Virtual Expanded Core Education Learning (ExCEL) Academy for Students with Visual Impairments

Submitted by Charlotte Cushman on Apr 10, 2020

A girl listens to a broadcast which she has accessed with her braille note

Fall 2020

The Virtual ExCEL Academy is continuing now through the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). Check out the schedule!

Interested in being an instructor? Fill out this form to sign up!

Spring 2020

The Virtual ExCEL Academy ran for 10 great weeks from March 23-May 29, 2020. We are grateful to Cheryl Kamei-Hannan, whose brainchild this was, and to Leanne Grillot, who hosted us with APH (American Printing House for the Blind. We are also especially grateful to over 50 instructors, who made the time to rise to the challenge of providing direct instruction to students with visual impairments, just as the pandemic began. AND we are grateful to YOU, our students, teachers, families, and the many others who joined in for the live webinars, and watched the recordings. You made it all worthwhile!

Recordings of Past Sessions

All presentations are recorded and are posted on this Virtual ExCEL Academy Playlist.

Links to Past Presentations (listed in order of presentation date). Please note that this is not a complete list!

Self-Awareness Success (Part 1) with Robbin Keating-Clark
Marvin's Market Adventure and Grandma's Special Birthday Picnic with Gwyn McCormack (Parts 1 and 2)
Self-Awareness Success (Part 2) with Robbin Keating-Clark
Fun with Braille with Tammy Reisman
Time for Tots with Renee Ellis, Kathi Garza, Mary Shore, Deanna Peterson, Kate Borg
Marvin’s Market Adventure (Parts 3 & 4) with Gwyn McCormack
Staying Home: How to Communicate and Act on Our Wants and Needs with Everyone at Home with Kate Katulak
Light Box Story Hour! Literacy activities for students with visual impairments and additional disabilities with Adam Wilton
Staying Home: Making Connections in the Face of Social Distancing with No or Limited Vision with Kate Katulak
Intro to Infant Massage for Kids with Visual Impairment: Shared Joy, Body Awareness, and Touch Communication with Kimala Rein
- Handout on Infant Massage
Multiplication on the Abacus with John Rose
Using a Mac with VoiceOver: Getting Started! with Belinda Rudinger
- Handout: Getting Started with Mac OS & VoiceOver (Powerpoint)
- Handout on Mac OS & VoiceOver (Word Version)
Online Voice Lessons
- Download the lyrics.
Abacus Addition and Subtraction with Synthesis with Leanne Grillot
- Abacus Handout
Know Your Rights: How to be a Self-Advocacy Super Hero! with Rebecca Sheffield & Mark Richert
- Handouts for Know Your Rights: Google drive folder that contains our original handout and .brf file versions in contracted and uncontracted UEB
Writing with a Slate and Stylus with Leanne Grillot
- Handouts for Slate and Stylus:
Basic Coding Part Two with Robin Lowell and Beth Dudycha
- Basic Coding powerpoint
Three Determined Students: Laura Bridgman, Anne Sullivan, and Helen Keller with Jennifer Arnott
- Handouts: PDF Version RTF Version
Reading Connections and Writing Companions with Cheryl Kamei-Hannan and Leila Ricci
- Handout: Reading Connections and Writing Companion By Cheryl Kamei-Hannan and Leila Ricci
Virtual Family Drum Circle with Steve Turner
My Neighborhood: What’s Around Me? with Consortium of Creative Orientation & Mobility Specialists (CCOMS), JoAnne Chalom, Jessica Kaplan, Diana Herrera, Nicholas Casias
Independencia en Casa with Conchita Hernandez, Kenia Flores, Will Klotz, and Alex Castillo

Title & Link to YouTube Video Recording	Handouts (when available)	Topic
Problem Solving Skills Instructor with Chris Tabb		O & M
Do I Detect Sarcasm? (Part 1) Instructor with Robbin Keating-Clark		Social Skills; Communication
Fun At Home Yoga and Movement Activities with Kassy Maloney	Yoga handout	O & M; Movement
Do I Detect Sarcasm? (Part 2) with Robbin Keating-Clark		Social Skills; Communication
I'm a Scientist and I Didn't Even Know It!! Mystery Box Observations with Jeff Killebrew		STEM