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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Family Signs – Tele-Intervention Program: Sign Language Support for Families of Infants and Toddlers who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Texas and Beyond!' Track: 4 - Early Intervention Keyword(s): tele-intervention, sign language, family education Learning Objectives: The participant will be able to describe the components of the Family Signs Program. The participant will be able to describe changes to the program since April 2013 and to list other tele-intervention programs that are currently operating or are setting up services. The participants will determine if they fit the criteria to join the Professional Learning Community (PLC) that focuses on the provision of tele-intervention services for families learning sign language. Abstract: In 2004, the Educational Resource Center on Deafness at Texas School for the Deaf conducted a pilot program using videophones for remote service delivery to provide sign language instruction to the family of an 18 month-old toddler who was deaf. The next year, a formal program was begun and since that time we’ve made several refinements as we learned along the way. The program, now called “Family Signs” serves about 60 families annually and operates primarily using Internet videoconferencing programs such as Skype and Google+. Much of the program is web based including communication, information, registration, and documentation. Family Signs remains a continual work in progress and we are always interested in learning from others. To that end, we have joined the NCHAM: Tele-intervention Professional Learning Community and have set up an additional Professional Learning Community for other programs using or interested in setting up tele-intervention for family signs language support. Our goals in this presentation are to explain how our program works, share the process of a newly developing Family Signs program (Family Signs Kansas), and to invite those interested in providing similar services into our professional learning community. Presentation: This presentation has not yet been uploaded or the speaker has opted not to make the presentation available online. Handouts: Handout is not Available
PRESENTER(S) / AUTHOR(S) INFORMATION
Lynn Reichert - Primary Presenter Family Signs      Credentials: M.A. in Deafness Studies      Other Affiliations: Educational Resource Center on Deafness at Texas School for the Deaf       Lynn Reichert received her MA in Deafness Studies in Austin, Texas. She is a certified Deaf Education teacher, ASL teacher, and Interpreter. After working in the Deaf education field for over 12 years in a variety of settings, she began working with the Educational Resource Center on Deafness (ERCOD) and the Family Signs program. She has been with the Family Signs program for five years, four of those as Coordinator. Most recently, she co-authored ‘Pioneering Program Teaches Families Sign Language Through Tele-Intervention’ based on Family Signs in The Odyssey, 2015.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist. Erin Schuweiler - Co-Presenter Kansas School for the Deaf      Credentials: M.S., Ed.      Other Affiliations: Sound START of Kansas       Erin Schuweiler is the Birth to Three Coordinator at the Kansas State School for the Deaf (KSD). Erin has worked at KSD for 10 years, 2 years as a preschool teacher and 8 years in birth to three. Erin provides services and resources to service providers and families who have children ages birth to three who are deaf and hard of hearing throughout the state of Kansas. Erin graduated from the University of Kansas with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Deaf Education and Early Childhood Special Education.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.