EVENTS & WEBINARS
COMING SOON!!

20+
EXPERT SPEAKERS
500+
PROFESSIONALS
175+
ORGANIZATIONS
15+
COUNTRIES
WEBINARS
Vision-Aid offers workshops, presentations, lectures and seminars through its Webinar series. All topics are within the spectrum of low vision, blindness and vision impairment. These webinars are conducted by experts in the field of various degrees of vision impairment. The target audience of our webinars include vision professionals, people with vision impairments, Vision-Aid supporters and well-wishers.
Feel free to write to us at voa@visionaid.org if you need webinars in other topics that are currently not available on this site.

Dr. Sam Taraporvala
Best Practices in Awareness and Advocacy Programs for the Visually Impaired

Kirby Lindgren
Best Practices in Online Education for the Visually Impaired

Dr. Loubaina Buxamusa
Best Practices in Vision Rehabilitation - An Occupational Therapy Perspective

Dr. Kathryn Miller
Basic Assessment and Management of Pediatric Low Vision Patients

David Kingsbury
Best Practices in Assistive Technology Training Instruction for Blind and Visually Impaired Adults

Prof. John Ravenscroft
Identifying and supporting economic needs of families with visually impaired children, including children with cerebral visual impairment

Pallavi Deshpande
Life Skills Training For The Visually Impaired & Disability Rights

Dr. G N Rao
Best practices in Operating a Tertiary Low Vision Center: Synopsis

Ram Raju
Best Practices in Enabling, Educating and Empowering the Vision Impaired – The Vision-Aid Model

Dr. Linda Lawrence
The importance of Vision: Visual development and Low Vision in infants and small children

Neha Sharma
Best Practices in Communicating with individuals with MDVI

Neha Sharma
The Role of Orientation and Mobility in the World of the Visually Impaired

Dr. Barry Kran
Overview of CVI: Definition and considerations around assessment and habilitation

Dr. Alexis "Lexi" Malkin
Overcoming Barriers to Low Vision Care

Dr. Bhavani
Iyer
Advances in Low Vision Technology
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Try to learn something about everything, and everything about something
– Thomas H. Huxley
INFORMATIVE VIDEOS
Vision-Aid provides a platform for many a visually impaired people to revel in their skills. We have seen and experienced a large number of the visually impaired population show-case successes in their life despite the loss of sight. Whether it be graduating from a course, to de-mystifying MOOCs, or even launching Vision-Aid’s services, these Videos provide a glimpse of what success means to those with low-vision and visual challenges.
Feel free to write to us at voa@visionaid.org if you need webinars in other topics that are currently not available on this site.
MAKING COVID-19 INFO EASY TO UNDERSTAND WORLDWIDE
In India and globally, amid the continuing COVID crisis, one of the big challenges faced by Persons with Disabilities (PWD) is their inability to access vital information and resources published by governments and organizations because this information is not digitally accessible to persons with disabilities.
Thursday, May 20th, was “World Accessibility Day”. To commemorate this global accessibility awareness day, Vision-Aid organized a special webinar on the important topic of making Covid-19 information accessible for persons with disabilities.
John is leading a crowd sourced initiative using Artificial Intelligence technology to make information accessible, readable, and easily understandable. For more info, see EasyCOVID19.org and EasyText.AI.
Send us a note to voa@visionindia.org if you need more of such videos and webinars.
John is the Director of INDEX at U Mass Amherst and is in charge of the Massachusetts State’s web site for disseminating information for persons with disabilities. John is also a faculty member at U Mass, and also participates in the World Wide Web (WWW) standards bodies for defining Web Accessibility Standards globally. John is a prolific blogger and prides himself on writing “one – minute blogs” which are very popular with his broad base.
CCA GRADUATION CEREMONY | MEET & GREET STUDENTS OF LACHHMAN DASS VISION-AID RESOURCE CENTER (AGRA)
Watch the Vision-Aid meet-and-greet event for Delhi students. We count this as memorable to both Students and all guests. Over 100 persons attended including around 20 of our visually impaired students, Our friends at Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, and several esteemed guests attended the event.
Our Chief guests were Mr. Ram & Mrs. Meetu Gupta. Vision-Aid is so grateful for their support, and for gracing the event also sharing gracious words at the event.
GRADUATION PROGRAM: STUDENTS WITH VISION DISABILITIES
You will be glad to know that 100’s of our students with vision disabilities have graduated from Vision-Aid’s instructor-led online courses. Vision-Aid conducted online graduation programs having sponsors and esteemed guests including people like Dr. Chuck R. Severance a well-known Coursera instructor.
Watch the students as them express their success, the excitement that education holds for them, and the impact Vision-Aid has created in their lives
LAUNCHING OUR DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY TESTING CENTER
This is a must-watch video! If you want to watch more of these videos, send us a note to voa@visionindia.org
MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES (MOOCS) FOR PEOPLE WITH VISION DISABILITIES
US GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS DEMYSTIFIED FOR THE BLIND AND VISION IMPAIRED.
In this series, hear it directly from Aditi and Bhavya as they share their experiences in applying into USA (Under) Graduate schools.
VISION-AID EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
In this series, you will hear from global experts in the field of vision disabilities on best practices in vision rehabilitation, interventions, advances in low vision technology, overcoming barriers to low vision care, and much more.
Send us a note to voa@visionindia.org if you need more of such videos and webinars.
EVENTS & WEBINARS
SOUND-OFF BOARD


