AT Talks

Welcome back to TCNJ AT Talks for our Season 2 Finale! Hosts Brian Kenyon, Vanessa Lombardo, and Madison Bronstein look back at an incredible season, celebrating the golden threads of innovation, advocacy, and accessibility that connected all of our episodes. In this complete recap, we discuss the powerful stories of self-advocacy and user-led innovation from guests like Jessica Smith and Carmelys...

Welcome back to TCNJ AT Talks! In this episode, we are joined by Jessica Lax, Youth Practice Group Advocate at Disability Rights New Jersey (DRNJ). We explore the powerful idea that successful transition is about building agency, confidence, and continuity for young people with disabilities as they move from K-12 education to adult life. Through a deep dive into DRNJ's free transition planning too...

This episode, "Small Tools, Big Independence: Navigating the World with Mila & Megan Stier," features a powerful conversation with 2nd-grade student Mila Stier, a "Tech Pro," and her mom and advocate, Megan Stier. The discussion focuses on the evolution of assistive technology (AT) from early childhood through elementary school, emphasizing student autonomy and the crucial...

This episode, "Advocacy to get the AT you need for work and life with Carmelys Vincent", features Carmelys Vincent, an advocate and mental health professional. The conversation explores the intersection of accessibility and mental health and the critical role of advocacy in transitioning from high school to college and the workforce. Carmelys shares how she advocates for her needs, detai...

This episode, "Advocacy to get the AT you need for work and life with Carmelys Vincent", features Carmelys Vincent, an advocate and mental health professional. The conversation explores the intersection of accessibility and mental health and the critical role of advocacy in transitioning from high school to college and the workforce. Carmelys shares how she advocates for her needs, detailing the a...

Welcome to AT Talks for Part 2 of "Rare Diagnosis, Big Impact: Navigating Malan Syndrome." Part 2 dives into Dominick’s world as an Assistive Technology User. He describes his 'Tech Toolbox,' detailing how he uses the Chameleon braille display and Siri. The conversation then shifts to Community & Inclusion, highlighting Dom's success as a gold-medal Special Olympics swimm...

Welcome to AT Talks for Part 1 of "Rare Diagnosis, Big Impact: Navigating Malan Syndrome." Hosts Brian Kenyon and Madison Bronstein welcome Kim Ventarola, a special education teacher and President of the Malan Syndrome Foundation, and her son, Dominick "Dom" Ventarola, a determined 10-year-old student and gold-medal Special Olympics swimmer. The episode starts by introducing th...

Welcome back to AT Talks for Part 4, the final installment of our series featuring the team from Camp Chatterbox. This segment kicks off with the game "Campfire Truths" (AAC Mythbusters), where the team separates True Tales from Ghost Stories about AAC use and the Camp Chatterbox experience. The episode concludes with with final thoughts from all guests and hosts, resources for learning...

Show Description Welcome back to AT Talks for Part 3 of our multi-part series featuring the team from Camp Chatterbox.  This segment delves into The Camper Experience and Socialization and Communication Mechanics and Advocacy. The team discusses the formation of lifelong friendships and high-value activities like nature exploration and the talent show. Michael shares how seeing peer modeling at ca...

Welcome back to AT Talks for Part 2 of our special multi-part series with the incredible team from Camp Chatterbox. In this deep-dive segment, "History and Mission," we explore the 'why' behind this premier AAC camp. Clinical Coordinator Kat Tappan-Verderosa discusses the camp’s origins and the powerful legacy of its founder, Joan Bruno, and the core mission of promoting lifelong...

Welcome to AT Talks! This is Part 1 of our special multi-part series featuring the incredible team from Camp Chatterbox. In this opening segment, we introduce our three guest experts: Katherine Tappan-Verderosa (SLP Clinical Coordinator), Elizabeth Trembley (Certified Recreational Therapist), and Michael Fondacaro (AAC User, graduate, and mentor). We kick things off with our signature Rapid Fire r...

Welcome back to AT Talks for the final part of our crucial conversation on Title II Compliance with Janet DeSenzo ! In this episode, we move past the legal and into the practical, hands-on strategies every educator can use to build an accessible classroom. We cover: Accessible Document Creation: Janet's top tips for making instructional materials accessible from the start. Checking Your Work:...

Welcome back to AT Talks for Part 2 of our crucial conversation on Title II Compliance with Janet DeSenzo ! In this episode, we move past the introductions to dive deep into the legal and practical framework. We're covering: The Law and The Why: A breakdown of the recent ADA updates, the critical shift to WCAG 2.1 AA standards , and the POUR principles (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, R...

