by Kay Ledbetter
“Successful Transition for Students with Special Needs: Advocating for Universal Design for Learning in Classrooms,” will be the topic of the Oct. 18 webinar hosted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Texas Military Program.
The one-hour webinar will begin at 10 a.m. and is free and open to anyone interested, but registration is required, said Andrew Crocker, AgriLife Extension program specialist in gerontology and health, Amarillo.
Research has shown all students, especially those receiving special education who follow a carefully crafted transition plan, are more likely to achieve post-secondary success, said Rachel Brauner, program coordinator with the agency’s Texas Military Program in College Station.
“Helping professionals can craft these plans, but many may not be aware of the various resources available to ensure students’ successful transition,” Brauner said. “One of the main resources available to parents/guardians and students is their classroom teacher. Teachers who incorporate transition-related content into instruction using Universal Design for Learning principles are in the best position to set up students for postsecondary success.”
Leading the webinar will be Dr. Lakshmi Mahadevan, AgriLife Extension family and community health specialist in College Station. Her areas of expertise include career assessment, post-secondary options for individuals with special needs, special education and multicultural career counseling.
Mahadevan has more than 10 years experience in conducting face-to-face and online professional development with educators in Texas addressing various special populations-related issues.
The objectives of this interactive webinar will be to introduce attendees to:
– Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, principles for instruction.
– Employability skills that can be taught using UDL principles.
– Ways in which parent/guardians and students can self-advocate for UDL to be incorporated in classrooms.
This and other webinars are offered through AgriLife Extension’s Military Program to provide professional development and interactive resources for those unable to leave home for training, Crocker said.
The Military Families Learning Network Military Caregiving concentration will offer one continuing education credit from the University of Texas School of Social Work for credentialed and licensed professionals. Certificates of completion will also be available for participants interested in receiving training hours.
To join the session or for more information, go to https://learn.extension.org/events/3073.
