Newsletters
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2/15/2023 3 Wks Until Federal Quota Deadline / Order BRL Textbooks Now
Greetings,
The Federal Quota census deadline of March 3, 2023 is fast approaching in under 3 weeks. As of today, the RCVI has had well over 60% of LEAs complete their updates and certify student data. If you have not done this yet, begin doing so NOW.
If we have not heard from you yet, RCVI staff will begin calling FQ designees and other personnel to ensure contact and awareness of this crucial process. If you have any questions or concerns let us know immediately (email [email protected] or call 615-231-7317).
Instructions for completing student updates can be found on our Federal Quota webpage, specifically in this guide document.
Order Textbooks NOW
February is the time to order the accessible books (large print & braille) your students need for the 2023-24 school year. This is especially important with the new math adoption to be implemented in 23-24; it is very likely that math textbooks selected for use will need to be newly produced in large print or transcribed into braille. Braille transcription is an especially time-laborious process, so we need to know your braille book needs ASAP to have ready for August.
APH InSights Art Contest
The annual APH InSights art contest is open for entries through the March 31, 2023 deadline. TVIs, do you have students (must be FQ-eligible) who have displayed a passion for the arts? Consider looking into a submission, which can be an art or craft piece!
Use the links below to learn more:
About APH InSights: https://insights-art.org/about/
TN VIVA - Upcoming Sessions on 2/23 and 2/28
2/23/23 - Bioptic Driving Panel: Adult Perspectives and TN Requirements
6:00-7:30pm CST
2/28/23 - TVIs, O&Ms, & Educational Interpreters: A Dynamic Team Supporting Students who are DeafBlind
2:00-3:00pm CST
12/19/2022 FEDERAL QUOTA CENSUS, Resources, and Upcoming Events
Happy Holidays from the RCVI!
We have a number of reminders, resources, and updates for you to know about before the holidays come. Please keep a copy of this email close by to refer to once we all return to school in January.
Prepare for the FQ Census NOW
The Federal Quota census begins on January 2, 2023, and the RCVI will immediately begin reaching out to school districts to ensure that all FQ-eligible students enrolled in the district on January 2, 2023 (the "as-of" count date) are appropriately registered for the program.
As a reminder, the Federal Quota program is a census of qualifying students (generally speaking, those who are legally blind or function at a similar level) that results in Federal funds being allocated to states' accounts on a per capita basis. These "Quota funds" can then be used to order adapted materials from the American Printing House for the Blind (APH)(catalog linked here), through the RCVI. In Tennessee, funds generated by public school students are pooled up so that we can essentially provide whatever a school district may wish to order for eligible students, free of charge to schools and families.
The Federal Quota census consists of the following:
- (WE ARE HERE) LEAs ensure that all eligible students are registered with the RCVI with all required information updated and on file in the district.
- LEAs review their student data with the RCVI to verify eligibility and reported data.
- LEA FQ designees formally certify in the RCVI's online portal that their student data is accurate.
- Once all LEAs have reviewed and certified their data, the RCVI will submit census data for all TN program registrants to APH.
***We are at step one***
Download this Guide for Preparing for the Federal Quota Census document and follow the five steps to becoming ready to review your district's student data with the RCVI.
TN Regional Braille Challenge 2/23/23
The TN Regional Braille Challenge is taking place on February 23rd, but the deadline to submit an application to participate is January 11.
Enter your students using the form LINKED HERE.
TN Vision Educators Consortium Meeting 1/13/23
The second vision educators consortium meeting of the school year will include the following topics. Attendees are welcome to bring any questions or issues they'd like to discuss. Consortium meetings are not recorded to provide a safe space in which to discuss challenging topics.
- Federal Quota census overview and updates
- Highlighting and Discussion of 3 useful documents relating to vision therapy and related topics
- Presentation of key areas of assessment (functional approaches appropriate for TVIs) for students with binocular vision issues and conditions associated with vision therapy, etc.
- Open discussion - what are your specific PD needs, issues in the field, etc.
Educational Product Highlight
I (Allen) was able to attend the TN Association for Assistive Technology (TAAT) Conference recently and wanted to share out a few resources with you all as you look into your spring instruction and programming.
