Guam CEDDERS Attends OSEP Project Directors Conference

by Guam CEDDERS OSEP Pacific VIP
Dr. Heidi San Nicolas, Principal Investigator, Pacific VIP, Director, Guam CEDDERS, and June De Leon, Project Director, Pacific VIP, Associate Director, Guam CEDDERS, facilitated a presentation with the Pacific VIP partners from the University of Massachusetts-Boston during the 2016 OSEP Project Directors Conference recently held in Washington, D.C. on August 1-3. Shown left to right preparing for the presentation are Robert McCully, Liaison, Pacific VIP, NERCVE Director, UMass Boston; June De Leon, Project Director, Pacific VIP, Associate Director, Guam CEDDERS; Dr. Heidi San Nicolas, Principal Investigator, Pacific VIP, Director, Guam CEDDERS; and Dr. Laura Bozeman, Program Director, Vision Studies School of Global Inclusion and Social Development, UMass Boston. Also participating in the presentation was Glinda Hill, Project Officer, Research to Practice Division Office of Special Education Programs, USDOE.
Dr. Heidi San Nicolas, Principal Investigator, Pacific VIP, Director, Guam CEDDERS, and June De Leon, Project Director, Pacific VIP, Associate Director, Guam CEDDERS, facilitated a presentation with the Pacific VIP partners from the University of Massachusetts-Boston during the 2016 OSEP Project Directors Conference recently held in Washington, D.C. on August 1-3. Shown left to right preparing for the presentation are Robert McCully, Liaison, Pacific VIP, NERCVE Director, UMass Boston; June De Leon, Project Director, Pacific VIP, Associate Director, Guam CEDDERS; Dr. Heidi San Nicolas, Principal Investigator, Pacific VIP, Director, Guam CEDDERS; and Dr. Laura Bozeman, Program Director, Vision Studies School of Global Inclusion and Social Development, UMass Boston. Also participating in the presentation was Glinda Hill, Project Officer, Research to Practice Division Office of Special Education Programs, USDOE.

AT Demo Conducted

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Demonstration Services Guam Systems for Assistive Technology Information Dissemination Pacific VIP Self-Advocacy Vision Impairment
Three individuals seated around conference table with AT device on table.
Carla Torres (left), GSAT Program Coordinator, and Roy Rosario (far right), GSAT Advisory Council member, provided Maria Pineda (center) a demonstration of the Eye-Pal ROL portable scanner and reader. Roy shared his positive experiences with the Eye-Pal ROL and the various ways he uses it to access printed materials and maintain independence in his life.
  • Three individuals posing for photo.

    Sigalu Epenesa (Left) and Amy Epati, (Right) met with June De Leon (Center), Guam CEDDERS Associate Director and Project Director for the Pacific Vision Instruction Project (Pacific VIP) on August 5 to discuss final activities of the project. The Pacific VIP is a personnel preparation grant, in partnership with the University of Massachusetts-Boston.

  • Five individuals posing for photo.

    (L-R) Terrie Fejarang, Guam CEDDERS Associate Director; Sigalu Epenesa, Pacific VIP Scholar; Paolo Salavea, American Samoa Special Education Interim Coordinator; Amy Epati, Pacific VIP Scholar, and June De Leon, Guam CEDDERS Associate Director, met on August 5 to finalize steps for completing activities of the project.

Pacific VIP Scholars Complete Final Activities

by Guam CEDDERS Interdisciplinary Pre-Service Preparation Pacific VIP Vision Impairment

Pacific VIP Reps Meet with Agencies During Chuuk Site Visit

by Guam CEDDERS Interdisciplinary Pre-Service Preparation Pacific VIP Vision Impairment
Eight individuals seated around table.
A meeting was held on August 19, attended by representatives of Chuuk State Special Education and Chuuk Department of Public Health, to discuss collaborative activities related to vision impairments in Chuuk. Attending the meeting were (Clockwise starting at bottom left) : Ansina Kony, Special Education Coordinator; Donna McNear, UMASS-Boston Vision Instruction Project Adjunct Faculty; Callie Brusegaard (partially hidden), UMASS Boston doctoral student; Cathy Mori, Chuuk Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Project Coordinator; Chelsea Mori, VIP Scholar and Chuuk State VI Instructor; Awreen Paul, Department of Public Health; Dr. Anamarie Yomai, Public Health Physician; and Jason Reiong, VIP Scholar and Chuuk High School Principal. Not shown: Terrie Fejarang, Guam CEDDERS Associate Director.

Pohnpei State Vision Instruction Program Receives Donated Braille Books

by Guam CEDDERS Early Childhood Information Dissemination Pacific VIP Vision Impairment
Four individuals standing holding braille children's books.
The Pohnpei State Department of Education, Special Education Program, received a contribution of braille books for young children through the donation of Sheila Amato and her volunteers from West Virginia. This donation was made through the networking contact of Donna McNear, Pacific Vision Instruction Project (Pacific VIP) Consultant and UMASS-Boston adjunct instructor. Pictured receiving the books on August 21, are: (L-R) Roddy Robert, Vision Instruction Teacher; Karlina Henry, Special Education Coordinator; Joseph Villazon, Director of Education; and Johnatan Zared, Pakein Elementary School Principal. Terrie Fejarang, Guam CEDDERS Associate Director, delivered the books during her Pacific VIP site visit to Pohnpei.

