OIB-TAC February Webinar: Navajo Elders, Blindness, and Cultural Competence: Part 2

Join OIB-TAC on February 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. CT, for our next webinar! Join us for Part 2 of this enlightening presentation by disability advocate, Sacheen Smith. This webinar explores culturally competent practices when working with Navajo (Diné) Elders who are blind or have low vision. Drawing on key insights from Native Communities on Health and Disability: Borderland Dialogues, the session highlights how cultural worldviews, relational communication styles, and traditional understandings of disability shape the experiences of Navajo Elders.

This webinar is available for one ACVREP credit. Visit the following link to find instructions on how to obtain CE credits.

Click here to register for our February Webinar!

Hunter College’s Spring Beginnings Conference

Announcement from Hunter College:

Spring Beginnings is almost here!

Hunter College Blind and Visually Impaired Program, AVRT, and NYSAER invite you to a one-day conference.

March 6, 2026 – 9:00am – 3:30pm EDT

This will be a free, virtual conference.

Our presentations this year are:

1. Service Delivery for Older Adults: Models and Effective Strategies

Presenters: Jennifer Ottowitz, CVRT and Kendra Farrow, CVRT

• This presentation explores service delivery models for vision rehabilitation in older adults, including itinerant, center-based, individual, group, and retreat approaches. Participants will examine benefits and limitations of each model, learn strategies for effective assessment, instruction, and documentation, and identify resources to address service gaps and optimize staff and program efficiency.

2. Apps You Should Know – and Teach

Presenter: Eric Boklage, CVRT, CATIS

• Come learn about a cadre of apps that collectively transform cell phones into a veritable Swiss Army Knife for those who are blind or low vision. As CVRTs, we owe it to our clients to teach them how to use these apps so they can thrive in today’s world.

3. Tech, Trust & Tension: Ethical Decision-Making in a High-Tech Rehab World

Presenter Ian Shadrick EdD, CRC, CVE, CVRT, OMS, FNRCA

• Client rights and informed choice
• Confidentiality and privacy
• Professional responsibility and competence
• Technology and distance counseling
• Evaluation and assessment (AI and predictive tools)

We will also have an overview of the programs at Hunter College, including some exciting new program options.

We have 1.5 to 4 CEUS pending (CTLE and ACVREP).

Please share this information with friends and colleagues who may be interested.

Register in advance for this meeting:

Hunter College Spring Beginnings Registration Link

If the above link does not work, please copy and paste it into your browser.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Linda Fugate                                     

Project Director

lf1069@hunter.cuny.edu

Want more updates? Connect with us on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, or LinkedIn.