“Focus” on
Vision Impairment &
Blindness Conference
Meeting the Needs of Individuals with
Cognitive Disability & Vision Loss
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Holiday Inn Taunton, MA
8:00am – 3:30pm
Welcome Remarks:
Larry Tummino
Assistant Commissioner for Field Operations,
Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation
Keynote Speakers:
Y.K. Gary Chu, OD, MPH
Vice President, Community Collaborations, Associate Professor
New England College of Optometry
Barry S. Kran, OD, FAAO
Chief, Individuals with Disabilities Service, Associate Professor
New England College of Optometry, New England Eye Institute
Optometric Director, NE Eye Perkins Low Vision Clinic
"Progressive Vision Loss in Individuals with Cognitive
Disability: Prevalence, Causes and Effects"
A Very Special Thank You…
Generous Sponsors:
New England Eye Institute
DMR Southeast Region Training Council
New England Center Deafblind Project
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
Friends:
Lowell Association for the Blind
Northeast Regional Center for Vision Education
Perkins Training Center
Partners:
Shriver Clinical Services Corp.
The Carroll Center for the Blind
To Our Exhibitors Including:
Literature Tables:
Ablenet
Independent Living Aids
Maxi Aids
National Eye Institute
National Institute on Aging
National Institute of Health
National Keratoconus Foundation
NOIR
WGBH
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A Very Special Thank You…
Vendors:
Adaptive Technology Consulting, Inc.
Adapti Vision
American Printing House for the Blind
Assets Inc.
Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts
Department of Conservation & Recreation Universal
Access Program
Easter Seals Massachusetts
Freedom Scientific, Inc.
Helen Keller National Center - New England Region
Lowell Association for the Blind
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Bridge Program
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
MAGNISIGHT
NEAER
New England Center Deafblind Project
Northeast Regional Center for Vision Education /
Institute for Community Inclusion
Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library
Perkins School for the Blind
The Carroll Center for the Blind
Wellspring Farm
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A Very Special Thank You…
Posters:
Identifying the Best Places for Sighted Guide Outdoor
Walks Bob Tracey, PT, EDCO Habilitative Services Project,
Wrentham Developmental Center
Classroom Accommodations for Students with
Significant Multiple Disabilities & CVI
Barbara L. White, M.Ed.
Erin Blanchette, B.S. Ed.
MA State CVI Advisors
CAPS Educational Collaborative
Patriots Rock!
Ty Hill and Kathy Peters, People, Inc.
Seeing the Future Through Physical Fitness...
An Interactive Display
Megan Lincoln-Hilberg, B.S., NSCA Certified Personal Trainer,
Adapted Physical Education Instructor, WDC
Claudia Burrill, B.S., AFAA Member, Adapted Physical Education
Instructor, WDC/EDCO
V.I.S.I.O.N.S. INK Jane R. Rosen, M.A. COMS
Worcester Public Schools
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Conference Agenda “At-a-Glance”
8:00 – 8:30
Registration / Vendors Open / Refreshments
8:30 – 8:45
Welcome Remarks
8:45 – 9:45
Keynote
9:45 – 10:00
Break / Vendors Open & Poster Session
10:00 – 11:00
1st Concurrent Session
11:00 – 11:15
Break / Vendors Open & Poster Session
11:15 – 12:15
2nd Concurrent Session
12:15 – 1:15
Lunch / Vendors Open
1:15 – 1:30
Break / Vendors Open & Poster Session
1:30 – 1:45
Remarks - MCB Commissioner Janet LaBreck
1:45 - 2:00
Break
2:00 – 3:00
3rd Concurrent Session
3:00 - 3:15
Break / Refreshments / Vendors Open
3:15 – 3:30
Closing Remarks / Raffle
3:30 – 4:00
Vendors Open / Networking / Poster Session
Directions
HOLIDAY INN - TAUNTON
700 MYLES STANDISH BLVD, TAUNTON, MA
(508)823-0430
From Route 495, take Exit 9/Bay St. Take a left (if coming from Route 495
North) or right (if coming from Route 495 South) at end of exit. Follow Bay
Street to the 1st traffic light. At light, take a right into Myles Standish Industrial
Park. Holiday Inn will be on the right hand side.
