Overview
Starting out as early as possible is always the ideal in any situation and when applying assistive technologies, it can be quite exciting as well. We look to these panelists, their expertise in the area of early intervention services and integrating a wide variety of assistive technologies to aid the developmental process of movement, language acquisition, literacy learning as well as self awareness to the building blocks for each child's tomorrow! Come join us as they each share their strategies, stories and the fun of working together with families and children that are just getting started in their AT journey in birth to three services.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify a minimum of five internet sources for early intervention resources in assistive technology applications.
2. Discuss a minimum of one approach/strategy described during the panel presentation.
3. Research a minimum of three assistive technology tools presented by the panel following the presentation.

Strand
Education & Learning: Early Intervention – 12

Target Audience
AT Specialists; Caregivers; Consultants/Trainers; Educators; Faculty/Instructors - Higher Education; Family Members; Occupational Therapists; Paraprofessionals; Speech-Language Pathologists; Special Education Educators; Teachers of the Visually Impaired; Visual Impairment Specialists

Experience Level
Introductory

Content Area
Professional Area

ATIA 2020 Conference Recording
This course was given at the ATIA 2020 Conference on Friday, January 31, 2020 from 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM EST

Continuing Education Credits
For Satisfactory Completion and Continuing Education information, please visit: ATIA Online Education CEUs

This course is offered for the following CE Provider Credits:
ACVREP (General & ATBVI); AOTA; IACET
For: 0.1 CEU Units.

Start date of ASHA CEUs offering: April 1, 2020
End date of ASHA CEUs offering: June 30, 2023
Type: ASHA

This course was offered for 0.1 ASHA CEUs (Introductory level, Professional area).

Speaker/s:
Kelly Fonner
Fonner Consulting
Kelly is a self-employed, independent consultant and trainer in assistive and educational technology. Since 1986, she has presented to schools, universities & families in 48 US states & internationally in Australia, Canada and South Africa. She presents on a wide range of topics including technology integration, augmentative communication, computer access, literacy, electronic writing, organizers, assistive technology assessment and implementation strategies. Kelly has a B.S. in special education from Millersville University, an M.S. in educational technology with a minor in special education/rehabilitation technology from The Johns Hopkins University, and holds an Assistive Technology Applications Certificate of Learning from CA State University - Northridge. She has pursued additional study in adult and urban education at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.
Kelly has been working with individuals with disabilities since the mid 70s and with assistive technologies since 1983. Her teaching experiences have been as a teacher assistant, teacher, instructional media specialist, and assistive technology consultant in early childhood, preschool and school age programs. In the past, she has worked as a consultant with PATTAN/PennTech, UW-Milwaukee, Oregon Health & Science University and Easter Seals of Philadelphia. Since 1999, Kelly has maintained an independent business with contract work in educational and assistive technology consultation and training with schools, families, agencies, and companies.
Kelly has taught courses at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in both the Occupational Therapy and Exceptional Education departments and at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. She was a part of the development and training team for the ATACP, CSUN, California State University – Northridge’s Center on Disabilities and a Communication coach for Oregon Health & Science University with the Communication Matrix Community of Practice. You can find her at www.kellyfonner.com
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
I receive an honorarium as a preconference speaker. I receive a complimentary registration to the conference and some travel reimbursement as an ATIA Strand Adviser.
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
I am a contract trainer for some of the products that I will demonstrate, but am not limited by those contracts.

Karen Kangas
Karen M Kangas OTR/L
An occupational therapist actively practicing for 40 years, an AT specialist over 25 years, an adjunct faculty member, Misericordia University for Seating in Pediatric Practice, in private practice specializing in individuals with complex bodies throughout the state of PA, for seating, mobility and access to AT (including AAC devices, computer access, powered mobility and environmental control), and a clinical educator, teaching workshops throughout the USA. Has taught in New Zealand, Sweden, the UK, Scotland, Ireland, Israel and Canada. She is currently involved in a multi-year pilot state-wide project supporting students with complex bodies supporting the use of AT for inclusion.
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Adaptive Switch Labs, Inc. does ask me to consult locally with teams and/or families who may want to try powered mobility with alternative access or use alternative access with their AAC device, using the sensors Adaptive Switch Labs, inc manufactures.
Usually, once a years Adaptive Switch Labs, also pays me an honorarium as a speaker for a full day workshop within the USA.
I am not obliged to sell their products, but I do use them with teams if I asked to consult.
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
I am personal friends with Lisa Rotelli of Adaptive Switch Labs, Inc. I am a state member and national member of POTA, and AOTA and ISAAC and RESNA

