Exceptional Needs Workshops

To date, SERCH has organized six Exceptional Needs Workshops. Our seventh workshop will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 12, 2007. If you would like to learn more about the agenda, attendees, and outcomes of each workshop, please select from the options below:

ENWS I Charleston, SC		ENWS II Huntsville, AL		ENWS III Greenbelt, MD		ENWS IV Seattle, WA
ENWS V Huntsville, AL		ENWS VI Boston, MA		ENWS VII San Juan, PR

Purpose
1.	To familiarize developers of NASA SMD education materials with the diversity of exceptional classroom and audience needs;
2.	To familiarize educators of exceptional students with the wide variety of standards-based space science educational support materials available from NASA;
3.	To evaluate several popular classroom materials from the different SMD themes for use in exceptional education settings; and
4.	To build a communication and support network of exceptional educators and NASA mission-related personnel.

Goals
1.	To provide educators of exceptional students with exciting new resources to use in formal and informal settings, as well as, some experience in using them;
2.	To provide recommendations for modifications and future design issues to developers of NASA mission-related educational products so that they are readily useable by exceptional audiences;
3.	To continue developing a handbook of 'best practices' for use in other workshops and educational settings for members of the NASA SMD Education Support Network; and
4.	To form the nexus of a network of educators and product developers who will continue to work together to raise awareness of Exceptional Needs educational materials and to be a part of an Extended Advisory Network for NASA missions and Code N.

Format
	Presenters and participants will share their knowledge and professional experiences through short presentations, interactive activities, and group discussions. Participants are encouraged to simulate a variety of disabilities using visual impairment goggles, hearing impairment simulators, and other materials and devices to simulate physical disabilities. Please view this presentation (available in PDF and HTML formats—The PDF document requires that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded at the Adobe website.) for simulation techniques. Discussions regarding learning disabilities, for example ADD and ADHD, are held throughout the workshop.

Participants
	NASA Headquarters, Science Mission Directorate Education Support Network (Forums, Broker/Facilitators, Mission personnel), NASA Centers, NASA Space Grants and SERCH Regional Educators.