The ultimate goals of Bridge to Life include:

  • serving individuals with physical and/or communication impairments from birth through adulthood, locally, nationally and globally 
  • providing professional development opportunities in our areas of expertise 
  • contracting with families, agencies and school districts to offer direct services to students with severe physical impairments and complex communication needs

Save the Dates for Spring 2025!
Conversation Series on CVI and AAC with Dr. Christine Roman Lantzy

Browse Programs @The Bridge School

Webinar 9: Effective Interaction Strategies for Children with CVI and CCN

CVI@The Bridge School

Adapted AAC-CVI Framework – Adapted from work at Penn State University

Latest Events CVI@The Bridge School

2023 Summer Workshop – Addressing the Needs of Students with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) and Complex Communication Needs (CCN) in the Classroom Setting.

The Bridge School is excited to announce the AAC-CVI Framework, adapted from work at Penn State University.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Peer-Reviewed Research Articles 

Web-based Materials:

RESEARCH COUNCIL MEMBERS – THE BRIDGE SCHOOL  
2019-2023 

  • Aileen Arai, MS, Special Educator 
  • Craig Abaya, Video Technology Specialist 
  • Gabriela Berlanga, Associate Executive Director 
  • Sarah Blackstone, PhD., CCC-SLP, Principal Investigator, Board Member 
  • Vicki Casella, PhD., Executive Director 
  • Tike DeMarco, MS, Associate Director of Transition 
  • Fei Luo, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Senior Researcher 
  • Elisa Kingsbury, MS, CCC-SLP, Program Specialist 
  • Christine Wright Ott, OTR/L, MPA, Private practice   
  • Jennifer Yeh, Director of Technology and Outreach 
  • Frank DeRuyter, PhD, Board Member 
  • Suellen Miller, PhD, RN, CNM, MHA, Board Member 
  • Mary Frances Allen, Executive Assistant 

RESEARCH COUNCIL MEMBERS –  COLLABORATORS  
2019-2023 

  • R. Michael Barker, PhD, Statistician, CDC 
  • Jesse Canchola, MS, PStat, Statistician, StatComm 
  • Tara McCarty, MS, CCC-SLP, Doctoral Candidate, Penn State University 
  • Melinda Chang, MD, Pediatric & Neuro-ophthalmologist, LA Children’s Hospital, Kerk School of Medicine, USC  
  • Lynn Elko, MA, Parent, Advocate   
  • Christine Roman Lantzy, PhD, TVI & O&M, Pediatric View–The Children’s Home-Lejeune, Pittsburgh, PA    
  • Mary Ann Romski, PhD, CCC-SLP, Regents Professor, Georgia State University 
  • Rose Sevcik, PhD, Psychologist, Regents Professor, Georgia State University 
  • Krista Wilkinson, PhD, Psychologist, Pennsylvania State University

Our Current Efforts

Studies in progress at TBS

  1. Hands-Free, Upright, Self-Directed Mobility – Survey of professionals and family members 2022-2023
  2. Impact of Self-Directed mobility on communication and self-determination of children with GMFS IV and V who use AAC (some with CVI)
  3. The use of C-BiLLT to track comprehension in children with complex speech, motor and sensory challenges.
  4. Development of manuscripts/webinars, etc.

Manuscripts under review (Penn State)

  1. An evidence-based team approach to the design of AAC interventions for individuals with Cortical Visual Impairment.
  2. “It’s like a guessing game all the time:” Parent insights on barriers, supports, and priorities for children with cortical visual impairment and complex communication needs

Studies in progress at Penn State

How do different cues influence: the latency/speed of visual attention to a stimulus (attention capture) and the duration of visual attention to a stimulus (attention maintenance)