Please accept this invitation to attend the 21^st annual conference of NYSAER “Capitalizing on our Future!” to be held November 5 - 7, 2006 at the beautiful and newly renovated Albany Marriott, Albany, New York.

We are delighted to announce that our keynote speaker this year is Dr. Karen Blankenship, who is a Consultant for Iowa Dept. of Education, Co-Chair of the National Agenda, and Chair of AER Itinerant Personnel division. She will be addressing components of the National Agenda and expanded core curriculum, No Child Left Behind, and IDEA. A dynamic group of presenters will be offering workshops on current topics of interest to teachers of the visually impaired, orientation and mobility specialists, vision rehabilitation therapists (RT’s), social workers, parents, vocational counselors, administrators and paraprofessionals. Exhibitors will be at our conference on Monday displaying the latest technology and resources available for people who are blind and visually impaired.

Attached please find detailed information of the conference schedule, presenters, and the registration form. The conference registration packet may also be found on our web site, www.nysaer.org.

Application has been made for continuing education hours (CE’s) through ACVREP for conference attendees this year.

When reserving your room at the Albany Marriott, please tell them that you are with “NYSAER” to get the conference room rate. The room rate will be $94.00 plus tax for a single or double. You will need to call the hotel at 518-458-8444 or 1-800-443-8952 with your reservation no later than October 15, 2006. Please consult the attached direction page for directions to the hotel.

We are continuing our tradition of holding our Not So Silent, Silent Auction at the Monday evening banquet. Please consider bringing an item to donate. All proceeds will benefit the NYSAER mini grant and scholarship program. We will be auctioning off a one week stay in Aruba (donated by Chuck Cohen of C Tech), so you won’t want to miss it! Details of the Aruba trip will be posted on our web site. We look forward to your participation at the NYSAER state conference, so please plan to attend and bring a friend.

Directions to Albany Mariott 189 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12205 (across the street from Red Lobster and Olive Garden) Go to www.albanymarriott.com. The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle to and from the train station and airport. The hotel phone number is 518-458-8444. Park only on the hotel property or in the hotel parking garage to avoid having your car towed.

Travel 1-87 South (Northway)*Depart 1-87S at Exit 4 *At end of exit take a left onto Wolf Road to end, take a left onto Albany Shaker Road *At next light take a right onto Wolf Road *Marriott is 1/4 mile on left

Travel I-87N (NYS Thruway) to Albany *Depart at Exit 24 *After paying toll proceed for 100 yards and join I-87N (Northway) at exit 1N *Travel I-87N for 3 miles and depart at Exit 4 (Wolf Road) *At bottom of Exit take a right onto Wolf Road *Marriott is 1/4 mile on left

Travel I-90 West into New York State *Travel I-90 West and exit at NY Thruway at Exit B1 (Alternate Rout 90) *Travel 15 miles and depart Alternate 90 at Exit 1N (I-87 North) *Travel I-87N for 3 miles and depart I-87N at Exit 4 (Wolf Road) *At bottom of Exit take a right onto Wolf Road *Marriott is 1/4 mile on the left.

Travel I-90 East *Leave I-90 at Exit 24 *After paying toll travel 100 yards and join I-87N for 3 miles *Depart I-87N at Exit 4 (Wolf Road) *At bottom of exit take a right onto Wolf Road *Marriott is 1/4 mile on the left.

Take left out of the exit of airport parking lot to 1st light *Turn left onto Albany Shaker Road *Proceed to next light and turn onto Delasandro Boulevard to end *For 1 mile merge onto Shaker Road *Travel 1.3 miles under I-87 *At junction of Shaker and Wolf Road take right onto Wolf Road *Travel 1/2 mile, Marriott is on left directly across from Olive Garden Restaurant.

Leave Amtrak terminal in Rensselaer, bear left 3 times, follow signs to I-87N *Travel I-787 to I-90W *Depart I-90W at I-87N exit *Depart I-87N at exit 4 *At bottom of exit take a right onto Wolf Road *Marriott is 1/4 mile on left

Fifteen minutes to the Albany Marriott *Leaving bus terminal, following signs to 787N *Take I-90W to I-87N (Northway) *Exit I-87N at exit 4 (Wolf Road) *At bottom of exit take a right onto Wolf Road *Marriott is 1/4 mile on left.

