Free NEAT Webinars To Support Distance Learning And Virtual Connecting
With the current worldwide health issues affecting everyone’s ability to get together, NEAT wants to reach out to our members, clients and community virtually. We are excited to be offering free webinars providing AT/AAC education and professional development in the coming weeks. These are open to everyone at no cost, members and non-members alike! So if you know anyone who would be interested in learning more about the world of Assistive Technology, please pass this info along. Please keep reading below for class descriptions and registration links.
We started this initiative on March 23rd, and have already presented several webinars. If you missed those, or would like to watch them again, please click here to go to our recorded webinar page. The classes already posted there are :
*What’s In The Lending Library For Alternative Access?
*Joel, From Puppy To Guide Dog
*How To Caption For Free
*AAC Resources: Reminders Of The Old, Introductions To The New
*Microsoft AT Tools For Learning Disabilities
*Combat Social Isolation With Smart Technology
*Alternate Onscreen Keyboards For iPad
*An Overview Of Narrator And Magnifier In Windows 10
*Gaining Control Through Smart Technology
The Writing Trifecta: Text To Speech, Speech To Text, And Word Prediction – April 7, 2020 | 11am-12pm
Presenter: Adam Kosakowski, AT Specialist
- This is a NEAT Member ATventure and is FREE for NEAT Members, the CT SDE Subscription and CT Birth to Three Providers.
- This is also open to the public for FREE at this time
Text to speech, speech to text, and word prediction are powerful AT tools, but did you know they can be used together to create a super powerful writing experience? Each of these can work off of each other while supporting the writing process of students with a wide array of disabilities including motor, speech, and learning. Attend this webinar to learn how to move from one tool to the next easily while supporting your student’s writing needs.
Attacking the Sexual Assault Epidemic With the Power of Communication – April 29, 2020 | 12pm-1pm
Presenter: Elena Fader, M.A., CCC-SLP, AAC Specialist
- This is a NEAT Member ATventure and is FREE for NEAT Members, the CT SDE Subscription and CT Birth to Three Providers.
- This is also open to the public for FREE at this time
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are sexually assaulted at a rate seven times higher than those without disabilities. Several factors contribute to this heightened risk, with communication challenges being a key reason. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) plays a critical role in supporting this population of individuals who are more vulnerable to abuse.
This will provide insight, strategies, and resources that human services professionals and families can utilize to protect their clients and loved ones. Resources include a preview of an adapted sexual health curriculum and a demonstration of ways to use an AAC device to help individuals learn, self-advocate, and report.
Oak Hill, Connecticut’s largest non-profit for people with disabilities, has started a #seventimes campaign to draw national attention to this horrific statistic. By bringing awareness to the AT world, we hope to make immediate strides in attacking the sexual assault epidemic using the power of communication.
The goals of these webinar are to:
- Recognize at least two communication-related reasons that individuals with IDD are at a higher risk for sexual assault.
- Identify at least two ways that AAC can help to decrease the “#seventimes” statistic
- Discuss at least three strategies that can be used to support individuals with IDD in learning, self-advocating, and reporting information related to sexual health.
Hidden Tech Treasures – May 5, 2020 | 12pm-1pm
Presenter: Steve Famiglietti, Blind Services Vocational Manager
- This is a NEAT Member ATventure and is FREE for NEAT Members, the CT SDE Subscription and CT Birth to Three Providers.
- This is also open to the public for FREE at this time
During this presentation participants will learn some tips and tricks to help them in using different pieces of software on various hardware platforms. For instance, we will demonstrate both the built-in screen reader and screen magnifier, found in Windows 10 and go over a few of the best features of these items. We will also highlight some of our favorite settings and items to customize to make using your device a better experience.
We will be focusing on the following devices and software: Windows 10, Apple devices and Android devices.
Some of the topics will include:
- Customization of Voiceover on an iPhone or iPad
- Changing visual settings on an iPhone.
- Customizing Windows 10 for a better experience while using your screen reader.
- Simple tricks to make reading items easier with the JAWS screen reader.
- Tips and tricks for Android users.
NEAT Workshops
Top Ten Tips to Securing Your Smart Tech Solutions – May 13, 2020 | 9am-12pm
Presenter: Kristopher Thompson, Smart Technology Specialist
Location: The NEAT Center at Oak Hill, Hartford, CT
- Register today for $125!
- WAIT! NEAT Members, the CT SDE Subscription and CT Birth to Three Providers can register for $100!
Smart technology is giving so many people the ability to live more independently. But is Alexa always listening? Can someone hack your smart devices? How secure is the “internet of things”? In this workshop, we will discuss these concerns and cover steps that you can take to improve security and peace of mind.