OCALI Now – June 2020
That’s a wrap for school year 2019-2020. And what a year it has been. Like many of you, the unexpected and rapid transition to working from home, remote learning, and social distancing caught us by surprise. As we made the transition with our own staff, there were a lot of bumps and learning along the way. From trying to sort out how to connect staff remotely, how to support collaboration between project teams, how to use new technology, how to deliver and present content in an online format, and the list goes on and on. We’re sure that many of these things are all too familiar to many of you, too.
While we were all learning together (or flying by the seat of our pants, in most cases), our commitment to supporting our collective community has remained at the heart of everything we do. We are here to support you with accessible materials, online learning, and other resources to ensure that people with disabilities and those who live with, love, and care for them have what they need.
You might be taking a mental health break, planning your next vacation, or just getting ready to enjoy a more relaxed schedule—but we want to remind you that we are here to support your professional learning and have a variety of resources available—many of which are free and several that offer the opportunity to earn graduate or continuing education credit. You can access these resources any time, in your own home, and at your own pace.
For people with disabilities and those supporting them—families, educators, caregivers, service providers, and others—it is essential to have the latest knowledge, skills, resources, and tools to ensure they can live their best lives for their whole lives. For more than 14 years, OCALI has been a trusted source of providing high quality research, resources, and training.
As you consider your professional learning plans—for yourself or your teams—OCALI staff members have compiled some of our newest resources to get you started.
Promoting Access
Access—it’s not something the average person thinks about. But, for our students with disabilities, access is front and center in their daily lives. Unfortunately, access is often silent and unintentional discrimination. Promoting Access for People Who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind, or Visually Impaired is a free, self-paced training module designed to build confidence and comfort for anyone communicating or connecting with people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or visually impaired. By completing this module, users can earn up to 2.5 hours of Continuing Education Credit.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In the coming weeks and months we will be working to create and share accessible resources to support continued conversations and actions about race, disability, and the ongoing fight for equality. Here are a few you can access today:
Systemic Racism Explained via ACT.TV
Black, Disabled, and Proud – College Students with Disabilities – The HBCU Disability Consortium
Black Deaf Culture Through the Lens of Black Deaf History
So You Want to Talk About Race (Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook) Ijeoma Oluo
March (Books 1 and 2) John Lewis
Read our full statement at OCALI.org
Early Childhood
If you’re an early childhood professional who needs hours toward your credential, or you want to build your knowledge about early childhood topics, the Center for the Young Child’s new suite of resources are a great place to start. These modules have received the Ohio Approved (OA) designation and are also eligible for Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities continuing professional development (CPD) unit in the area of developmental specialist/supervisor, EI service coordinator/supervisor.
If you’re a developmental specialist who needs hours toward your credential or you are an early care or education professional who wants to build their knowledge around child growth and development, check out the new Early Care and Education Seminars.
Need Graduate Credit?
Check out these online resources that offer the opportunity to earn graduate credit.
Assistive Technology Internet Modules (ATIM)
ASD Strategies in Action – Foundations
ASD Strategies in Action – Behavior Assessment and Planning (BAP)
Family Resources
The Family Center Resource Gallery provides a variety of resources in different formats to support families with a loved one with autism. Resources include a basic introduction to autism, guide to Ohio resources, building social skills, and learning from others.
UDL Webinars
Check out the schedule of upcoming webinars from the UDL Center! Topics include: Designing for the Least Restrictive Environment in General Education, Inclusive Practices That Support Learners With Significant Cognitive Disabilities, and many more!
Case Studies to Support Transition
Need support in using Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment methods to assist your team in better understanding a student’s current and future skills and knowledge?
The Lifespan Transition Center has a great collection of case studies you can use to guide your team’s planning process!
OCALI Now 