The last date to obtain loan items from the Short-Term Loan Program was April 7th, 2021. We will resume the fulfillment of loan requests in August 2021.

Programs

Generalized Supports

This service provides a range of resources and assistance to help meet general needs of students with significant disabilities and includes direct phone or email contact with educational and/or related service consultants as well as resources found on this website. In addition, esOPTS hosts regional, state and national trainings for teachers, related service staff and administrators in Arkansas’ public schools. A detailed list of upcoming professional development opportunities offered by esOPTS can be found here.

Targeted Supports - Assistive Technology Team Building Project

The Assistive Technology Team Building Project builds capacity in Arkansas schools by developing assistive technology (AT) teams in school districts and/or through regional educational service cooperatives. esOPTS consultants provide coaching and professional development in the fundamentals of AT and universal design for learning (UDL) using a framework of implementation science. The assistive technology teams built through this project will learn to provide effective assistive technology services to students in their district by becoming better equipped to consider and implement AT tools and strategies to support students with disabilities and by contributing to the training of other education professionals in meeting the needs of diverse learners. The overall focus of the project is to:

Build capacity at the district and/or coop level by creating assistive technology teams to meet the AT needs of students
Assist school teams with identifying quality indicators of assistive technology in schools
Collaboratively determine areas of team strength and areas in need of improvement
Build a knowledgeable, supportive network of school professionals who work together to provide appropriate AT devices and services to students

For more information about this project, please contact the Outreach Program at 501-227-3770 or email outreachprogram@eastersealsar.com .

Targeted Supports - Project Prepare

Project Prepare builds capacity in Arkansas schools by working with classroom, building and school district personnel to develop and sustain hospitable environments that are hospitable to the consistent demonstration of research based, high leverage practices for students with significant educational needs. Through training and coaching, esOPTS consultants follow a framework of implementation science to develop continuous cycles of improvement that can best sustain quality programs and improve educational outcomes for all students, including those with significant needs. Well prepared schools will consistently demonstrate quality indicators in relation to effective:

administrative systems and supports
professional development activities
inclusive practices
research based learning environments and instructional strategies
transition planning
response to family needs and community involvement
teaming and collaboration
data collection, progress monitoring and decision making

For more information about this project, please contact the Outreach Program at 501-227-3770 or email outreachprogram@eastersealsar.com .

Intensive Supports

This service provides onsite and/or remote assistance for individual students with specific complex needs to enhance their educational program and improve outcomes for the future. Requests for student-specific technical assistance can be made to Easterseals through the ADE-SEU CIRCUIT referral system. esOPTS consultants provide short term, individualized consultations, specialized evaluations and/or assessments in the following areas:

Psychoeducational evaluations
Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) assessments (through a process of collaborative coaching with school district therapists)
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) evaluations (educational diagnosis only)
Assistive Technology (AT) assessments (through a process of collaborative coaching with school IEP teams)

For more information about this project, please contact the Outreach Program at 501-227-3770 or email outreachprogram@eastersealsar.com .