OCALI Now – May 2020
Do these faces look familiar?
If you’ve been joining OCALI on Facebook for our daily 4 Minutes at 4:00 p.m. video series, Patty, Rachel, Maggie, and Kelli should look familiar. For the past six weeks, they have been newscasters sharing tips, resources, strategies, and funny stories in short, easy-to-understand video clips on a variety of topics—from learning about accessibility features in Zoom and how to use descriptive language using alt text and audio description to establishing routines and sharing self-care tips.
The 4 Minutes at 4:00 p.m. video series was part of OCALI’s larger virtual #HereToHelp campaign designed for families, caregivers, educators, and other professionals who support people with disabilities.
“With the rapid and unexpected transition to remote learning and families working from home, the OCALI team was looking for innovative ways to connect people with accessible materials, online learning, and other resources,” said Shawn Henry, executive director at OCALI. “When we launched the campaign, our goal was to ensure that people with disabilities and those who live with, love, and care for them were supported during this pandemic. It’s been exciting to see so many people accessing and using our resources, many of which are free.”
“We also wanted the campaign to provide something fun for people to look forward to each afternoon—with quick, easy, and approachable strategies and resources to access live or at your leisure,” shared Kelli Yeagley, community engagement and project specialist.
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In case you missed the videos or resources, you can still access everything on the #HereToHelp webpage. There, you will find 100+ resources specifically curated for educators/professionals and families/caregivers, including tips to support accessible, remote learning environments and strategies.
#HereToHelp for Families & Caregivers
Bringing People Together
In everything we do, we are striving to connect a community of people—from educators, service providers, parents/families, people with disabilities, community leaders, policy makers, and more. When we collaborate and work together, we bring new ideas and diverse perspectives that benefit our collective thinking, practices, work, and ultimately, impact.
“Our staff has always been good at collaborating,” said Jan Rogers, program director, Assistive Technology and Accessible Educational Materials (AT&AEM) Center. “Planning and developing this campaign virtually provided our staff an opportunity to think differently about how we work together and communicate with each other in new ways.”
“Google Meet and Zoom became great friends during the past few months,” adds Jen Bavry, program director, Family and Community Outreach Center. “It truly was an amazing effort by our staff to quickly gather the information needed for educators and families and organize those into an easily digestible format.”
What’s Next?
Our last new 4 Minutes at 4:00 p.m. video will air on May 20. If you missed an episode or want to watch one again, check out our video gallery. We will also be re-running all episodes throughout the summer. The team is also busy planning for the next phase of the campaign, so stay tuned for more information!
OCALI Now 