News from NLCSD 03.23.17

The NLCSD newsletter continues to expand! Please be sure to read about many of the exciting things that our scholars (current and previous) are doing within the field of sensory disabilities.

Keep reading to see what the scholars are up to in the Enrichment Program and out in the wider community. We've also added many professional opportunities and resources. If you are interested in writing about your conference of choice experience or if you'd like to add anything to the newsletter, please contact Emily Vasile, NLCSD Coordinator at [email protected].

For all general inquiries or questions related to travel reimbursement, please contact The NLCSD at [email protected].

Congratulations Genevieve!

Genevieve Francoeur-Anderson (NLCSD 2, Cohort 2) was selected as one of the Doctoral Scholars to participate in the Higher Education Consortium for Special Educators (HECSE) Policy Course.

The course is intended to provide a foundation for ten doctoral students who will go on to participate in the full HECSE summit at the conclusion of the short course. The course also exposes participants to the HECSE mission and activities so that they develop an affiliation as they move forward in their careers. Per past HECSE practices, only 10 students were accepted for the course; only one per institution.

Pictured above: Genevieve Francoeur-Anderson (NLCSD 2, Cohort 2 Scholar) and her faculty advisor, Dr. Silvia Correa-Torres.

NLCSD 2 Scholars Represent at AFB Leadership Conference 2017!

NLCSD 2 Scholars participated in revising CEC Standards at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Leadership Conference 2017 in Arlington, VA.

Pictured from left to right: Ann Pilewskie, Nicholas Trotter, Genevieve Francoeur-Anderson, Hilary Travers, Rachel Schles, Amber Rundle-Kahn, and Lauralyn Randles.

Not pictured: Linda Hagood

NLCSD 2, Cohort 2 Scholar, Linda Hagood, presented at the conference on autism and visual impairment.

Congratulations Genevieve, Hilary, and Linda - AFB 2017 Delta Gamma Award Recipients!

At the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Leadership Conference 2017, three NLCSD 2, Cohort 2 Scholars, Genevieve Francoeur-Anderson, Hilary Travers, and Linda Hagood, each received the 2017 Delta Gamma Foundation Graduate Student Fellowship Award.

These three scholars were nominated by their professors for their high level of achievement in coursework, commitment to research and/or students they teach, and their potential as future leaders in the blindness and visual impairment community.

Their Words, Their World: Take the Challenge!

NLCSD 2 Scholar, Elizabeth Rosenzweig and former NLCSD 1 Scholar, Jenna Voss share their YouTube video promoting their workshop at the AG Bell Symposium, from June 29th - July 1st.

Check out their YouTube video promoting their course, Their Words, Their World: Take the Challenge !

For more information please click here.

My Conference of Choice - Federal Policy Institute

As part of a class on education policy offered by Teachers College, Columbia University, I attended the Federal Policy Institute in Washington, DC, from January 9 through 13, 2017. The weeklong institute featured panels with prominent policymakers, think tank researchers, and advocacy groups, as well as one-on-one interviews and networking with those on the forefront of crafting education policy at the federal level.

-- Elaine Smolen, Cohort 2 Scholar

Pictured above: Teacher's College, Columbia University class in the hearing room of the Senate HELP Committee. Elaine Smolen - back row, fourth from the right. Dr. Kagan - front row, far left.

Please click here to read more about Elaine's experience at the Federal Policy Institute.

Enrichment Program

Session 6 began on March 6, 2017 and is off to a great start!

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Cohort 1 has begun exploring How Do Values and Research Intersect with Public Policy? led by Dr. Susan Bruce.

On March 9th, scholars participated in their third webinar with members of the PAC from the following organizations: American Cochlear Implant Alliance, Council on Education of the Deaf, Higher Education Consortium of Special Education, and The National Research Training Center of the Blind and Visually Impaired.

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Cohort 2 has begun learning about Quality Indicators in Qualitative Research , led by Drs. David Smith, Susan Bruce, and Paula Conroy.

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The complete 2016-2017 Enrichment Program syllabus for Cohort 1 can be found here.

The complete 2016-2017 Enrichment Program syllabus for Cohort 2 can be found here.

Save the Date!

The 2017 Consortium - PAC - Scholars meeting dates have been set. Please hold Monday, September 25 and Tuesday, September 26, 2017 on your calendar. Meetings will be held at the Office of Special Education Programs in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Department of Education Seeks Comments on New Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Website

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is seeking input from users of the IDEA.ed.gov website as part of their effort to provide updated, easy-to-navigate IDEA resources to children with disabilities and their families, teachers, administrators, advocates, and other stakeholders.

To help facilitate this effort, OSERS has posted a blog for users of the IDEA website to provide comments. OSERS continue efforts to improve their online resources as part of their commitment to ensure that infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities and their families have the supports and services they are entitled to under the IDEA.

Pearson Seeks Reviewers for Pre-Kindergarten Nemeth Braille Code Curriculum

Pearson is seeking 20 volunteers to review the Pre-Kindergarten Nemeth Braille Code Curriculum with students who are learning to read and write in braille.

Please click here for more information.

AG Bell Auditory-Verbal Educator Scholarship

Through the support of legacy donors, AG Bell has established a professional scholarship to support certification of educators through the AG Bell Academy. The purpose of this scholarship is to assist one LSLS professional per year in fulfilling the requirements for certification as a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS™) in Auditory-Verbal Education (LSLS Cert. AVEd).

Applications are due by 5:00pm EST on April 14, 2017

Please click here for more information.

Doreen Pollack Scholarship

The Listen Foundation established a professional scholarship in the name of Doreen Pollack, a pioneer in the standards of excellence in listening and spoken language. The purpose of this scholarship is to assist one applicant per year in fulfilling the requirements for certification as a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS™) in Auditory-Verbal Therapy (LSLS Cert. AVT).

Applications are due by 5:00pm EST on April 14, 2017

Please click here for more information.

Employment Opportunities

The Helen Keller National Center seeks applications for a P roject Specialist for the National Center on Deaf-Blindness, who will conduct an array of NCDB's national technical assistance (TA) activities. The Project Specialist collaborates with other NCDB staff in the design and delivery of formal and informal TA activities to state and multi-state deaf-blind projects and families, in support of priorities that NCDB is funded to address.