SD EHDI Collaborative

08/02/2025

Expert Information and Tips for Families. Watch here: https://on.asha.org/46n5Mo3

08/01/2025

🚚 We're moving! The SDSD Rapid City office has a new home at 1220 Mt Rushmore Rd, Suite 2, in Rapid City. Same great team, just a fresh new space! 🎉

In the meantime, we can still be reached at sdsdwestriver@sdsd.sdbor.edu or by calling the Sioux Falls office at 605-367-5200.

07/31/2025

Registration opens August 4th!

📣 FREE Online ASL Classes Coming Soon! 🤟

Get ready to sign up for our upcoming American Sign Language (ASL) online classes from Oklahoma School for the Deaf!

Whether you're a beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, our ASL courses are designed to help you grow in language and connection with the Deaf community.

✅ Learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere
✅ Designed for beginners and all skill levels
✅ Taught by certified ASL instructors
✅ Open to the public

🗓️ Enrollment opens soon – sign up to get alerts. https://courses.osd.k12.ok.us/pages/coming_soon

Take the first step toward learning ASL and building meaningful connections with the Deaf community — on your schedule!

07/29/2025

Register for our upcoming From Law to Learner: Developing Compliant and Student-Centered IEPs course!

This course aims to provide training and assistance to educators, administrators, other related professionals, and graduate students interested in learning more about the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP provides the foundation for promoting progress for students with disabilities and must contain the essential components outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that must be implemented to ensure Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for each child. The focus of this course will be to help participants better understand the essential components of an IEP and develop a legally sound IEP that meets the individual needs of each student.

Dr. Mitchell Yell will be a guest lecturer at each class session via pre-recorded video. Dr. Mitchell L. Yell, PhD, is the Fred and Francis Lester Palmetto Chair of teacher education and a professor in Programs in Special Education at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Yell is a nationally recognized expert in special education law and IEP development.

Cost:$40

Dates:
September 10th at 4 -7 PM
October 8th at 4 - 7 PM
November 12th at 4 - 7 PM
December 10th at 4 - 7 PM

This course is only offered online via Zoom. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-law-to-learner-developing-compliant-and-student-centered-ieps-tickets-1419679051259?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawLshH1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF5VTRtRGtpWHZNWE1XMWh4AR63HalDcY5BwfsZmF_WnnhZKW08roCuJEf2otNhlFxt4prEokwGHMMQGZEapA_aem_0dPqult7YmuajuF5b4Tq3g

07/25/2025

Check out this 4-minute video overview of congenital CMV brought to you by the Colorado Congenital CMV Family Network and the Colorado Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics!

🍼If you have a baby with cCMV, send this to family and friends to answer their questions (so you don't have to keep explaining! ).
👩‍🔬If you are a caring for pregnant people, learn why cCMV is important to learn about in pregnancy
🐤If you are a pediatrician or physician, learn why congenital CMV newborn screening is on the rise

https://ow.ly/KUTH50WrzRK

07/09/2025

Check out this event in Aberdeen!

Don’t miss this fun event in Aberdeen! Children, including those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, along with their families, are invited to the K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library for a special interactive story time featuring timeless children’s picture books read in both spoken English and ASL. After the stories, children will create a craft by writing and decorating their names using the ASL alphabet. Each child will leave with a brand new book, generously provided by the Aberdeen Sertoma Club. The event takes place on Saturday, July 12 at 10:00 AM. No registration is required—just show up and have fun! 📚

07/07/2025

Great information for families and professionals!

👀NEW WEBINAR 👀 in the Advocacy Support & Training (ASTra) Webinar Series:

Powering EI so Families Can Thrive

Date: July 15th, 2025
Presented by Carrie Balian & Lisa Kovacs

Time: 10:00am-11:00am (MT)

https://handsandvoices.org/astra/webinars/

Early Intervention (EI) for families with children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing often occurs at a time when families are adjusting to many new experiences. Some families may be navigating parenthood for the first time, unfamiliar with the Deaf or Hard of Hearing experience, and processing unexpected results from hearing screening and diagnostic tests. In the midst of these challenges, early intervention services are introduced, which can feel overwhelming. It is essential for professionals and family support providers to clearly communicate the value of EI and guide families in understanding its benefits. This session will examine common reasons why some families may choose to decline EI, present evidence-based recommendations and guiding principles, and highlight the critical role early intervention plays in supporting a child’s development.

