Join the Hive Summer Cohort!

Do you need to earn certification renewal credit? Are you passionate about empowering students through literacy?

APH is excited to invite you to our upcoming summer cohort, tailored specifically for educators who are dedicated to excellence in teaching students who are blind or visually impaired. Powered by the APH Hive, the cohort features its newest course, Unlocking the Foundations of Reading for Students with Visual Impairments.

The cohort features:

  • 14 hours of professional credit
  • autonomy of learning

For more details about the structure and expectations of the cohort, please watch this brief video.

Once you’re ready to commit to a summer of free, collaborative learning,. The deadline to sign up is May 15, 2024. Deadline has passed.

Here’s to a rewarding and enriching summer ahead!

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Feel free to ask any questions here!

I am looking to purchase a good curriculum to use with students who are blind and/or visually impaired for reading intervention at the middle school and high school level who are below grade level in reading and writing. Any suggestions? It would be great if it could incorporate language arts pieces as well. I am really struggling as many have technology components that cannot guarantee accessibility. Thanks in advance!

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Hi Kristin,
I have a few suggestions.

  1. SRA Reading Laboratory which is designed for grade 7 to adult. SRA is usually dropped in the NIMAC as these are used across the country
  2. Wilson Reading Program, available through APH in both large print and braille
  3. Phonics for Reading, also available in the NIMAC

I will be interested to see what others suggest.

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Hi Kristin,

A few years ago one of my students took a course during his freshman year of high school called Academic Reading. I reached out to the Academic Support Department Chair to see what materials/curricula were used and he gave me the following resources:

I haven’t had a student in the class since, but I remember that the class was very individualized to the needs of the students, which is why I think there’s not a specific “boxed” curriculum used.

Hope this helps!

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Good afternoon! I have a really stupid question. I have noticed that currently in the Hive is another “Unlocking the Foundations of Reading” Course. I actually pinned it on my Dashboard and started the first module and then realized it might be the same thing. I just want to make sure I am completing it with the right cohort. Thank you and I hope you have a great day!

Hi! The course is the same. The cohort will have additional reading assignments and discussion board posts.

Thank you so much! I will wait and continue it with this cohort! I hope you have a great afternoon.

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In the past, I have used N2Y (Unique Learning System | Specially Designed Instruction) with students in a Life Skills program. This is a total curriculum, which is heavy on the reading/language arts portion of assignments, but also has a decent amount of math, science and history. These are usually incorporated into the reading lessons. You can use this as an online program or print out many of the stories/activities. The full version scaffolds the learning to many levels of ability. It includes crafts and recipes, jokes and transition to post secondary training or job expectation information. I really barely scraped the surfaace of what this curriuculum had to offer. None of the students I was working wth at the time were visually handicapped, but the program uses SymbolStix for students who are blind or VI.

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I have also used N2Y. I love that it is so interactive. We’ve used different aspects on our TapIt.

I just enrolled in this course. Excited to get started in July with the other participants.

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I have used a program called All About Reading by All About Learning Press with success. It’s easily adaptable for my students who are blind using the APH’s Word Playhouse The program is also easy to implement (20 mins per lesson).

Me too Morgana. I am really excited to begin the course in July as well. I believe it will most definitely help us all with the students that we support and their literacy!

How do we locate the reading assignments?

Hello! Reading assignments will be sent out to participants by email before the start of the Cohort.

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Hello!
My name is Sarah and I am in Ontario, Canada. I have been a Special Education teacher for 16 years, working with students with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities. Next year, I am beginning a new role as a ITVI. I will be the only one in my district, supporting around 60 students with a range of visual impairments. I’m looking forward to learning more and the challenges ahead in this exciting field of work!

Welcome to the group, I also am the only TVI in my district supporting 13 visually impaired students.

Not a stupid question - I joined the one in the Hive as well and assumed it was this class and just never accessed it until the “cohort was live”. So I’ll do all the work through this site instead of the Hive Dashboard??