Empowering the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community with ABLE Accounts: Insights from CSD Learns and NAST Webinar

CSD Learns hosted a webinar on February 22, 2023, with National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) focused on introducing ABLE accounts and how it benefits the deaf and hard of hearing community. This webinar was hosted in part of the partnership announcement between CSD Learns and NAST earlier in the month on the creation of a webcast video explaining ABLE accounts in American Sign Language.

The webinar is now available for those who missed it.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=EG95nVa5y6s%3Ffeature%3Doembed

The webinar was hosted by Eric Ochmanek, Program Director of ABLE today, and Megan Klusza, on the behalf of CSD Learns. Eric and Megan covered the basics of ABLE accounts and showed clips of the 29-minute webcast*. They also answered live questions from the audience. The goal of this event was to provide information to individuals with disabilities, their families, and professionals who support them.

*The webcast is available with Spanish subtitles.

What are ABLE accounts?

Created by the federal government in 2014, ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that allow individuals with disabilities to save for qualified disability expenses without affecting their eligibility for government benefits. Funds in an ABLE account are tax-free and can be used for a variety of expenses related to the individual’s disability.

How to Qualify and Get an ABLE Account

Individuals must have a disability that occurred before the age of 26 to be eligible for an ABLE account. It must be a long term disability and in addition, one of the following criteria must be met:

(1) you are eligible to receive SSI or SSDI;

(2) you have a condition on the SSA’s List of Compassionate Allowances Conditions;

(3) you have a written diagnosis from a doctor*

*Taken from https://www.abletoday.org/faqs.

When ready, choose a state program and open an account through the program’s website. To get started, go to NAST’s website and choose your state for the next steps.

To watch the full webcast video on ABLE account in ASL, watch below:

An Accessible Guide to ABLE Accounts in ASL

For disabled people, navigating the world of financial planning can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there are options available to make it easier, such as ABLE accounts. ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts specifically designed for disabled individuals and their families.

View the video in Spanish version with voiceover and caption. The CSD Learns team is excited to announce the formal launch of our video about ABLE accounts, delivered in American Sign Language (ASL) for the Deaf community. Whether you’re new to learning about your financial options, or have been researching ABLE accounts for years, you will benefit from a look into this topic in ASL. We at CSD Learns understand that financial planning is an important part of life – however, it can be difficult, especially where information isn’t always translated into accessible formats. In this 29-minute online video, we break down everything you need to know about ABLE accounts with simple, clear explanations of the benefits these types of savings accounts can bring individuals with disabilities. You’ll learn everything about ABLE accounts, from legally setting up an account and managing your funds, to understanding available tax benefits – all explained through visuals, signed vocabulary, and ASL translations. We are grateful for the partnership with ABLE today, National Association of State Treasurers (NAST), and Wells Fargo for making this possible. ABLE Today is a wonderful resource for learning more about the unique needs of each state program. Details in their analysis tool include requirements, fees, contribution limits, how to enroll, and more.

We extend our gratitude to NAST, ABLE today, Wells Fargo, and supporters like you for helping make this project happen.

Having Difficult Conversations about School Shootings

It’s been days since the most recent school shooting shook America. Amidst the outrage, pain, and fear we may find ourselves at a loss asking questions that don’t have straight forward answers. How do we process and discuss this tragedy with our deaf and hard of hearing students? How do we support our children who fear that this may happen at their school? How do we support ourselves?

Whether you are a parent, caregiver or educator, emotions and stress may be running high and the thought of searching online for these answers can be overwhelming. To offer our support, the CSD Learns team is compiling resources that may be helpful to you and your children.

We want to remind you that we are here to support you in your efforts. If you have any questions, or are in search of a specific resource, please contact us and our team will do our best to help you find what you need. As we find more resources we will share them through our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

News Coverage in ASL

Most news outlets explaining the events that took place are only captioned. This is news explained in ASL is covered by The Daily Moth the day after.

Click Here

Discussing the Recent Shootings – in ASL

A collaboration between Deaf and Hard of Hearing Resilience Center and The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, this video is a bilingual resource for educators, parents, and caregivers to learn how to discuss recent shootings with children.

Click Here

Teaching Guide for Teachers

This article, written by Facing History, is for teachers who need to navigate conversations in their classroom after violent events have occurred.

Click Here

Tips for Parents and Teachers

Created by the National Association of School Psychologists, this tip sheet is available as a PDF and can be printed and distributed. It is also available in multiple languages to accommodate your students’ families.

