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09/19/2023, Unlocking Literacy for Students with Complex Communication & Physical Access Needs

Date: 09/19/2023 Time: 11:30-12:00 Location: internet Type: Webinar

Description

Do you believe that all students can learn to read and write?  What about students who cannot speak or students who are unable to hold a pencil to write?  How do we provide robust literacy instruction to students who use Augmentative Alternative Communication and those who have significant physical disabilities? 

Comprehensive literacy instruction for students with complex needs requires the use of tools and strategies so that students can respond and participate.  The tools and strategies also allow teachers to assess learning and make data-based decisions based on learning goals.  In this session, we will share these tools and strategies, while building a community of support to help us apply what we learn to our students throughout the school year.  The Special Education Technology Center has created self-paced modules to support teachers, paras, SLPs, OTs, and parents in unlocking literacy for students with CCNs and physical disabilities.  In this webinar we will provide an overview of module 1 and provide the participants with access to the module series. 

Presenters

Kristin Leslie, ATP, MAT, OTR/L

Kristin Leslie is the Director of the Special Education Technology Center (SETC), a statewide program supporting educators and parents of special education students, ages 3 to 22, in Washington State. With over 26 years of experience as an occupational therapist, Kristin has presented statewide and nationally on topics such as alternative access to AAC, built-in accessibility features, Accessible Educational Material, and Universal Design for Learning. In her current role, she collaborates with school districts to integrate assistive technology, artificial intelligence, and culturally responsive practices within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework. Under her leadership, SETC addresses systemic barriers to learning, focusing on students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. As she partners with state and national leaders to transform education, Kristin values creativity and flexibility, recognizing that there are multiple pathways to fostering authentically inclusive learning environments.

Sarah Kinsella, MA CCC-SLP

Sarah Kinsella is a Speech-Language Pathologist with a passion for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and supporting students with complex communication needs. She holds a Master’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and has worked in the public school setting for 11 years. She also served as the district Assistive Technology Specialist for 7 years, working with multidisciplinary teams and families to support students with a variety of Assistive Technology and AAC needs. She is passionate about her field and thankful for the students with whom she works as they help her learn and grow along the way.

Contact

Email Sue Wright at the SETC office

Clock hours for this webinar and others in this series are available from ESD105 for a small fee. The following Professional Development Enroller link provides more information about clock hours: https://www.pdenroller.org/cwu/catalog/165361