for your Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or Deafblind student. Examples, tips, and frequently asked questions will be reviewed.

8/15 Friday

8:30 - 11:30 AM - Central

Supporting Children's Access to Acoustic and Social Learning Spaces

Carol Flexer (0.30 RID GS CEUs)

This three-hour keynote is divided into two complementary parts. The first portion focuses on Classroom and Home Acoustics: How Remote Microphones Make a Difference. We will explore room acoustics, highlighting how remote microphone systems work, and how they can be effectively implemented in both educational and home environments to support listening and learning. The second part examines the development of Executive Functions and Theory of Mind, emphasizing the vital role of language and social interaction. Attendees will gain insights into how language-rich, socially engaging environments nurture the brain's executive functions, and will leave with practical strategies to “access and grow the child’s brain” through enriched language and social-emotional experiences.

Offering RID CEUs (with completed evaluation)

up to 1.8 RID CEUs available

RID sponsor: https://www.wisrid.org/

Registration/Payment Link https://bit.ly/Outreach2025SummmerInstitute

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