Imagining the Future of Assistive Tech Investments at OSEP

Date & Time

Wednesday, March 15, 2023 - 1:20 PM PST  

Location

Orange County 1-2  

Description

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Research to Practice Division (RTP), coordinates discretionary grant programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Program Specialists from RTP are content area experts who serve as project officers for a range of federal investments. Specialists will begin the session by discussing trends and influences in OSEP's projects, focusing on the work of Educational Technology Media and Materials Program (ETechM2). This program is the primary source of support for accessible technology and media-related activities under IDEA. The ETechM2 improves results for learners with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology with learners and in personnel preparation; supporting activities designed to be of educational value in the classroom; providing support for captioning/description; and providing accessible educational materials. The session will highlight ways in which the Department has responded to the needs of the field in its technology investments. Following the updates from OSEP, participants will be engaged in a discussion of needs/concerns regarding future funding and policy priorities. This information will support specialists in aligning their work with needs in the field. Specialists will conclude with recommendations and resources for the audience to continue engagement which will inform OSEP and other local, state, and federal offices.

This Presentation Link is provided by the Presenter(s) and not hosted by the Center on Disabilities at CSUN. The Center on Disabilities has confirmed, as of March 24 2023, content linked is relevant to the presentation, but has not been reviewed for accessibility nor will the Center on Disabilities attempt to remediate any accessibility issues in the linked content. Please contact the Presenter(s) with any accessibility concerns.

 

Audience

• Higher Education
• Disability Specific
• K-12 Education
• Media & Publishing
• Research & Development

Audience Level

Intermediate  

Session Summary (Abstract)

This session explores trends in the Office of Special Education Programs’ previous discretionary grant funding. Participants will have the opportunity to provide feedback and insights to inform considerations for future funding and policy priorities.  

Primary Topic

Education  

Secondary Topics

• Development
• Emerging Technologies
• Law, Compliance, and Policy
• Research

 

Session Type

General Track  

Presenters

• Anita Vermeer
  U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
• Rebecca Sheffield
  U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
• Eric Caruso
  U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

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