TTAC Services
The Virginia Department of Education’s state-wide Training & Technical Assistance Centers (TTACs) provide professional development and support designed to assist schools in addressing accountability and improvement goals for students with disabilities.
The VDOE's TTAC at Radford University serves public schools, teachers, students, and parents of Southwest Virginia through assistance that brings about systematic change in the way schools serve children and youth. TTAC services are provided primarily through embedded professional development.
Be sure to visit our Focus Areas and Projects pages for more specific information and support options.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our coordinators are available to assist you virtually or via phone and email. Continue to check our website for updates and resources, and don’t hesitate to reach out to our coordinators directly by email or submit a Request for Services if you have any questions or need further assistance.
Focus areas and projects
Resources and Information Links
New! Special Education Resources Website
The VDOE TTAC at Radford University has developed a new Special Education Resources website, with information regarding IEP Components, Specially Designed Instruction, High Leverage Practices, and Family Engagement.
What is an Ombudsman?
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has developed a one page, easy-to-understand, comprehensive summary of the role and responsibilities of the Parent Ombudsman for Special Education that addresses the specific supports the Parent Ombudsman can provide to parents. This Ombudsman for Special Education flyer is housed on our newly created Parent Ombudsman for Special Education webpage.
For more information on the role of the Parent Ombudsman at the VDOE, please refer to Superintendent's Memo 040-21: Parent Ombudsman for Special Education.
You may also contact our Special Education Parent Ombudsman, Gloria Dalton, directly at Gloria.Dalton@doe.virginia.gov or toll free, by phone, at (800) 422-2083.
Co-Teaching Resources Website
Please visit our separate Co-Teaching Resources Website for information and resources about co-planning, instructional models, co-assessing, building relationships, roles/responsibilities, co-teaching virtually, and specially designed instruction.
Sign Up for our RU TTAC Regional News & Notes Newsletter
U.S. Department of Education Releases Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide
The U.S. Department of Education has released a Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide, a resource to help parents and guardians understand how digital tools can provide tailored learning opportunities, engage students with course materials, encourage creative expression, and enrich the educational experience.
This guide aims to help all parents and caregivers, including those who have limited experience with digital tools, those who are experts with these tools, and anywhere in between. Each section starts with foundational pieces and builds from there.
Special Education Instructional Services (SEIS) Resource Repository
The Department of Special Education and Student Services, Office of Instructional Services has previewed new instructional resources to benefit educators and instructional leaders in the field. These resources are focused on serving students with disabilities on a variety of topics and content areas, and are reflective of the current challenges of serving students with disabilities during extended school closures as a result of COVID-19.
Questions about the resources can be directed to the office's email address at spedinstruction@doe.virginia.gov.
PEATC Releases Resource Document
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant learning disruption. School divisions had to make decisions about closures, types of instruction (virtual instruction, hybrid instruction, in-person). Students with disabilities may need additional services and supports to regain skills lost as a result of decreased instructional time, lack of access to modifications, accommodations, or technology, etc. Even though school systems are not at fault for pandemic disruptions, students with disabilities are still entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). This document from the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) clarifies the differences between types of “make-up” services. Pages 2-4 provide additional considerations for families, an area for notes, and resources.
COVID-19 INFORMATION
The Virginia Department of Education's office of Special Education Instructional Services developed this document to provide support to school administrators and directors of special education as they plan for return to school, special educators and parents who will be participating in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, and for Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and families that may be navigating a dispute. This document highlights information related to compliance, documentation and progress monitoring, and IEP Team considerations that are necessary in order to make decisions about and address requests for COVID recovery services for students with disabilities.
The Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) Department of Special Education and Student Services (SESS) continues to update the special education and student services specific Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. This document is a supplement to the general agency VDOE FAQ document that contains more general inquiries. You can find the FAQ and its updates on the VDOE website link below.
The Virginia Department of Education web page link below provides division and building-level administrators, school health coordinators and educators with ready access to up-to-date resources and information about COVID-19 and the steps schools should take to safeguard the health of students and staff.
This link from the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services provides guidance for addressing the Risk of COVID-19 in Preschool, Elementary and Secondary Schools While Serving Children with Disabilities.
Interactive Map – Reopening of School Divisions in the Commonwealth
The Virginia Department of Education is tracking school divisions’ operating status for the 2020-2021 school year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Use the toggle on the map to see the operational status of each division throughout the 2020-2021 school year. Please note that the operational status is subject to change as public health conditions evolve.
