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Hello! My name is Riley Rosa. I currently work as a special education teacher in an MD/ABA room at Rockaway Meadow Elementary in Parsippany. A fun fact about me is that I work at the school that I went to as a kid! And yes, some of my teachers are still here and yes, it is super awesome to get to work with them now.

There are countless examples of AT devices in my house, but one that has really come in handy lately is my smart lighting through Google home. My lights automatically turn on every morning to wake me up, and it has been much more effective than even the loudest of alarms!

One resource that I love is TextBlaze. It is a browser extension that allows you to create custom keyboard shortcuts. Saves so much time for me during lesson planning and IEP writing. For example, you could make one where if you type /swb it will replace it with "Students will be able to..."

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Hi! My name is Kate DeVincent and I work at a program geared towards students with ASD. I am getting ready to end my 4th year and I have absolutely loved it. I have learned so much not only from my co-workers and supervisors but also from the students.

Fun Fact: I have a puppy named Cassie. She is a Golden Retriever who’s 1 and loves to sit next to me during class.

The AT device that I use at home is closed captions on the TV, Alexa, and my aunt uses a talk to text while using a phone since she is deaf.

Teacher Off- Duty podcast is the professional resource

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Hi everyone! My name is Bhavani and I currently work as a high school Physics/Mathematics teacher with Essex County Schools of Technology in Newark. I handle Physics/Algbera-1 for freshmen. This year has been no less than a roller coaster ride, as I tried to earn my masters in Special Education and my Masters in Mathematics at the same time while working as a teacher. I am proud to say that my Masters in Mathematics is now fully done and I am eagerly waiting for the MASE program also to be done. I have three wonderful children - Vidyut, Vishi, and Aarya(3-year old). While all my kids made numerous sacrifices and compromises over the course of last two years, my baby girl made the most as she was hardly less than a year old while I started to pursue my course for earning my teaching certification followed by two accelerated masters degrees. My husband tried to support me whenever he was home from his crazily traveling job, as I embarked this journey to step up in my career after being a stay-at-home mom. 

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Fun facts about me: A rule follower and a perfectionist. I like to spend my time with my husband watching movies on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Zee, etc. I like to go out to restaurants with family and try different cuisines.

Examples of AT that I use : My Bluetooth/Apple Car Play, Google Home to check the accurate digital time, to set alarms, and to play songs. I also use closed captions/subtitles while I watch movies on TV as it helps me follow movies in languages that I do not understand and also at times when there is background noise that prohibit me from hearing the audio of the movie; my smartphone is also an AT that I use in every day life.

Professional resource: Quizizz, Khan Academy. I am also a member of Special Education Tecaher support group in Facebook

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Hi! My name is Daria and I work as a middle school special Ed teacher at the Crossroads School in Westfield. I have a one and a half year old son who has been on this crazy ride with me the whole time! An example of an AT device in my house is my phone. I do not like to talk on the phone and at times when I am with my son I cannot talk on the phone so I can text. Also, when I do not understand something I can look it up. As I said in class I use TikTok to find other special Ed teachers and have recently started with podcasts with The Autism Helper podcast

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Hey Everyone! It's nice to meet you all. My name is Nick, and currently I am a health and physical education teacher at a high school. This is my 3rd year in the district and I also coach Lacrosse at my school. Some of my favorite things include sports, music, and food.

AT at home: Some assistive tech in my home include my Amazon Alexa, Ring Camera, and my cell phone.

Professional Resource: https://www.shapeamerica.org/

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Hi! My name is Nicole Goddin. I am currently a paraprofessional for a program at Old Tappan High School. I have been working with my students since they were freshmen and they are now finishing up their junior year!

Fun facts: I am a huge NY Giants fan and I love county music.

AT in my house: headphones that my grandmother uses that connect to her tv because she is hard of hearing.

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Hi everyone, I'm Allison. I am currently closing out the school year as a 3rd grade teacher in Livingston. I previously worked as a reading interventionist for 6 months and a paraprofessional for over 6 years in the same district. I plan on eventually obtaining certifications as a reading specialist and as an ELA teacher at the secondary level. Some fun facts about me are that I love theatre and that I moonlight as a pet sitter.

Two examples of AT that I use in my home are closed captions on the tv/devices and a step stool to reach high places.

Recently I've been listening to the Chalk & Talk podcast and Science of Reading: The Podcast.

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Hello everyone- great to see you all again for our final class of the degree. I currently work as a special education social studies teacher at Butler High School (grades 9-12), and next year I will be working at Mendham High school within West Morris Regional School District under the same title. A future goal of mine is to obtain a MA in Educational Leadership.

Fun facts: I love music, namely Grateful Dead. Over the last few years I have toured the country with friends and family to see live music, a serious passion of mine. I also really enjoy any kind of traveling, as well as cooking, watching sports, and casual gaming.

AT in my house: closed captions on TV, AI/voice commands on my tech devices (especially for reminders), and my auto-cat feeder!

Professional resouce: The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher by Harry K. Wong & Rosemary T. Wong.