Dr. Pooja Desai is MHA, DOMS, MBBS.
Vision-Aid has launched a Covid-Care Webinar Series, a live session where eminent people from the field of medicine, healthcare, life sciences and other areas will share important information about Covid and how citizens need to respond to it.
Dr. Pooja Desai is MHA, DOMS, MBBS.
The speaker for the session was Dr. Pooja Desai, an eminent Ophthalmologist working in the USA. She is a public health graduate currently working as an analyst for a healthcare organization in the United States offering expertise in the economic recovery post Covid Pandemic. She completed her medical degree
back in 2012 following which she worked as a consultant ophthalmologist in various municipal hospitals in Mumbai for 6 years. During her tenure as a physician, she have performed numerous cataract surgeries and offered medical expertise to treat various vision issues
May 23rd between 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM IST (11 AM – 12 Noon EDT).
Please adjust for your own time zone!

Dr. Sam Taraporvala
Best Practices in Awareness and Advocacy Programs for the Visually Impaired

Kirby Lindgren
Best Practices in Online Education for the Visually Impaired

Dr. Loubaina Buxamusa
Best Practices in Vision Rehabilitation - An Occupational Therapy Perspective

Dr. Kathryn Miller
Basic Assessment and Management of Pediatric Low Vision Patients

David Kingsbury
Best Practices in Assistive Technology Training Instruction for Blind and Visually Impaired Adults

Prof. John Ravenscroft
Identifying and supporting economic needs of families with visually impaired children, including children with cerebral visual impairment

Pallavi Deshpande
Life Skills Training For The Visually Impaired & Disability Rights

Dr. G N Rao
Best practices in Operating a Tertiary Low Vision Center: Synopsis

Ram Raju
Best Practices in Enabling, Educating and Empowering the Vision Impaired – The Vision-Aid Model

Dr. Linda Lawrence
The importance of Vision: Visual development and Low Vision in infants and small children

Neha Sharma
Best Practices in Communicating with individuals with MDVI

Neha Sharma
The Role of Orientation and Mobility in the World of the Visually Impaired

Dr. Barry Kran
Overview of CVI: Definition and considerations around assessment and habilitation

Dr. Alexis "Lexi" Malkin
Overcoming Barriers to Low Vision Care

Dr. Bhavani
Iyer
Advances in Low Vision Technology
EVENTS & WEBINARS
SOUND-OFF BOARD