- There was a great session conducted by some SLPs in Metro Nashville Public Schools who have collaborated with their TVIs to use APH's Tactile Book Builder Kit to make some amazing literacy supports for their shared students. This is a kit available on order through RCVI for FQ-eligible students!
- Some of our TVI colleagues in Hamilton County Schools presented on their use of a comprehensive AT Guidelines resource produced by the Michigan Department of Education. Side note: There are a number of high-quality resources on that website, including some independent living modules and other ECC-specific content.
- Did you know- APH has recently begun offering a number of very well-produced Print/BRL/Tactile books that offer a rich reading experience not seen in many other products.
- Let's Eat! - https://www.aph.org/product/lets-eat-ldqr-6-77958-00/
- A Tail for Baby Lizard - https://www.aph.org/product/a-tail-for-baby-lizard/
- Six Little Dots - https://www.aph.org/product/six-little-dots/
- How to Recognize a Monster - currently on indefinite backorder
- The Caterpillar (new version) - currently on indefinite backorder
RCVI is Moving!
As the heading says, we are moving, with an anticipated timeframe of early January. Fortunately, we are only moving buildings on campus at TSB, and we will be moving into a completely renovated new space designed specifically for the services and programming we offer.
Once the move begins, the RCVI will need to temporarily pause its ordering and fulfillment of orders. We will make every effort to limit the delays and downtime in our services, but we ask for your patience while we undergo this move. We look forward to sharing pictures of our new home with you all soon!
9/20/2022 Updates and Register for Unity!
Greetings everyone!
It sure looks like the weather heard the Unity Conference was back and turned up the heat! Take it as a sign that you should register for Unity and lock in your plans for November 17-18 NOW! Join the 53 folks who have already registered and spread the word!
And while you are at it, think about the great things you are doing for your students and consider submitting a proposal to share about it at Unity. Great things are at work here in Tennessee thanks to YOUR efforts, and we want to see those great practices and strategies shared out to our professional community.
Submit a Speaker Proposal: https://forms.office.com/r/CHzZhsxZBR
Submission deadline - Friday, October 28
Request a Space to Display: https://forms.office.com/r/71xhkUd83H
TN VIVA Session TODAY 9/20/22 at 2pm CST
Today at 2pm Central Time we will be holding a PD session titled Role of Low Vision Specialist for Students with VI. Dr. Joshua Robinson, Director of Low Vision Rehabilitation at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, will be providing an overview of the role of a low vision specialist as a member of an interdisciplinary team supporting students and young adults with impaired vision. Topics will include the differences between an optometrist, ophthalmologist, and low vision specialist as medical professionals supporting students with visual impairments, as well as opportunities for collaboration between teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialists, among others.
Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEvd-mopjItGdZxVRiZaeWvgwYJg0jLplwd
TN VIVA Calendar of Events for 2022-23: https://vkc.vumc.org/vkc/TN-VIVA/
AT Lending Library
The RCVI recently announced a new AT Lending Library program to provide video magnifiers to students with low vision who do not qualify for the Federal Quota program to have such devices (like the Jupiter and Juno) ordered for them from the American Printing House for the Blind. Examples of devices available to check out to students in this "gap" are the Cloverbook Plus and Ruby 7 HD.
Talking Calculators
The RCVI has replenished its stock of talking calculators available for order, and these may now be ordered for all students who have an IEP, no matter whether they qualify for the Federal Quota program or not. Specifically, the Orion TI-30XS (Scientific) and Orion TI-84 (Graphing) talking calculators are back in stock and can be ordered through the RCVI online portal.
Braille TCAP Practice Tests Available
The RCVI has transcribed TCAP Practice Tests for grades 3-8 in English/Language Arts, Math, and Science.
Email [email protected] to request a test.
Prepare NOW for the Federal Quota Census
The 2023 Federal Quota census will begin on January 2, 2023. Begin working on the following tasks to be as prepared as possible for the registration and review process:
- Eye reports on file in the district must be dated 1/2/2020 or later for a student to be or remain registered. Check eye report dates NOW in our system to determine which students should receive an update. Students with NLP or similar level of visual impairment with no likelihood of improvement, as well as those who are medically fragile, may have eye report waivers requested.
- Alert the RCVI of transfers in/out of the district so we can have the most accurate list of students updated in our system. Young students and those from out of state will not be in our system and can be added using the RCVI Application for Service Form. Existing students from in state can be transferred easily with a phone call or email.
