The second virtual SPEVI Conference, hosted by SPEVI New Zealand, took place from Wednesday, 18 - Friday, 20 January 2023.
The conference theme, 'Cultivating New Futures Together: Growth for Life' expressed the belief that we must work together to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people who are blind, deafblind or have low vision. The Expanded Core Curriculum, as the body of knowledge and skills needed by all learners with vision impairment, was recognised as central to the development of learning and skills for life. This conference provided an exciting opportunity to use our collective voices, skills, and ideas to bring about new growth and learning.
SPEVI likes to thank the members of the conference organising committee under the leadership of SPEVI NZ, Trudy Smith and her team of NextSense for hosting the conference, and the Conference Exhibitors: Quantum Reading, Learning, Vision; NextSense, Macquarie University, Humanware, Braille Designs NZ, Blind Sports Australia, and Sonokids. We thank Lena Karam for her assistance with the creation of this online repository.
Listed below are keynotes, plenary sessions, panel discussions, papers and posters that were presented at the conference, listed alphabetically on authors' names.
In the top menus, click on the name of the presentation you wish to view. Doing this will take you to the relevant section of the page where you can download the paper presentation, poster, or watch the video where available. Please use appropriate referencing. Published with authors' consent.
Holbrook, C.
Day 1: Keynote Presentation: Cultivating new futures together: Growth for life
Hamm, L.
Day 2: Keynote Presentation: Learning to see
Ravenscroft, J.
Day 3: Keynote Presentation: Inclusion is the cornerstone of education
Slides Inclusion is the cornerstone of education (pdf)
Kumatat, L.
Day 3 Plenary Session. Transition into Life: the world beyond school.
Chair: Dr Sue Spooner
Mosen, J.
Day 2 Plenary Session: Pacific Led Inclusive Development
Chair: Ben Clare.
Anderson, L., Duncan, S., Scott, B.
SPEVI Early Intervention Vision Impairment Community of Practice – Coming together to learn together in early intervention practice
Bamford, S.
An Inquiry into shared book reading experiences for ākonga (learner) with low vision in partnership with whānau (families)
Brassington, J., Wu, T.
Connect and Learn – promoting independent learning through technology
Buith, E., Mills, S.
F-words in resource teacher vision practice. We swear this works!
Cain, M., Fanshawe, M., Goodwin, P.
Shining a light on disparities to access: the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on learning for students with blindness and low vision in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific (a SPEVI Inc funded project)
Shining a light on disparities to access
d'Apice, T.
Keeping Braille on the Agenda: The Braille Needs Assessment
Di Mattina, N., Bishop, T.
Exploring ways that Resource Teachers of Vision and O&M support a severe low vision braille learner into primary school – a collaborative approach
Fanshawe, M.
Vision Australia Certificates in Access Technology: Implementing a disability specific curriculum for students with blindness and low vision throughout Australia
Findlay, R., Andrew, A.
Technology: preventing the pitfalls
Technology: preventing the pitfalls
Gentle, F., Howse, J., Cashmore, C.
Examinations and certificates of competency in Unified English Braille (literary and mathematics)
Godfrey, J.
Educating blind students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) so they can work in STEM
Gough, A.
I hear what you see
Graham, R., Corlett, R.
Parent Perspectives on Engaging with Educators and Specialist Staff
Kaei, T., Kirata, T., Temango, B.
Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4, providing inclusive and quality education for children who are blind or vision impaired in Kiribati
Kent, R., Maloney, D., Kaine, N.
Pilot Parents' Mentoring Programme
Li, Y.
Exploring the assessment of fine motor skills in children with vision impairment
Maxwell, G., Meekins-Doherty, L., Silveira, S., Prain, M.
A challenging search – determining the prevalence of childhood deafblindness
Mosen, J., Page, A., Wasi, S., Vira, A.
The hopes and aspirations for education for children who are blind in Vanuatu
Pine, C.
Growing Together – Communication pathways and support for deafblind students in Queensland Schools
Ramella, B.
Improving Collaboration to Provide Accessible Instruction for Children with Cortical Vision Impairment
Richards, W.
Supporting learners with low vision to access music: technology solutions
Scott, B.
Developing Self-Determination Through Early Orientation and Mobility
Scott, B.
Remote Interventions with Children with Cerebral Vision Impairment
Silveira, S.
Introducing the Accessible Playground Project for People with Vision Impairment
Silveira, S., Prain, M.
Journey to a one stop shop – developing a national deafblind training portal
Wu, T., Oddoux, M., Angelier, M.
Maths, Music and Mobility using the new LEGO braille bricks
Panel Discussions:
Technology
Panel discussion topic: Technology.
Chair: Phia Damsma
Panelists: Chantelle Griffiths, William Wu, Stephen Bennett and Ben Clare.
Reducing geographic and disability barriers
Panel discussion topic: Reducing geographic and disability barriers.
Chair: Dr Sue Spooner
Panelists: Martine Abel-Williamson, Setareki Macanawai, Prof Cay Holbrook, and Dr Frances Gentle.
Partnerships and Collaboration
Panel Discussion Topic: Partnerships and Collaboration.
Chair: Dr Melissa Fanshawe
Panellists: Robyn Mckenzie, Dr Rebekah Graeme, Tricia d’Apice, Dr Jonathan Godfrey
Posters:
Guide Connect - simple computing to build confidence and independence
Bressington, J., and Sloane, M.
Poster Guide Connect - simple computing to build confidence and independence
Contact lenses in albinism - Akonga Experience in Aotearoa
Simkin S.
Poster Contact lenses in albinism - Akonga Experience in Aotearoa
The cost of good outcomes: who pays for STEM accessibility?
Cracknell, P.
Poster The cost of good outcomes: who pays for STEM accessibility?