Date: 08/01/2025 Time: on-demand Location: internet Type: Asynchronous
Price: $ 120. Course opens on August 1, 2025 Make a Payment
Description
Learn how to make reading and writing accessible for students with complex communication needs and physical disabilities. This course offers practical, research-based strategies from the book Comprehensive Literacy for All: Teaching Students with Significant Disabilities to Read and Write. Low & high tech tools to support emergent readers and writers are explored—including alternative pencils, eye gaze boards, and AAC. Aligned with K–2 ELA standards, it’s perfect for educators, paras, and families ready to help every student find their voice.
Learning Objectives
- Identify two ways to increase student communication and participation in literacy instruction
- Describe two lite tech and/or high-tech tools that could be implemented during literacy instruction
- Incorporate two universal strategies into emergent literacy instruction
Presenters
Brenda Del Monte, MA, SLP-CCC
Brenda Del Monte is a speech language pathologist and an assistive technology evaluator and facilitator. She worked as an SLP in Washington State public schools and is currently a private practitioner in Arizona, where she does AAC evaluations and trainings. Brenda has presented her knowledge at Closing the Gap and her collaborative research on accessing AAC at ATIA. Brenda Del Monte is a co-founder of Believe Beyond Ability, a non-profit organization that evaluates, determines, provides and trains those with multiple disabilities on assistive technology to increase independence. Brenda is also an author of the newly published book, “I See You In There,” a collection of stories from her 20+ years of experience working with children and adults with disabilities. She is currently a co-host of the Awe and Wonder Podcast hosted by the Special Ed Tech Center.
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