A Sense of Texas

John Ravenscroft - CVI

Dr. John Ravenscroft brings our first international perspective to the podcast to discuss brain based visual impairment (CVI, NIVI) as well as how proper research is helping practitioners in the field achieve better results for our kids. Sara Kitchen from TSBVI Outreach also joins us to show how TVI's and the Texas Sensory Support Network are helping kids with CVI right here at home.

Norma Crosby - NFB

The National Federation of the Blind is one of the best known entities in blind services nationwide.  But as with many things we think we know, there's always so much more to learn about a subject.  Norma Crosby, the president of the NFB of Texas, joins Emily to discuss the many things the organization has cooking and to talk about living the life she wants.  Afterwards Emily speaks to a TSBVI student about navigating services on the ground level.

To contact organizations mentioned in this episode:

National Federation of the Blind of Texas
https://www.nfbtx.org/
(281) 968-7733

BELL Academy Info:
https://www.nfbtx.org/programs-summer-programs.php

National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
https://www.nopbc.org/

Texas Parents of Blind Children
http://www.tpobc.org/ 

2019 Outreach Forum Roundtable

Before Emily transitioned from outreach director to superintendent, she attended the 2019 COSB Outreach Forum, which brings together professionals from all over the country to discuss the current state and future of outreach in blind education.  She rounded up eight of her colleagues to join her in this roundtable discussion of the challenges and joys of the job.  Joining Emily are:

Adrian Amandi, California School for the Blind

Tanya Armstrong, Nebraska Center for the Education of Children who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Julie Johnson, New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Pam Parker, Washington State School for the Blind/Washington State Sensory Disability Services

Tiffany Sanders, Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Dawn Soto, Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Brandon Watts, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

Cindy Williams, North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind

 

Chris Montgomery - TDB Pilot

Many difficulties arise when teaching a student who is hard of hearing or who has a visual impairment. When you combine the two it brings up a whole new set of challenges that not many of us are trained to deal with. Chris Montgomery, DeafBlind Consultant from TSBVI Outreach, joins us today to discuss how the Teacher of Students who are DeafBlind (TDB) Pilot program could help create more positive outcomes for individuals who are DeafBlind in your classroom and beyond. 

Kate Borg - TSBVI's New Outreach Director

Welcome to A Sense of Kates!  This episode features a conversation with Kate Borg, who has pulled up stakes in Utah to come to Austin to serve as the new outreach director at TSBVI-- the seat formerly held by our host, Emily Coleman.  Afterwards, longtime TSBVI Outreach team member Kate Hurst joins us in the expert seat to share some insights into how the Texas department works, the kind of people it attracts, and the importance of its mission.

TSBVI's New Superintendent

A Sense of Texas began as a way for TSBVI's new Outreach Director to learn more about her new home and position.  Now a plot twist has changed the game going forward.  Join us as Guest Host and TSBVI Board Member Michael Garrett sits down to discuss the future with the school's new superintendent, Ms. Emily Coleman.

Summer Episode: George Stern & Andrew Cohen at Texas DeafBlind Symposium 2017

With the new school year not quite here but rapidly approaching we bring you another summer episode. Today we hear from George Stern and Andrew Cohen, two DeafBlind individuals who presented at the Texas DeafBlind Symposium in 2017. George discussed the importance of activity in his growth as a person who is DeafBlind and how we as educators can use activity to help our students feel involved both in and out of the classroom. Andrew brings to us information about the DeafBlind Camp of Texas. If you'd like to learn more about the DeafBlind Camp of Texas please visit their website at https://www.dbctx.org/

Summer Episode: Mickey Damelio: Rec and Leisure

While a critical part of the ECC, recreation and leisure often get put on the back burner to make more room for life and academic skills.  But as Mickey Damelio, formerly of Florida State University, shared with us at Texas Focus 2016, it is incredibly important to instill knowledge about one's body and making that body move if our students are going to truly enjoy a long, healthy life. This is our second Summer Special episode where we step back from the usual format and bring you some information from the vaults, a little off our usual beaten path. We hope you're enjoying your summer.

Summer Episode: Emily's Keynote Address

As we move from the hustle and bustle of the school year into the summer time we will be taking a break from our regular format to bring you some special episodes. Emily came to us from Washington state and was the keynote speaker at the Pacific Northwest AER Conference in March this year. So grab your chaise lounge and enjoy excerpts from the address from our own Emily Coleman. 

David Wiley - Transitions

Very little is more critical than finding the route our students can use to move from the world of learning to the world of doing.  Helping them discover the ways and means of how they will spend the rest of their lives is a singular and all-important task.  TSBVI Outreach's David Wiley joins Emily to discuss what he's learned in over 30 years in the field and shares an exercise many have found helpful in focusing the work of getting a child from student to productive member of society.  Afterwards, Emily talks to Gabby and Robbie Caldwell- a TSBVI student and parent, respectively- about looking to the future and matching interests to goals.

Amy Parker - CEC

Being a member of a professional organization is important for many reasons and Dr. Amy Parker is going to explain why. She is the current lead for the Division on Visual Impairments and DeafBlindness (DVIDB) with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).  Another DVIDB Board member, TSBVI's own Adam Graves, joins us at the end to share his take on this important organization.

Renee Toy - Summer Reading

As the school year winds down, many of us start working on the pile of books we want to work through over the summer.  Renee Toy, TSBVI's Learning Resource Director, joins Emily to discuss some of the exciting literacy programs the school has introduced and hands out plenty of recommendations to populate those reading lists.  Afterwards, TSBVI Outreach Consultant Scott Baltisberger announces the premiere of an exciting new project the school is launching. Here is the project link: https://www.tsbvi.edu/publications/6025-tomas

Featured Reading Programs:

Bookshare - www.bookshare.org

Audiobook Sync - www.audiobooksync.com

Learning Ally - www.learningally.org

Texas Talking Book Program - www.tsl.texas.gov/tbp

BARD - www.nlsbard.loc.gov/login//NLS

Your local public library

Matt Schultz - Interaction

Matt Schultz from TSBVI Outreach joins the podcast to discuss interaction and the importance of building relationships and creating space for communication initiated by our students. Edgenie Bellah chimes in as our expert at the end to focus on the family perspective and the important, irreplaceable role they play in their child's life.

Dr. Cindy Bachofer - Low Vision Students

Perhaps one of the most overlooked and least understood members of the blind population, low vision students face particular challenges as they navigate their lives.  Dr. Bachofer, part of the TSBVI Outreach staff, has dedicated her life and education to the field, as well as being a person with low vision herself.  Join Emily as she and Cindy take a deep dive into this fascinating subject.  Our expert for this episode is TSBVI student Rey Garza, who will give us a peek into his life and accommodations and will offer some advice to teachers with low vision students.

Nancy Toelle - QPVI

The on-the-go lifestyle of an itinerant teacher is a large reason behind the creation of this podcast. In this episode we learn about Quality Programs for the Visually Impaired (QPVI). A program review process created by Nancy Toelle to ultimately improve student outcomes. This is an episode you won't want to miss, and besides, you probably need something to listen to on the way to your next school.