Assistive Technology Conferences

Professional conferences are an important way to keep current with AT products and practices. The following conferences are divided by season to help you in locating one that works for your needs.

Fall Conferences

Occupational Therapy Association of Colorado
Click on "Annual Conference" within this state OT Association's website.

State Autism Conference
Sponsored by Autism Society of America-Colorado Chapter, CDE, and Colorado Autism Task Force.

Annual Conference on Inclusive Education
The PEAK Parent Center sponsors this conference to feature presentations on a wide variety of topics such as: differentiating instruction, transition, learning and literacy opportunities in inclusive classrooms, autism, accommodations and modification, IDEA, and assistive technology.

Annual American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention
Next conference is on November 16-18, 2006.

Annual Colorado Brain Injury Conference
This conference is dedicated to enhancing the knowledge of physicians, psychologists, nurses and therapists about health issues related to brain injury. It is sponsored by the University of Colorado School of Medicine Office of Continuing Education and by The Brain Injury Association of Colorado.

Closing the Gap
The focus of this conference, held in Minneapolis, MN, includes a broad spectrum of topics addressing all types of disabilities and all age groups in the areas of education, vocation, rehabilitation, and independent living. This conference is one of the most significant networking experiences for individuals with disabilities, special educators, rehabilitation professionals, administrators, service/care providers and families.

Collaborative Traumatic Brain Injury Educator's Conference
This fall conference was developed to provide the most current information in the field. The conference is for special, general and early childhood educators, allied health providers such as OT, PT, psychologists, social workers, nurses, speech-language specialists and parents of individuals with brain injury. It seeks to provide and share resources relating to traumatic Brain injury; methods that are effective for teaching TBI students; and support for families during the students’ rehabilitation and recovery. Sponsored by TBI State Grant Program, The Colorado TBI Project, Colorado Dept. of Human Services and CDE. For more information go to the Boulder Valley School District calendar and click on September.

Symposium on Deafness, Language and Learning

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Winter Conferences

ATIA (Assistive Technology Industry Association) Conference
This January conference held in Orlando, FL features more than 150 educational sessions on the latest advances in AT and the opportunity to examine the newest products from more than 100 industry manufacturers and suppliers of AT for people with disabilities. Call at (877) 687-2842.

Metro Speech and Language Symposium
An annual January conference offers relevant topics and important information to SLP’s providing communication support to students within the public school setting. For more information contact Karen Kelly by e-mail at kelly_k@cde.state.co.us

Annual Motor Conference
This winter conference is a one-day event for school-based motor specialists (OT’s, PT’s, and APE). For additional information use the hyperlink above..

Courage to Risk Conference
Annual collaborative conference designed for educators and families of students with diverse learning needs. This conference is sponsored by a variety of organizations that are committed to the educational success of students with different types of needs. The mission of this event is to provide quality educational experiences to parents, students, and community members; to provide networking experiences for participants; to motivate those working these students.

Conference on Inclusive Education

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Spring Conferences

CSUN (California State University – Northridge)
Center on Disabilities' Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities' Conference. This comprehensive and international conference addresses all technologies across all ages, disabilities, levels of education and training, employment, and independent living situations. This conference covers new information about hardware, software, adaptive devices, access to technology, training programs, results of research, and overall best practices in the area of assistive technology.

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
This conference is held as a professional development event for those individuals who work with children who have disabilities and/or gifts of many types. Topics include autism, discipline, NCLB and IDEA.For more information, call toll free 888-CEC-SPED

Parents Encouraging Parents Conference (PEP)
Family-centered conferences designed to offer support, information, and education to parents and professionals and to promote partnerships that are essential in supporting and including children with disabilities and their families in all aspects of the school and community. Conference dates and loactions are available on the PEP website and can be accessed by the above link or via email inquiries: keck_k@cde.state.co.us

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Summer Conferences

The Collaborative AT Conference of the Rockies (formerly the SWAAAC Conference)
Sponsored by SWAAAC (Colorado Dept of Ed) and Assistive Technology Partners, this joint conference held in June in the Denver area presents the latest information in the areas of AT, AAC, and other services that address the needs of individuals with disabilities. The SWAAAC/AT conference is designed for professionals in the schools serving students with disabilities, as well as for the individuals with disabilities and their families. The conference provides the opportunity for networking, training and sharing of best practices to ensure that students with disabilities have full access and participation in their educational experiences.

RESNA
This annual conference is held in a different city each year. It is focused on the research, practice and public policy related to assistive technology across all domains. RESNA is the interdisciplinary society for rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology in North America. RESNA offers the certification exam for the Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP) credential each year at this conference.

Technology in Education (TIE) Conference
Sponsored by a Colorado-based organization, this yearly conference in June is designed to highlight the important role technology plays in education and to promote the integration of technology into the classroom through hands-on workshop sessions.

Teaching with Technology Conference
Sponsored by the University of Colorado-Boulder, this conference provides a state-wide venue for networking and sharing of information about innovations in the use of technology in education. This conference will not be held in the Summer of 2006, but will resume in 2007.

Annual Colorado Deaf Education Summer Institute
Comprehensive workshops that cover issues related to hearing loss and the strategies needed to provide access to information and instruction in educational environments to those individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. For more information please contact Sheryl Muir, CDE, at (303)866-6909 or checkout the CDE website.

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If you have an AT conference you would like to see added to this list, please contact Ann Scott.

Last Updated: August 20, 2007