Click Here

Resources from Sesame Street

Discussing this may be challenging with younger elementary students. Sesame Street in Communities has a series of videos, articles and activities suited to address with simplicity what violence is and staying safe.

Click Here

Age-Appropriate Discussions

This article by the Today Show covers the specific approaches we can take in discussing with children by specific age group.

Click Here

Noticing the Signs

Some of us may begin to wonder how we can prevent this from occurring. What are the warning signs to notice in teenagers who are struggling with mental health issues? Chalkbeat lists what we should be paying attention to.

Click Here

More Resources to Browse Through

American School Counselor Association has a plethora of resources to further explore resources beyond this blogpost.

Click Here

We know that the resource list above is not exhaustive. If you have any videos, articles, or guides that you’ve found helpful, please share them with us through social media, or through our contact form so we can share them with other educators.

CSD Learns Mentoring Opportunities

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CSD Learns is always searching for mentors to help us provide successful learning opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing students, families, and adults. We accept mentors all year, so don't hesitate to reach out if you are interested. Find more details below about each area of mentoring to see if one fits your skillset.

If you have any questions, email our team at learns@csd.org. Be sure to follow us on social media for the latest updates!

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Employment Preparation

Do you have experience supporting individuals with various topics in career readiness? Are you motivated to support other deaf and hard of hearing adults in their job search?

We want your expertise!

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American Sign Language

Do you have experience teaching ASL? Do you enjoy supporting hearing signers learn and practice their ASL skills?

This is for you!

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Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

Do you have a job in the STEM field? Do you love talking about STEM and guiding students as they learn more about these careers?

We would love to have you!

How to Use CSD Learns' Toolkits

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It is that time of year again where educators return to their schools and planning for the classes they are assigned to teach. In Deaf Education, we know that there is a good amount of time searching for resources that are designed to appeal deaf and hard of hearing students. Educators are often exploring the internet with the questions:

Does this video have captions?
Does this content appeal to my deaf and hard of hearing students?
If only there were content made for my students who uses ASL...

Did you know that CSD Learns has created over 20 FREE teacher’s toolkits? They are ready-made presentations with deaf pedagogical needs in mind! Videos, worksheets and additional external links to support discussions in the classroom are included. The best part about those teacher’s toolkits is that there are videos of deaf and hard of hearing adults sharing their experiences in their respective fields. This reinforces CSD Learns’ value in connecting future generations of deaf adults to role models that look like them!

So how would you use our teacher’s toolkit?

Check out those videos we created for one of our toolkits! Those videos are applicable to all 20+ toolkits that we have. Click below to learn about how to use them once they are downloaded. When you’re ready, visit https://csdlearns.com/teachers-toolkit/ to add them to your lesson plans!

Don’t forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter and follow us at @CSDLearns on social media!

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Interested in more Deaf Education Resources?

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A Community Workshop: Building Your Wealth

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June Workshop Series Recap: Building Wealth for Individuals and Families

(part of the Financial Education Workshop Series)

Curious about how to improve your net worth, protect your assets, and improve your family’s cash flow? This past month’s workshop series is filled with great information about wealth management for families. We examined strategies for building net worth, leveraging tax benefits and credits, protecting assets with estate planning, and more.

Father and Financial Management Specialist of USAID Harish Ramroop hosts this four-part series, offering tips and resources from the unique perspective of an expert and family man.

Want to catch up on all the great info this series has to offer? We’ve got you covered!

Watch the whole series below!

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Week 1: Understanding the Basics

Our own Jazzy Jones and series host Harish Ramroop, kick off the workshop with a discussion of personal and family finance management, including budgeting, making good investments and building wealth.

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Week 2: Strategies for Your Cash Flow

Harish breaks down what it means to keep the cash flowing, and how to free up yours. Topics discussed include COVID-19 relief, shopping and budgeting tips, additional income streams, flexible healthcare savings accounts, and more.

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Week 3: Estate Planning

If something were to happen to you or your partner, do you have a plan? Harish takes on the difficult topic of estate planning in this week’s webinar. Guest presenter Chicago-area Attorney Tony Abou Ezzi explains what families need in order to draw up a will, get life insurance, and more.

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Week 4: Family Experience Panel

In the closing webinar of the series, guests Mick Posner, Dr. Franklin C. Torres, and Georgina Fitzpatrick share their personal finance experiences and tips, and the audience asks questions.

