Overview

In this fun-filled, fast-paced session, we hope to inspire you to embed your learners' unique interests in combination with visual strategies to create differentiated learning materials that build on connection and inclusivity while fostering engagement, motivation and success. We’ll show you how to take those boring token boards, schedules, and worksheets and turn them into tools and activities your students will actually look forward to using. You will leave with a website full of resources that you can use to create visual supports your students will love.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe at least one way that customized visual supports can benefit individual learners.
2. Identify two different sources for preference assessments.
3. Compare at least three resources for creating interactive visual supports.

Strand(s)

Education & Learning: Early Intervention – 12/Higher Education

Target Audience

Administrators; AT Specialists; Caregivers; Communication Specialist; Consultants/Trainers; Curriculum and Instruction; Educators; Family Members; Instructional Technologist; Occupational Therapists; Paraprofessionals; Rehabilitation Counselor; Speech-Language Pathologists; Special Education Educators

Experience Level

Intermediate

Primary Life Cycle Addressed

Elementary - Secondary (K-12)

Session Delivery Format

In-person presentation with live-stream

Course Schedule

This course was given at the ATIA 2024 Conference on Saturday, January 27 from 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM (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; AOTA; ASHA; CRC; IACET
For: 0.10 CEU Units or 1.0 CEU Hours

Speaker/s:

Lesley McGilligan, MS CCC-SLP

Special School District of St. Louis County, SLP/Augmentative Communication Facilitator

Biography

Lesley McGilligan is a veteran SLP with a passion for AAC, visual supports, and creating materials that engage her students at Special School District of St. Louis County. SSD supports over 24,000 students on IEPs in 22 school districts within the St. Louis, MO metropolitan area. Lesley is often described as an engaging staff developer who inspires others to think differently and fosters creative learning environments for them to do so. She currently supports a caseload of over 200 students who use AAC and feels fortunate to help students find their voices.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Salary from employment at Special School District of St. Louis County

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No

Julie Osherow, M.Ed.

Special School District, Assistive Technology Specialist

Biography

Julie Osherow has been a special education teacher since 1998, working with students with various special needs in both self-contained and inclusive settings. She is currently an Assistive Technology Specialist at Special School District of St. Louis County (SSD), supporting students with assistive technology and providing professional development to staff in the form of workshops and hands-on technology trainings. In addition to her role at SSD, Julie has served as an adjunct faculty member at Webster University, and presents at the local and national level in the area of assistive technology.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Salary from employment at Special School District of St. Louis County

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No