Tips for Successful Communication with Families During Online Learning
Online learning has become the new normal for many students across the nation which has presented challenges communicating with students and families. This resource was developed to provide guidance to families for successful communication during online learning.
Office of Student Services Learning and Resource Center
The VDOE Office of Student Services has partnered with the Center for Implementation and Evaluation of Educational Systems (CIEES) at ODU to develop a one-stop professional development and resource collection for school leaders and specialized instructional support personnel (SISP) such as school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, school nurses, and administrators.
UFLI Virtual Instruction Resources: Teaching Reading Online
This is a six part recorded webinar series for teachers, tutors, and parents to support online reading instruction. The topics include: an introduction to teaching reading online, a virtual learning resource hub, online tech tools, management tips, and K-2 and 3-5 literacy instruction. Click HERE to access any of these recorded sessions.
Additional Resources from VDOE
Virginia Learns Anywhere
As part of VDOE's ongoing commitment and work to provide support to school divisions, a Continuity for Learning (C4L) Task Force has been working on a guidance document to share with school divisions for educators to meet the immediate needs of supporting learning outside our brick and mortar classrooms. This document, Virginia Learns Anywhere, is available online.
Many educators from across the Commonwealth participated in the development of this document. A huge thank you to all who answered the call and worked around the clock to ensure we are maximizing the potential of all learners anywhere.
Comprehensive Literacy Webinar Series
The Comprehensive Literacy Webinar Series focuses on best practices in literacy instruction and resources available to school divisions. Through the diverse expertise of our partners and presenters, the Virginia Department of Education's goal is to offer timely, research-based, and instructionally sound recorded sessions to Virginia educators.
Just in Time Mathematics Quick Checks are Now Available!
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Just in Time Mathematics Quick Checks are formative assessments that align to the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning (SOL). These resources, developed by Virginia teachers and mathematics leaders, are designed to help teachers identify students with unfinished learning and assist in planning instruction to fill potential gaps “just in time.”
The TTAC Online website was created by VDOE to be a resource for professionals and family members of children and youth with disabilities (birth to 22). The website offers a wide range of Resources, Events (training, conferences, and webinars/webcasts) and Online Training opportunities in the form of Webshops and www.Workshops.
New Learning Disabilities in Mathematics Companion Guides
The Learning Disabilities in Mathematics Resources page includes links to two new VDOE companion guides. Check out Students with Disabilities in Mathematics: Frequently Asked Questions and Evidence-Based Specially Designed Instruction in Mathematics.
VDOE Social Emotional Learning Webpage (NEW)
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has added a new webpage to address social emotional learning (SEL). The VDOE’s social emotional learning (SEL) efforts are driven by our commitment to ensure that every student in Virginia attends a school that maximizes their potential and prepares them for the future: academically, socially, and emotionally.
Open Educational Resources
#GoOpenVA - Open Educational Resources. Virginia's teachers are encouraged to utilize the free instructional resources available through the #GoOpenVA website. These resources are available to all Virginia educators using their local division log-in credentials.
A selection of resources from local school divisions has been uploaded to the Open Educational Resource (OER) to the COVID-19 Extended Closing Resources Collection. School divisions are encouraged to add instructional content to Virginia's OER repository, in general, but items specifically related to this closure can be uploaded into this collection through the goopenva.org website. For additional information, please review Superintendent's Memo 013-20.
VDOE Assistive Technology Network
The Assistive Technology Network of Virginia addresses priorities of VDOE with coordination, implementation, and dissemination of information about the laws which define AT devices and services, the process of AT Consideration by Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams, AT assessment, Augmentative and Augmentative Communication (AAC), and AT resources.
In support of these priorities, the network has several initiatives which include:
- Developing resources and documents for AT Considerations and Assessment
- Developing and supporting local and regional AT teams with information, resources and training, including the annual Virtual TechKnowledgy Conference
- Integrating AT solutions across the curriculum
For more information, visit the Assistive Technology Network website.
School Divisions Served by Radford University TTAC
| Region 6 Schools |
Region 7 Schools | ||
|---|---|---|---|
VDOE Regional TTACS
The TTAC at Radford University works collaboratively with other centers and organizations across the state of Virginia. The TTACs at Virginia Tech and Radford University share a special partnership, working together to serve the needs of Superintendents’ Regions 6 and 7.
Regional TTAC Links:
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
- Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
- The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA
- George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
- James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
- Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
- Radford University, Radford, VA