Welcome back to AT Talks! We're kicking off a multi-part deep dive into a crucial topic for every educator and administrator: Title II Compliance and Digital Accessibility. In this first episode of our conversation with Janet DeSenzo , Technology Coordinator and Assistive Technology Specialist for CTC Academy, we lay the groundwork for making instructional materials compliant with the new ADA upda...

Part 1 YouTube: https://youtu.be/K0pPzgtA_bI   Part 1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0J22cAkP7FlyCZ2roX910B?si=uev28ZImQUuACynQxl5bwg   In Part 2 of our conversation with self-advocate and AT innovator Jessica Smith, we dive deeper into her journey beyond the award-winning First Responder Communication Board. If you missed Part 1, be sure to go back and listen! In this episode, we cover...

In this first part of our two-episode conversation, we welcome self-advocate and AT innovator, Jessica Smith . Jessica shares the powerful personal story behind her award-winning work, starting with the creation of her "First Responder Communication Board" in 9th grade. We explore the specific fears and anxieties that drove her to build this life-changing solution. Topics covered include: The Pers...

In the Season 1 finale of AT Talks, hosts Brian Kenyon, Vanessa Lombardo, and Madison Bronstein come together to recap the entire season. Each host shares their key takeaways from their favorite episodes, covering foundational topics like AT Consideration and the SETT Framework, deep dives into AAC and Blind/Low Vision tech, and big-picture conversations about community collaboration and careers i...

In the final part of this 3 part episode of AT Talks, host Brian Kenyon, Vanessa Lombardo, and Madison Bronstein engage with Paul Daye, a lead accessibility analyst at Visa, to discuss the intersection of career paths and accessibility. The conversation highlights Paul's personal journey as a blind individual, his advocacy for disability rights, and the importance of curiosity and self-advocac...

Part 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3qTINPhv72fLPuV7j1PHhC?si=zZmObM1fSzK6a2hjjAzArA In Part 2 of this 3 part episode of AT Talks, host Brian Kenyon, Vanessa Lombardo, and Madison Bronstein engage with Paul Daye, a lead accessibility analyst at Visa, to discuss the intersection of career paths and accessibility. The conversation highlights Paul's personal journey as a blind individual, hi...

In Part 1 of this 3 part episode of AT Talks, host Brian Kenyon, Vanessa Lombardo, and Madison Bronstein engage with Paul Daye, a lead accessibility analyst at Visa, to discuss the intersection of career paths and accessibility. The conversation highlights Paul's personal journey as a blind individual, his advocacy for disability rights, and the importance of curiosity and self-advocacy in nav...

Part 1: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/OMl34tC5YXb Part 2: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/m03vFtC5YXb In part 3 of this final episode with Milica Milic, hosts Brian Kenyon and Madison Bronstein sit down with Milica Milic, a teacher of the visually impaired and a passionate advocate for assistive technology. Milica shares her unique insights into how technology can level the playing...

Part 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2XLNhQqZHja8fhKctHz4Fl?si=seeNh57TQoyRhXuQWVg6RQ In part 2 of this enlightening episode of AT Talks, hosts Brian Kenyon and Madison Bronstein sit down with Milica Milic, a teacher of the visually impaired and a passionate advocate for assistive technology. Milica shares her unique insights into how technology can level the playing field for individuals with...

In part 1 of this enlightening episode of AT Talks, hosts Brian Kenyon and Madison Bronstein sit down with Milica Milic, a teacher of the visually impaired and a passionate advocate for assistive technology. Milica shares her unique insights into how technology can level the playing field for individuals with disabilities, drawing from her personal experiences and professional journey. From discus...

Episode 7 - Part 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ogbotTVXrDGLKtW8PxKOt?si=2i4haPrfSBiPdJjR22mjuQ Episode 7 - Part 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/18QAm1bxUrF6QkkhYr71Ux?si=nKJqJivRTAWe4z3c1bwJng In part 3, the finale to episode 7, hosts Brian Kenyon and Madison Bronstein engage with speech language pathologist Molly Ziegler to explore the significance of Augmentative and Alternative Commu...

Link to Part 1 of Episode 7: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ogbotTVXrDGLKtW8PxKOt?si=2i4haPrfSBiPdJjR22mjuQ In part 2 we continue our conversation with speech language pathologist Molly Ziegler to explore the significance of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in empowering individuals with traumatic brain injuries and multiple disabilities. The conversation delves into strategies...