T.H.E. P.A.C.T. 2-Day Intensive
"Make & Take" Lab

Not enough time to write objectives, develop instructional plans, and design simple AT solutions?

During The Power of T.H.E. P.A.C.T. 2-Day Intensive Lab, you will implement the principles you learned in the 1-Day Course (completing the 1-Day Course is a prerequisite to taking the 2-Day Intensive Lab) to put into place a step-by-step system you can begin implementing on Monday morning.

The materials you provided were VERY generous and top quality! Having the experience of actually making things showed how really easy it is and gave me tools I could quickly share and make with people I teach and train. - Mary Asper Speech-Language Pathologist

I really liked being able to make things. It's the first training I've been to where we didn't just get ideas; we got things we could actually use. Doing and seeing made the ideas and the modules much more accessible. - Liz Mott Special Educator

	Walk away with a comprehensive list of objectives for teaching vocabulary, accessing literacy materials, instructing writing, and improving communication for learners with developmental disabilities and varying learning disabilities.
	Set up a consistent structure when handing in Alternative Assessments and Portfolios by having a systematic approach to language-based instruction and data collection.
	Obtain POWER Words Reference Lists to assist you in writing your own learning objectives for each module of T.H.E. P.A.C.T.
	Create predictable, reusable AT solutions in four "Make &Take" sessions for each module of T.H.E. P.A.C.T. - along with a 2-Day Intensive Lab Resource CD - that you can use on Monday morning.
	Leave with customized and "to-the-point" activity descriptions tied to your objectives that are reasonable to implement in a given day.
	Walk away with new ideas for teaching vocabulary in the Learn About module that build strong word knowledge in a "one size does NOT fit all" approach.
	Leave with reusable adapted literacy ideas for "ready to read" and "reading to learn" activities in the Read About module that do not always require a computer.
	Depart with practical writing lessons about how to teach brainstorming, outlining, and composing in the Write About module for learners with developmental disabilities and learning disabilities.
	Walk away with creative strategies of how to set up simple visual and auditory communication supports for improving a learner's ability to give basic answers, take turns in a work group, state facts, provide describing details, & give oral presentations in the Talk About module.
	Save money in your budget by incorporating the use of color-coded office supplies that are inexpensive and easy to find that you can pair with more sophisticated AT solutions.

It helped form an IEP and simplify it so we could better serve our student with clear, precise and simplified activities without taking away curriculum. - Ashley Rich Instructional Assistant

I LOVE how much we go home with, that we really can use tomorrow. - Nerissa Hall AAC Specialist

Who Will Benefit from Attending?

Anyone who is struggling with not enough time to customize and adapt content for academic, life skills, or social skills training & needs a systematic way for this to be done for a learner of any age with a disability

Special education teachers & case managers

Speech-language pathologists & assistants

Occupational therapists & assistants

Teachers & curriculum specialists

AAC & AT consultants

Instructional assistants & paraprofessionals

Educational consultants

Behavioral consultants & autism specialists

Vocational rehabilitation & employment staff

Early intervention staff

Program administrators

Parents

Undergraduate & graduate students

The hands-on lab was so well worth the cost – materials were so helpful to have here. As always I'm psyched to have activities to take to school to start using Monday! I'm now ahead on my goal schedule for the year. - Barbara Loyer Speech-Language Pathologist

The Make & Take is an OT's dream - visually clear and I love how the materials transition from one module to the next. This framework brings a whole school team together to achieve common goals. - Jody Goudreau Occupational Therapist

Types of Learners Who Can Benefit
From Using T.H.E. P.A.C.T.

T.H.E. P.A.C.T. can be set up for any person with a disability – mild to significant – ranging from learners with a developmental disability to those with verbal or nonverbal learning disabilities. Examples include learners with:

Developmental disabilities

Intensive needs

Verbal learning disabilities

Nonverbal learning disabilities

Neurotypical disabilities

T.H.E. P.A.C.T. can be set up for diverse learners with diagnoses including, but not limited to: cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, Asperger's, Down syndrome, learning impairment, Rett's syndrome, central auditory processing disorder, social thinking disorder, traumatic brain injury, and/or language-based learning disabilities.

