AERizona View
MAY 2004
ASSOCIATION
FOR EDUCATION & REHABILITATION OF THE BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED—
INSIDE THIS ISSUE!
KAREN GOES
TO
CALENDAR! Page 2
AZOOM CONFERENCE A BIG SUCCESS! Page 4
REHAB TEACHERS
GET TOGETHER! Page
4
U OF A O&M IS BACK! Page 5
CLASSIFIED ADS LOTS OF JOBS! Page 7
INSERTS AZ AER FALL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION, CALL FOR PAPERS & SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
AER BIENNIAL CONFERENCE Orlando, FL July 13-19, 2004 www.aerbvi.org
NAPVI NATIONAL CONFERENCE
AZ AER
Annual Conference
CTEVH ANNUAL CONFERENCE San Francisco
March
4-6, 2005 www.ctevh.org
CEC Annual Convention Baltimore, MD
April 6-9, 2005 www.cec.sped.org
CANADIAN VISION TEACHERS
CONFERENCE Halifax, NS
May 12-15, 2005 www.apsea.ca
AZ AER
OFFICERS &
Board of Directors:
President
Jacki Daniels
Vice President
Rachel Jones
Secretary
Christine Powers
Treasurer
Karen Aron
Past President
Penny Rosenblum
Directors
Tami Levinson
Rob
Schulenberg Kerry
Duncan
Kartar Khalsa
Elaine Baldridge
Fernando Terazon
Region 1
Representative Sandra
Stirnweis
From your Editor: Thanks Jane, Penny,
Marnie, Dorinda, Jon, Karen, Joan & Patty for your contributions to
this edition of AERizona View! Deadline for the Fall edition is
TELL ME!
TELL ME is a telephone information service. The
number is
1-800-555-TELL
(1-800-555-8355). It offers several categories, including
news, sports, entertainment and travel. All choices are made by
voice command. By choosing “travel” and then “driving
directions” you can get exact information on how to get from a starting
point to a destination in any city you want.
Try it
yourself—get directions from your home to one of your schools or
clients!
************
AZ AER By-laws changes passed due to excellent membership
participation! Thank you
to all who took the time to study the proposed changes and vote! Jacki D.
The ACADEMY
FOR CERTIFICATION OF VISION REHABILITATION & EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS
(ACVREP) has a new address:
ACVREP
330
Phone & website remain the same:
520-887-6816 520-887-6826 fax www.acvrep.org
The National Vision Rehabilitation Association (NVRA)
is a new association formed to advance the independence and quality of
life of people who are blind or partially sighted. Its goal is to
expand access to quality vision rehabilitation services.
For information about NVRA and membership, contact
The PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY (PCO) offers the following on-campus and online courses:
n
Normal & Impaired Visual Functioning
n
Low Vision Assessment
n
Low Vision Intervention
Quarter hour credits can be earned toward continuing
education, certificate or Master’s degree in Low Vision Rehabilitation.
Computer skills are required. Contact Laura Edwards at
215- 780-1365 or ledwards@pco.edu
AZ AER welcomes
Dr. Lori Grover, Low Vision Optometrist! Dr. Grover
is the new director of Vision
Rehabilitation Service at the Foundation for Blind Children in
Dr. Grover sees children and adult patients with low vision on Tuesdays at FBC. She will be seeing patients throughout the summer. For further information or to schedule an appointment, call 602-331-1470.
TTT CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT
Enter a contest to win a Talking Tactile Alphabet! Designed by Touch Graphics Company, a New York-based firm, the TTT is a computer peripheral device that plugs into a USB port. With Authoring Tool software, the user is able to create simple to complex graphics with audio capabilities.
A contest is being held April 1-
TO DO:
F Register for Conference!
F Submit paper!
F Make Hotel reservation!
F Nominate for scholarship!
F Have a great summer!
President’s Message
Hello!
This is a hectic time of year for all of us, but I encourage you to take a
few moments to read "The Editors Talk" in the newest edition of
RE:view (Winter 2004). The piece is entitled "Professionalism
and Commitment to the Field". A few points I particularly found
meaningful: Sharing with colleagues, valuing them as future leaders
in our field, demonstrating high standards of practice, and increasing
knowledge through professional meetings, journals, and conferences.
All of this leads to providing the "best and most innovative"
practices to our clients and students. AZ AER strives to provide the best
information possible to its members through this newsletter and our
conferences. It takes all of us, new members and longtime members to
continue providing quality service, mentoring, and support for each other,
our clients and students. Thank you for your professionalism and
commitment to AZ AER. Have a great summer!
Sincerely,
Jacki
Daniels –
Planning is well
underway for our AZ AER Annual Conference to be held
This
will be our last year at the Prescott Resort. Make your room reservations
early by calling 1-800-967-4637. Be sure to say that you are with the
Arizona AER group for these special room rates:
$115
single to quadruple occupancy
$125
suite - single to quadruple occupancy
See you in cool, breezy
An
Arizonan In
As
Treasurer of AZ AER, I attended AERLift in
Sunday
began bright and early with breakfast and a line-up of sessions. The first
session gave AER leaders the opportunity to discuss experiences and ideas
of how their AER chapter has been involved in promoting professional
development. It was exciting to hear about all the various ideas and
programs.