We look forward to seeing you on March 12th!!!
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“Focus” on Vision Impairment & Blindness
8:00 – 8:30
Registration / Vendors Open / Refreshments
8:30 – 8:45
Welcome
Larry Tummino
Assistant Commissioner, DMR
8:45 – 9:45
Keynote
Y.K. Gary Chu, OD, MPH,
Barry S. Kran, OD, FAAO
"Progressive Vision Loss in Individuals with Cognitive
Disability: Prevalence, Causes and Effects"
9:45 – 10:00
Break / Vendors & Posters Open
10:00 – 11:00 Concurrent Sessions
A.
Why Your Patient May Not See: A Presentation of Ocular
Diseases Commonly Seen in Patients with Mental Retardation
and the Currently Available Treatments
Presenter: Jean E. Ramsey, MD, Director, Pediatric Ophthalmology
Service, Boston Medical Center
Description: Ocular diseases to be discussed will include cataract,
glaucoma,
retinal
detachment,
diabetic
retinopathy,
macular
degeneration, retinal vascular diseases, retinopathy of prematurity,
strabismus, keratoconus, and cortical visual impairment. Treatment
options will be discussed and will include the new anti-angiogenic drugs
currently being used with dramatic results in vascular disorders.
B.
Facilitating Self Determined Life Styles for Individuals with
Visual Impairment & Cognitive Disability
Presenter: Betsy Bixler, Manager, Perkins Training Center
Description: The support service provider is crucial to the actualization
of self determination for the individual with cognitive disability and vision
loss. Situations requiring the facilitation of decision making, risk taking
and personal choice occur on a daily basis. Major life decisions such as
the risks and impact of eye surgery on the individual's daily life, the
element of risk in community based activities and other situations that
require support for a high quality of life are confronted by the direct care
staff continually. This hour long presentation will examine the principles
and components of self determination such as self advocacy, decision
making, risk, and personal choice for individuals with cognitive disability.
The role of support staff in situations warranting the facilitation of self
determination and strategies for developing and supporting an individual's
right to a self determined life will be shared.
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10:00 – 11:00 Concurrent Sessions (continued)
C.
Inclusive Art Programming
Presenter: Melanie Rose-Zagwyn, Art Director, New England Village, Inc.
Description: Inclusive art offerings can be both cost effective and
profoundly enriching for the creator as well as the viewer/audience,
despite the challenges cognitive and/or vision loss can pose. Participants
will discover how multidisciplinary approaches to traditional art concepts
provide outlets for creative self expression, as well as enhance activities
for daily living. We will examine actual adaptive art materials and multisensory art works.
D.
Low Vision and Blindness Products for Individuals with Visual
Impairments
Presenter: Gayle Yarnall, President, Adaptive Technology Consulting, Inc.
Description: Adaptive technology is hardware or software that allows
someone to access and manipulate either print or electronic information.
This can mean anything from reading a textbook to participating in an online chat room. People who cannot access or manipulate information in
the usual way use these devices. This presentation will demonstrate
various pieces of technology used by individuals who are visually impaired
as well as offer a time for hands-on exploration.
11:00 – 11:15 Break / Vendors & Posters Open
11:15 – 12:15 Concurrent Sessions
A.
Charles Bonnet Visual Hallucinations: "Do you see things which
are not there?"
Presenter: Mary Lou Jackson, MD, Director, Vision Rehabilitation Service,
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Description: Recurrent visual hallucinations occur in over one third of
patients who are referred for vision rehabilitation. This presentation, "Do
you see things which are not there?" will discuss the characteristics of this
unusual syndrome, other disorders that can cause visual hallucinations,
and the clinical associations of visual hallucinations. In addition, this
lecture will outline how discussing visual hallucinations is part of
addressing "well-being" in a comprehensive model of vision rehabilitation.
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11:15 – 12:15 Concurrent Sessions (continued)
B.
