Videos

Dean Fixsen will review the most important tenants of effective implementation as well as critical resources and tools.

How can you discuss with an employer how equipment might be used, how it will be paid for, and who might be of assistance in making this work? Join us to hear about communication with potential employers about the successful use of Assistive Technology while on the job. More and more job seekers are using Assistive Technology to be as integrated, communicative, and productive as possible in the workplace. Assistive Technology can tool-up the workforce and assist each employee to have the equipment they need to succeed. People with speech or communication difficulties can use voice generating devices. People who need more support with organizing and prioritizing their work can use handheld devices and apps. People who can’t read get information through pictures or recorded information. These and more scenarios will be presented and discussed. With technology, businesses can be accessible to all sorts of employees and customers alike. It can leverage the talents of many types of workers and create a welcoming and inviting customer experience.

In this session, participants continue to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to improve writing instruction for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Phases of genre-specific writing instruction, such as learning about genre, evaluating genre, and writing genre, will be discussed. Because students who are knowledgeable about text structure, recall and write text better than others who aren’t, this session will highlight the importance of making text structure for the genres of narrative, informational/explanatory, and opinion/argumentative writing visually explicit.

This webinar continues the examination of writing instruction for students who are deaf or hard of hearing by examining the micro-structures of writing. Components of micro-level writing, including handwriting, spelling, vocabulary, and sentence structure will be discussed with emphasis on instructional strategies for linking micro-level and macro-level structures through the use of “writing warm-ups.” Sentence stems and organizational frames will also be presented as instructional scaffolds to help bridge micro- and macro-level writing.

In this session, participants will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to improve writing instruction for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Topics include how to prepare students for writing, explicitly teach the writing process, and motivate students to write. As part of this workshop, participants will discuss the importance of defining the phases of the writing process. Materials selection and the use of graphic organizers and writers’ notebooks will also be addressed.

This 52-minute video features a session at the 2016 PBIS Implementer's Forum. State wide and school wide implementation are addressed and RENEW is defined as a tier 3 intervention. The process of RENEW is briefly described and then three youth share their experience and outcomes relative to the RENEW process.

Over the past sixteen years, Williamsport Area High School has cultivated and refined a school-wide positive behavior support system known as Top Hat PRIDE, grounded in the principles of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). This presentation will walk participants through the evolving journey of implementation—celebrating our successes while honestly confronting the mistakes and lessons learned along the way. Rooted in a tiered framework of support, our PBIS model is anchored by five foundational elements: clearly defined behavior expectations, explicit instruction of those expectations, consistency in adult responses, a data-driven decision-making system, and a comprehensive recognition/reward system. These components have been developed, tested, and adapted in real time to reflect student needs, staff capacity, and school-wide priorities. As our program has matured, so has our approach to Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. We’ll share how we’ve organized teams and systems to deliver targeted supports for students needing more than the universal framework, including mentoring, check-in/check-out systems, and individualized plans. Critical to this work has been establishing effective structures for teacher communication and feedback, gaining staff buy-in, and aligning our demerit and consequence systems with the values of PBIS rather than punitive discipline. Throughout the session, we will blend theoretical frameworks with practical tools, including how we developed a common language around behavior, created a positive reinforcement culture, and used data to pivot when things weren’t working. Participants will leave with implementation resources, reflection tools, and ideas adaptable to their own school contexts—whether they are just beginning or are deep into the PBIS journey. Above all, this presentation tells the honest story of a school that committed to doing the work—even when it was messy—to build a culture of consistency, connection, and pride.

Training and Consultation (TaC) services support LEAs by providing professional development, technical assistance, and consultation regarding Pennsylvania's special education initiatives. PaTTAN's Training and Consultation to Implement Computer Science (TACTICS) team is a voluntary program for TaC who want to grow their capacity as leaders in Pennsylvania's computer science (CSinPA) education initiatives. Joining PaTTANpod to discuss how TaC support CSinPA are Tom Esposito from Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 and Lauren Walker from Chester County Intermediate Unit. Tom Esposito, Special Education Consultant with Lancaster-Lebanon IU13 Tom Esposito is a Special Education Consultant with Lancaster-Lebanon IU13 and a member of the TaC (Training and Consultation) Team, BrainSTEPS Team, and Deaf-Blind Resource Team. He provides technical assistance to the IU and school districts in the areas of Assistive Technology, STEM, Crisis Intervention, Inclusive Practices and has over 30 years of experience in special education as a paraprofessional, teacher, parent, and administrator. Lauren Walker, Training and Consultation Specialist, Chester County Intermediate Unit #24 Lauren Walker is a dedicated educator with extensive experience in special education. She worked as a special education teacher for the Chester County Intermediate Unit for 10 years, where she provided support to students within a variety of classrooms, including Autistic Support, Emotional Support, and Life Skills Support. During her tenure, she developed a reputation for being a compassionate and effective teacher who truly cared about her students’ well-being. After a decade of teaching, Lauren decided to take her skills and expertise to the next level by transitioning to Training and Consultation. She now works with other educators and schools to provide guidance and support in meeting the unique needs of students with disabilities. Lauren’s passion for education and her unwavering commitment to helping others make her an invaluable resource in the field of special education.

Transition Discoveries is a project intended to provide tools and resources geared towards improving transition practices