TTAC's Lending Library

By Xixëllonjë Nebihu

The Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) provides resources and professional development to assist school professionals working with children and youth with disabilities. In addition, students and families can use its resources.

TTAC works with schools in Virginia's Region 5 to support specific needs and the implementation of best practices for students, with the primary focus being on students with disabilities.

TTAC offers consultations, workshops, a lending library, a resource website, newsletters, and other services based on the needs of students and current best practices in education. The services provided by TTAC are free and funded through the Virginia Department of Education. Dr. Amanda Randall, one of the Co-Directors of TTAC, notes, "Our programs are open to in-service and pre-service teachers. In addition, we often have JMU students who use our library and participate in our professional development events. Our library has many resources vetted by our coordinators and other VDOE initiatives; the library is located in Memorial Hall and open for visits by request. All items in our lending library are free to borrow and save educators from purchasing educational books and materials. We work hard to keep our library updated with the latest resources."

As Dr. Randall points out, "Our coordinators plan training series based on the needs of students. For example, since the pandemic, there have been many unique needs, so we have worked hard to meet the needs of our school divisions. Our coordinators are all previous school educators and bring a variety of expertise and experiences to our office. Together we take a collaborative approach to helping schools support all students. " TTAC is a fantastic resource for everyone, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of it. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Dr. Randall or Dr. McNaught.