07/03/2025

Have you registered for our upcoming Professional Development: Concentration in Deafblindness class? Don't wait! Register today!

An exciting professional development opportunity is available through a collaboration with the University of South Dakota (USD) and the South Dakota DeafBlind Project. During the Fall of 2025, we will be offering An Introduction to DeafBlindness and DeafBlindness: Assessment & Instructional Planning. The courses will run from August 26 through December 12, 2025.

This course will be a combination of weekly online work and 4 synchronous meetings. All meetings will be on Tuesdays from 6 pm-8 pm CST on the following dates: September 2, September 23, October 28, & December 9.

Cost: $450

To learn more and to register, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/professional-development-concentration-in-deafblindness-tickets-1302567878589?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawLPg0ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFnYW1KaVM0Qk5ndWRuYzZNAR7YCmkBmxCBj5Y8gG0Ycu_TOsBwycHX95FGIxBZJ3xtb3ddOyaRwyEmJhsAFw_aem_ncDrnvIjQ2Xq-RK-FUbOWQ

07/02/2025

We appreciate our friends The Center for Disabilities of SD and the South Dakota DeafBlind Program elevating awareness about Usher Syndrome!

Are you registered for our 4th annual Run, Walk & Roll event yet?

Join us on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Elmwood Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This is a great local 1-mile, 5k and 10k on the bike trail. We invite you, your family, and your friends to consider participating in this fun event! There will be prizes for the top male and female finishers in both the 5k and 10k races, our 1-mile event is FREE, there will be a food truck on-site, yoga in the park, and more!

Be sure to check out our Early Bird Pricing and a $5 discount per participant when registering 3+ people together! And a reminder, our 1-mile event is untimed and FREE!

This year, we are spotlighting Usher Syndrome as we bring awareness to our community of people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. Follow our social media for facts and information related to different disabilities and disorders related to vision loss!

Run, Walk & Roll is an inclusive event open to people of all ages and abilities. Our goal is to promote health and wellness for all people in South Dakota and to have fun while doing it! We hope to see you there!

Register here: https://runsignup.com/Race/SD/SiouxFalls/CenterforDisabilitiesRunWalkRoll?fbclid=IwY2xjawKtN19leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFlQk1aczh1NHp6clNZdmNzAR5goH8-GJoWeNrMBlKH_9SifFUgqqq8AH5eGcgvCY2vr5lOmDS2hZJ-sN7f-w_aem_bXHtXRPjrGUwazHVi_PsHA

07/02/2025

Free online ASL courses!

📣 FREE Online ASL Classes Coming Soon! 🤟

Get ready to sign up for our upcoming American Sign Language (ASL) online classes from Oklahoma School for the Deaf!

Whether you're a beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, our ASL courses are designed to help you grow in language and connection with the Deaf community.

✅ Learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere
✅ Designed for beginners and all skill levels
✅ Taught by certified ASL instructors
✅ Open to the public

🗓️ Enrollment opens soon – sign up to get alerts. https://courses.osd.k12.ok.us/pages/coming_soon

Take the first step toward learning ASL and building meaningful connections with the Deaf community — on your schedule!

06/26/2025

👀NEW WEBINAR 👀 in the Advocacy Support & Training (ASTra) Webinar Series:

Powering EI so Families Can Thrive

Date: July 15th, 2025
Presented by Carrie Balian & Lisa Kovacs

Time: 10:00am-11:00am (MT)

https://handsandvoices.org/astra/webinars/

Early Intervention (EI) for families with children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing often occurs at a time when families are adjusting to many new experiences. Some families may be navigating parenthood for the first time, unfamiliar with the Deaf or Hard of Hearing experience, and processing unexpected results from hearing screening and diagnostic tests. In the midst of these challenges, early intervention services are introduced, which can feel overwhelming. It is essential for professionals and family support providers to clearly communicate the value of EI and guide families in understanding its benefits. This session will examine common reasons why some families may choose to decline EI, present evidence-based recommendations and guiding principles, and highlight the critical role early intervention plays in supporting a child’s development.