Dr. Sam Taraporevala
A key factor impacting the effective inclusion of blind and low-vision persons into the social mainstream is the lack of awareness concerning the lives of the visually challenged, as also the presence of myths concerning them. The Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC) has recognized this need and has tackled this issue through awareness initiatives such as its flagship event Antarchakshu®—The Eye Within and an active engagement with policymakers through advocacy initiatives. This session will touch upon this dual approach in terms of its antecedents, approach, and case examples.
Dr. Sam Taraporevala, retired as Associate Professor & Head Department of Sociology and Anthropology of St. Xavier’s College, Autonomous, Mumbai. He is currently the Executive Director of the Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC) which he founded in 2003. He has been actively involved in advocacy and awareness work in the field of social inclusion using applied research to address key access challenges for persons with blindness and low vision. He has been at the forefront of work resulting in the amendment of the Copyright Act, India in 2012, deployment of over 30000 accessible ATMs in India and opening up of science education for blind and low vision students.
He is currently on various national bodies including
- Vice President & Chair, Committee on Policy Intervention, DAISY Forum of India
- Member, Braille Council of India (BCI)
- He has also been Member, Expert committee to decide and list out modern assistive devices for all categories of PWDs under revised ADIP Scheme, Department of Disability Affairs, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt of India
Other positions held:
- Member, Expert Committee for the Resource Centre for Persons with Different Disabilities, National Library, Kolkata.
- Member, Task force for National Centre of Universal Design and Barrier free Environment for Persons with Disabilities, India.
- Member, Board of Studies, Department of Sociology, University of Mumbai.
- Member, National Selection Committee for selecting the awardees for the National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- Member, Sub-group on Accessibility, Mobility, Research & Innovation to give inputs for the 12th Five year Plan.
- At St. Xavier’s College, Autonomous Mumbai he was on various committees including:.
- Member, Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC)
- Member Academic board
- Chairman Board of Studies – Sociology and Anthropology
- Executive Convenor – Enabling Committee
Date: Saturday July 4, 06.30 PM IST
(Saturday, July 4, 9.00 AM US EST.)
Please adjust for your own time zone!

Kirby Lindgren is the Director of Professional Outreach at the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Founded in 1920, Hadley’s mission is to create personalized learning opportunities that empower adults with vision loss or blindness to thrive – at home, at work, and in their communities. In today’s presentation, Kirby will discuss data on the evolving technology environment, review research Hadley has done over the past two years, outline best practices in online education, and give a brief demo of Hadley’s newly developed website with creative accessibility features and exciting new content – including new innovative, interactive Braille workshops. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Hadley relies on contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations to fund programs which are free to their clients. Come visit us at https://hadley.edu
Kirby Lindgren is the Director of Professional Outreach at the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired. In this position he develops win-win partnerships with Physicians and Professional Organizations focused on helping the Blind and Visually Impaired. Prior to joining Hadley, Kirby spent 10 years working at another non-profit organization focused on training adoptive and foster parents online. Previously, he worked for Hewlett-Packard as an IT Consultant and has held other leadership positions focused on operations, education, and training. Kirby holds a degree in Business with focus on Computer Science and Education.
Date: Thursday, July 2nd, 07.30 AM IST
Wednesday, July 1st, 2020 | Time: 10.00 PM – 11.00 PM (US EST) | 9.00 PM – 10 PM (CST)
Please adjust for your own time zone!

Kirby Lindgren is the Director of Professional Outreach at the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Founded in 1920, Hadley’s mission is to create personalized learning opportunities that empower adults with vision loss or blindness to thrive – at home, at work, and in their communities. In today’s presentation, Kirby will discuss data on the evolving technology environment, review research Hadley has done over the past two years, outline best practices in online education, and give a brief demo of Hadley’s newly developed website with creative accessibility features and exciting new content – including new innovative, interactive Braille workshops. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Hadley relies on contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations to fund programs which are free to their clients. Come visit us at https://hadley.edu
Kirby Lindgren is the Director of Professional Outreach at the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired. In this position he develops win-win partnerships with Physicians and Professional Organizations focused on helping the Blind and Visually Impaired. Prior to joining Hadley, Kirby spent 10 years working at another non-profit organization focused on training adoptive and foster parents online. Previously, he worked for Hewlett-Packard as an IT Consultant and has held other leadership positions focused on operations, education, and training. Kirby holds a degree in Business with focus on Computer Science and Education.
Date: Thursday, July 2nd, 07.30 AM IST
Wednesday, July 1st, 2020 | Time: 10.00 PM – 11.00 PM (US EST) | 9.00 PM – 10 PM (CST)
Please adjust for your own time zone!

Dr. Kathryn Miller is an Associate in Ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital Boston.
The presentation will encompass an overview of the components of a low vision evaluation including assessment techniques and management strategies in evaluating a child with vision disabilities. A discussion of both optical and non-optical vision accommodations to enhance vision performance will be reviewed. Several cases will highlight the vision support strategies successful in young children.
Dr. Miller is an associate in Ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital Boston and Waltham and an Assistant Professor in Ophthalmology at the Harvard Medical School. Her specialties are in pediatric/infant contact lens and pediatric low vision rehabilitation (magnification systems and adaptations) for the blind and visually impaired. Research activities have included the study of effects of optical correction on the functional vision of children with cerebral palsy and involvement in the IATS study Infant Aphakia Treatment Study, a NEI-sponsored study to compare the visual outcomes of children with congenital cataracts corrected with contact lenses vs. intraocular lens implants.
Date: June 26th, 05.00 PM IST
(June 26th, 7:30 AM US EST.)
Please adjust for your own time zone!

