The Mission of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is to support the efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education,and to build capacity of local educational agencies to serve students who receive special education services. Initatives and Projects: Blindness & Visual Impairment, Deaf-Blindness, Assistive Technology, PDE Annual Conference

As a certified O&M Specialist I taught individuals who are visually impaired to know where they were, and how to get to where they wanted to go (orientation), and then travel there as safely and independently as possible (mobility). That included: learning unknown concepts, using remaining vision efficiently, learning how to use a long (white) cane, learning to travel in various types of environments (indoors, malls, residential, small/medium business, urban), crossing streets, using public transportation, map skills, environmental and signage awareness, optical device training (monocular, telescopes), as well as money skills and soliciting assistance. I also addressed areas of the expanded core curriculum for students who are blind/visually impaired whenever possible. As a teacher of the visually impaired I conduct: Functional Visual Assessments as well as Learning Media Assessments and made appropriate recommendations, wrote reports/IEPs/ERs/RRs. I made accommodations to materials in the classroom including enlarging or converting materials into digital formats. I consulted with teachers on: how to accommodate lessons and classroom materials, conducted environmental assessments, gave presentations, and provide materials or advice on where to obtain appropriate materials when needed. I worked with student's on: utilizing vision for reading and writing or if needed braille, learning vision efficiency skills, organization in the classroom and overall, low vision device training, as well as addressing additional areas of the expanded core curriculum for students who are blind and visually impaired. When possible opportunities were set up with fellow TVI & COMS to create extended ECC lesson events with other students with visual impairments across the county for recreational activities, and exposure to independent living skills.