6:30- 8:00 PM Licensure Action Work Group II and Reception sponsored by NYVRA

A. Licensure Action Work Group II: Write for the Fight: Deborah Cleary, MEd., TVI/COMS Syracuse City School District; Grace Ambrose-Zaken, PhD., Project Coordinator and Instructor for Hunter College Rehabilitation Teaching and Orientation & Mobility Master’s Degree and Advanced Certificate Programs. Exciting progress is being made to license vision rehabilitation professionals in New York. This workshop continues on the theme of last year’s workshop to engage all professionals in a combined effort to get S.889 and A.5407 passed. This year we will give you the latest updated information about the bills and where we currently stand. We’ve been given an assignment: Generate letters of endorsement for the bills. You will be provided with sample endorsement letters and an opportunity to write one yourself. Please bring any letterhead that you use or a laptop and your address books. Again this year, prizes will be offered and reimbursement for your Sunday night stay is available. If you didn’t make it last year come and enjoy the fun and make a difference!!! Focus Group: Rehabilitation Teachers, O&M Specialists, Anyone interested in supporting the licensure effort in NYS.

Co-Chair of the National Agenda, and Chair of AER Itinerant Personnel Division

B. Effective Instructional Practices for the Expanded Core Curriculum: Dr. Karen Blankenship, Ph.D., Consultant for Visual Impairments, Iowa Department of Education. The term Expanded Core Curriculum of blind and visually impaired students is being used to define the basic educational needs of these students. This presentation will apply research-based instructional practices to the Expanded Core Curriculum and provide participants with instructional tools for implementation. In addition, participants will engage in a discourse on the barriers and solutions to providing instruction in the ECC content areas which include: compensatory or functional academic skills (Braille), O&M, social, independent living, recreation, leisure skills, career education, listening, visual efficiency skills and use of assistive technology. Focus Group: Educators, Rehabilitation Teachers, O&M Specialists, Vocational Specialists, Counselors.

C. “Where does it look like outside is?” “Can I take your arm?” A Study of How 100 Employed Adults Who are Blind and Visually Impaired Obtain and Use Human Assistance for Route Planning and Travel: Grace Ambrose Zaken, Ed.D., COMS, Project Coordinator of an Instructor for the Hunter College Rehabilitation Teaching and Orientation and Mobility Master’s Degree and Advanced Certificate Programs. This presentation will describe, analyze and provide the implications of a study on travel and use of human assistance by a group of 100 employed adults who are blind and visually impaired. Through lecture, Q&A and handouts, participants will gain knowledge and skills on how these adults prepare for travel to unfamiliar destinations, learn new routes, handle being lost, and what they want from sighted assistants. This presentation will also provide a description of the interactions subjects who are blind and visually impaired had when using sighted assistance including where, why, how and from whom they obtained help, the question, response/action and result of the sighted assistance and the subjects’ assessment of the interaction. These results have practical implications on the instructional strategies for soliciting aid for vision rehabilitation and education professionals. Focus Group: Educators, Rehabilitation Teachers, O&M Specialists.

D. Accessible Books and Formats for Students with Special Needs: Sumana Silverheels, Technology Training Director, Client Services, University of Buffalo. This workshop is designed to increase awareness of DAISY book players and their advantages over using four track tape recorders. The different players will be compared and the process of acquiring them will be discussed. Attendees will be given resources for online book download services. Downloading books and web pages to the BookPort will be demonstrated. There will be some hands-on with the use of the BookPort. Focus Group: Educators, Rehabilitation Teachers, Low-Vision Specialists, Counselors.

Italian Buffet- Soup, Hot Pasta Primavera, Ham and Pepperoni, Marinated Grilled Chicken breast, Genoa Salami, Field green Salad, Italian Bread and Focaccia, Mini Italian Pastries

E. Parental Involvement in the Education of VI Children: Brooke Smith, Graduate Student, New York University; Senior Research Assistant, American Foundation for the Blind. This session offers professionals an overview of research on parental involvement, with an emphasis on Latino families with a child with a visual impairment. It includes findings from research conducted by the presenter on parental involvement in Latino immigrant households. Practical strategies for VI professionals who work with immigrant families will be highlighted. Focus Group: Educators, O&M Specialists.

F. VRA Net: An Online Solution to Personnel Shortages in Vision Rehabilitation: Karen R Seidman, MPA, Director of Education & International Programs and Carol J. Sussman-Skalka, LMSW, MBA, Manager of Special Projects, Lighthouse International. VRA Net, an online, competency-based, accessible mentored training program, is designed to train multi-skilled vision rehabilitation assistants who can work under the supervision of professionals as part of the vision rehabilitation team. This online program is being pilot tested in multiple, diverse sites around the US as part of a three-year initiative funded by the US Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. A variety of mentoring arrangements are being evaluated including a comparison of onsite and offsite mentors. National recruitment for students and ACVREP-certified mentors is underway for the second class beginning in January 2007. Focus Group: All.