Deirdre McLaughlin
Oregon Health & Science University
Deirdre McLaughlin is a speech language pathologist at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. She works at a clinician at the child development and rehabilitation center in the early access assistive technology clinic at OHSU and serves on the Go Baby Go Oregon committee with the goal of integrating early AAC supports with early mobility aids. She also is a research associate at the REKNEW lab and has research interests in designing augmentative and alternative communication supports especially in the area of brain computer interface. She previously worked on the Communication Matrix project in analyzing large data sets of assessments for participants with rare and low incidence conditions. In her spare time, you can find her with her lab mix trail running through forest park, hiking in the gorge, or dreaming up her next AAC project with like-minded AAC and AT enthusiasts! She has the following financial disclosures: She receives a salary from OHSU for her clinical work and performs research for the REKNEW lab at OHSU for which she receives a salary (NIH grants: R01 DC009834 & P30 AG008017). She has the following non-financial disclosures: She is a committee member on the Go Baby Go Oregon organization.
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
salary of employment at OHSU for clinical work and salary from NIH for research
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Serves on the organizing committee of Go Baby Go Oregon

Donna McNear
McNear Consulting
Donna McNear, M.A., COMS is an independent consultant and former career teacher/orientation and mobility specialist for children with visual impairments. ¬She provides on-going support and technical assistance to educational agencies and organizations nationally and internationally. She is frequently an invited speaker and trainer at national and state conferences and workshops on technology, braille, and literacy for students who are blind and visually impaired. She is a former member of the Braille Authority of North America and principal investigator and co-principal investigator for OSEP funded research projects in braille assessment. Ms. McNear’s current interests include braille literacy, technology, accessible materials, and instructional coaching. In 2008, she received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
I receive a speaking honorarium from HumanWare, Inc.
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No

Luis Perez
National AEM Center for Learning
Luis Pérez is a technical assistance specialist for the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials at CAST. In this role, he promotes the creation, delivery and use of high quality accessible educational materials and technologies to support equitable learning opportunities for all students. He holds a doctorate in special education and a master’s degree in instructional technology from the University of South Florida. Luis has published three books on accessibility, mobile learning and UDL: Mobile Learning for All (Corwin Press), Dive into UDL (ISTE) and Learning on the Go (CAST Publishing).
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
I am a salaried employee of the National AEM Center at CAST. The AEM Center is federally funded through the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. I am also an author with two books for which I receive royalties: Learning on the Go (from CAST) and Dive into UDL (from the International Society for Technology in Education, ISTE).
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No

Beth Poss
Beth Poss, Educational Consulting
Beth Poss is a school-based administrator in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland. She has worked as an Assistant Principal, a Coordinator of Preschool Special Education Programs, as a member of the MCPS assistive technology team and as an Instructional Specialist for Universal Design for Learning. She presents nationally and internationally on best practices in teaching and learning with technology. She also serves as adjunct faculty at Johns Hopkins University in their Graduate School of Education. Beth is passionate about sharing with others the importance of Designing Inclusive Learning Environments, Effective Technology Use in Early Childhood Settings, and Culturally Responsive Teaching. Beth believes in the power of social media as a professional learning tool and you can find her on Twitter as @possbeth and on Instagram as @bethposs. She would love to have you join her PLN!
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Beth Poss has received salary from employment from Montgomery County Public Schools where she is an assistant principal, consulting fees from independent contractor work, and fees from speaking/teaching. Beth Poss is now an employee of LessonPix.
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Beth Poss is a member of the ATOB editorial board. She is also a member of ASHA.