NRTC & OIB-TAC Share About AT Skills and Independence Strategies at MAER

NRTC & OIB-TAC Share About AT Skills and Independence Strategies at MAER

Kendra presenting at MAER.

Staff from the National Research and Training Center (NRTC) recently traveled to Jackson, Mississippi, to attend the 2026 Mississippi Chapter of the Association for Education & Rehabilitation (MAER) Annual Conference from September 17 to 19, 2026.

Held at the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and Blind, the MAER Conference brought together professionals, individuals who are blind or visually impaired, and their families to learn more about assistive technology (AT), current research, and innovative practices around service delivery models. Participants also gained fresh insights from engaging speakers, exhibitors, and sessions highlighting best practices in education and rehabilitation.

NRTC researchers Dr. Jamie Boydstun and Dr. Michele McDonnall presented findings from the AT Study in the Workplace in their session, Assistive Technology Skills as a Foundation for Employment. Their presentation focused on how AT skills serve as a foundation for employment success and featured new resources from the study, found on the Assistive Technology-Related Resources page. 

OIB-TAC Project Director Kendra Farrow presented Strategies for Building Independence with Students and Adults, highlighting how open-ended questions and valuing clients' knowledge can foster independence in individuals. For participants seeking hands-on activities, Dr. Stephanie Welch-Grenier taught educators and families how to create tactile activities for children with disabilities in her breakout session, Touch, Play, Learn: Tactile Make-and-Take Activities for Early Learners and Students with Complex Needs.

Participants left with practical strategies to build independence, support AT skill development, and promote lifelong success for individuals who are blind or low vision (B/LV). 

The NRTC focuses on employment outcomes of people with blindness or low vision (B/LV), providing training, technical assistance, and resources for professionals and people with B/LV interested in employment through funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research grant #90RTEM0015. To learn more, visit our About page and the NTAC-BLV website.

The contents of this website were developed under grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant numbers 90RT5040, 90RTEM0007, 90RTEM0015). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.