Research Presentations

The faculty and staff at NIU have presented the following sessions within the past five to seven years. The conference presentations discuss assistive technology, braille, education, and many other topics. 

* indicates graduate student status at the time of authorship.

**indicates undergraduate student status at the time of authorship.

Assistive Technology

1. Kapperman, G., Kelly, S. M., & *Foster, M. (February, 2019). Studying foreign languages using NVDA (Yes, not JAWS!). Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, Illinois.

2. Kapperman, G., Kelly, S. M, & *Koster, E. (February, 2018). Using JAWS and a Focus braille display to read foreign language books downloaded from Bookshare. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, IL

3. Kelly, S. M., & Kapperman, G. (March, 2018). A second look at what high school students who are blind should know about technology. California State University Northridge (CSUN) Conference, San Diego, CA.

4. Kelly, S. M., Kapperman, G., & *LeRette-Kauffman, H. (Fabuary, 2020). Studying Russian using JAWS and NVDA refreshable braille display. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, IL.

5. Kelly, S. M., & Trinkowsky, R. S. (January, 2021). Foreign language settings for screen reading & refreshable braille technologies. Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Virtual Conference. 

braille/reading

1. *Gul, N., Pasley, M., *Alomran, A., Harris, L. (May 26–29, 2022). Structural obstacles to supporting reading development in students with visual impairments: Teachers’ perspectives. Association for Psychosocial Science Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois.

Driver EDUCATION

1. Pasley, M. (September, 2018). Driver’s ed: To take or not to take? That is my question. North Central Orientation and Mobility Association Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, WI.

2. Pasley, M., & Randles, L. (January, 2019). Division on Visual Impairments & Deafblindness (DVIDB) Showcase: 16 with no wheels: How do young adults with visual impairments keep moving forward?. Council for Exceptional Children Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, Indiana.

EDUCATION

1. Kapperman, G., Kelly, S. M., & *Gillaspie, A., & *Yost, E. (February, 2024). Quick and easy DIY talking and tactile maps for students with visual impairments. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, IL.

2. Kelly, S. M., Kapperman, G., & *Krogh, A. (February, 2019). Quick and easy methods for making foreign language textbooks accessible for braille readers. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, IL.

3. Kelly, S. M., Kapperman, G., & *Tracy, J., & *Vandeven, M. (February, 2022). DIY accessible geographic map making for learners with visual impairments. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Online. 

4. Harris, L. N., & Pasley, M. (March 7, 2024). What are psycholinguistic norms (and why do we need them for children who are blind)? Visual Impairment Personnel Preparation Committee, U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs, Virtual.

5. **Miranda, G., Pasley, M., Junco., E. (April 30, 2024). Culturally responsive practices for students with visual impairments. Conference for Undergraduate Research and Engagement Annual Meeting, DeKalb, Illinois. [Poster presentation].

6. Pasley, M. (July 13, 2024). Special education in the United States. Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

7. Pasley, M., *Costello, K. (February 6, 2025). Lessons from Thailand: How we learned more about working with visually impaired English Language Learners through teaching music. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation fo the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, Illinois. 

8. Pasley, M., Sripraram, C., *Marroquin, F., **Kuntz, J. (November 8–9, 2024). Roundtable discussion: “Songs the Blind Can See,” Integrating music education and cultural sustainability program for visually impaired students in Thailand. Council on Thai Studies Annual Meeting, Athens, Ohio. 

employment

1. Pasley, M., & Randles, L. (November, 2019). Investing in your future with digital networking. Southwest Orientation and Mobility Association Annual Meeting, Nacogdoches, TX.

Health & Fitness

1. *Hetzel, A., *Shiel, E., Pasley, M., Kapperman, G. (February, 2022). Fitness on the cheap: Affordable exercise options for people with visual impairments. Illinois Chapter of Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired Annual Meeting, Virtual.

2. Kapperman, G., Kelly, S.M., & *Vincent, T. (February, 2024). Knowledge is power for young children with visual impairment and learners with visual and multiple impairments: How knowing one's own body is important for safety and well-being. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, Illinois.