David Kingsbury is an Assistive Technology instructor at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Massachusetts
This presentation focusses on lessons learned over more than three decades of adult assistive technology instruction at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton Massachusetts. Training is conducted individually or in small groups (three to four people) with duration varying from just a few hours to several weeks. Most instruction covers using screen readers and screen magnification (primarily JAWS, ZoomText or Fusion) in the Windows environment. File management, Word, Outlook, Excel, and web browsing are important topics. Smart phone use (primarily iPhone/iPad with Voiceover) has also emerged as an important area for instruction.
Prior to the COVID 19 crisis, all training was provided face-to-face. Since March of this year, training has been conducted remotely, and lessons are beginning to emerge on the strengths and weaknesses of this approach.
Among the lessons learned are:
• Individual or small group training tailored to the specific needs and capacities of participants is most effective.
• Adult motivation to learn is often very strong, especially among those who used computers prior to sight loss.
• Identifying core techniques and topics to be mastered by the end of training is essential, while at the same time creating awareness and providing reference material on important but perhaps less essential topics.
• Providing reference materials in both audio and text format is useful for building skills.
• Identification of ways for participants to continue improving their technology skills after training has ended is critical for fostering future independence.
David Kingsbury is an assistive technology instructor at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Massachusetts. He has worked in this capacity since January 2015 and did similar work part time for several years before that. In early 2007, David graduated from the Carroll Center’s Independent Living Program. He is also the First Vice President of the Bay State Council of the Blind, the Massachusetts affiliate of the American Council of the Blind.
Prior to becoming blind in 2004, David worked in international development as an agricultural economist, with a geographic focus on Sub Saharan Africa. He lived and worked in Rome for the United Nations from 1996 to 2006, and previously worked for the US Agency for International Development in Zaire. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal and Chad.
He is the author of two assistive technology-related books. Format Your Word Documents with JAWS and NVDA: A Guide for Students and Professionals was published in April 2019 by the National Braille Press. When One Web Browser Is Not Enough: A Guide for Windows Screen Reader Users will be published next month by the Carroll Center for the Blind.
Date: June 23rd, 05.00 PM IST
(June 23rd, 7:30 AM EST.)
Please adjust for your own time zone!

Professor John Ravenscroft is Chair of Childhood Visual Impairment.
There has been debate in the literature about the exact role socioeconomic status has on vision impairment and one question (of many) that still remains to be answered as the literature seems to be undecided is around the issue of whether vision impairment is more prevalent in lower socioeconomic areas than more affluent areas and if so why? This short presentation will look at the effect of social deprivation and vision impairment and will use data gathered from different sources within Scotland to look at some of the outcomes with respect to education and qualifications. The presentation will also examine the incidence of cerebral visual impairment within different socioeconomic groups again using data gathered within Scotland.
Professor John Ravenscroft is Chair of Childhood Visual Impairment at the Moray House School of Education and Sport at the University of Edinburgh. He is currently the Director of the Scottish Sensory Centre and is Editor in Chief of the British Journal of Visual Impairment. He has vast experience of inclusive education, and has advised various Governments, locally, nationally and internationally on promoting successful inclusive education. He is the host of the “Conversations about CVI” and the editor of the Handbook of Visual Impairment.
Principal Interests
- visual impairment
- cerebral visual impairment
- inclusion
- childhood and disability studies
- Inclusion and Inclusive Education
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMyYdNTKCiFxV8Etgahgv4Q/featured?view_as=subscriber
Date: June 18th at 17:00 PM IST
(June 18th, 7:30 AM EST.)
Please adjust for your own time zone!
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE

