Welcome to the MITTIN Memo

Although the 2024-25 school year has officially concluded, MITTIN is still going strong. Below you will find our newest offering: The MITTIN Curricular Resources Library. This collection, developed by educators for educators, provides free supplemental materials aligned with MITTIN's module topics to further strengthen independence and instructional practice. Each resource was thoughtfully designed to be practical, accessible and immediately useful. The library also includes an Acknowledgement and a Contributors section, proudly highlighting the work of 70 educators. Their collective effort is a testament to the power of connection and shared purpose in shaping educational opportunities across Michigan.

Also in this edition you will find:

• An abstract of our fourth peer-reviewed journal article,
• An overview of recent MITTIN implementation, and
• A summary of upcoming MITTIN events.

If you are interested in learning more about MITTIN or joining next year's virtual Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), we would love to connect! Reach out to Kristine Gullen, Ph.D. Project Manager at kristinegullen@maase.org or scan the QR code at the end of the newsletter.

Best Regards,

Dr. Derek Cooley,

MITTIN Committee Chair

MITTIN Professional Learning

On June 13th & 14 (Friday evening and Saturday), educators gathered for an in person MITTIN Professional Learning opportunity. MITTIN PLC members examined and provided thoughtful feedback on the MITTIN Logic Model, Legislative Communications and the MITTIN Strategic Plan, articulating practitioner perspectives and future recommendations as to priorities.

Karen Hairston, Director of Education Services at Great Lakes Reality Labs and Pamela Cunningham, MA & MS, Assistive Technology Consultant at Wayne RESA, provided an outstanding presentation and interactive work session on Assistive Technology support for MITTIN. Sharing a pletora of devices and gadgets, attendees were able to both interact with tools and make some to take back and use with learners.

Martin DeKorte, President at Great Lakes Reality Labs presented, 'Building MITTIN: From Design to Release, A Journal Through the Game Design Pipeline.' He began by brainstorming a list of disciplines and specialities within the field of game design. Martin then led us through what it takes to make a MITTIN module including: Game Design, Game Development, Art & Visual Design, Audio Design, Testing & Iteration, and finally Release & Ongoing Support. Martin provided a template and had tables begin with a possible MITTIN future topic, frame out the steps and then present it to the whole group. What followed was a wonderful collaborative conversation on design, development and insights from educators in the field.

The professional learning evaluation was very positive and included the following feedback:

• "I'm able to take so much information back to my district, the PL keeps me informed professionally and expands my professional goals."
• "There were educators from all across Michigan, talking how to support our learners and each other -- such a wonderful session"
• "You all do such a wonderful job. The modules are awesome and engaging to the students."
• "It's always great to network and get new ideas... enjoyed our collaboration with Martin."
• “Helps me in my line of work and in my career community.”
• “Important to see the growth and where we still want to go.”
• “I learned new ways to present and learned more about the robust operation.”
• “I learn so much every time I am at a MITTIN PL.”

Strengthening Transition Services Through Accessible Digital Resources

We are excited to share our most recent publication, "Michigan Transition to Independence (MITTIN): Strengthening Transition Services Through Accessible Digital Resources." Authored by Kristine Gullen, Lois Vaughan-Hussain, Pamela Cunningham, Shannon Delora and Suzanne Ruskusky, this article is found in the journal Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits.

Abstract: The Michigan Transition to Independence (MITTIN) Project offers a comprehensive set of modules and supporting materials specifically designed to strengthen special education transition-related instruction and the use of individual assistive technology. These innovative, mixed-reality (MR) digital and curricular resources available at https://maase.org/mittin are designed to: provide extended learning opportunities for students; create instructional scaffolding through virtual connections to community experiences; and foster collaboration between educators and families by enabling access to modules and resources both at home and in the classroom. MITTIN also incorporates one-touch gamification, ensuring seamless integration with a variety of assistive technology tools and accessibility features to support the development of independent living skills and promote social inclusion.