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.
Focus areas and projects
Resources and Information Links
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
COVID-19 INFORMATION
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.
The following 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.
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.
VDOE Social Emotional Learning Webpage
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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