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Hello! I currently work at Madison High School as an English Teacher/Special Education Teacher as well as ICS. I work with 9th graders and 12th graders. Previously I was a 1:1 Instructional Para for 6 years at MHS. My first chapter was in Banking and Insurance through 2004. Out of high school, I went to Rutgers with a BA in English and achieved my CEAS in English, Secondary Ed.

Wife to my pal 25 years (been together 30)

Mom of 2 girls, (Freshman and a Sophmore both now in college)

Fish Mom - big tank full of fresh water African Cichlids

Dog mom - we have 3 dogs, 2 are rescues

Fun fact - Huge ice hockey fans with a player and coach in my house. My rising freshman in college is committed to play field hockey and also played ice hockey. We all skate and love the beach as well!

AT in our home: We all wear glasses!, Ipads, close caption is on my device. My planner that keeps the family schedule!

Professional Resource: My go to at the moment is: Common Lit

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Hi EDSP-640. I am Kim, and I am a special education teacher at Union High School. I am an in-class support teacher for U.S History 1, World History, Algebra 2, Chemistry, and Financial Literacy. I also teach Social Studies and CBI to the MD self-contained class. I am also a Special Olympics coach for my high school and will spend this weekend at TCNJ for Special Olympics states.

Fun Facts: I am a really good hula hooper and taught one of my students last Thursday how to hula hoop. I also have a dog, Zeus, who sleeps under my desk during every class session.

AT in My House: My house has smart lighting, so I can turn off and on the lights using my voice or even my phone—the benefit of having a future brother-in-law who is an electrician.

Professional Resource: DitchThatTextbook https://ditchthattextbook.com/

Matt Miller; a teacher I follow on Twitter has a great website where you can find tons of technology resources you can use in your classroom. There is a page dedicated to 30 different ways to use Google Slides interactively. I have found tons of great lessons from following his Twitter and using his website. Highly recommend.

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Hey all! My name is Ria-Alyse Johnson and I am a Special Education Teacher in a primary class (ages 7-10) at the Morris-Union Jointure Commission in New Providence. I have 6 students who have Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or multiple disabilities. As a first year teacher I am gaining lots of experience each day in my new role! I work with an amazing group of people who keep me motivated to create new "strategies" to help our students get the most out of their learning experience! I am BEYOND excited to wrap up this Master's degree with the professors and all of you. Our mission is almost complete!

Fun facts: I have passion for trying new recipes! I have a 9 month old baby, who name is Vision his arrival into this world has changed my whole perspective as teacher now that I am a "mama"

Assistive Technology in Home: Closed captions while watching shows, baby monitor that tracks (temperature & humidity levels), and post-it reminders daily

Professional resource: ABCYA!

Great for grade-appropriate leveled games and fun activities! https://www.abcya.com/?irclickid=wH7QmGzB%3AxyLTgawUx0Mo38dUkHXn831z1QHUM0&irgwc=1&utm_source=impact&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=Skimbit%20Ltd.&utm_id=10078&utm_term=Online%20Tracking%20Link

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I am Yulia Fatula. I am currently a Ukrainian bilingual teacher at Clifton. I enjoy having my little classroom in a school basement and being the only one of that kind in school...and a district:) I am very proud to be the first to get the Promethean Smartboard, an excellent example of AT. My MLL students enjoy this tool, which, in combination with a Hovercam, creates the next level of materials presentations.

Fun fact: I used to work as a Curve's fitness trainer (back in Ukraine) while completing my graduate degree in Psychology, so my thesis was about how group workouts affect clients' results.

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Hello EDSP-640! My name is Wendy Lertola and I am currently a Technology/STEM Leave Replacement teacher for K-5 in Clinton Township.

Fun Facts: I'm all about my family of 4 children and 4 grandchildren. I love taking long walks in nature and playing in my flower beds.

AT at my house: Glasses, contact lenses, Amazon Alexa, Roomba, cell phone.

Honestly, I'm looking forward to completing this class and moving on to a long-awaited trip to Costa Rica with my family! It's been a challenging and rewarding two years of academia.

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Hello. My name is Andrew, and I am currently a Social Studies teacher in a resource classroom.  This past school year was my third year as an educator.

Fun facts: I am an Eagle Scout and have earned all three Eagle Palms (the highest rank in scouting).  Prior to earning my MASE, I earned a master’s degree with distinction and had my original research published in a peer-reviewed academic journal (https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/hgjpa/vol5/iss1/7/).  In my spare time, I serve as a Scout Master and Eagle Scout advisor, work as a student mentor at my alma mater, and volunteer at a local food bank.

Professional Resource: https://ufli.education.ufl.edu/foundations/toolbox/.

AT in my house: I use closed captions on both the television and the computer.

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Hello! I currently work at St. Bartholomew Academy in Scotch Plains as the Science teacher for middle school students and as the STEM special teacher for elementary students. I served as an instructional aide for 8 years at Nettingham Middle School in the same town. I'm very busy at work, but love what I do and really love the students.

Fun fact: I have a 15 year old son who loves creating music and playing volleyball.

