2010 Conference: Call for Programs
The 33rd Conference of the Association on Higher Education And Disability
The Association on Higher Education And Disability announces its thirty-third Annual Conference to be held in the Mile-High City of Denver, Colorado, July 12-17, 2010. The Association provides opportunities for professional development to those who work to assure usable, sustainable and inclusive higher education environments for students, faculty, and staff with disabilities and who believe society is ultimately enriched by difference.
The Annual Conference is the Association’s hallmark event and draws participants from around the world who represent education, government, legal, research, and technology fields, among others. Attendees come together for an exciting mix of learning, policy development and face-to-face networking.
AHEAD enthusiastically seeks proposals for presentation at AHEAD 2010 for one or more of the topical tracks and areas highlighted below. While all proposals must be submitted under one of the following topical areas as a part of the application process, the tracks are designed to be broad enough to allow for innovative proposals that push us to consider new approaches to Disability Service (DS) work. Consider the comments and examples below when developing your proposals.ADA @ 20 Years
2010 will mark two decades since the signing of the ADA, yet even today colleges
sometimes struggle with finding ways to fully comply with the law. Court
cases, OCR decisions, and changing laws all help to refine our institutions’ responsibilities
and practices. Last year’s ADA Amendments Act has caused us to take
another look at our policies and practices and bring them up to date. Sessions
in this track can include fundamentals of disability law, the civil rights
movement, current legal and compliance applications, documentation policies
and practices in light of the ADAAA, and exploring legal issues from a social
justice framework.
Assistive Technology
AHEAD seeks sessions that explore time-honored AT solutions and introduce new
technologies. Presentations geared to the less-experienced technology user,
those who work in one-person offices or have limited budgets are especially
welcome, as are discussions of the impact of technology on the lives of students
with disabilities, and future trends in AT.
Best Practices in Disability Services and Higher Education
DS personnel who are either new to the field, or seasoned professionals, are
always seeking models of exemplary policy development and service delivery.
Presentations and roundtable discussions on the topics of residential life;
distance education; service, therapy and companion animals; application and
documentation review; the provision of accessible text formats, exam accommodations,
note-taking services, interpreting and CART; collaboration with faculty;
Universal Design; interaction with parents and families; program evaluation
and assessment; and responding to the Higher Education Opportunity Act are
especially welcome for the 2010 conference.
Diverse Viewpoints
AHEAD is committed to offering a forum to explore disability in higher education
from diverse perspectives such as gender, race, ethnicity, religion and socio-economic
status. We seek examples of successful work and programming on your campus
that have fostered DS professionals’ cultural competencies, the recognition
of disability as an aspect of diversity, and exemplary practices that have
led to bridge- and ally-building among diverse groups.
Emerging Student Populations
Recent years have seen increasing attention to the needs of veteran who are
students with disabilities. Sessions are sought that explain the fundamentals
of VA
procedures, documentation and GI Bills; research on veteran student demographics,
and examples of effective programs and services. The topic of students with
intellectual disabilities and inclusive education in the college setting
is a challenging one for many DS personnel. Roundtable discussions on planning
and programming for these students are especially sought, as are presentations
related to campus-wide approaches. AHEAD continues to welcome sessions related
to exemplary practices in serving students with AD/HD, psychiatric disabilities,
Asperger’s Syndrome, chronic illness and other emerging populations.
Innovations and Outcomes
This track is devoted to presentations that stand outside the other topical
tracks, to highlight exemplary ideas in action. Proposals are sought that
examine new theoretical models of disability, explore advancements in technology,
and human-centered design and give fresh frameworks to traditional service
provision practices. Discussions focusing on non-“business- as-usual” approaches
to DS issues, student engagement and leadership, ethical challenges, and
the future of DS are welcome, along with other provocative and inventive
topics.
International Perspectives
Disability continues to be an emerging topic of attention around the globe.
This track invites members and colleagues from around the world to submit
presentations and discussions that share the disability experience in countries
and cultures other than the US. Desired topics include foundational sessions
that teach other countries’ disability laws and education systems to
a US audience, examples of disability activism and community organizing,
the application of social justice or other models to service provision and
the implications of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities on education practices.
New and Newer DS Professionals
The Disability Service field sees new faces every year. Those who are new to
the disability or higher education fields seek foundational information in
such topics as the civil rights movement of disabled people, disability culture,
ableism; understanding the higher education setting, assessing the campus
climate regarding disability, ally-building, fostering accessible environments,
and starting out as a manager of disability services: goal-setting and visioning,
serving students, staff development, policies and practices and resource
management.
Preparing Students for Careers
AHEAD joins other organizations in seeking ways to improve post secondary employment
opportunities for students with disabilities. We invite presentations and
discussions focusing on all aspects of transition from college to work, including
policies and practices surrounding high stakes testing, international exchange,
service opportunities, cooperative education, internship/practica and partnering
with campus career services and employers.
Transition to College
Education and disability laws, and practices in the K-12 setting have an impact
on student and family expectations in the college setting. DS professionals
need to be up-to-date on all aspects of transition to avoid pitfalls and
to offer a successful first year experience to students. We welcome sessions
that explain the legal aspects and implementation of IDEA and special education
to a post secondary audience and clarify the role of college personnel in
the transition process. Examples of innovative service delivery, transition
policies, and student preparation and bridge programs are sought as well.
Research and Demonstration Project Poster Sessions
Poster sessions provide a forum for presenters to engage in active discussion
with a broad range of conference attendees. AHEAD seeks completed and in-progress
projects that reflect study, evidence-based practice and exemplary programming
in the areas of student demographics, campus climate, instructional strategies,
disability service provision and other related topics. One of our Poster
Session time slots will be devoted to projects supported by the US Department
of Education grant: Demonstration Projects to Ensure Students with Disabilities
Receive a Quality Higher Education.
AHEAD’s commitment to universal access and environmental responsibility
In lieu of receiving paper handouts onsite at the conference, attendees at AHEAD 2010 will access handout and presentation support literature in advance, via Internet download beginning no later than two weeks in advance of the conference. This will afford each attendee the opportunity to access as many different sets of information as they like, in the output format of their choice, well in advance of the conference.
While providing the tremendous benefit of universal access for each attendee, this approach will greatly reduce the burden on presenters and the environment created by providing handout materials for each attendee in each session – many of which end up going un-used.
To facilitate this process, all presentation applicants are required to agree that, if accepted, they will provide their complete presentation support materials in Microsoft Word format to AHEAD via electronic transfer no later than a month before the conference. Accepted presenters will be provided with complete instructions for completing this requirement in advance.
In continuation of the organization’s growing standards of excellence, AHEAD will provide all presenters with support audiovisual equipment including amplification, LCD projectors, power cables, screens and flipcharts. All participants will be provided with options for CART, Sign Language Interpreters, assistive listening systems, and orientation tours at their discretion.
To begin the proposal submission process, click on Call for Proposals – Specifications
Questions? Please e-mail ahead2010@ahead.org
