Accessible educational materials (AEM) are crucial for ensuring that students with disabilities can access the same content as their peers. PaTTANpod goes behind the scenes of AEM at the Lancaster Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 (IU13) with accessible materials specialist, Sarah Ditzler. Sarah shares how common types of accessible educational materials are made and provides practical tips for educators and administrators who support students with print access disabilities.

Click here for more episodes

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCkBP2csbOssi3rUsfM-yQT1DVGUihxg2

Also available in podcast format on iTunes and Google Play Music

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pattanpod/id1436873041?mt=2

Google Play Music

https://play.google.com/music/m/Iwyth5xyq26f67f4qrzktutbxke?t=PaTTANpod

PaTTAN Accessible Educational Materials: https://www.pattan.net/Evidence-Based-Practices/Accessible-Educational-Materials PaTTAN Blind/Visual Impairment (BVI) Initiative: https://www.pattan.net/Evidence-Based-Practices/BlindVisual-Impairment PaTTAN Short Term Loan program: https://www.pattan.net/short-term-loan/ IU13 BVI Services: https://www.iu13.org/students-families/special-ed/special-ed-programs/blind/

Sarah is passionate about accessibility. A couple summers when she was on summer break from Messiah College, Sarah worked as a paraprofessional 1:1 for the IU13's Extended School Year program. After graduating from Messiah and working in Music Education in a couple different capacities, Sarah realized her heart for working with and advocating for students with physical, academic, and behavioral needs. While working with a student with low vision, she learned Braille and learned about accommodating materials for blind and visually impaired students. In her current role at the IU13, Sarah works with other staff to produce braille, large print, and accessible electronic documents for K-12 blind and low vision students.

Host

Sara Frey

Producer

John Ragsdale

Technical Support

Michael Esposito

Production Assistant

Lisa Smith

PaTTAN Leadership Team

Angela Kirby

Chris Cherny

Sergio Anaya

Corey Dickey

Animation

Media Solutions

Thank You

Sara Ditzler

Special thank you to

Pennsylvania Training and Technical

Assistance Network (PaTTAN),

Pennsylvania Department of Education,

and Bureau of Special Education

Visit our website at http://www.pattan.net

Katherine McLaughlin, a certified sexuality educator, joins PaTTANpod to discuss the importance of sexuality education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Katherine addresses misconceptions about sexuality education and provides practical tips for educators and parents to be allies and advocates.

Click here for more episodes

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCkBP2csbOssi3rUsfM-yQT1DVGUihxg2

Also available in podcast format on iTunes and Google Play Music

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pattanpod/id1436873041?mt=2

Google Play Music

https://play.google.com/music/m/Iwyth5xyq26f67f4qrzktutbxke?t=PaTTANpod

https://www.elevatustraining.com/ Elevatus Training https://amaze.org/ AMAZE https://ncil.org/resources/sex-ed-for-individuals-with-i-dd/ National Council on Independent Living

Katherine McLaughlin, M.Ed., AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator, is the Founder, CEO, and Lead Trainer for Elevatus Training. She has been a sexuality educator and trainer for over 25 years. As a national expert on sexuality and intellectual and developmental disabilities, she trains professionals, and parents as well as individuals to become sexual self-advocates, and peer sexuality educators.

Host

Sara Frey

Producer

John Ragsdale

Animation

Media Solutions

Special thank you to Pennsylvania Training and Technical

Assistance Network (PaTTAN), Pennsylvania Department of Education,

And Bureau of Special Education

Visit our website at http://www.pattan.net

Ben Hartranft joins PaTTANpod at the 2024 Pennsylvania Department of Education annual conference, where he was a featured speaker. As the president of Benergy1 Presentations, Ben advocates for autism awareness and acceptance by sharing his personal experiences. The episode also features Ben’s brother, Dan, and his parents, Sandy and Glenn, who share perspectives on navigating the complexities of autism as a family.

Transitioning from youth into adulthood can be very challenging, especially for students with disabilities. Members of the PaTTAN Youth Engagement Specialist (YES) team join PaTTANpod to discuss the importance of engaging students in transition planning, as well as resources and support available from the YES team.

Click here for more episodes

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCkBP2csbOssi3rUsfM-yQT1DVGUihxg2

Also available in podcast format on iTunes and Google Play Music

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pattanpod/id1436873041?mt=2

Google Play Music

https://play.google.com/music/m/Iwyth5xyq26f67f4qrzktutbxke?t=PaTTANpod

Natasha Fletcher, Youth Engagement Specialist

Natasha Fletcher is a Youth Engagement Specialist at PaTTAN East with over a decade of experience helping individuals with behavioral challenges and mental health concerns. Specializing in Behavioral Health management with youth Natasha uses that experience to advocate for individuals with disabilities along with providing the knowledge to expand and defend their rights while supporting self-advocacy. By focusing on the youth, she understands that no significant learning can occur without first building a significant relationship. Through lived experience as a child navigating the foster care system and an adult who struggles with ADHD herself currently, are reasons why she gets up in the morning and fight for those that are unable or have difficulties fighting for themselves.