Paratransit, Mobility and You
Presenters: Jane R. Rosen, M.A., Orientation & Mobility Specialist
Brenda Ozan-Pitts, Director, PTM Brokerage Services/
Worcester Regional Transit Authority
Description: Learn how to assist individuals with cognitive impairments
and vision loss become more independent in their travel skills while
accessing public transportation. Paratransit transportation is an UNDER
utilized federal program offered by transit authorities across the nation.
Meet two individuals with cognitive impairment and legal blindness and
hear about their successes!
C.
Teaching Personal Care Skills
Presenters: Sue Shannon, OT, Perkins School for the Blind
Kathy Bull, B.S. Ed., Perkins School for the Blind
Description: The philosophical groundwork will be laid for teaching
personal care skills in a manner that is empowering to the learner.
Personal care techniques appropriate for individuals with visual and
cognitive impairments will be presented, including ways to support
organization and memory.
D.
Reframing Universal Design (or, rethinking design itself)
Presenters: Barbara Knecht, Director of Design, Adaptive Environments
Description: Universal design is not a fresh name of old accessibility but
a framework for the design of everything that presumes the power of
design to shape human experience. Knecht offers a perspective on the
potential of inclusive design to shape a humanist vision for a potent role
for design in the 21st century. She'll suggest reframing of the movement
through strategic infiltration and partnering with the new UN Treaty, with
the new definition of disability from the World Health Organization, with
sustainable design and with neuroscience.
12:15 – 1:30
Lunch / Vendors Open
1:30 – 1:45
Remarks: Commissioner LaBreck
1:45 – 2:00
Break / Vendors & Posters Open
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2:00 – 3:00
A.
Concurrent Sessions
Alzheimer's Disease and Vision
Presenter: Clifford Scott, OD, MPH, Chair, Department of Community
Health, New England College of Optometry
Description: Alzheimer's disease not only can cause loss of vision directly
from the pathophysiologic process of the condition but also may be
implicated in the progression of other treatable eye conditions due to lack
of routine eye examinations. This presentation addresses the medical,
optical, and social factors that impact the vision of individuals with
dementia.
B.
Neuropsychological Evaluation of the Visually Impaired
Presenter: Mark H. Keeler, Ph.D., Neuropsychologist, Independent
Consultant affiliated with New England Rehabilitation Hospital
Description: This presentation will help clinicians, counselors, educators
and others involved in the care of visually impaired individuals with
neurocognitive issues to develop a basic understanding of
neuropsychological evaluation. Participants will learn the basic areas of
cognition, behavior, and personality that a neuropsychologist can assess
and how the results may assist in diagnosis, treatment, education, and
vocational planning.
The visually impaired client presents special
challenges to the neuropsychologist. In his presentation, Dr. Keeler will
describe some of these challenges and explain the techniques he uses to
work around these issues. After hearing this presentation, participants will
have a clearer idea of what information can be obtained from the
neuropsychologist, when it may be helpful to refer a particular client for an
evaluation, and some of the limitations of the neuropsychological
evaluation with visually impaired clients.
C.
Planning Day Habilitation Activities for Individuals with Vision
Impairments
Presenter: Kathy Stoffel, Adult Education Instructor, WDC
Description: This presentation will focus on how to plan and structure day
services for individuals with vision impairments. Emphasis will be placed
on planning, selection and implementation of day services based on
themes.
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2:00 – 3:00
D.
Concurrent Sessions (continued)
The Usefulness of WGBH's Accessible Multi-Media for Science:
Teachers' Domain in Group Homes and Workshop Settings for
Adult Learners who have Vision Impairment and Cognitive
Disabilities
Presenter: Bryan Gould, Describer, Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National
Center for Accessible Media at WGBH
Description: Come and learn to use WGBH's Teachers' Domain digital
library with the adults you serve in group homes, workshop settings and/or
adult education classes. Through a grant from the National Science
Foundation, WGBH's National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) is adding
accessibility features or students of all ages with disabilities to Teachers'
Domain. Teachers' Domain is a popular K-12 library of free multimedia
science resources that support standards-based teaching and learning.
