This week, Chris interviews Daniel Parker, Kathy White, and Stacy Duffy, individuals behind the creation of Assistive Technology Forward, a group that created a statewide “community of practice” to support Wisconsin assistive technology. ATF has recently begun a free program that provides “microcredentials” that are focused on a particular area of practice within assistive technology.  Learn more here. These modules can be completed in a few hours and many can be taken by parents, administrators, and others who are not as familiar with assistive technology. Chris chats with Daniel, Kathy, and Stacy about Assistive Technology Forward, how they came to create microcredentials, some of the benefits of microcredentials, and a discussion of the virtual “community of practice” that ATF has created for assistive technology! 
 
Before the interview, Rachel shares some thoughts about an upcoming assessment report that she has been asked to write. Chris and Rachel discuss preparing for a student who has aggressive behaviors, dealing with the pressure to have standardized assessments as part of a report, and some of the questions that Rachels asks when she begins an AAC assessment.
 
Key ideas this week:
 
? Many people are frustrated with their jobs in education, and one reason is because they don’t feel supported or comfortable with what they are asked to do every day. Microcredentials can help people feel more confident in their jobs, which may increase overall job satisfaction.
 
? It can be costly and very time prohibitive to go through a full, formal AAC certification program. While that may be a good choice for some people, micro transactions offer another way to learn about the technology thatAT specialists, educators, and others can use to become more effective in support assistive technology. 
 
? ATF created an virtual, assistive-technology-focused “community of practice” i.e. a group of people who interact regularly to develop their skills. They often have meetings where a subject-matter expert facilitates a cooperative discussion with the group on topics related to assistive technology, which they record and save for other members of the community of practice. Some of these sessions can be viewed on You Tube here
 
? Assistive Technology Forward has a number of online free learning modules that provide lots of free information about assistive technology, including training for people who are not as familiar with AAC.
 
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