The Family Center on Technology and Disability

Talking With Your Mouth Full

This message was posted by attipscast on Jul 31, 2009.

Today is the last day of the Institute. I sincerely hope that you've had a chance to nibble on some of what has been served in these past two weeks. As you chew on what you’ve learned you might get the feeling that you've taken too big a bite. You might feel like there's just too much information to swallow (let alone digest). Well, right here, right now, I'm giving you permission to talk with your mouth full.

After the Institute has ended you might still have questions. The conversation doesn't have to stop here. As you’re chomping on one of the resources suggested here, as thoughts and questions occur to you, feel free to make contact. Making connections has never been easier. I encourage you to try them, using the resources listed in the discussion as a menu, to see how they taste to your palate. When you find something that tickles your taste buds, I encourage you to share it with others. After all, a meal is always better when served with company.

Thank you for a tremendously enjoyable two weeks. I know I have learned so much from this institute. The resources, and thoughts about these resources, have been truly enlightening but, I hope, those will pale in comparison to the resources yet to come by sharing through the connections we’ve made. I suppose, in a way, that's what this whole discussion has been about...finding and keeping connections with people in order to share resources, implementation strategies, and personal experiences.

I have one last resource to share before I head off to the dessert table. It is a plug, to be sure, so feel free to skip it if you’re not interested. In my Speaker Bio it referenced the fact that I’ve co-authored a book to be published by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). “The Practical (and Fun) Guide to Assistive Technology in Public Schools: Building or Improving Your District’s AT Team” will be available for pre-order in February of 2010 from http://bit.ly/istebookstore . The book addresses all of the major questions plaguing school districts with regard to assistive technology implementation including how to consider AT on an IEP for every student, when and how to perform evaluations, and much, much more. The book uses fun analogies and entertaining stories to create an engaging experience for the reader. If you’ve enjoyed the posts here during this institute, you can expect the same sort of style in the book. I hope you “save the date” by writing a note in your calendar to check out the book in February.

Again, thanks for such an enjoyable experience and I hope it doesn’t end here. I hope, like me, you’re still hungry. :)
Chris