PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITIES

The Institute on Disability (IOD) at the University of New Hampshire was established in 1987 to provide a coherent university-based focus for the improvement of knowledge, policies, and practices related to the lives of persons with disabilities and their families.

As part of our effort to carry out our mission, we provide evidence-based, expert professional development and technical assistance in New Hampshire and nationally. We are proud to offer single and multi-day seminars and workshops as well as customized, on-site support for educators, students with disabilities, their families, and community teams.

    Professional Development and Technical Assistance Topics Include:
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) - Including Students with ASD
  • Transition to Employment
  • Literacy Assessment and Training
  • Role of a Para Professional - Working with Students with Challenging Behaviors
  • Facilitated Communication
  • Team Planning Model - Blends best practices in inclusive education, augmentative communication, collaborative teaming, and professional development
  • Designing Curriculum and Communication Supports
  • Functional Behavioral Assessment
  • Person-Centered Planning
  • Addressing Social Interactions and Social Needs for Children
  • Developing Positive Behavioral Support Plans
  • Other Relevant Topics

Offerings include a comprehensive needs assessment and analysis of student-specific, classroom, school, and district-wide educational needs and development of a professional development/technical assistance plan that responds to priority needs.

Fee Structure
The Institute on Disability provides needs assessment, consultation, technical assistance and professional development at affordable rates. Our services are offered on a daily, half-day, and hourly basis.

Professional Development and Technical Assistance Providers Include:
Cathy Apfel, M.Ed. Areas of expertise include: the role of the para and special educator in the development and expansion of proactive strategies and school based supports for children and youths with challenging behaviors, prevention and intervention strategies developed for individual students (including functional behavioral assessments and support plans), classrooms and schools.

Ann Dillon, M.Ed. OTL Areas of expertise include: positive behavioral supports and person centered planning for families and providers of services and supports to young children (birth to 5 years old).

Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D. Areas of expertise include: design of inclusive curriculum and instruction (differentiated instruction), individualized supports and accommodations that promote access to the general education curriculum, evolving roles of special educators, and using reflective practice strategies to enhance team collaboration and problem solving.

Michael McSheehan, B.S. Areas of expertise include: assisting districts, schools, and teams to build their capacity to include children with significant disabilities in general education classrooms, assistance to students with various labels of significant disabilities who utilize augmentative communication, individualized curriculum supports, and positive behavioral supports, working with teams to solve challenging problems within school-wide systems.

Leigh Rohde, M.Ed. Areas of expertise include: the development of strategies and techniques for schools to improve literacy outcomes for struggling readers. She is also able to provide technical assistance on literacy to schools with literacy evaluations, individualized training and group workshops for general and special education teachers.

Frank Sgambati, M.S. Areas of expertise include: the development of strategies and techniques for individual students, para and special educators in the classroom, and families regarding students who have been labeled with significant disabilities.

Other Institute on Disability staff are available to address individualized needs.

Contact Information
For more information or to arrange an assessment, please contact:
Linda Bimbo, M.S., Institute on Disability, Associate Director
56 Old Suncook Road, Suite 2, Concord, NH 03301
603.228.2084 x. 26
linda.bimbo@unh.edu