G. OVERVIEW OF ISAVE - Individualized Systematic Assessment of Visual Efficiency: Rona Shaw, Ed.D., Director, Graduate Programs in Education, Dominican College. ISAVE is an assessment protocol intended primarily for students whose multiple impairments preclude reliable responses to standard measures of visual functioning. ISAVE emphasizes what the child can do. The workshop will provide an overview of the ISAVE process, discussing what each of the sixteen components is intended to assess. Participants will view the video ‘Good Lookin,’ which complements ISAVE by demonstrating a team approach to assessment of two young children who have multiple impairments. Participants who have ISAVE kits are encouraged to bring them. Focus Group: Educators, Rehabilitation Teachers.

6:30 PM - ???? Awards Banquet followed by the Not So Silent, Silent Auction Cash Bar

7:30- 8:45 AM Plenary Session, all members encouraged to attend, bring in your breakfast

H. GPS Today: Christopher Grabowski, Adaptive Technology Trainer, University Of Buffalo. The Global Positioning System (GPS) and related indoor navigation technologies, combined with ever-growing location databases, present the opportunity for those who cannot see signs to have an audible representation of the environment. Hear about and see demonstrations of the Sendero GPS for the BrailleNote and state-of-the-art wayfinding technologies. The GPS for the BrailleNote will be demonstrated to show the strengths and weaknesses of accessible GPS navigation. Two short videos will demonstrate use of the system by two users, one in city travel and the other in campus travel. There is nothing more empowering for a blind person than getting around effectively and location information makes this possible. Focus Group: Rehabilitation Teachers, O&M Specialists, Vocational Specialists.

I. Test Access & Accommodations for Students with Visual Impairments: A Guide for Decision-Making: Judi Piscitello, Assistant in the Training of Special Educators, Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist, New York State School for the Blind and Shellie Homsy, New York Institute for Special Education. The goal of this workshop is that NYS TVIs will understand Federal and New York State legislation and policies regarding testing accommodations specific to students with visual impairments for local and NYS tests in order to properly address these accommodations in their students’ IEPs and in their instruction. A PowerPoint presentation will include examples of the types of accommodations that are allowed and those that are not, along with tee reasoning behind these policies and regulations. A handout containing web links to online test access manuals, legislation and policy documents, and a parent’s guide as well as phone numbers and related resources will be provided. Copies of the PowerPoint presentation on CD will be given to a select number of active participants. Please join us in this lively discussion! Focus Group: Educators.

J. Teaching Basic Computer Skills to Adult Clients: Implementing Computer and Language Friendly, Sequential Instruction: Maureen Moscato, CVRT, Lighthouse International. If you or your students have ever felt intimidated by the mighty computer, this workshop is for you. I am a low tech techie with a no tech teaching approach. In this presentation, computer materials which target the individual learning needs of entry level adult clients will be discussed. Hand-outs for student instruction on such task topics as sending an e-mail message, saving and opening a file to disk, and inserting and sending an attachment will be available. Focus Group: Educators, Rehabilitation Teachers, Low Vision Specialists.

K. New Media and Digital Tools: The Promise of Universal Design for Learning: Dr. Richard M Jackson, Associate Professor, Boston College and Senior Research Scientist (CAST). This multimedia session will present the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework for curriculum reform in education. Using digital media and technology tools, the means by which traditional materials such as the textbook may be transformed into more flexible and accessible learning media for students with visual impairments will be demonstrated. Focus Group: Educators.

L. Working with the Multi-Handicapped Child in a Push-In Group Setting: Brain Gym and Concept Development: Shirley Osman, Rehabilitation Teacher and Heidi VanDerMuelen, Teacher of the Visually Impaired. Teaching concept development to multi-handicapped children, and providing them with beneficial stimulating experiences, is often a difficult task. Through the sounds of music, therapy becomes less intrusive and more enjoyable for both the students and instructors. This session includes an educationally based body movement program, referred to as Brain Gym. Children of all ages benefit from doing these movement activities. It can improve many different types of skills or abilities by further developing connections in the brain. Focus Group: Educators/TVIs, Rehabilitation Teachers, O&M Specialists, Teaching Assistants.

M. Established Guide Dog Trained for Seizure Alert: Graham Buck, Assistant Director of Training, Guiding Eyes for the Blind. In the history of guide dogs they were generally not crossed trained to perform additional behaviors other than guiding. Guiding Eyes for the Blind and Great Plains Assistance Dogs have worked together to train an established guide dog in seizure alert work. Issues to be discussed will include: how the dog and graduate were evaluated, what was the duration of the alert training, what behaviors were taught and performed by the dog, what individuals were involved in the training, how did the behaviors transfer to the home area, how will follow up be conducted, and who qualifies. There are many elements that helped to create a successful cross trained dog. Elements include, the existing temperament of the dog, the age of the dog, willingness to learn new behaviors, support from both schools and the immediate family. These elements will be discussed as well as how the collaboration between the two schools will move forward. Focus Group: All.