Pacific VIP Scholars Meet with Consultant

by Guam CEDDERS Pacific VIP
Four individuals standing in school hallway.
Donna McNear, University of Massachusetts – Boston Adjunct Faculty, conducted a practicum site visit with Guam-based student scholars in the Pacific Vision Instruction Project (Pacific VIP) on April 29. Pictured here at Price Elementary School are (L-R) scholars Darlene Taimanglo and Diane Artero, Professor Donna McNear, and scholar Erica Acfalle. Not shown are scholars Joni Manibusan and Norma Jean Santos. The site visit took place during the week of April 27 through May 1, 2015.

Pacific VIP Scholars Attend UMass Boston Graduation Ceremonies

by Guam CEDDERS Pacific VIP
Graduation photo
Eight participants of the Pacific Vision Instruction Project (Pacific VIP) attended the graduation ceremonies held on May 30 on the campus of the University of Massachusetts-Boston. Sitting (L-R): William Kiernan, Ph.D., Dean of School of Global Inclusion and Social Development and Director of UMass Boston University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD); Glinda Hill, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs Project Officer; Donna McNear, Pacific VIP Consultant; Paula Kosior, UMass Boston Faculty; Sandy Smith, UMass Boston Faculty; Wendy Buckley; UMass Boston Faculty; Bob McCulley, UMass Boston Faculty and Pacific VIP Liaison. Standing (L-R): June De Leon, Guam CEDDERS Associate Director and Pacific VIP Project Director; Gretchen Fisher Orr, New England region graduate; Diane Artero, Guam Scholar; Jennifer Shoniber; Pohnpei Scholar; Sigalu Epenesa, American Samoa Scholar; Amy Epati, American Samoa Scholar; Jennifer Buniag, CNMI Scholar; Sulugia Fa’atau, American Samoa Scholar; Chelsea Phillip, Chuuk Scholar; Mekioshy William, Chuuk Scholar; Heidi San Nicolas, Ph.D., Director, Guam CEDDERS.

Pacific VIP Scholar Receives Top Student Award

by Guam CEDDERS Pacific VIP
Award photo
Program administrators and faculty gather on May 29 to honor Diane Artero, Pacific VIP Scholar who received the prestigious Book Award for Academic Excellence in the University of Massachusetts Boston Vision Studies/School for Global Inclusion and Social Development. (L-R): Heidi San Nicolas, Ph.D., Director, Guam CEDDERS; William Kiernan, Ph.D., Dean of School of Global Inclusion and Social Development and Director of UMass Boston Vision Studies/School for Global Inclusion and Social Development University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD); Paula Kosior, UMass Boston Faculty; Marybeth Dean, UMass Boston Faculty; Glinda Hill, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs Project Officer; Diane Artero, Pacific VIP Scholar and Book Award Recipient; Robert McCulley, UMass Boston Faculty and Pacific VIP Liaison; and June De Leon, Associate Director, Guam CEDDERS and Pacific VIP Project Director.

 

 

  • Service provider working with student while family and other service providers look on.

    Jennifer Shoniber, Pacific VIP Pohnpei Scholar, conducts a lesson during her practiucm observation while Mary Dean, UMASS Boston Practicum Supervisor, watches. Lilly Abraham and Florina Esiel observe in the background along with the student’s grandmother.

  • Photo of service providers working with student .

    Florina Esiel (left), Pacific VIP Pohnpei Scholar, conducts an introduction to Braille lesson with a kindergarten student with the assistance of Mary Dean, UMASS Boston Practicum Supervisor, on April 24.

  • Photo of service provider and student working with Braille writer.

    Florina Esiel encourages her young student to practice using a Braille writer while being observed by Mary Dean.

  • Photo of service providers in a small boat with outboard motor.

    Pacific VIP Chuuk Scholars prepare for the 30-minute boat ride to Tonoas where Jason Reiong, was scheduled to demonstrate a lesson to be observed by Mary Dean, UMASS Boston Practicum Supervisor, on April 28. (L-R) Jason Reiong, Marybeth Dean, Chelsea Mori Phillip, Mekoishy William.

  • Photo of service providers in classroom working with student.

    Jason Reiong, Pacific VIP Chuuk Scholar has no problems keeping his student on the lesson during an on-site practicum observation conducted by Marybeth Dean, UMASS Boston Practicum Supervisor. Mekioshy William, Pacific VIP Chuuk Scholar observes in the background.

  • Photo of service provider working with student.

    Mekioshy William, Pacific VIP Chuuk Scholar conducts a lesson with his student on the island of Pata, in the Chuuk lagoon on April 29.

  • Photo of service provider working with student using assistive technology.

    Lilly Abraham, Pacific VIP Pohnpei Scholar, works with one of her students during a practicum observation session on April 25.

  • Photo of Special Education Coordinators and

    (L-R): Arthur Albert, FSM National Government Special Education Director; Marybeth Dean, UMASS Boston Practicum Supervisor; and Carlina Henry, Pohnpei State Special Education Coordinator, discuss the activities that occurred during Ms. Dean’s on-site visit at an exit meeting in Pohnpei on April 25.

  • Photo of service providers standing in a group.

    Pacific VIP Chuuk Scholars attend a debrief meeting at the end of the Chuuk Practicum On-Site Visit on May 1. (L-R): Jason Reiong, Scholar; Marybeth Dean, UMASS Boston Practicum Supervisor; Ansina Kony, Special Education Coordinator, Chuuk DOE; Chelsea Mori Phillip, Scholar; Terrie Fejarang, Guam CEDDERS; and Mekioshy William, Scholar.

Pacific VIP Scholars Complete Final Practicum Observation

by Guam CEDDERS Pacific VIP Vision Impairment