Presented by Sandy Czernik, Lead AT Specialist/OT, Naperville Community Unit School District 203 (IL); Dr. Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles, ATP, Assistive Technology Specialist, Regional School Unit 21 (ME); and Lara Rondberg, Associate Relationship Manager, Benetech

Sponsored by Bookshare, A Benetech Initiative

Watch the Recording

Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation. Get a CE Certificate for this edWebinar Learn more.

As schools open for in-person learning after over a year of hybrid or completely remote instruction, educators will be faced with students returning with varying degrees of readiness. Some students thrived, while others will need more specialized instruction and supports to help them access grade-level content.

Students in special education, who were disproportionately impacted due to the loss of special services and accommodations, are of extra concern. Despite the challenges, educators found innovative ways to incorporate technology to engage students. Watch this edWebinar to learn from two seasoned educators who will share the challenges, lessons learned, and tips for student success in the new school year. Viewers will learn:

• Instructional methods and supports to help students with special needs access general education curricula
• Strategies to re-engage students and parents to support their academic progress
• Strategies to increase student independence with technology
• Effective technology tools to integrate into the classroom

This recorded edWebinar will be of interest to elementary through high school teachers, special education teachers, and assistive technology specialists.

About the Presenters

Sandy Czernik graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1994 with a BS in occupational therapy. She received her certificate in assistive technology in 2004 from California State University and her MA in educational technology in 2013. She has worked in a variety of settings of pediatrics. Sandy has a passion for providing students with what they need to be successful in all of their roles in life.

Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles, Ph.D., ATP is an accessibility accomplice providing training, support, and consultation to organizations around AT, AEM, and UDL. She is an assistive technology specialist for RSU 21 in Kennebunk, Maine where she is grateful to “be paid to think differently” and supports inclusive learning practices through the intentional use of AT, AEM, and UDL. Dr. Goldthwait-Fowles has written and spoken in various spaces around AT, AEM, and UDL. She is also an adjunct faculty member for the University of New England’s graduate certificate programs in inclusion, as well as the University of Maine at Farmington’s graduate programs in Inclusion.

Lara Rondberg, Associate Relationship Manager for Benetech’s Global Literacy Program, supports efforts to expand Bookshare in K-12 and other settings. Lara has a passion for leveraging technology to help people with disabilities increase knowledge, skills, and independence and has worked on a variety of public health and educational programs for both the federal government and national non-profit organizations including United Cerebral Palsy and The Arc of the United States in Washington, D.C.

Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation.

Join the Supporting Students with Special Needs community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

Bookshare is a FREE online library that makes reading easier for struggling readers. Bookshare members can access millions of ebooks in audio, audio + highlighted text, braille, and large font and can customize their experience to fit their learning style. Bookshare is FREE for U.S. schools and students with qualifying disabilities.