A team of Cal Poly students, alumni and faculty traveled to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Convention in Boston, Mass. CEC is an international professional organization committed to improving the lives and outcomes of individuals with disabilities. The team included 10 current candidates from the Special Education Master’s and Credential Program; two alumni who are special education teachers in Atascadero Unified School District in Atascadero, Calif.; one alum who is a special education teacher in Gonzales Unified School District in Gonzales, Calif.; one alum who is a special education teacher in Somerville Public Schools in Boston, Mass.; and two faculty members from the Special Education Program.
Three of our recent graduates — Eric Gasser, Melissa Spivey and April Haworth — presented a poster titled, Teaching Listening Comprehension of Expository Science Texts to Secondary Students with Autism and Intellectual Disability, with Leah Wood and Stephen Crutchfield. The team attended conference sessions, workshops, poster sessions, meetings and networking sessions. Students and alumni especially appreciated attending sessions on Individualized Education Program meetings, learning about current research, meeting students with disabilities, and networking with current and influential researchers in the field. This year, the trip was partially funded by College Based Fees. The students who attended also raised money themselves through an online GoFundMe campaign.