Billy
Brookshire introduced the second session. He started in his usual way with
a good joke. I forget the punch line, but it helped set the mood for
discussing the duties/roles of chapter and division leaders. A packet was
passed out entitled “Manual for Chapter Treasurer”. Wow! Could I have
used that back in November when I was elected! The manual included new,
updated information to guide newly elected chapter treasurers with regard
to their responsibilities with AER National. A flow of discussion ensued
about the lack of communication between individual chapters, divisions,
and national. I documented several great ideas and comments. One
significant idea is to have National develop a speaker list/bureau (résumés,
topics, and reviews) for chapters to use when planning conferences.
Several chapters and divisions suggested keeping a record or database of
conference sessions that have been videotaped to be shown throughout the
organization. The O&M division leader mentioned that they are in the
process of converting over 50 recorded speakers into DVD format for
distribution to members. The
Monday
was another early morning and the “big day”! This was the day that AER
leaders would go to Capitol Hill and lobby for specific issues related to
visual impairment. We were
provided with a folder and briefed about the day’s activities during
breakfast. Appointments were already set up with a staff or Senate aide
from specific state Senate offices. Each appointment
would
be lead by a pre-selected AER leader. The rest of the members chose which
state session to attend. I scanned the list of 20 Senators to select my
preferred state; unfortunately,
The
gentlemen assisting me both worked with adults so I knew I was covered on
the second letter, “Preserving the Scope & Quality of Rehabilitation
Services”. This letter covered information on the reauthorization of the
Workforce Investment Act of 1988 (WIA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Specifically, “AER is strongly opposed to taking ANY amount of funds
from the Public VR Program to support the infrastructure costs of One-Stop
Centers beyond what is negotiated…”
Well,
I did it! I’m not sure how articulate I was at the Senator’s office,
but it definitely felt good to represent Arizona AER. I also attended the
appointment for
Arizona
AER
takes pride in congratulating Philip Hatlen, Superintendent of the
AZ
OOM CONFERENCE:
A Big
Success!
Dorinda
Rife TVI, COMS & Jon Howe COMS—Southeast Regional Cooperative
Forty
COMS’s from all over
Three
speakers shared their knowledge with the diverse group of COMS’s working
with individuals from babies to senior citizens. First, Janet Barlow, who
is actively involved in accessibility issues through her membership on the
AER Environmental Accessibility committee, shared current research on
different kinds of auditory pedestrian signals and discussed the many
changes traffic patterns and planning have undergone in the past several
years.
Mark
Nelson, Technology Specialist at the Foundation for Blind Children,
introduced the Braille Note Global Positioning System software currently
available through Pulse Data. This software allows the user to identify
key information in order to independently plan and execute routes.
COMS’s
enjoyed a lunchtime meeting discussing the future of "AZ OOM"
and the need for continuing education in our unique field. A committee has
been formed to plan next year’s workshop. Conference attendees expressed
interest in forming an Arizona Division 9 chapter for Orientation and
Mobility Specialists. If you are interested in participating in future AZ
OOM get-togethers, or wish to help plan the next workshop, please contact
Jon Howe at howe21@msn.com.
Sharon
Mikrut shared useful information on Orientation & Mobility
certification through ACVREP, the relatively new certifying organization
for our profession. She graciously answered the many questions this
audience had about the new certification requirements and urged members to
contact her office with future concerns.
REHABILITATION
TEACHERS Gather for Professional
Development
Joan
Ellis RT—RSA & Patty Arnold RT—ACBVI
On
A
number of topics and devices were discussed and demonstrated. Among these
devices were labeling devices, voice recorders with tone indexing, digital
organizers, Braille-related items, sewing items, devices for individuals
with diabetes, color tests, talking clocks and products for adults from
APH.
Teachers
had an opportunity to network and fill each other in on what they or their
agencies have been doing recently. ACVREP certification procedures were
covered, and we went to their website, www.acvrep.org,
to investigate continuing education possibilities. The new draft of the RT
assessment was discussed, and Joan received feedback on changes, which she
will incorporate into the final version.
The
role of an RT versus a Low Vision Therapist was discussed, stressing that
it is useful for either or both to participate in a client’s low vision
examination, so that the teacher can better assist the client in the home
when using recommended devices. This might also include discussing with
the client the parameters of ordering and using special glasses, so that
if they are spending their own money, they truly understand what it will
take to be able to use such a device.
Sometimes interaction with the prescribing physician facilitates
this process. The field of Eye
Therapy was discussed, which differs from what a Low Vision Therapist
does. Optometrist Dr. Richard
Glonek specializes in vision or eye therapy.
