The International Teacher-In-Residence grant is a philanthropic award presented bi-annually to an individual by the Bridge School, in collaboration with the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC). ISAAC is an international non-profit organization made up of professionals, families, manufacturers, researchers and consumers, whose goal is to improve the quality of life for people with severe communication disabilities. It does this through research, education, networking, and information dissemination.

This grant is awarded to promote skill development in using augmentative/alternative forms of communication and assistive technologies in a country where little information or training currently exists. Eligible candidates are solicited who possess the appropriate education and background to currently serve children in special education settings, or to train teachers/therapists to work in these environments. This specialty training opportunity at the Bridge School enables the individual to return to their country and promote the use of AAC for children/adults who are currently being underserved.

	Usha Dalvi helping Meredith make a choice.

The first recipient of the International Teacher-In-Residence award was given to Usha Dalvi from Bombay, India in 1998. Ms. Dalvi is an instructor in speech-language pathology at a professional training program in Bombay, the Ali Yavar Jung Institute for the Hearing Handicapped. Usha's time was spent working alongside the teachers and speech-language pathologists in our classrooms. While here, Usha developed a course outline and curriculum addressing AAC for professionals studying to become speech-language pathologists in her country of India.

The Bridge School's second International Teacher-In-Residence award recipient arrived in December of 2000. Alina (Ala) Smyczek of Krakow, Poland completed her residency at the end of June 2001. Ala is credentialed in special education and speech language pathology in Poland and currently is working at the Szkola Podstawowa Specjalna Nr 150 in Krakow. Ala spent time in our Bridge School classrooms as well as traveling to conferences and connecting with professionals in the fields of special education, speech-language pathology and AAC/AT. She returned home with new ideas and strategies for improving the service delivery in her school and throughout Poland.

In May of 2002, 3 members of the Bridge School staff traveled to Poland to do a follow-up visit with Ala. The team spend time working alongside teachers in their classrooms and participated in team meetings to help problem solve and strategize ways to increase the use of AAC/AT within their classrooms. The Bridge School team also did 2 formal trainings in Krakow; one for parents of student's at the school, and one for the professionals that work at the school. They spent 5 weeks in Krakow, living and learning about the culture, service delivery systems and meeting children and colleagues in Poland.

Sarah Yong arrived in September, 2002 from Singapore. Sarah is a speech-language pathologist working with children and adults at the Tan Tock Seng Rehabilitation Centre. Sarah's experiences while at the Bridge School will be similar to Usha and Ala's. She will spend time in classrooms, traveling to conferences and making important long term connections with experts in the field. She is currently developing a plan to support her acquisition of knowledge here in the United States.

Some thoughts from Sarah...

Ala Smyczek helping Max read his favorite book.

Sam is pointing out one of his friends to Sarah Yong.