Come and learn about how you can use the Teachers' Domain lesson plans
and multimedia resources; complete with background essays, discussion
questions, and suggested activities; for day program activities, adults
education classes or to enhance community outings. NCAM is making
Teachers' Domain resources accessible to people who have difficulty
hearing audio, seeing the screen and/or using a mouse.
3:00 – 3:15
Break / Refreshments / Vendors & Posters Open
3:15 – 3:30
Closing Remarks / RAFFLE!!!
3:30 – 4:00
Vendors & Posters Open / Networking
Additional Copies of this Registration Brochure:
Registration Brochure and Form can be downloaded from "Regional Training"
or "Happenings" sections of the NERCVE website: www.nercve.umb.edu
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Registration Information
1. Please fill out the attached form and return BY FEBRUARY 25, 2008 to:
Ann Flynn
Shriver Clinical Services Corporation
607 North Ave. Door 14
Wakefield, MA 01880
2. For questions regarding Registration, please contact Ann Flynn:
AEFLYNN@aol.com or phone 781-279-3141.
3. Please make check payable to: Shriver Clinical Services Corporation
4. Continuing Education Information:
An application has been made to ACVREP for CEU's.
An application has been made to Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor
Certification (CRCC) for 4 lecture hours.
This program has been approved for 4 Category I CEU Credits (CECs) for
relicensure in the period of 10/1/06 - 9/1/08, in accordance with 258 CMR.
Boston University School of Social Work. Authorization Number B-08-467.
Questions, please contact: Lisa.DiBonaventura@state.ma.us
An application has been made to MA Board of Registration in Nursing for
nursing continuing education.
Questions, please contact: Colleen.E.Ryan@state.ma.us
NECO/NEEI has applied for 4 hours of COPE approved credits.
Questions, please contact Dr. Barry S. Kran @ Kranb@neco.edu
Perkins Training Center will award 5 Professional Development Points (PDPs)
Questions, please contact: Betsy.Bixler@perkins.org
Please indicate your choice of CEU's on the registration form.
5. Scholarships are available for individuals with cognitive disabilities and
families. Scholarships offered by DMR Regional Training Council.
For information: Colleen.E.Ryan@state.ma.us or 508-866-5000, ext. 318
6. Reduced room rates of $89.95 per night will be available at the Holiday Inn
Taunton, phone: 508-823-0430. Please mention Shriver Clinical Services.
Rooms at this rate will be held until 3 weeks prior to the conference.
7. Registration Brochure and Form can be downloaded from "Regional Training"
or "Happenings" sections of the NERCVE website: www.nercve.umb.edu
8. Questions please contact: Lisa.DiBonaventura@state.ma.us or 508-384-5539.
Please Register Early!!!
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Registration Form
“Focus” On Vision Impairment & Blindness
Meeting the Needs of Individuals with Cognitive Disability and Vision Loss
Wednesday March 12, 2008, Holiday Inn, Taunton, Massachusetts
Name:
_______________________________________________________
Agency Name:
_______________________________________________________
Address:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Email:
Phone:
__________________________________________________
Can we share your contact information with sponsors? yes ____ no____
Can we share your contact information with vendors? yes ____ no____
Conference Rate with Lunch:
General Admittance post marked by February 1st:
General Admittance post marked after February 1st:
Physician (MD, DO, OD):
$40.00
$50.00
$110.00
Lunch Choice:
Lemon Chicken____ or Vegetable Primavera____
Special Accommodations Needed:_____________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Concurrent Session Selection: (please circle the sessions
10:00 - 11:00
A
B
C
11:15 - 12:15
A
B
C
2:00 - 3:00
A
B
C
you plan to attend)
D
D
D
Please circle the one type of CEU's you will be requesting:
ACVREP
CRCC
CEC's
Nursing CEU's
COPE
Educator PDP's
Check enclosed:__________ Amount: __________
Please write check payable to: Shriver Clinical Services Corporation
PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM BY FEBRUARY 25, 2008 to:
Ann Flynn
Shriver Clinical Services Corporation
607 North Ave. Door 14
Wakefield, MA 01880
Thank you so very much for your support!!!
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