With
regard to Assistive Technology, a publication by AFB on technology, Access
World, is now free online at www.afb.org.
Citing information from here and several teachers’ experience, a brief
comparison of the features of some of the more popular screen magnifiers
and readers ensued.
A
brief discussion on transportation issues focused upon urban versus rural
concerns. Two other miscellaneous tidbits included information on Arizona
Pioneer’s Home—a retirement home for native Arizonans in Prescott, and
that the Diamondbacks only charge $1.00 for regular games to a person who
is disabled with their companion. Another
RT meeting is in the planning stages with a tentative date of
O&M
IS BACK!
…and
other good news from the
Dr. Jane Erin—
Orientation
& Mobility is back! The Arizona Department of Education
has confirmed that they will support a three-year Orientation &
Mobility
grant beginning this fall. Under this project, we can fund six full-time
students each year. Dr. Ian Stewart will be returning to coordinate the
program. The fall class is filled already with enrolled students who were
waiting for the program, but we will be recruiting new applicants for Fall
2005.
Please help us communicate our appreciation of the grant to Exceptional
Student Services at the Arizona Department of Education. It would be
helpful to send a brief emailed message to Miriam Podrazik,
MPodraz@ade.az.gov, coordinator of
Comprehensive State Personnel Services, and Joanne Phillips, jphilli@ade.az.gov, Director of Special
Education. Just tell them how much we need O&M instructors in the
state and how important this money will be in ensuring future services to
our students. They don't often hear from people in the VI community, and I
want them to know that this grant will meet an important need.
We are happy to offer the following coursework opportunities:
Summer Course in
Communication and Emergent Literacy: Under the Early
Intervention Training Center Project (Dr. Deborah Hatton,
children with visual impairments. Suzi Newbold of the Foundation for Blind
Children and I will be co-teaching the course, which will meet from June
7-11 from
A second course is being offered at the UofA. SERP 466/566: Assistive
Technology for People with Disabilities, is designed to be a 3-credit
departmental course targeting multiple student specialty needs. The
course will be offered during Summer Session 1 at the new
M-F, June 7-11 from
F, June 18 from
F, June 25 from
The co-instructors are Dr. Les McAllan,
Faye Newberry (FBC in
AZ
AER Classified Ads
AZ Schools for the Deaf & Blind
(ASDB) and
its Regional Cooperatives
anticipate the following openings for the 2004-05 academic year:
Audiologists, Career
Path Technicians , Educational Interpreters, Instructional
Assistants, Low Vision Specialists, Occupational Therapists, Orientation
and Mobility Specialists, Physical Education Teachers, Registered
Nurses, Residential
Services Assistants, Teachers (VI, MDSSI), Instructional Assistant,
Sub Teacher (VI, MDSSI), Instructional Assistant Sub, Music Teacher and
Technical Aides (Computer Room & Job Site Trainer) Contact
Rishanna Aguirre RAguirre@asdb.state.az.us
for Tucson/Southern Regions or
Ckapetanakis@asdb.state.az.us
for Phoenix/Northern Regions Go
to www.asdb.state.az.us/hr/recruitment/test.html
for inquires & applications
Cartwright
Elementary School District 1.0
Teacher of Students with Visual Impairment
Contact
Sheree Stover 623-691-3550 sstover@palm.cartwright.k12.az.us
The
Foundation for Blind Children
has openings for the following Vision Rehabilitation & Education
professionals:
Rehabilitation
Teacher, Teacher of Students with Visual Impairment (TVI), Certified
Orientation & Mobility Specialist (COMS), Early Interventionist
(Birth-3), Braille Transcriber, Teaching Assistants
Go
to www.the-fbc.org for additional
information and applications
Southeast
Regional Cooperative (SERC) is
specifically seeking Vision Education Professionals in the following
areas:
(2) TVIs, (1) COMS, (1) Instructional Assistant—VI (TVI &
O&M positions could be filled by dual-certified personnel)
Contact Dorinda Rife 520-770-3260 (office), 520-237-5871 (cell) drife@asdb.state.az.us
or patch@theriver.com
Washington
Elementary School District 0.5
Teacher of Students with Visual Impairment
Contact Amy Hyman 602-347-2649 ahyman@wesd.k12.az.us
or
Susan
Brdar 602-347-3028 sbrdar@rm.wesd.k12.az.us
or
Kartar
Khalsa 602-252-0643 kkhalsa@wa.wesd.k12.az.us
Go
to www.wesd.k12.az.us to download
Certified Employee Application
Washington
Elementary School District Vision Resource/O&M Department
congratulates Susan Brdar, our Alternative Media Specialist, as a
Recipient of the 2004 Lamp of Learning Award! The LOL is WESD’s highest
recognition of service!
We
love you, Susan!
peace
it does not mean to be in a place where there is not noise, trouble or
hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm
in your heart. (unknown)
Kartar Kaur Khalsa
AERizona View
Phoenix, AZ 85006