9/12/2022 Unity Conference Registration is Open!
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8/18/2022 August Updates
Greetings!
No matter who you are and where you are in Tennessee, we sincerely hope that the school year is off to a great start. Here at TSB and the Resource Center it certainly feels like things are running at a pace we didn’t see over the last couple years, and that just feels right 😊. As always, please contact us if you have any questions about our services.
-Allen
TVI’s and LEA administrators and assistants, please note the following updates:
TN VIVA
The Unity Virtual Academy has rebranded as TN Visual Impairments Virtual Academy (TN VIVA), and the first session of the year is taking place TOMORROW, 8/19 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm CST. Titled RCVI Welcome Back to School, we will share updates to RCVI procedures, demonstrate how to access and use the ordering portal, and look forward to the year ahead. There are some very exciting announcements that will be shared! The session will be recorded for those who cannot attend live.
To register for this session and see what other events we have planned, visit the link below at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC is a new partner for 2022-23!). The RCVI Events page will be updated shortly as well to reflect the same information.
https://vkc.vumc.org/vkc/TN-VIVA/
Federal Quota Fiscal Year Spend Down
We are proud to say that RCVI patrons can order the instructional materials they need all year round. With that said, Federal Quota funds are “use it or lose it” and current FY22 funds must be spent by September 9, 2022. TVIs and LEA administrators, look through and share the linked 2022-23 APH Catalog PDF with your VI colleagues and classroom teachers working with your districts’ students with visual impairments. If there is something that can help you or them better instruct and support your student’s learning, order it!
AT Lending Library
As teased in the first newsletter of the year, the RCVI is fortunate to have added a number of video magnifiers to its inventory for the purpose of checking them out to students who do not qualify for the Federal Quota program. For example, a student may have visual acuities of 20/400 in the right eye but “only” 20/150 in the left eye and thus cannot have an APH Jupiter or Juno video magnifier ordered for them.
Now, we have the ability to provide a few types of video magnifiers to students with low vision just like we do for students who are legally blind and Federal Quota-qualified. To read specific details regarding eligibility and procedures for the AT Lending Library and how to place an order, visit this page:
https://www.tsbtigers.org/apps/pages/rcvi-lending-library
FREE LEAF Conference for Families of Children with Blindness/Visual Impairment
The Center for Assistive Technology Training (CATT) is holding its inaugural Learning Experiences with Accessibility for Families (LEAF) Conference for Tennessee students and their families (grades PK4 to 2nd) in Pigeon Forge, TN on September 13-16.
This conference is Free of Charge to families and involves educational activities for children, parent workshops, and family centered learning and recreation. Please share this information to your young students' families!
The flyer with link to online application is linked HERE. For more information, contact Kim Baker at [email protected]
Talking Calculators
The RCVI recently purchased additional Orion TI-84 talking graphing calculators, as well as Orion TI-30XS talking scientific calculators. We have had limited stock of these for the last few years, but now we have many ready to send out if you need them!
Smaller Large Print Book Formats
The RCVI is making a conscious effort to order new large print books from vendors in smaller size profiles than traditional 10x15 or larger books, with the exception of grades 3 and below.
We will still circulate large print books in our inventory, but over time you will begin to notice that more books come to you in smaller, calendar-format sizes. We believe that these smaller formats achieve similar levels of enlargement and will be used by students to a greater extent.
7/25/2022 Back to School Updates
Welcome back TVIs, SPED admin, and other colleagues!
I hope the Summer break was exactly what each one of you needed, leaving you refreshed and ready for the new school year.
With schools starting back up over the next few weeks, I am sending this email so there is time for you to know all of the latest RCVI updates and related things to know for your students with visual impairments. As always, as you read through this information if you have questions that come up or there might be a way for us to be helpful to you, reach out and we will do everything in our power to be responsive to those needs! You can reach me at [email protected].
Allen Huang
Director of Accessible Instructional Materials and Outreach Services
Tennessee School for the Blind
Beginning of School
Please read ALL of the following:
- Order Braille & Large Print books your students need ASAP. The RCVI cannot guarantee books ordered will be available for the start of school, but we will place orders immediately as they are received.
