The Stream

The Assistive Technology Spotlight is now available!

If you have any questions, please contact your regional AT team member.

As many of you know, using the Universal Protocol for Accommodations in Reading (uPAR) is an efficient and effective way to gather the information that teams need to know about their readers and their need for reading accommodations. This includes data for answering AEM (Accessible Educational Materials) and AT (Assistive Technology) questions on the IEP.  You and your schools will continue to  have unlimited FREE access to this tool through December, 2023 thanks to the financial support of the AEAs and Dept. of Education!  We currently have 25 districts who have access to the uPAR!

There have been some exciting changes that have made the uPAR even easier to administer.  (Spoiler alert: 1. No more creating protocols when signing up students) 2. Data format looks a little different.  We want to make sure that you all have access to uPAR for your current schools and the information to support your districts.  Like we have done in the past,  we ask that you complete this very brief uPAR form and select a date that works best for you to join a 30-minute meeting if you want this new information and access. 

(If you were unable to join us previously but would like more information now, we ask that you watch the video below as well as complete the brief form above. One of the options is to get access and schedule an initial meeting. Here is an overview video.

If you have any questions, please contact your regional AT contact.

We are excited about the upcoming Student Engagement through Authentic Learning Summit on March 2nd, 2023 at the Cedar Fall Conference Center.  Staff is encouraged to look at the schedule and determine if it would benefit them to attend. We will have students showcasing what they have been learning in new and different ways and teachers sharing how they engage students in meaningful ways. The planning team has been working hard to line up a fantastic and meaningful set of speakers, including Brian Aspinall as the featured keynote. We have created a tentative schedule, and we’ll add specific titles and descriptions over the next few days/weeks.  

Signup via our Professional Learning System – registration fee is $50 to cover snacks/lunch and our featured keynote speaker. As a Central Rivers AEA employee planning on attending, make sure to complete a professional learning request.  

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Kay Schmalen, Director of Professional Learning.