3. Kapperman, G., Kelly, S. M., & *Vincent, T.  (May, 2024). Knowledge is power for young children with visual impairment and learners with visual and multiple impairments: How knowing one's own body is important for safety and well-being. Wisconsin Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (WAER) Annual Conference, Online.

4. Kelly, S. M., & Kapperman, G. (February, 2018). Introducing the teacher’s guidebook to health education for students with visual impairments. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, IL.

5. Kelly, S. M., Kapperman, G. (July, 2024). Knowledge is power for young children with visual impairment and learners with visual and multiple impairments: How knowing one's own body is important for safety and well-being. The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) International Conference, Charlotte, NC. *Vincent, T. (NIU Graduate Student contributor).

6. Kelly, S. M., Kapperman, G., *Petitt, L., & *Loch, J. (March, 2021). A fitness approach to beating COVID-19 for people with visual impairments. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Online.

7. Kelly, S. M., *Kennedy, E., & *Chang, J. (February, 2020). Feminine hygiene and teenage girls with visual impairment. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, IL.

8. Pasley, M. (November, 2023). I like to move it, move it: Accessible exercise resources for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Illinois Council for Exceptional Children Annual Meeting, Naperville, Illinois. 

9. Schwerbrock, E., & Pasley, M. (January 31, 2025). Using foundational O&M skills practice as exercise to build stamina and proficiency in travel. International Orientation and Mobility Online Symposium Annual Meeting, Virtual. 

Orientation & Mobility

1. Pasley, M., & Gierer, L. (January, 2022). Low- and high-tech labels in a residential youth program for ADLs and O&M. Assistive Technology Industry Association Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida.

2. Pasley, M., Hill, J., Widder, S., de Leon, O., Booth, A., & Black, A. (January 24–26, 2024). Global perspectives of culturally responsive teaching in orientation and mobility. International Orientation and Mobility Online Symposium Annual Meeting, Virtual.

3. Pasley, M., & Randles, L. (November, 2019). Are you prepared for disaster? Disaster planning for students with a visual impairment. Southwest Orientation and Mobility Association Annual Meeting, Nacogdoches, Texas.

4. Pasley, M., & Said, R. (February,  2020). Beacons, beacons, every…WHERE??. Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired Annual Meeting, Naperville, Illinois.

5. Randles, L., & Pasley, M. (February, 2019). How is the shortage of O&Ms in Illinois impacting our students? Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired Annual Meeting, Naperville, Illinois.

6. Tucic, P., Stilson, G., Hoskins, L., Pasley, M., Churchill, S., & Tomasi, T. (July, 2022). Moving through life: A discussion of the soft skills of orientation & mobility. International Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired Annual Meeting, St. Louis, Missouri. 

SEXUAL EDUCATION & DATING

1. Kapperman, G. K., Kelly, S. M., & *Gillaspie, A. (February, 2023). STIs and how to teach about them in a meaningful manner: Safer sex instruction for people who are blind or visually impaired. Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (IAER) Annual Conference, Naperville, Illinois.

2. Kapperman, G. K., Kelly, S. M., *Yost, E., & *Pahr, J. (May, 2023). Sex education on the cheap: Meaningful health methods and materials for students with visual impairments at a low cost. Wisconsin Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (WAER) Annual Conference, Online. 

3. Kelly, S. M., Kapperman, G., & *Kelley, R., & *Sutton, K. (May, 2022). Birth control: Methods for adapting instruction for individuals who are visually impaired. Wisconsin Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (WAER) Annual Conference, Online

4. Kelly, S. M., Kapperman, G. K., & *Newland, R. (May, 2023). Guidelines for providing a meaningful description of a gynecological exam for individuals who are visually impaired. Wisconsin Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (WAER) Annual Conference, Online. 

5. Kelly, S. M., Kapperman, G., *Spitz, C., & *Kalas, R. (July, 2022). Methods for decreasing vulnerability to sexual assault for people with visual impairments. The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) International Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 

other

1. Otto, S., & Pasley, M. (October, 2020). Disability passing, passing as sighted, and their roots in racial passing: A history. Society of Philosophy and History of Education Annual Meeting, Virtual.