- Contact RCVI if there are new TVIs, Special Education supervisors, or ordering personnel in your districts.
- Return unneeded books and materials from last year/past years to be used by other students across the state and help RCVI avoid unnecessary spending.
- Books/materials from previous school years can be Transferred for use by other students in-district for 22-23. Simply let RCVI know 1) what the items are, as well as 2) the students they are transferring FROM and TO.
- Replacement braillers are available at RCVI if needed. Document issues you are experiencing on our Perkins Brailler repair insert and return any broken/faulty braillers using a Free Matter for the Blind shipping label. Email [email protected] that you are sending braillers back for repair, and we will send replacements right away.
- Federal Quota funds spend down - The spend down date for Federal Quota funds is Friday September 9th. Please prioritize ordering APH materials immediately for eligible students. The APH products catalog can be found at this link. We encourage sharing this catalog with classroom and special education teachers who work with your Federal-Quota eligible students daily and having them tell you what items would assist their instruction of these students.
- Updated Forms - the RCVI's Application for Service, Federal Quota Consent, and Federal Quota Eye Exam Documentation forms have been updated for 2022-23. Please download a copy from the RCVI Homepage.
- 2023 Federal Quota Census - APH announced updates to student grade and reading medium codes. These are described on the RCVI Federal Quota program webpage.
- Updated Outreach Department webpages - Visit the Outreach Department's new homepage for a refreshed look at our services and programming, as well as new, fillable Request for Services form.
Save the Dates for Professional Development in 2022-23
Unity Conference is Back!
We are pleased to announced that the Unity Conference is back on the calendar! Unity will take place on November 17-18, 2022 (half day Thursday & full day Friday), IN PERSON and on-campus at the TN School for the Blind. Block out these dates NOW and start making your plans to attend! Look out for registration information and a call for presenters to come out over the next few months.
Y'all, we so look forward to seeing everyone face to face again, and I also especially want to invite those who have not attended the Unity Conference before. TVIs, district staff, and parents are all welcome!
Tennessee Visual Impairments Virtual Academy (VIVA) Rebrand
Many of you are familiar with the Unity Virtual Academy of online professional development and informational sessions that have been held over the last two school years in response to the Unity Conference not being held. These online learning opportunities will continue for 2022-23 and the foreseeable future, but they will now be re-branded as the Tennessee Visual Impairments Virtual Academy (TN VIVA) to avoid confusion from the common "Unity" wording.
For 2022-23, TN VIVA is pleased to announce that it has added to its partnership with the addition of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, which greatly enhances the ability of VIVA to conduct, disseminate, and outreach about its programming. The partnership now consists of the Tennessee School for the Blind, Vanderbilt-Peabody College Program in Visual Disabilities, and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. The schedule for 2022-23 is being finalized now and will soon be updated on the RCVI events page. A similar list of TN VIVA sessions will also become available on the VKC website soon.
As a reminder, recordings of past sessions can be found on the RCVI's videos page.
FYI Items and Other Events
RCVI Lending Library
The RCVI is excited to announce a new Assistive Technology Lending Library service for students with visual impairments in Tennessee!
This new lending library is primarily intended to provide vision-specific assistive technology to students who do not qualify for the Federal Quota program (i.e., students with low vision and are not legally blind) and thus cannot have APH products ordered for them. Knowing this existing gap in the RCVI's services, we are fortunate to now be able to provide useful access technologies like video magnifiers to all students with visual impairments, no matter what their visual acuity levels may technically be.
Guidelines and procedures for requesting video magnifiers from the AT lending library are being finalized, but look out for a separate message in the coming weeks. Students will need an IEP in order to request a device from the lending library.
LEAF Conference
The Center for Assistive Technology Training (CATT) is an organization based in Alabama that is funded to provide assistive technology supports to states in the southeast region. CATT will be holding its first event in Tennessee, the Learning Experiences with Accessibility for Families (LEAF) Conference, on September 13-16, 2022 in Pigeon Forge, TN for families of children who are blind/visually impaired (ages preschool through 2nd grade) and deaf/hard of hearing (ages birth to 3). This conference is FREE of charge to participating families.
Please share this information with families in your district with children in the specified age ranges. The LEAF conference flyer with hyperlink to application is linked HERE. Contact the CATT Center's director Kim Baker ([email protected]) with any questions.