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December signifies the "made it" mark for many educators. New teachers are gaining confidence, and veteran staff are approaching the academic year's midpoint. As student routines stabilize, our focus strategically shifts from introducing new tools to optimizing the consistent use of Assistive Technology (AT) and exploring the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

These technologies are indispensable for two critical reasons during this period:

1. Sustained Access: AT is essential for helping

   students maintain focus and access educational materials amidst the excitement and disruption of the holiday season.
2. Accessible Engagement: We recognize the challenges families face in finding gifts that promote purposeful play, inclusiveness, and continuous skill development outside the classroom. AT insights are crucial in guiding these accessible recreational choices.

The articles and resources within this update will focus on these key elements. We encourage all educators to prioritize inclusiveness this month and to plan for professional growth by exploring upcoming opportunities, including the Sight Tech Global 2025 conference and the ATIA Conference in January.

Table of Contents

1. Upcoming Assistive Technology Professional Learning Events and Announcements 
2. From the Desk of Mike Hipple -WI AAC Network Newsletter 
3. From the Desk of Amy Snow
4. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Corner
5. Assistive Technology Resources
6. Feature Match: Switch Access

Upcoming Assistive Technology Professional Learning Events and Announcements 

Mark your calendars for the upcoming AT Forward CoP meetings:

Thursday January 8, 2026 (12:00pm-1:00pm) Technology, Access, and Best Practices for Students who have Low Vision
Amy Snow will present this session focusing on best practices for those preparing or modifying electronic documents for students who have low vision, color deficits, or other impediments to visual access. Tablet settings and use of other devices to access hard-copy printed materials will also be addressed. Specific goals include:  use of font, spacing, color, and text attributes (i.e. bold or italics) when creating documents for either electronic or hard-copy access as well as vision accessibility settings on tablets or computers to increase access to electronic files. 
Click on this link to register in advance for this meeting.

Tuesday February 3, 2026 (12:00pm-1:00pm) AAC Assessment Guide
Kathy White and Dawn Merth-Johnson will explore a comprehensive decision tree specifically designed to empower speech-language pathologists in conducting thorough and effective Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) assessments. The session will also highlight numerous updated resources for each crucial area, ensuring SLPs have the tools to make well-informed decisions for their students. 
Click on this link to register in advance for this meeting

Thursday February 19, 2026 (12:00pm-1:00pm) Feature Matching: ADL and DHH
Matt Palma and Laura Plummer delve into the critical process of feature matching for individuals who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) . The process of how to ask targeted questions guiding teams toward selecting assistive technology tools based on their inherent features, rather than specific brand names will be explored. Participants will learn to identify key characteristics of AT that align with the unique sensory, communication, and functional needs of DHH learners ensuring thoughtful and effective tool selection for enhanced independence and participation.   
Click on this link to register in advance for this meeting

Wednesday March 4, 2026 (12:00pm-1:00pm) Feature Matching: Adaptive Daily Living Skills.
Kathy Sween (OT) and Kathy White (AT) will explore feature matching for adaptive daily living skills. Adaptive daily living skills are the essential, everyday tasks that allow an individual to live as independently as possible. By combining them with Assistive technology (AT) students can become empowered.  This process of Feature Matching is not random; it requires a thoughtful, collaborative approach using the SETT Process and feature matching. By analyzing the student's specific needs and matching them to the functional features of an AT device, we ensure the tool is a true enabler of independence. 
Click on this link to register in advance for this meeting. 

Tuesday April 28, 2026 (12:00pm-1:00pm) Coaching for Sustainable Assistive Technology Impact
Paige Buckingham will explore the dynamic intersection of Assistive Technology (AT) and coaching. During this session, we will examine the distinctions between coaching, collaboration, and consultation and reflect on their roles in fostering collective efficacy within their teams. The session will also highlight ways to empower educators and staff to tell their AT success stories using meaningful data that communicates student impact and drives sustainable practices. Participants will walk away with actionable tools to build trust, spark engagement, and lead with purpose in their coaching roles. Presented by Paige Buckingham.  
Click on this link to register in advance for this meeting

Wednesday May 6, 2026 (12:00pm-1:00pm)  Accessible Gadgets for Gamers: Evaluating and Applying Video Game Accessibility in Therapeutic Settings 
Erik Johnson presents how technology-based interventions are rapidly becoming a cornerstone of modern practice, as smartphones, tablets, assistive technology, and even video games offer powerful new ways to foster independence and engagement. This session will empower educators and therapists to integrate non-traditional, digital tools into their clinical practice, especially through the lens of accessible gaming. Attendees will explore how video games can be adapted to meet diverse needs, learn strategies for evaluating accessibility, and walk away with practical applications that enhance therapeutic outcomes through innovative technology. 
Click on this link to register in advance for this meeting

Other Assistive Technology Professional Learning Events or Announcements

WisTech AT Certifications

WisTech, under direction of the Statewide Assistive Technology Advisory Council, has developed assistive technology (AT) coursework for providers in Wisconsin to become WisTech AT certified and ATP (assistive technology professional) verified. These certifications build and recognize the experience and knowledge needed to provide high-quality, consumer-driven, and comprehensive AT services.

