Statewide DeafBlind Community of Practice Meeting

Minnesota DeafBlind Community of Practice - Virtual Zoom Meeting

The Zoom link for participation will be emailed to participants by the day before the workshop.

This event is free to participants.

5.25 CEUs available, including ACVREP CEUs for Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists.

Monday, February 26, 2024

9:00 am - 3:00 pm 

9:00-9:10 a.m.          Welcome and Updates

9:10-11:45                Real-World Application of the Tactile Working Memory Scale (TWMS) - Kaycee Bennett and Sarah Mossberger

11:45-12:30               Lunch Break

12:30-2:55 p.m.        Touching the Mind: Unveiling the Intricacies of Working Memory through the Sense of Touch and the TWMS                                           - Christine Sauvé-Guindon 

2:55-3:00                   Wrap-up and Evaluation 

Real-World Application of the Tactile Working Memory Scale  (TWMS) 

Presenters: 

Kaycee Bennett is a certified teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing and also has a graduate certificate and master’s degree in deafblind education from Texas Tech University.  She worked as a classroom teacher and an itinerant teacher for 10 years before joining the Texas School for the Blind/Visually Impaired (TSBVI) Outreach. Kaycee joined the Texas Deafblind Project in 2019 and is one of the authors of the “Essential Tools of the Trade for Teachers of Students Who Are Deafblind” publication. 

Sarah Mossberger is a certified teacher of students who are visually impaired and also has a graduate certificate in deafblind education and a master’s degree in special education from Texas Tech University.  She worked as a classroom teacher for 10 years and an itinerant teacher for 7 before recently joining TSBVI Outreach in 2023.

Presentation Description: This session will examine one district's implementation of strategies based on the results of the Tactile Working Memory Scale for a student who is deafblind. We will look at the implications of using the scale, and the associated strategies, along with changes to the student's programming.  

Touching the Mind: Unveiling the Intricacies of Working Memory through the Sense of Touch and the TWMS 

Presenter: 

Christine Sauvé Guindon is a lifelong learner who has dedicated her teaching career to deafblindness. She has worked in a deafblind classroom, and she is currently an educational consultant at Consortium Centre Jules-Léger (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada). She also developed and teaches (in French!) the Deafblind Additional Qualification three-part course at the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa. Over the years, she has trained under Jan van Dijk to refine her approach in child-guided strategies and assessment. She has completed the Supervisor Seminar on the Tactile Working Memory Scale. Being passionate about brain-based sensory losses, she learned everything she could regarding Cortical / Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) and obtained the Perkins-Roman CVI Endorsement. She also has an interest in brain-related Auditory and Visual Impairment (BAVI): the link between CVI and Central Auditory Processing Disorder. She has been published twice in the Deafblind International Review and presented at various symposiums, including European and International conferences.

Presentation Description: 

The sense of touch is crucial for individuals who are deafblind, as it often serves as a primary channel for communication, information gathering, and environmental awareness. Deafblindness refers to the combined loss of both hearing and vision, and touch becomes a vital means of connecting with the world.

Embark on a sensory journey with our workshop, "Touching the Mind," where we delve into the fascinating interplay between working memory and the sense of touch. This immersive experience promises to unravel the secrets behind how our minds actively engage with and process tactile information.

This initiative is made possible in whole with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education using federal funding, CFDA 84.027A, Special Education – Grants to States. This event does not necessarily represent the policy of the federal Department of Education or the state Department of Education.  You should not assume endorsement by the federal or state government.

Cancellation: You can cancel your own registration for an event before the cancellation deadline. (Please check the event information for specific cancellation details.) If the event has a fee, refunds are possible only if cancellation is prior to the deadline. If you do not attend and do not cancel prior to an event, you are still responsible for payment and will be billed.

Special Accommodations: Please alert BrightWorks 2-3 weeks prior to the workshop/event if you need special accommodations, including sign language interpreters. (BrightWorks requires a notice of 2 business days to cancel a sign language interpreter. If you fail to cancel, we reserve the right to bill your school/district for this expense.) Update your profile as needed. Special accommodations are not included with each registration, but are stored in your profile until you make changes.