Pallavi Deshpande - America India Foundation Clinton Fellow at Vision Aid
During this webinar, Pallavi Deshpande will give an overview about the two courses, Life Skills and Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and explore why incorporating them into educational interventions is crucial for holistic and sustainable empowerment of the visually impaired. She will also talk briefly about the intersection of education and space with disability and the importance of being aware of this when designing interventions
Pallavi Deshpande is currently serving as an America India Foundation Clinton Fellow at Vision Aid, Visakhapatnam. She graduated from Claremont McKenna College with a degree in Economics. At Vision Aid, she has been working with the Vision Aid Online Academy team to develop the platform and has designed two courses – Life Skills and Rights of Persons with Disabilities – during her time at the organization.
The Vision-Aid team sincerely thanks the America India Foundation team for their support and collaboration in the development of these new training programs at Vision-Aid. In particular, we sincerely thank Ms. Nirmala Garimella (Pallavi’s mentor during her Fellowship at Vision-Aid), Mr. Manish Kumar (America India Foundation ABLE program), and Ms. Chandni Wadhwani (America India Foundation Fellowship program) for their valuable contributions and guidance.
Date: June 10th at 7:30 AM IST
(June 9th, 10 pm EST.)
Please adjust for your own time zone!
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE

Dr. G.N.Rao - Founder & Chairman, L.V.Prasad Eye Inst. Hyderabad, India
Dr. Gullapalli N Rao established the L V Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad 31 years ago and is the Founder & Chair of that Institute.
Academic and Research Achievements:
- Honorary Doctorates from the University of Melbourne and University of New South Wales, Australia, Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, India, University of Bradford, UK and GITAM University, India
- President of “Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis (AOI)”, group of 80 of the most eminent academicians in ophthalmology in the world
- Visiting professor to many Universities in the U.S, Europe, Australia, and Asia
- Published about 300 papers in peer-reviewed international journals
- Editorial Boards of several international journals of ophthalmology
- “Fellow qua surgeon” of the “Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons”, Glasgow
- Fellow of two of the Science Academies of India
- Fellow of National Academy of Medical Sciences.
Other Contributions:
- Former Secretary-General and later Chair of the Board and CEO of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) in which role played a pivotal role in developing and fostering the global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness along with WHO – VISION 2020: The Right to Sight in partnership with World Health Organisation (WHO)
- Board of Trustees, International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO)
- Leadership Position in many National and International eye care organizations
- Founder & Chair of L V Prasad Eye Institute, India
- Boards of many national and international organizations.
For more details, Click Here
Date: June 6th at 7:30 AM IST
(June 5th, 10 pm EST.)
Please adjust for your own time zone!
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE

Ram Raju is the founder and volunteer executive director of Vision-Aid.
During this talk Mr. Raju will provide an insight into the Vision-Aid model, a comprehensive set of programs and best-practices which have been developed over the past 15 years of enabling, educating and empowering the visually impaired, across multiple locations in India. The Vision-Aid model aims to provide a holistic, 360-degree approach to Vision Rehabilitation. The speaker will discuss several exciting new initiatives underway at Vision-Aid including enabling the visually impaired with low-cost, high-technology devices, educating them with advanced skills training and rehabilitation programs and empowerment of the visually impaired through advocacy, inclusion and employment.
Ram Raju is the founder and volunteer executive director of Vision-Aid, a nonprofit serving the visually impaired. Ram holds a master’s degree in Computer Science from the Pennsylvania State University, and an ALM degree from Harvard. Ram was recognized for his public service by Harvard University with the Derek Bok Public Service prize in 2019 and the “Making a Difference Award” in 2019 from CHI among others.
Date: Thursday, May 28th, 10 – 11 PM USEST
(Friday, May 29th, 7:30 – 8:30 AM IST.)
Please adjust for your own time zone!
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE

Dr. Linda Lawrence is an internationally renowned Ophthalmologist. She has worked with the WHO to develop the International Low Vision Rehabilitation Standards and spoken at many international conferences and authored a book chapter on Pediatric Low Vision. She runs her private practice in Comprehensive Ophthalmology with pediatric emphasis in Salina, Kansas.
During this webinar, Dr. Linda Lawrence will explore the importance of Visual development and Low Vision in infants and small children, and the special considerations and best practices for pediatric low vision services.
Dr. Linda Lawrence, an internationally renowned Opthalmologist, runs her private practice in Comprehensive ophthalmology with pediatric emphasis in Salina, Kansas.
A vocal advocate for earlier detection and interventions, she has not only documented the high rate of undiagnosed ocular pathology in infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities and coauthored a book chapter on Pediatric Low Vision, she has also trained trainers from South and Central America, India, Africa, China, Vietnam, and the Middle East, apart from the USA, in this area.
She has worked with the WHO to develop the International Low Vision Rehabilitation Standards and spoken at many international conferences and authored a book chapter on Pediatric Low Vision.
She volunteers with several organizations- ORBIS, Kansas State School for the Blind, Centro Ann Sullivan del Peru (CASP) for students with neuro-developmental disabilities, with CDC on the congenital Zika syndrome, and University of Kansas as a Volunteer Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Lawrence was numerous awards to her name – International Humanitarian Services Award, Senior Achievement Award and Secretariat Award from the AAO (American Academy of Ophthalmology ), and an achievement award from AAPOS (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus) to name a few!
Date : Tuesday May 26, 0730 AM – 0830 AM (IST)
Please adjust for your own time zone!