At home, I rely quite indulgently on Alexa for everything from telling me the weather to setting timers and alarms for when I am supposed to do something or be somewhere - I really need it!

Because this is my first encounter with STEM as a teacher I have joined multiple STEM and science groups on FB. I maintain a subscription to Carly and Adam (https://carlyandadam.com/) which provides an entire STEM curriculum for all elementary grade levels.

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Hello! My name is Lisa MacKinnon. I am currently a Special Education teacher in 2nd grade providing in-class support for my students. I have 3 amazing daughters. I love doing yoga and taking walks.

Fun Fact: I've eaten dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

AT at my house: Recently, my husband sprained his ankle so he's been using crutches to help with his mobility.

I recently started listening to the podcast Science of Reading.

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Hi Class! My name is Tuli and I am currently a Para in a ERI class for 3rd and 4th graders. I live and work in West Orange and am currently in the process of applying to Special Education teaching positions for the 2024-25 school year.

Fun Fact- I am an Actor! and this summer I am teaching dance to 2nd and 3rd grades in my district. This will be my first official teaching job!

At my house, I have many AT items. They are- glasses, iPad, laptop, cell phone (its my whole life), all appliances, and a Fridge that dispenses ice and water! - a must for me! so sick of ice trays!

Professional Resource is - https://www.education.com/

I am very excited to learn about different technologies that can help me as a teacher and those that can assist my students. I am not that tech savvy, so I am excited to learn as much as I can.

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Hi everyone! I'm looking forward to continuing our learning together this *last* semester of our journey at Ramapo!

I am currently a self-contained ABA teacher at my local public school. Previous professional roles in the field of education have included: job coaching, 1:1 paraprofessional and as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

Fun facts:

I have a fur baby, and my morkie, Kenzie will make on-camera guest appearances in online classes :)

I joined Orange Theory fitness last year, and attend at least 4 classes per week!

At home assistive technology: my glasses!

I always had perfect eyesight, but a significant head injury last school has resulted in my need to wear glasses every day!

Professional resource:

Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools: a program presented by Special Olympics to promote inclusion of all students in schools!

https://www.specialolympics.org/what-we-do/youth-and-schools/unified-champion-schools

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Hi,

I am excited for this class especially because my thesis paper was about Assistive Technology. I currently work at the Bogota Middle School in NJ as an RTI Math teacher. It has been a crazy first year as I have been a replacement teacher in two other classrooms, but I am certainly enjoying it.

Fun Fact: I am an audio engineer in my spare time!

AT from my house: I would say using Alexa for reminders and turning on and off lights or other technology is an example of AT inside of my home.

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Hi! I'm Yasminda Hall and I am currently a leave replacement first grade teacher in Scotch Plains, NJ. I am a mom of 4 children who are all have Autism Spectrum Disorder and are my inspiration for pursuing a Master's in Special Education.

In my house I think the best AT we have is our Echoes. Alexa has been able to learn to understand my mostly nonverbal son and through her we have learned his taste in music and jokes. It has helped my son be able to express himself because it learned his speech pattern and understands what he wants. When we first got Alexa we discovered that my son's favorite song is Happy by Pharrell. He played it on loop on Alexa. It was precious and I think its the best investment we have made in our house.

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Hi everyone! I am looking forward to working with you during our SHORT summer semester. I am an Assistive Tech Specialist and the Director of our state's AT Act Project - at4nj.org

Fun facts: I love Star Wars, music and reading. Current favorites: Pearl Jam Dark Matter and The Demon of Unrest by Eric Larson

AT in my house - Lever door handles

Professional resource (totally self serving!) - My book Inclusive Learning 365: Edtech Strategies for Every Day of the Year - inclusive365.com

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Hello EDSP-640! My name is Emma and I am currently a 5th grade special education teacher in Hillsborough, NJ. I teach small group literacy and study skills, and provide in-class support for students in science and social studies.

Fun Facts: I am a huge cat person, and you might see my cat Moots appear on the Zoom sometimes!

AT in My House: My glasses! I can't see anything without them. Also, post-it notes that I leave by my door so I remember to bring things that I need to work each day.

Professional Resource: UFLI Foundations Toolbox. https://ufli.education.ufl.edu/foundations/toolbox/

This is a great resource for literacy instruction, especially if you teach struggling readers!

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Hi, my name is Dave Gelormini. I currently am teacher of students with special needs. I work for the Morris Union Jointure Commission at the Developmental Learning Center in Warren, NJ. I have my own classroom of 9 students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, most of which use AAC assistive technology to communicate.

Fun Facts: I enjoy bingeing tv shows, and watching sports. I also love to try new restaurants.

Some AT I use daily in my home are that I use closed captions when I watch tv shows. I also use my Amazon Alexa a lot, because it makes ordering things I need so much easier!

I am excited for this class!

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I am excited for this class. Some fun facts: I have two granddaughters- and three dogs, and I love everything on Netflix.

AT at my house, speech-to-text and text-to-speech.

Professional resources: https://orcid.org/my-orcid?orcid=0009-0005-3805-7998