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T/TAC Information for Families

For questions regarding T/TAC services, please do not hesitate to call our office and speak to any of our staff or send us an e-mail. We look forward to working together!

Toll free: 1-800-848-2714
Locally: 1-540-231-5167
TDD: 1-540-231-3315

E-mail: ttac@vt.edu

The mission of the Training & Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) is to improve educational opportunities and contribute to the success of children and youth with disabilities (birth–22 years). The mission is two-fold; first, to increase the capacity of schools, school personnel, service providers, and families to meet the needs of children and youth with disabilities, and second, to foster the state improvement goals for personnel development, which address improving the performance of children and youth with disabilities by enhancing the knowledge, skills, abilities, and performance of all personnel who work with them.

T/TAC provides high-quality personnel development and technical assistance, using research-based, evidence-based, effective, and/or promising practices designed to build capacity in schools and school divisions. T/TAC aims to foster students with disabilities’ access to the general curriculum, achievement in the least restrictive environment, and knowledge and skills to make progress toward graduation.

Anyone in Superintendents’ Regions 6 & 7 (34 school divisions in southwest and southside Virginia) working to support students with disabilities may request our services. If a team is requesting on-site assistance, we will provide them with a request packet. The packet will need to be completed by the educational team and returned to us. If you are outside our regions, we can help you connect with other T/TACs throughout the state. We can also assist in a referral to other agencies to meet your needs.

T/TAC services are generally free of charge (there is sometimes a registration fee for regional conferences).

The T/TAC has an extensive lending library. It includes books, videos, computer software, assistive technology, and augmentative communication devices that are available for loan. Individuals can visit our website (www.ttac.vt.edu/) to browse the library and check out items or call (800) 848-2714 if they need assistance to determine which library items may best meet their needs. Requesters may have up to five items mailed directly to them for a loan period of three weeks. Borrowers are provided a postage paid label to return items free of charge. We also welcome visitors to the library located in our Blacksburg office.

  • Our library is open to the public. If you would like to look at specific technology or would like assistance searching our library, please call to make an appointment at 540-231-5167 or toll free, 1-800-848-2714.
  • For directions and information about visiting our office, click Visiting T/TAC on our contact page.

Professional learning events address varied topics based on state, regional, and school divisions’ needs and interests. For information on current professional learning activities, please visit our events page.

T/TAC staff work closely with the VDOE and other statewide agencies on several projects, including autism, instruction for students with intellectual disabilities, assistive technology, early childhood, literacy, math, multi-tiered system of supports, co-teaching, strategic instruction, and others. These collaborative efforts produce targeted materials and professional development opportunities for educators throughout the Commonwealth. T/TAC also works directly with the VDOE Special Education Office of Program Improvement in providing assistance to schools needing an improvement plan.

Black background with five gold arrows pointing in different directions with the word decisions under them

The VDOE has developed five web-based "Critical Decision Point" training modules for parents, professionals, and stakeholders that work with families whom have a child with a disability.

Resource Links:

Video Guide to the Special Education Evaluation Process for Families

Playlist of videos describing special education evaluation process for families
The VDOE has released a Video Guide to the Special Education Evaluation Process for Families as additional guidance to support accurate and consistent eligibility determinations and access to special education across school divisions. These video modules will provide parents, families, and other stakeholders with a brief but comprehensive overview of the special education process.
Virginia Family's Guide to Special Education Cover Page
This publication is a revision of the former A Parent’s Guide to Special Education that was originally published in 2010. This new state guide was developed by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to help those involved in special education, whether as families, teachers or school administrators, advocates, or students. Meeting the needs of children with disabilities requires an understanding of rights and responsibilities which include the child’s rights, and the school’s responsibilities to meet their needs. This guide includes a description of the special education process and what is required during each step of that process. Important timelines are highlighted throughout.
Virginia Literacy Partnerships Logo
Virginia Literacy Partnerships - Family Resource Center