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This series was funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation.

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Interested in more financial literacy and education?

Juneteenth Resources for Educators

Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of slavery on June 19th, 1865. It is a holiday to be recognized and celebrated with your students. Our team has curated a list of resources that we feel is beneficial for your own understanding as you teach as well as activities and lesson plans for you to utilize in the classroom. Note that the resources below are a starting point, not an exhaustive list.

If you see other great resources that should be included in this link, tag us at @csdlearns on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and share with us!

Resources in ASL

History of Juneteenth, Then and Now, in ASL

The Greater Los Angeles Association of the Deaf (GLAAD), a non-profit organization, created a video that explains the history of Juneteenth in ASL as well as the Black Lives Now movement today. This video has deaf/hard of hearing role models giving this narrative in ASL.

Juneteenth Celebration by NBDA

On June 19, 2020, National Black Deaf Advocates, hosted a virtual celebration that included many role models in the Black Deaf community sharing their personal thoughts and experiences. There are two parts to this celebration which you will see two videos below.

Brief History of Black Deaf People in America

As the title puts it, this article is a quick read on the history of Black Deaf people in America. We imagine that conversations you have with your students about June 19th and the history that occurred since then will also lead to discussing the Black Deaf community. Note that this article alone would not be sufficient for your learning as an educator but we see this as an additional great read to gain some knowledge as you hold those conversations with your students.

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How to Celebrate Juneteenth

Communication Service for the Deaf posted a blog last year (2020) a blogpost with a compilation of resources for the community related to Juneteenth. While it is not geared for educators, many of those listed are still beneficial for your knowledge as an individual – making you a better educator.

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Resources in English

Four Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth with Students

Danielle Moss Lee of Edutopia lists out engaging activities to celebrate Juneteenth. This list is a helpful tool to get your students to learn about the history of Juneteenth in ways that they’ll remember.

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Children’s books on Juneteenth

The New York Public Library provides a list of children’s books that would be a great addition to your reading corner. Even if you don’t think they would arrive in time, they should remain a part of your library year-round.

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Teaching Juneteenth

As you begin to think about discussing this holiday and planning your instruction, this article from Learning for Justice is a great read as you prep and covers topics like:

Culture as Resistance
Understanding Emancipation
Backlash to Freedom
American Ideals

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History of Juneteenth

This brief blog post from the National Museum of African American History and Culture explaining the history behind Juneteenth is a great printout for your students to read as an assignment before you begin teaching about this holiday.

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AAPI Resources for Educators

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Let’s celebrate by incorporating AAPI role models and AAPI-focused curriculum into our classes! Our team gathered some of our favorite resources that either feature AAPI professionals, or focus on AAPI history and heritage. With such a range of content-focus, we’re confident you can find something that will benefit you and your students.

Resources in ASL

Asian Signers

Asian Signers is a non-profit organization that provides great videos to use in the classroom. Be sure to check out their playlists, including “Asian Sign Stories” (great storytelling videos for your elementary students) and “Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2021” (plenty of videos of role models in the AAPI community to share with all your students)! They are also on Facebook and Instagram. Give them a follow!

Follow Asian Signers

You Finish Eat

You Finish Eat is “a platform where resources are shared on critical, expansive, and nuanced discourses about social justice by and for Asian and Pacific Islander communities in ASL.” Follow them on YouTube and Facebook for ongoing materials that may be applicable in your classroom instruction.

Follow You Finish Eat

Metro South Asian Deaf Association

The Metro South Asian Deaf Association (MSADA) is a group based in Washington D.C. comprised of deaf people from South Asian Countries. Their YouTube channel is a great resource for both students and educators in learning more about Asian cultural celebrations.

Follow MSADA

CSD Learns Toolkits

CSD Learns values representation for our deaf/hard of hearing leaders of the future. This is why our toolkits feature role models that students can connect with. While we encourage you to explore all our toolkits, below you will find a list of kits that spotlight deaf and hard of hearing role models who identify with the AAPI communities.

Dr. Alicia Wooten

All About Immunology (for Elementary)
Immersion in Immunology (for High School)

Song Hoa Choi

All About Statistics (for Elementary)
Immersion in Statistics (for High School)

Mon Ching Ng

Developing Your Cybersense Toolkit

Sachiko Flores

World of Conservation toolkit

Get Access to Our Toolkits

Kamala Harris’ Name Sign

As a result of a combined effort between Black and Indian Deaf communities, Kamala Harris was given a sign name. The group worked among themselves to create several options and then surveyed the deaf community to agree on one. Learn more about the process and the meaning behind Harris’ name in this Daily Moth interview.

