Student to Volunteer: A School and Student Story
Meghan LeFevers, Principal, and Aubrey Bridges, Student
In this session, participants will meet Aubrey Bridges, graduate of Gaston County
Schools, and hear her perspective of K-12 education as a student with Autism. We will
also share how she is currently working with Kindergarten students to teach them both
American Sign Language and Exact English Sign Language. This has led to a dramatic
increase phonemic awareness, fluency and building a strong foundation for reading
practices.
Inclusive Supported Living Resources and Options
Gretchen Reece, UP Program Assistant, with UP Program Graduates
There are a variety of different types of resources to support adults with intellectual
disabilities in
living independently. This presentation will discuss community services and the development
of
different support systems to facilitate independent living. University Participant
(UP) Program
graduates will discuss their experiences transitioning to living on their own.
Transitioning on the Spectrum
Malinda Pennington and Karyna Parrish
Currently, 1 in 58 NC children has an autism spectrum disorder. Increasingly, students
with autism are
educated in regular classrooms. This session will provide you with differentiation
strategies based on
characteristics of autism and take-away tools you can use to build success for your
students in the
classroom and community.
Beyond Service Learning: Outcomes of a Powerful Collaboration
Research Associate, Debra Holzberg, Ph.D.
Special education majors engaged in service learning with students from a four-year
postsecondary
educational program. At the end, special education majors wrote reflections and produced
artifacts
describing their experiences. Examples will be shared to demonstrate the depth and
impact of this meaningful collaboration.
The Use of UDI in Higher Education: What the Data Say
Research Associate, Debra Holzberg, Ph.D.
This study evaluated the extent to which university instructors use UDI practices
in their courses. Participants were
also asked their preferred format for professional development in the area of UDI. Results
of the survey will be
discussed as will implications for practice.
One Story of Inclusion
Exceptional Children’s Teacher, Amber Lavin, and Coordinator, Kathy Norris
This presentation will tell the collective stories of a school community’s journey
of inclusion. Participants will hear the
voices of the student, family, staff and peers. The presenters will cover modifications,
social support, collaboration,
peer support, and technology. In addition, participants will learn how inclusion can
positively impact lifelong learning
for all.
The Calming Classroom (An Alternative to Suspensions)
Mrs. Caroline Black
Do you have students who experience emotional breakdowns? The Calming Classroom is
an innovative way to help
students gather their emotions and return to their regular classroom instead of being
sent home for the day. This
program can be used at any grade level school wide or in individual classrooms to
improve discipline and increase
student achievement.
How Public Separate Schools Can Still Change Lives
Barbara Eccles
Webb Street School is a public separate school in Gastonia, NC that serves students
with disabilities kindergarten
through age 22. The Transition Academy serves students 18-22 with a variety of vocational
training programs to
prepare students for post-secondary life. See what a public separate school can offer
students and the community to
support inclusion.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Amplifying the Voices of People with Disabilities
Educator, Photographer, Advocate, and Parent of child with disability, Jen Vogus
Jen Vogus' passion for photography began years ago when she started taking pictures
her son who is non-verbal. She
captured his daily life and interests so he could share them with peers and teachers at
school. Jen shares her story and
the process of working with others to create photo books to enable communication between
home and other
environments. She shares how this activity has evolved and the many benefits of having
individuals with disabilities take pictures of their own.
The Journey of Autism: From Student to Employee
Meghan LeFevers, Principal, and Aubrey Bridges, Student
During this presentation, meet a graduate of Gaston County Schools, Aubrey Bridges,
that now is giving back to our school system. Come learn how skills she learned, perfected
and gleaned are now allowing her to make a meaningful
impact on the academic performance of our school community.
Legal Principles for Fully Inclusive Educational Practice
Carl Lashley, Associate Professor at UNC Greensboro, and Jennifer Brown, Director
of Special Education in Lexington City Schools
Five fundamental elements (Individualization, Evidence-Based Decisions, Least Restrictive
Alternative, Appropriate
Education, and Parent Involvement) form the legal and instructional improvement basis
for teaching, learning,
decision-making, and program operations in special education. Participants will take
away strategies for improving
academic outcomes for students with disabilities in fully inclusive programs.
Building an Inclusive School Culture
Alicia Saunders, Ph.D., and Shawnee Wakeman, Ph.D.
Creating a positive school culture is the starting point for building an inclusive
school. This presentation will focus on
results from a qualitative research study examining how a NC School has worked to
build an inclusive culture with
meaningful membership for all students, including students with the most severe disabilities,
using a school-wide
approach. Examples of how to build a program like this will be shared.
Pre-Employment Transition Services (PETS) Facilitates a Coordinated Continuum of Employment
Supports and Services During Post-Secondary Transition
Webster Enterprises Pre-Employment Transition Services Coordinator, Laura H. Smith
Panel discussion about implementation outcomes of Pre-Employment Transition Services
in public secondary school
as a means to enhance student employability and facilitate a coordinated continuum
of employment services for
transition-aged individuals as they move from protections under IDEA to WIOA and ADA.
Coaching Others to Implement Strategies for Facilitating Inclusion
Robert Pennington, Ph.D. BCBA-D, and Alicia Saunders, Ph.D.
In this exciting session, the presenters will offer a model and supporting strategies
for building the skills of teachers
and paraprofessionals in the use of instructional strategies to support the learning
of students with disabilities in
inclusive settings.
Effects of Video Modeling and System of Least Prompts on Completion of Transitions
in Inclusive Settings
Elizabeth N. Reyes, ME.D.
This session will show the effects of Video Modeling (VM) and System of Least Prompts
(SLP) on completion of
transitional routines for a student with extensive support needs (ESNs). The presentation
will explain and define ESNs, as well as detail how VM and SLP can be used to support
these students. The presentation will show how a balance of
high-tech (VM) and low-tech (SLP) can be combined as an intervention to support independence
of a student with
ESNs in an inclusive classroom setting. Information and materials will be shared so
teachers and practitioners can
recreate some aspects from this research study in their own classrooms or settings.
The Things They Carried: Using Reading, Writing, and Art to Include All Learners in
History Classroom
Lisa Camichos and Jessica Esposito
This presentation discusses how to implement Reading, Writing, and Art in the history
classroom in order to help all
students achieve positive results. The presenters will discuss their use of collaborative
strategies (KAGAN), as well as
reading and writing strategies in all classrooms.