Hayley Penn, Youth Engagement Specialist

Hayley Penn is a Youth Engagement Specialist for PaTTAN Central. She has a background in Behavioral Health and Psychology and many years of experience working with young people throughout her time as an employee at Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. As a Youth Engagement Specialist, her mission is to help provide a seamless transition for students with disabilities from high school to college or the workforce. Her goal is to advocate for support services that allow students to participate in competitive employment and higher education. She provides technical assistance and training as part of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and PATTAN.

Hunter Steintz, Youth Engagement Specialist

Hunter Steinitz, MDiv. (Master of Divinity) is a Youth Engagement Specialist with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) in the West. Hunter is a self-advocate and speaker and brings her experience of living with a rare genetic skin condition. She has spent over a decade working with children and young adults through her church and disability communities and continues to connect and engage with those communities. Hunter's current areas of focus at PaTTAN include Secondary Transition, Employment, Family Engagement, and more.

Host

Sara Frey

Producer

John Ragsdale

Animation

Media Solutions

Special thank you to Pennsylvania Training and Technical

Assistance Network (PaTTAN), Pennsylvania Department of Education,

And Bureau of Special Education

Visit our website at http://www.pattan.net

PaTTAN AI team would like to record a NAC 2024 Promo (commercial) for the upcoming conference to highlighting the session strands for Families and highlight Children's Institute

PaTTAN AI team would like to record a NAC 2024 Promo (commercial) for the upcoming conference to highlighting the session strands for Educators, Related Service Providers, BCBA.

To promote cross-department and cross-agency collaboration, HELIX, the annual conference celebrating high expectations for students with low-incidence disabilities, provided special opportunities and incentives for teams of attendees in 2023.

Visit our website at http://www.pattan.net

To promote cross-department and cross-agency collaboration, HELIX, the annual conference celebrating high expectations for students with low-incidence disabilities, provided special opportunities and incentives for teams of attendees in 2023.

Sydney Evans and Stephanie Brennan describe their experiences at HELIX and the benefits of collaboration among classroom teachers and special education teachers and practitioners.

https://www.pattan.net/Training/Conferences/HELIX-Conference

Sydney Evans is a first grade teacher at Whitemarsh Elementary School in the Colonial School District. She attended the HELIX conference for the first time with her colleagues, Stephanie, Michaelle, and MT. She found this conference to be meaningful and informative even as a general education teacher due to having the opportunity to teach students with exceptionalities in my classroom setting. Sydney enjoyed having this experience and loved getting to meet new people and share new findings.

Stephanie has been a life skills teacher for more than 15 years. She is passionate about helping students achieve their highest level of autonomy and independence through collaboration and creative problem solving. Stephanie has led her district in inclusive practices and community engagement, running a student- staffed restaurant out of her classroom for 10 years. Areas of expertise include child and family advocacy, behavioral support strategies, and interprofessional practice.

Visit our website at http://www.pattan.net

To promote cross-department and cross-agency collaboration, HELIX, the annual conference celebrating high expectations for students with low-incidence disabilities, provided special opportunities and incentives for teams of attendees in 2023.

Michaelle Khatchadourian and Mary Therese (MT) Sabatino share how participating in HELIX supports self-reflection and collaboration.

https://www.pattan.net/Training/Conferences/HELIX-Conference

Michaelle has been an occupational therapist for 35 years. She owns her own business and has contracted with the district for 11 years providing a variety of related services. Michaelle’s areas of interest includes sensory integration, use of assistive technology to support function, and mentorship. Michaelle loves her job and enjoys learning and collaborating with all disciplines to support the students.

MT is a school-based speech, language pathologist who has been practicing in the field for over 15 years. She has special interests in the areas of language and literacy development, assistive technology, advocacy for families of children with disabilities, mentorship, and interprofessional practice. MT is active in the Pennsylvania Speech-Language Hearing Association (PSHA) and co-chair of the schools committee.

Visit our website at http://www.pattan.net

Rebecca Schillack and Kathleen Mease discuss how attending HELIX, the annual conference celebrating high expectations for students with low incidence disabilities, impacted their efforts to support English language learners with disabilities.

Rebecca and Kathleen attended the 2023 HELIX conference as part of a team from Bensalem Township School District through a conference program promoting cross-department and cross-agency collaboration.

HELIX conference: https://www.pattan.net/Training/Conferences/HELIX-Conference

Miss Schillack is a Special Education teacher at Bensalem Township School District teaching students, within the Life Skills program, Functional Language Arts and Reading Strategies. Miss Schillack has worked as a Special Education Teacher for the Bensalem Township School District for 15+ years. She co-teaches a class with Ms. Mease, the English Foundations' teacher at Bensalem High School. The class includes students that have English language needs in addition to their individual disabilities.

Kathleen Mease is an ELD teacher from Bensalem High School. She primarily teaches newcomer English Language Learners, but also co-teaches ELLs who are within the Life Skills program. She works closely with a Life Skills teacher to help these students with reading strategies.

Visit our website at http://www.pattan.net