T.H.E. P.A.C.T. framework is not just the key for opening the doors of success for our special learners and students with disabilities – T.H.E. P.A.C.T. is the answer for special education teachers' dilemma of Alternate Assessment portfolios for these very students – Thank you, Phyl! - Becky Longley Special Educator

T.H.E. P.A.C.T. is all about connecting the dots and seeing the light bulbs turn on in your student's eyes. There's nothing better than being provided with simple and precise steps so that your student is able to see a clear picture of what they are learning – thank you, T.H.E. P.A.C.T.! - Gigi Boardman Instructional Assistant

Meet the Author / Course Director:
Phyl T. Macomber,
Curriculum Strategist & Assistive Technology Specialist

Phyl T. Macomber, Assistive Technology Specialist, is the President of Make A Difference, Inc. and Practical Assistive Technology Solutions. Since completing a fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital's Kennedy-Krieger Institute in 1988, Phyl has become an award-winning national speaker, author, trainer, and curriculum strategist on topics of adapted curriculum and teaching, augmentative communication, collaborative team building, and specialized software. Her adapted curriculum framework called T.H.E. P.A.C.T.™ – Technology Helps Easy & Practical Adapted Curriculum Teaching™ - outlines how to design "Learn About, Read About, Write About, and Talk About™" modules for special needs learners of any age. Phyl is also authoring the PracticalATSolutions.com Book Series, with the initial book in the series titled, The Power of T.H.E. P.A.C.T. – the first of several volumes that will be written about this language-based, systematic approach. She is donating 50% of the profits of the entire book series to fund ovarian cancer research in honor of her mother who passed away of this disease in 2007. In addition, Phyl has developed T.H.E. P.A.C.T. Multimedia System for the framework, with a corresponding organizational workbook software tool called T.H.E. P.A.C.T. Workbook Software Tool, and an expanding low and high technology resource collection. Phyl provides skill-building training & customized consultation – both onsite and through distance learning formats – in New England and on a national basis. Some of Phyl's volunteer work includes having collaborated with the television crew of ABC Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for a special needs learner and family, as well as assisting with the set-up and design of AAC camps using T.H.E. P.A.C.T.™

T.H.E. P.A.C.T. is not just for special education. It is a technique for teaching all students at all levels. T.H.E. P.A.C.T. is a practical, reasonable technique for organizing, creating, implementing and assessing measurable outcomes in education. I plan to use what I've learned here to structure and design an adapted technology class for special education at Black River High School/Middle School. I will also use these techniques to better structure and teach my classes for more traditional learners. Any educator at any level would benefit from learning and implementing T.H.E. P.A.C.T. - Sheila Selden Technology Teacher

T.H.E. P.A.C.T. takes all aspects of teaching and combines it into one easy-to-learn, easy-to-apply framework. T.H.E. P.A.C.T. is now THE framework used throughout my program. - Angela Dougher Special Educator for regional autism program The lab was terrific! The framework makes so much sense and I love seeing the tools in use. It's great to leave with the complete resources to use. You gave us GREAT materials! I have never left a conference with so much hands-on materials. You really get what it is like to be in a classroom - Emily Brightman Special Educator

2-Day Intensive Lab Schedule

Course Objectives

At the conclusion of the course, the participants will be able to:

	Use "POWER" words to write meaningful objectives for teaching vocabulary, accessing accessible literacy materials, instructing writing, and improving communication for diverse learners.
	Write concise instructional plans for language-learning activities in Learn About, Read About, Write About, & Talk About modules.
	Design, illustrate, & create simple low technology AT solutions during 4 "Make-and-Take" module sessions throughout the course for diverse learner profiles.
	List ways to explicitly teach vocabulary using language-based, differentiated instruction.
	Describe how to adapt literacy materials for literacy-challenged learners with developmental disabilities & varying levels of learning disabilities.
	Describe customized strategies when setting up adapted writing tasks for brainstorming, composing, & editing using simple AT solutions.
	List ways to improve participation of learners in a small group, classroom setting, & vocational tasks for learners using augmentative communication supports, having word-finding problems, & demonstrating word retrieval issues.

T.H.E. P.A.C.T. is an easy framework for adapting any curriculum to any individual using the tools that are already available to you. Learners will have a practical framework to understand new information and communicate their knowledge. You will have consistent tools to record progress, capitalize on a learner's strengths, and target areas for remediation. - Cara Leckwold, AAC Specialist

Phyl is a great presenter...passionate, personable, resourceful, knowledgeable, friendly, positive and energetic. - Tiffany Rossi Special Educator The whole idea is a phenomenal one. It truly incorporates all populations and diagnoses, as well as various age levels! - Doreen Daneault Occupational Therapist