Let's watch the Ask Abbey and Friends series! This series is designed to provide practical, easy-to-use strategies across many areas of instruction for Deaf and Hard of Hearing learners. In this episode, learn how to use fingerspelling and handshapes with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. Watch and subscribe! https://youtu.be/gEAja2UFAug
Video alt text: animation of computer with a graphic of a woman talking on screen. The title is Fingerspelling and Handshapes, and subtitle is OCALI: Ask Abbey & Friends.
10/01/2025
Explore the Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment Planning Tool! This tool introduces a meticulous planning process for transition assessment. Purposeful planning minimizes duplication, builds on student’s progress, and pinpoints individualized assessments. Dive in for FREE: https://www.ocali.org/project/AATA
10/01/2025
Are you unsure IF your student or child needs assistive technology or accessible formats? The AT Decision-Making Tool (ATDMT) is for you! The ATDMT provides guidance to the educational team in considering the need for assistive technology (AT) and accessible educational materials (AEM) for their students. Learn more about the tool and register for webinar series here https://ataem.org/at-consideration
10/01/2025
🍩☕ Donuts with Di: Part 2 is here! ☕🍩
Early Intervention Professionals — let’s keep the conversation going! Join us for the second session in the Donuts with Di series:
Effective Record Review in Early Intervention
📅 October 20, 2025
🕙 10 AM EST
⏱️ 90 minutes
In Part 2, we’ll continue exploring how to approach record reviews with clarity and confidence, while strengthening best practices in early intervention.
You're invited to join us at the Professionals Serving Students with Visual Impairments meeting on Friday, October 10th at 9 a.m. Eastern. Find out about the new Outreach Center Community of Practice. Join us virtually or in-person at OCALI to get updates and resources you can share. Register today: https://deafandblindoutreach.org/meetings-events
09/30/2025
Are you a parent in NE Ohio of a child with autism or another disability? Would you like to help other families in your community with your lived experience?
We are hiring a part-time (10 hours per week) Family Support Specialist (FSS) in Mahoning Valley (Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana Counties) to serve as a peer mentor, providing guidance and helping other families with young children (birth through age 5) connect with and access early identification services.
The FSS must have excellent communication skills, an empathetic attitude to helping families facing developmental concerns, and must live in the local community in which they are hired.
If you’re ready to make a difference in your community, apply today!
Do you want to earn graduate credit and boost your knowledge of autism and evidence-based strategies? Autism Internet Modules (AIM) Fall/Winter Courses are now available online through Ashland University for only $225. Register today: https://autisminternetmodules.org/AIM-Courses
09/30/2025
Today is your last chance to save on registration for !
Are you an Ohio-based professional with experience transitioning children with disabilities ages 0-5 across systems?
Join OCALI's Center for the Young Child in our mission to create life-changing outcomes for young children and the families, caregivers, and educators who support them. We are looking for a professional to fulfill the role of Early Childhood Transition Specialist, highly skilled at facilitating collaborative discussions and process coordination among child serving agencies. The ideal candidate has direct experience working across early childhood settings and conducting training with administrators and professionals.
✨What We Offer:
✅Flexible work environment
✅Supportive, collaborative team
✅Ongoing training and professional growth
✅Access to healthcare, retirement, and time off benefits
Teachers – Are you looking for new ways to engage and support your students with disabilities?
Administrators – Are you looking for ways to support your teachers and staff with new evidence-based strategies, tools, and resources?
Intervention Specialists – Are you looking for new ways to use accessible and adapted materials so that students with disabilities can participate?
If you are working with a student with complex needs, you need to explore Access to the General Curriculum for ALL Learners! This website provides a wealth of information and resources available to teachers, administrators, intervention specialists, and support staff for FREE. From quick how-to videos showcasing instructional methods and strategies to in-depth modules organized by chapters and subject matter, you can find tools and resources to use in your classroom today! You can even borrow accessible educational materials and curriculum kits from OCALI’s Lending Library. Check out: https://literacyaccessforall.org.
09/29/2025
As part of our ongoing literacy campaign, the Autism Center is excited to share helpful resources this month to support autism-focused learning:
✅ Children's Books on Autism – Find books and supporting resources to help children and teens understand more about autism spectrum disorder.
✅ Book Study Resources for Autism-Focused Learning – Book study questions available worldwide for any user on a variety of topics to enhance your understanding of autism spectrum disorder.
Are you a professional based in SE Ohio with experience working in early child care settings AND providing coaching to other educators?
The Center for the Young Child’s Early Childhood Center of Excellence is looking to hire an Early Development and Learning Specialist (EDLS) – someone who is skilled at collaborating with cross-agency professionals, while conducting trainings and outreach with those who serve early childhood communities. Must be based in SE Ohio with the ability to travel throughout the region, providing support and trainings to other early child care professionals and educators.
✨What We Offer:
✅Flexible work environment
✅Supportive, collaborative team
✅Ongoing training and professional growth
✅Access to healthcare, retirement, and time off benefits
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OCALI inspires change through public policy and developing and deploying best practices - linking research to real life - so that people with disabilities have the opportunity to live their best lives for their whole lives.
This is an intentional and inclusive space. We are committed to recognizing and celebrating the diverse experiences of people with disabilities, families, and professionals. The following guidelines have been developed to ensure that our online community aligns with the core vision, mission, and values of the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI).
We welcome disabled people, families, and professionals working toward increased accessibility, acceptance, and empowerment -- with focus on supporting underserved, under-resourced, and multiply-marginalized populations.
We respect and affirm each community member’s unique identity and right to use preferred language.
Within this space Identity First Language (e.g. “autistic person”, “disabled people”, “d/Deaf culture”) and/or People-First Language (e.g. “person with Down Syndrome,” “people with disabilities”) may be used interchangeably.
Identity and language use is personal. Please refrain from offering “corrections” about language use or identity (e.g. “that language is incorrect and offensive, you should only refer to yourself/your loved one as….”).
We value the respectful contributions, questions, insights, and opinions of every community member. While disagreements may occur, we strive to maintain a respectful and supportive environment.
Please remain on-topic per post and within the community as a whole.
Use of obscenities, insults, threats, slurs, or other disparaging language will not be tolerated.
OCALI may edit, update, or remove content, comments, or shared resources at any time, for any reason.
Community membership may be suspended or removed at OCALI’s discretion.
Online Privacy
The internet is a public space. Please do not share personal information about yourself, loved ones, or those you support or work with - this includes photos, videos, or other media related to medical/health experiences, email addresses, telephone numbers, street addresses, as well as school or employer-related information.
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We encourage sharing of well-sourced, evidence-based information between community members, however OCALI is not responsible for the content provided by members or updates to external links, websites, or resources.
Unsolicited advertisements, research proposals, or resources are not permitted.
Any information that is verified to be factually inaccurate can be removed.
Have an event you’d like to share? Please visit the OCALI’s community and event sharing space, Nexus (https://www.ocali.org/nexus).