Learn More

Resources in English

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Website

The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month website was created to pay tribute to the AAPI community through the collaboration of the National Gallery of Art, the Library of Congress, Smithsonian, National Archives, United States Holocaust Museum, National Park Service, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. This curated resource provides a great collection of lesson plans, activities and discussion questions for you to do in your classes during this month!

Visit Their Website

Teacher Vision

Teacher Vision has compiled a series of AAPI-related resources that can be used in many ways. This website includes free printables, art and music activities, lesson plans, literature, food resources, references, and more. If you’re unsure of how you want to incorporate AAPI Heritage Month into your curriculum, TeacherVision is a great place to start.

Visit Their Website

Common Sense Media

Looking for books that spotlight Asian, Asian-American and Pacific Islander characters for your classroom? Here’s a great list from Common Sense Media. Common Sense Media also provides general age guidelines with all their book recommendations, so you’ll know whether they’re appropriate for your students.

Visit Their Website

Learning for Justice: I Am Asian American

I Am Asian American, by Andrea Bittle, is a great article for educators to read before beginning conversations and teaching about Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Bittle also provides book recommendations that can support these conversations for elementary, middle and high school students.

Read the Article

Learning for Justice: Asian American Representation in Sport

Do you have students who enjoy sports? Tap into their interests to guide them to conversations about authentic representation. Learning for Justice has created a great resource for students in grades 6-8 to learn more about Asian American Representation in Sports.

Read the Article

AAPI College Student Resources

Asian American and Pacific Islander college students can face unique challenges as they go through college. As an AAPI student, you may encounter different pressures, racism, academic expectations, and societal and home experiences that are different from your peers.

Read the Article

A Community Workshop: Financial Guidance for Seniors

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Workshop Recap: “Financial Guidance for Seniors”

(part of the Financial Education Workshop Series)

In today’s world, Senior Citizens are more "plugged-in” to the latest technology than ever before. This workshop series will answer questions on how to use the computer and internet to access benefits like social security, and Medicare, how to save and keep track of retirement income, and protecting all your assets from hackers and scammers with cybersecurity tips.

Series host Stephanie Summers is a top financial expert and the first deaf woman ever to earn the Series 7 General Securities license. Previously working for Sallie Mae and the Federal government, Stephanie has been an advisor with Kramer Wealth since 2006.

Want to catch up on all the great info this four-part series has to offer? We’ve got you covered! Check out a recording of each week below,

Watch the whole series below!

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Week 1: “All About Fraud and Scams”

Stephanie kicks off the workshop series with a bang, looking at scams, fraud, and internet hacking. We learn the common tricks of the trade and talk about ways to protect your technology, yourselves and your loved ones from becoming the next victims!

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Week 2: “All About Security”

When it comes to social security, learning to navigate the system can be overwhelming. This week, Stephanie breaks down the basics, including how to get your check, and deciding the best time for you to start receiving benefits.

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Week 3: “All About Medicare”

Medicare was a hot topic in the latest election cycle, but do you know everything you need to know about how this valuable healthcare benefit can apply to you and your loved ones? This week Stephanie took a look at what Medicare has to offer, and how to access it.

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Week 4 “All About Retirement Income”

Social security benefits are great, but these days, it’s important to save for retirement, too. In this final workshop in the series, Stephanie covers different strategies for investing and saving when it comes to your retirement income, so that the golden years can stay stress-free.

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This series was funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation.

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Interested in more financial literacy and education?

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An Educator Webinar: Getting on the Right Track

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Getting on the Right Track: Advice from a Financial Advisor

On Thursday, April 15th, co-hosts Todd Bonheyo and MaryEllen Graham close out their Best Practices in Financial Education series, reflecting on the lessons learned, taking audience questions, and inviting special guest Carah Berry to join them. Previously a teacher at Kansas School for the Deaf and now a financial advisor at Edward Jones, Carah provides valuable insight into both deaf education and personal finance topics.

Want to get a 360-degree view on how personal finance education can affect your students?? Watch a recording of the webinar here:

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This webinar was funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation

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Interested in more resources that can support you in and outside the classroom?

Find links to studies, apps, and more on our Resources page, here or sign up to receive access to CSD Learns’ free teacher toolkits!

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