WisTech offers AT certifications depending on the provider's background experience:

• • WisTech Verified ATP Certification
  • WisTech AT Certification 

The curriculum for the certifications will be hosted online through Canvas, an online learning management system and access to the internet and a computer are requirements. 

Applications are being accepted for enrollment in the WisTech AT Certification and the WisTech Verified ATP courses. Please complete the AT Certification Application Form if you are interested in taking either of the courses. Enrollment is limited to allow for cohorts to engage with each other. An application does not require payment for a course until time of enrollment. Course enrollment options at this time are:

• • January 12-April 10, 2026
  • March 30-June 26, 2026 

The WisTech AT Certification Course cost is $500 and can also be considered a stepping-stone to RESNA ATP Certification. The WisTech ATP Certification is available at no cost. Once certified, renewals for both will be required every two years along with the submission of the required continuing education units (CEUs) related to assistive technology. Renewal cost for each is $50 every two years.

Sight Tech Global 2025 (December 9–10, Virtual): This free, global conference focuses on how emerging technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), are fundamentally altering the landscape of assistive technology for people with blindness and low vision.

ATIA Conference (January, Orlando): Get ready for the premier Assistive Technology Industry Association conference in January, a perfect chance to see the latest innovations in person! ATIA is an international conference where people from all over the globe gather to discuss important trends, view new tools and support each other. 

From the desk of Mike Hipple 

I hope the school year is going well. Let's talk about the youngest learners. I want you to imagine something, a beautiful child who is just three years old on their first day of school. She ran into her classroom leaving her parents behind. She called her grandparents and uncle up to tell them about her day. She can move around the classroom with her peers. Now, let's just say that she has cerebral palsy. How do you think that one fact could make our story any different? You are right, it shouldn't, but sadly we know that it would probably make a huge difference without the help of assistive technology. This girl would probably be in a wheelchair all of the time when she is in school, she has less opportunities to play on the floor and on the playground, and how she is feeling but she can't tell her teacher and her family members. But with the help of assistive technology tools such as a power chair, a communication device, and a walker she could be like any other three year old girl!! That is the power of assistive technology. That same girl, when she gets older she could use assistive technology devices to write a poem about her boyfriend, write a paper for history class, or play football games. December is inclusive awareness month and assistive technology could make inclusion happen for everyone. If you don't know my own story, assistive technology made it happen for me. I was that student who was starting school at age of three and my school team started me with assistive technology so I could have a chance of a meaningful life. I am so grateful for them and you should be too, because of them I can write this article and speak to groups. If you are teaching early education, you might be teaching the next generation of me. I hope you will always remember that! I wish everyone a happy holiday season and I will talk to you guys in 2026. 

From the Desk of Amy Snow

Festive and Inclusive: Making Holidays Work for Everyone

The holiday season is here again—a time for connection, tradition, and thoughtful celebration. As we prepare for the festivities, it’s important to make sure everyone can join in the joy, including blind children as well as those with other disabilities.

While creating an inclusive experience can feel challenging, below are some general tips and resources to support you. From accessible gift ideas to inclusive traditions, these suggestions are designed to make the season meaningful for every child. Though some materials focus on blind children, much of the guidance can be adapted for kids with a wide range of needs.