Neha Sharma,
Speech-Language Pathologist, BS(Linguistics and Cognitive Science), MS (Communication Sciences & Disorders)
In this Webinar, Neha will outline best practices in communicating with individuals with Multiple Disabilities and Vision Impairments. The following topics will be discussed:
- Communicating with those with MDVI
- Assess the child, not the diagnosis
- Basic communicative functions
- Accommodations for optimal communicative access
Neha Sharma is a Speech-Language Pathologist and has been practicing for 16 years. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Science and a Master’s of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She has worked with preschool, elementary, and middle school aged children in private and public-school settings. She has specialized in addressing the communicative needs of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and those with significant global challenges due to severe comorbid diagnoses. In addition to ameliorating the communication disorders of these children, Neha is passionate about providing students and families with behavioral and augmentative and alternative communication strategies to carryover in all settings.
She has developed many thematic activities linked to school curriculums, community activities, and vocational tasks that address social pragmatics, expressive and receptive language skills, fluency, and articulation. Neha also has a strong interest in working with multilingual families and students to best support their communicative needs. She is passionate about working with students with significant needs and currently practices in the Deafblind Program at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, MA USA.
Date: Friday May 22 7:30 – 8:30 AM IST
(Thursday May 21 10 – 11 PM EST)
Please adjust for your own time zone!
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE

Neha Sharma,
Speech-Language Pathologist, BS(Linguistics and Cognitive Science), MS (Communication Sciences & Disorders)
In this Webinar, Neha will outline best practices in communicating with individuals with Multiple Disabilities and Vision Impairments. The following topics will be discussed:
- Communicating with those with MDVI
- Assess the child, not the diagnosis
- Basic communicative functions
- Accommodations for optimal communicative access
Neha Sharma is a Speech-Language Pathologist and has been practicing for 16 years. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Science and a Master’s of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She has worked with preschool, elementary, and middle school aged children in private and public-school settings. She has specialized in addressing the communicative needs of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and those with significant global challenges due to severe comorbid diagnoses. In addition to ameliorating the communication disorders of these children, Neha is passionate about providing students and families with behavioral and augmentative and alternative communication strategies to carryover in all settings.
She has developed many thematic activities linked to school curriculums, community activities, and vocational tasks that address social pragmatics, expressive and receptive language skills, fluency, and articulation. Neha also has a strong interest in working with multilingual families and students to best support their communicative needs. She is passionate about working with students with significant needs and currently practices in the Deafblind Program at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, MA USA.
Date: Friday May 22 7:30 – 8:30 AM IST
(Thursday May 21 10 – 11 PM EST)
Please adjust for your own time zone!
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE

Dr. Barry Kran, OD, FAAO,is the Optometric Director of the New England College of Optometry (NECO).
Dr. Kran’s current research interests involve developing appropriate diagnostic vision tests for individuals with disabilities with normative data surrounding these tests, understanding and developing a database of the vision-related outcomes of low incidence conditions, and breaking the barriers to eye care that individuals with disabilities encounter. Currently, he is exploring a novel contrast sensitivity test which aims to be useful for individuals with reduced cognitive function and/or expressive communication skills. Dr. Kran is also investigating the various aspects surrounding the diagnosis of individuals with cortical visual impairment, the leading cause of pediatric blindness.
During this talk Dr. Barry Kran will offer an overview of CVI – starting from its definition and going on to explore considerations around assessment and habilitation.
For the past nineteen years, Dr. Kran has been working with individuals with visual and other impairments. He is the Optometric Director of the New England College of Optometry (NECO) Center for Eye Care at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown. This clinic is also the base for his research and collaboration with Drs. Mayer and Ross at NECO and with others in the Boston area performing cutting edge research on Cerebral Vision Impairments (CVIs). CVI is the leading cause of pediatric vision impairment in the developed world.
Date: Thursday, May 14 th, 5 – 6 PM India Time
(Thursday, May 14th, 7:30 – 8:30 AM US EST)
Please adjust for your own time zone!
Session mode: Online
Registration fee: FREE

