Workshops and Seminars
Workshop on Emergency Preparedness
Individuals with a disability have historically been among the most vulnerable and highest risk populations in emergency situations, with first responders lacking training on how to most effectively provide the necessary assistance. Individuals with disabilities are taking charge, addressing this problem and changing lives. Learn more about this workshop
A World Without Barriers: Disability and Virtual Technology
This 90 minute workshop will demonstrate and explore areas of emerging technology such as Multi User Virtual Environments (MUVE) that hold promise for education and employment options for people with disabilities and those in the field of disability. Learn more about this workshop
Human Rights Workshop: Effective Human Rights Campaigns
Effective rights campaigns involve the pursuit of legal, legislative and policy changes and call for the active voices of individuals who seek to assert their meaningful and rightful place in society. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) strengthens obligations of countries to ensure persons with disabilities are included in society and supported to build their capacities. An important belief underlying self and peer advocacy is that informed decision-making and civic engagement real equality. Plain language and accessible formats open doors to increase knowledge, rights and engagement. Learn more about this workshop
Calcedonies: A Narrative Approach to Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues of Denial to Access to Innovative Computer-Based Assistive Technologies
The benefits of innovation in computer-based technologies that can be used to assist disabled citizens are too often limited to those who have the financial resources to access the technology. This interdisciplinary workshop will explore the ethical, legal, and social implications of the lack of equitable access, beginning with the performance by Sheila Boyd (Chair of Alliance of Canadian Cinema Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) AccessAbilities Task Force) of central scenes of the new play Calcedonies by J Nisker Learn more about this workshop
Walking between Two Worlds: Deaf Native American Identity and Accessibility Issues
This workshop will provide the audience with information on the different communication needs of indigenous and native peoples who are born deaf, experience both blindness and deafness, or lose their hearing later in life. Different scenarios will be presented with methods for ensuring that information is shared in the best possible way to meet their needs. We also intend to show a video with interviews with Deaf Native Americans that come from a range of ages (Elders to youth) who experience issues pertaining to parallel lives in two worlds. Learn more about this workshop
Human Rights Violations of Persons with Disabilities in Fukushima after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Power Plant Accident
This seminar will outline the human rights violations of persons with disabilities in Fukushima after the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant accident. Learn more about this workshop
Effective Parent Partnerships: Developing a Campus Parent Representative Initiative
When your funding streams are cut, how do you effectively offer parents collaborative emotional and educational support so they can make informed decisions about their children with special needs? Learn more about this workshop
Bringing it Home: Embracing and Honoring Culture in the Classroom
Monday, March 26, 9:45 am – 11:45 am, Hawaii Convention Center
Want to delve into the heart and soul of teaching and think about ways to support youth to hāehu—to grow well? Join a two-hour experiential
session where participants will explore cultural systems of learning and teaching that can help empower students in mind, body, and spirit.
Learn more about this workshop
“Let Me Speak”:Healing and Transformation through Art
Monday, March 26
We at times find ourselves feeling disconnected, isolated and misunderstood. This often speaks to
our lack of community. Art is not often recognized as a form of community building or strengthening of the self or as a means of social change. This
workshop seeks to offer the art process as an agent of social change. The workshop will illuminate how the art process is expansive enough to explore
multiple realities, yet intimate enough to provide safety.
Learn more about this workshop
Technology, Data, and Decisions: Using Data and Technology Strategies to Improve Student Results
Monday, March 26, 1:15 pm – 3:15 pm
In the current age of accountability, administrators and teachers are being confronted with
complex and varied sources of data from which they must make informed instructional decisions. At the same time, educational systems are increasingly utilizing
complex, technology-based data systems designed to provide information for many levels of the system—including teachers, administrators, parents, and policy makers
—as a means of improving instruction and student achievement. Even so, many educators and administrators have little or no experience using data systematically
or with utilizing technological strategies which can inform instructional decision-making.
Learn more about this workshop
Sustainable Futures: Knowledge Is Power Dialogue Seminar Session
Monday, March 26
This seminar will start with an overview of the ACA with emphasis on the implications for persons with
disabilities especially persons with disabilities from ethnic/racial underserved populations. We will review health care changes brought about resulting from the ACA
and how these provisions may positively impact the lives of persons with disabilities. As the ACA involves not only a national implementation but involvement of
the states, we plan to address some of these issues from both a community based organization and a consumer perspective. Finally, we hope to engage participants
in feedback, questions and answers. Learn more about this workshop
Embodied Inclusion: Using our Bodies to understand Belonging and counter Isolation
Tuesday, March 27
This highly participatory, interactive workshop will explore concepts of exclusion, inclusion, marginalization
and belonging through movement activities. People of all sizes, levels of movement, grace and comfort in their bodies are welcome and will be supported in this
exploratory session. We will engage in movement, dance, theater and music activities, all done in a highly inclusive way. As we recover our own bodies (and
vanquish restrictive ideologies and histories about who is ALLOWED to move), we will also explore how to help others become fully present and in their bodies as they
work to empower themselves and others to create a fully inclusive society.
Learn more about this workshop
Bottom Up Approach to Anti-Bullying
Tuesday, March 27
Most anti-bullying programs that are put in place are from the “top down” where it seems to be
difficult and slow to see results and change. “Top down” means we try to put rules and policies of zero tolerance for bullying in the high schools and
middle schools. These policies are often hard to enforce, not consistently supported by all school staff nor comfortably accessed by students.
Learn more about this workshop
Symposium: The World Report on Disability
Tuesday, March 27, 9:45 am – 11.30 am
The World Report on Disability summarizes the best available scientific evidence on
disability and makes recommendations for action in support of the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The product of a
multi-year effort by 370 contributors from all parts of the world, the World report provides documented evidence of the social and economic status of persons with
disabilities, the state of disability services, the problems and good practices, as well as recommendations for needed research and development. It also includes
the first update of WHO’s global disability prevalence estimates in more than thirty years, estimates which have been adopted by the UN systems. For the
topics discussed, it represents the best single source of knowledge on disability at the global scale.
Learn more about this workshop
Gender: Prevention and Intervention Strategies to Minimize Risk of Abuse
We live in a world where 44% of sexual assault and rape victims are under the age of 18, 1 in every 4 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime and 90% of persons with disabilities will be abused (US Department of Justice). We need real-life solutions to mitigate these staggering statistics. Learn more about this workshop
iAbilities Workshop
The VAST Academy within Houston Community College has 20 years experience with comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities. Houston Community College has embarked on a journey linking technology to the academic experience. This journey has presented astonishing results we are excited to share in this workshop experience. The iAbilities workshop will focus on utilizing innovative tools such as smartphones iPads™ and computers to enable students to be more productive in the classroom and workplace promoting independence. Learn more about this workshop