Five Festive Tips for Including your Child with a Disability in the Holiday Fun

1. Decorating is not just for the tree (if your family incorporates that tradition). Find ways to include other sensory experiences that make their space feel like something special. Animated decorations that play music can be great fun and are easy to find this time of year. Adding garland, stockings, or other decorations that can be “touched” at the child’s level can also be fun and engaging. Having your child help place the decorations will not only help them feel part of the festivities, but also remind them what is different about their environment.
2. Create a holiday sensory bin that contains items that are meaningful to the holiday your family celebrates and other items that are commonly found in their environment during this time of year. Ideas include jingle bells, dreidels, cinnamon sticks, pine cones, felt ribbons…the possibilities are endless!
3. Holiday baking is a great way to bond as a family. There are lots of ways to include children in the process, even if it is as simple as dumping a cup of pre-measured flour into a bowl or having them set a timer by asking your virtual assistant of choice to do it for them. Even adding sprinkles to cookies can be fun. And don’t forget all the smells of the spices!
4. Wrapping gifts can be a very inclusive experience if incorporating bags, stickers, or tags with glitter or other tactile elements. The child may enjoy adding these elements to packages for their loved ones to help make them “special”. Also, adding these elements to gifts being given to children who are blind or visually impaired will make the package more “interesting”. Adding jingle bells to the ribbons on a package is a fun way to add to the experience of unwrapping presents. 
5. Narrate events that are visual. Describe the lights on the houses in the neighborhood or floats on the parade. Explain what is happening during family gatherings (especially when gifts are being opened since often all they hear is tearing paper and a few comments on the gift, but there may not be information on what the gift is or who received it). 

The most important thing to remember is that the holidays are special and unique to every family. The lights maybe don’t need to be exactly straight and the cookies might not look like you’d imagined they would. But the memories will be the most important thing you are creating. Those are irreplaceable and worth all the crooked lights and misshapen cookies in the world. 

Resources:

• APH Connect Center: Making Winter Holiday Traditions Accessible
• APH Connect Center: Outside-the-Box Holiday Gift Ideas for Family, Friends, or Colleagues Who Are Blind or Low Vision 
• APH Connect Center: You Can Touch the Elf on the Shelf - A Letter from Santa Claus
• Lighthouse Guild: Making the Holidays Bright for Children with Visual Impairment
• Paths to Literacy: 10 Ways to Include your Child in the Christmas Fun!
• Perkins: 2025 Holiday Gift Guide for all: Embrace the spirit of inclusion

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Corner 

If you missed our recent Community of Practice (CoP) meeting focused on AAC Implementation Guidance, don't worry—the recording and slides will be available here. A core topic of the session was the indispensable role of data collection in ensuring student progress. Effective data collection goes beyond just tallying communication attempts; it is the essential framework we use to determine three critical things: Is the student making measurable growth? Is the selected AAC system truly functional and meeting their needs? And how can we adjust goals and instruction to provide targeted support for communication and literacy skills development? By systematically gathering data, we stop guessing and start creating precise, actionable communication goals. Below, is one of the  key questions to help you reflect on your current data practices, along with resources to streamline your collection process.

Resources to Share

This time of year is perfect for the rewarding activity of switch-adapting toys, ensuring every child can participate fully in holiday play. Have you ever considered adapting a toy for a student or loved one? Or how about starting a club that uses STEM activities to build  or adapt toys. Switching a toy means adding an external jack that allows it to be activated by a large, easy-to-press button or switch, effectively removing the barrier of needing fine motor skills to turn small switches or press tiny buttons. This simple modification promotes inclusive play, giving children with mobility challenges the opportunity to engage with their peers and toys independently, which is vital for cognitive development and social interaction. To get started and bring this purposeful joy to your students, explore these excellent resources:

Santa’s Little Hackers Toy Making Instructional Videos
Ohio State University Toy Adapting Program
University of Washington HuskyADAPT Program
Switch Adapted Toys 

Essential Tools for Maintaining Student Focus

Maintaining focus requires a personalized approach. The best solutions combine technology, physical supports, and intentional teaching strategies. Educators can use a variety of digital tools such as apps like  Freedom app and Forest app.  Music can also help students stay focused as well as using digital times. Some students might require physical and or sensory supports like fidgets, stress balls, noise canceling headphones, wobble chairs to accommodate their need for movement. Think about using your school's 3D printers to create needed items. Lastly, think about visual schedule for students. With the holidays often come changes in daily routines. Front loading your students can help reduce anxiety and help students with transitions to different activities. 

AT News and Accessibility Tips by Frank Devereaux CESA2

Frank Devereaux is  an Educational Technology Integration Specialist at CESA2. He is offering  a free monthly technology / accessibility tip. He will share the latest AT news and accessibility tips, highlighting tools, strategies, and resources in educational technology to help support ALL learners.  Here is the link for November's Tip..

Feature Match/Consideration Guide: Switch Access

When conducting an IEP and having the conversation about “whether the student needs assistive technology services or devices, “  consider the following questions.

Caveat: Please note that examples of specific tools or programs are for illustrative purposes only. This does not constitute an endorsement of any particular product or vendor and any listed app/website should be vetted prior to student use to ensure compliance with the district’s technology policy.