Dr. Alexis "Lexi" Malkin, OD, FAAO.
This presentation will discuss strategies for overcoming barriers to providing low vision care. Common challenges and their solutions will be presented as well as a brief discussion surrounding the integration of telemedicine into low vision care.
Dr. Malkin is a graduate of Emory University and completed her optometry training at New England College of Optometry (NECO), where she graduated salutatorian. She completed her residency at the Northport VA Hospital with a focus in primary care optometry, low vision rehabilitation and vision therapy. Dr. Malkin then completed the Lions Vision Rehabilitation Fellowship at Johns Hopkins in 2010.
Dr. Malkin is on faculty at New England College of Optometry as an Associate Professor of Clinical Optometry. She has a focus on vision rehabilitation didactically and clinically. Dr. Malkin has published numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts in low vision rehabilitation and clinical outcomes. In addition, Dr. Malkin has lectured throughout the US and internationally on a variety of topics including Patient Outcomes, Optics, and technology in Low Vision.
Date: Tuesday, May 12th, 17:00- 18:00 PM India Time
(Tuesday, May 12th, 07:30 AM- 08:30 AM US EST)
Please adjust for your own time zone!
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE

Dr. Bhavani Iyer OD, FAAO is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas.
Low vision devices have come a long way. From simple handheld devices to the complex head mounted electronic options, low vision devices continue to change the lives of those that are fitted with it. This talk explores the gamut of options available to those that are visually impaired.. During this talk, Dr. Bhavani Iyer will explore a wide range of low vision devices and technology.
Dr. Bhavani Iyer OD, FAAO is an associate professor at the University of Texas, McGovern Medical School in Houston. She is the director of the Dan Arnold Center for Vision Rehabilitation, a comprehensive vision rehabilitation program complete with occupational therapy and orientation mobility training.
Date: Wednesday, May 6th, 7:30 – 8:30 AM India Time
(Tuesday, May 5th, 10 PM – 11 PM US EST)
Please adjust for your own time zone!
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE

Kristen Layton is the Director of Perkins India, a program of Perkins School for the Blind.
1) Who are the population of children with MDVI?
2) How can we improve screening, assessment and identification procedures?
3) What integrated approaches to intervention work toward achieving educational access?
Kristen Layton is the Director of Perkins India, a program of Perkins School for the Blind. Prior to leading the team in India, she served as the Director of Strategy, Innovation and Learning and helped launch Perkins International’s programs in the Middle East and North Africa.
Before coming to Perkins in 2009, Kristen led the launch of the Inclusive Schools Network at the Education Development Center, Inc. She has held positions at Boston College, the University of Maryland, the National Deaf-Blind Project, Helen Keller National Center and as a special education teacher in New York. She holds degrees in Elementary and Special Education.
Thursday, April 30th, 5 – 6 PM India Time
(Thursday April 30th, 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM US EST)
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE
***Missed live Webinar? Don’t worry You can watch our recorded video ***

Dr. Loubaina Buxamusa, PhD.
During this talk, Dr. Loubaina will explore the following best practices in Vision Rehabilitation from an Occupational Therapy perspective.
- Using occupation as a means and an end
- Creating meaningful patterns of engagement across contexts
- Addressing performance issues holistically
- Linking client factors to outcomes
- Assessing the client first, then the disability
- Making the process dynamic and interactive in nature
Dr. Loubaina Buxamusa is an occupational therapist who holds Bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Mumbai, a Master’s degree in special education from the Framingham State University, and a Doctorate degree in occupational therapy from the American International College in USA. She has 38 years of experience working as a pediatric occupational therapist with a variety of populations.
Date: Tuesday, April 28th, 7:30 – 8:30 AM India Time
(Monday April 27th, 10 PM – 11 PM US EST)
Session mode : Online
Registration fee: FREE
***Missed live Webinar? Don’t worry You can watch our recorded video ***