Buffet- Soup, Apricot Grilled Chicken, Rosemary Herb Roasted Pork with roasted eggplant, zucchini and roma tomatoes, Herbed Artichoke and Cucumber Salad, Cantalope and Strawberries with Yogurt, Apple Pear Crisp

NYSAER 2006 CONFERENCE: “Capitalizing on our Future!” Albany, New York

November 5, 6, and 7, 2006

REGISTRATION FORM (please print)

Name: _________________________________________________

Discipline: ______________________________________________ (CVRT, O&M, TVI, other (please specify)

Agency: ________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Telephone: work ___________________ home ________________

e-mail __________________________________________________

AERBVI Membership Number _______________Exp. _________

(Your membership number must be included to receive a membership rate)

If you are not a member, would you like to join before this conference? __ Yes, please send an application

__ No thank you

Choose Concurrent Sessions: Write in the letter of your choice, refer to program.

Sunday, Workshop ______ (Stipend will be available for your Sunday night hotel room)

Monday, Session I _______ Monday, Session II _______

Tuesday, Session III _______ Tuesday, Session IV _______

*NOTE THE FIRST REGISTRATION PRICE IN EACH PAIR IS EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION, October 15, 2006.

Your registration must be postmarked by October 15, 2006 to be eligible for the discount.

Circle One: (If you would like to donate a door prize or an item for the Auction, please bring it with you to the conference!)

Full Conference: (Sunday – Tuesday) We will be auctioning off a week stay in the beautiful island of Aruba! (donated by Chuck Cohen of C Tech for December 2007. Go to our web site www.nysaer.org for details)

Includes Registration, Sunday workshop, Sunday Reception, Monday Continental Breakfast, Awards Luncheon Buffet, Awards Dinner, Not So Silent Silent Auction, Tuesday Continental Breakfast and Buffet Luncheon.

__Member: $149.00/159.00 __Non-Member: $169.00/179.00 __College Student $129.00/139.00 __Parent $129.00/139.00

Includes Registration, Sunday workshop, Sunday Reception, Monday Continental Breakfast, Coffee Break, Awards Buffet Luncheon. You will need to purchase a Banquet ticket if you plan on attending the Awards Dinner.

___Member: $85.00/95.00 ___Non-Member: $105.00/115.00 ___College Student $65.00/75.00 ___Parent $65.00/75.00

Includes Registration, Monday Continental Breakfast, Coffee Break, Awards Buffet Luncheon. You will need to purchase a Banquet ticket if you plan on attending the Awards Dinner.

__Member: $77.00/87.00 __Non-Member: $97.00/107.00 __College Student $57.00/67.00 __Parent $57.00/67.00

Includes Registration, Tuesday Continental Breakfast, Coffee Break, Buffet Luncheon.

__Member: $65.00/75.00 __Non-Member: $85.00/95.00 __College Student $45.00/55.00 __Parent $45.00/55.00

Albany Marriott: please call the hotel reservation office to make your reservation. Their telephone number is 518-458-8444 or 1-800-443-8952. To ensure conference rates, call and make your reservation before October 15th and be sure to mention you are with “NYSAER”. Rates: single $94.00; double $94.00 ($47.00 per person). The above group rate will be subject to applicable NYS sales and occupancy taxes, unless an individual’s tax exempt certificate is presented at check in. www.albanymarriott.com.

Please select one entrée choice for November 6^th Awards Dinner and indicate any additional Awards Banquet ticket purchases and entrée selections:

___Chicken Madeira, Herb Crusted Breast of Chicken with Madeira Glaze, Portobello Mushrooms and Roasted Red Peppers

___Sole Chardonnay, With a Crabmeat Filling and topped with fresh Dill Cream Chardonnay

___Vegetarian Entrée, Grilled Vegetable Lasagna Roulade with Ricotta Cheese, Portobello Mushrooms, Red Pepper and Zucchini

Would you like additional tickets at $35.00 each? Yes, I would like #____ additional tickets.

Please help us by identifying any access or accommodation you need. We will need this information by October 15, 2006.

*Please note any additional individual needs/requests to support your full participation in this conference: _________________

If you have any questions please call Suzanne Mullen (315) 635-1768, email: sumullen@aol.com.

If you are interested in attending or helping out with the 2006 NYSAER Fall conference, please contact, Suzanne Mullen, NYSAER Conference Chair at telephone number 315-635-1768 or email: sumullen@aol.com.