October 14-15, 2008
The 2008 Conference offers 25 preconference workshops on October 14th and 15th providing in-depth professional skills necessary to successfully implement assistive technology in the lives of persons with disabilities. Each workshop is conducted by a nationally recognized leader in the field.

Preconference Workshops will be held on Tuesday, October 14 and Wednesday, October 15, beginning at 8:00 am and ending at 4:30 pm. The fee for each one-day workshop is $270. Some workshops carry an additional fee for materials. All participants will receive a Closing The Gap-issued, presenter-signed Certificate of Preconference Workshop Attendance upon completion of the workshop.

In addition, graduate-level academic credit from Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota and CEUs are available for a variety of levels of conference attendance. Click here for details.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008    8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Note: Some workshops fill quickly, Early registration is encouraged.

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PC-1   Implementing Literacy and Communication Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities, Including Deaf-Blindness: Activities and Strategies that ARE Working
Gretchen Hanser, M.S., OTR, is the Director of Deaf-Blind Model Demonstration Classroom Project, Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC; Toy Dills Booth, M.Ed., NBCT, is a Special Educator, The North Shelby School, Shelby, NC; and Elaine Palmer is a Parent, Charlotte, NC.

PC-2   Autism and Literacy: Assessment Defining Instruction
Susan Norwell, M.A. Special Education, is an Educational Specialist in private practice, Focused Learning Solutions, Buffalo Grove, IL.

PC-3   But What if the Teachers Won't Do It? Making a Difference with Your Consultative Services
Keri Huddleston, M.A., CCC-SLP, is an Assistive Technology Consultant and Teru Langsdale, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a Special Education Consultant, Washoe County School District, Reno, NV.

PC-4   Getting to Conversations and Communication While Learning Switch Access: Strategies for Children Who Face Multiple Challenges and Complex Communication Needs
Linda J. Burkhart, B.S., is a Special Educator/Augmentative Communication Specialist/Technology Integration Specialist in private practice, Eldersburg, MD; Dale Gardner Fox, M.S., is a Physical Therapist/Assistive Technology Consultant, Hampshire Educational Collaborative, CCATT, Northampton, MA; and Deanna K. Wagner, M.S., CCC-SLP, is an Assistive Technology Specialist, Southwest Human Development, Phoenix, AZ.

PC-5   Boardmaker Plus! Boot Camp: A Combined Skill and Implementation Workshop
Lisa Kehoe, M.S., is an Educational Specialist/Training Manager for Mayer-Johnson, LLC, Des Moines, IA.

PC-6   The Right Tools for the Right Job: A Person-Environment-Occupational Approach for Reading Technologies
Laurie McArthur, B.S., OTR, is the Services Coordinator, Lizna Husnani, M.S., OTR, is an Adaptive Technology Authorizer, Linda Petty, OTR, is a Clinical Specialist, and Charles Silverman, M.Ed., is the SNOW Project Coordinator, all, Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of Toronto, Canada.

PC-7   Make It Age Appropriate: Engaging your Adolescent and Young Adult AAC Users with Severe/Profound Disabilities in Age Appropriate Communication
Elizabeth (Libby) S. Rush, M.A., CCC-SLP, CPM, is an AAC Consultant in private practice, Durham, NC and Leslie Redding, M.S., CCC-SLP, is an Assistive Technology Specialist, North East ISD, San Antonio, TX.

PC-8   Practical Low Tech Instructional Strategies and Behavior Management for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Susan L. Stokes, M.A., CCC-SLP, is an Educational Autism Consultant and Trainer in private practice, Fond du Lac, WI.

PC-9   A Deeper Look: How Technology Can Enhance Written Communication Skills
Judith P. Sweeney, M.A. Special Education, is the President/Consultant, Onion Mountain Technology, Inc., Canton, CT.

PC-10   The Accessible Book Club for Early Literacy and Language Learning: Create-It and Take-It Computer Lab
Pati King DeBaun, M.S., is a Speech Language Pathologist specializing in assistive technology, Creative Communicating, Park City, UT and Dan Herlihy is an Assistive Technology/Technology Resource Specialist, Connective Technology Solutions, Inc., Hoosick, NY.

PC-11   Bringing the Curriculum to iLife
Mark Coppin, B.A. in Speech Communication and B.S. in Special Education, is the Assistive Technology Director and Theresa Hanson, B.S. in Elementary Education, is the Assistive Technology Coordinator, both, Anne Carlsen Center for Children, Jamestown, ND.

PC-12   Accessible Instructional Materials 101: What State and Local Education Agencies and Families Need to Know About NIMAS and Beyond
Joy Zabala, Ed.D., ATP, is the Project Manager, The AIM Consortium, CAST, Inc., Lake Jackson, TX; Kelly Fonner, M.S., is an Assistive/Educational Technology Consultant, Lake Geneva, WI; and Scott Marfilius, M.S., is an Assistive/Educational Technology Consultant, Bayside, WI.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008     8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Note: Some workshops fill quickly, Early registration is encouraged.

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PC-13   Response to Intervention in Reading: Tier 2 Approaches that Address Individual Learning Needs
Karen Erickson, Ph.D., is a Professor, Dept. of Allied Health Sciences and is the Director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC; Penny Hatch, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a Research Associate, Gretchen Hanser, M.S., OTR, is a Research Associate, and Eric Sanders, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a Research Assistant, all, Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

PC-14   Making the Connection: Integrating AT into Current Education Initiatives
Penny R. Reed, Ph.D., is a Consultant, Penny Reed Consulting, Roseburg, OR and Gayl Bowser, M.S., is a Consultant, Assistive Technology Collaborations, Roseburg, OR.

PC-15   Creating Accessible, Tiered, Talking Web Pages
Dave L. Edyburn, Ph.D., is a Professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.

PC-16   Beginning Communication, Beginning Language, and Beginning Conversations! Strategies for Students with Multiple and Severe Disabilities: Make-It, Take-It
Pati King DeBaun, M.S., is a Speech Language Pathologist specializing in assistive technology, Creative Communicating, Park City, UT; Sue Aldofer, B.S., is a Speech Language Pathologist, Montgomery County, Perkiomenville, PA; and Karen Biggerstaff, M.S., is a Speech Language Pathologist/Consultant, San Antonio, TX.

PC-17   Designing Two-Switch Activities for Computer Access: Hands-On Computer Lab — Classroom Suite
Linda J. Burkhart, B.S., is a Special Educator/Augmentative Communication Specialist/Technology Integration Specialist in private practice, Eldersburg, MD; Susan Garber is the Executive Director, Maryland Assistive Technology Cooperative, Laurel, MD; Jeanne Noorisa is a Special Educator, AT Team, Baltimore County Public Schools, Monkton, MD; Jan Kurtz, M.S., is an Occupational Therapist, AT Team, Baltimore County Public Schools, Hampstead, MD; and Marsye W. Kaplan, M.S., CCC-SLP, ATP, is an Assistive Technology Team Leader, Baltimore County Public Schools, Timonium, MD.

PC-18   Creating and Using Accessible Curriculum Materials
Jim Kauppila, B.A., is a Teacher Consultant for Assistive Technology, Muskegon Area ISD, Muskegon, MI and Mark Dennis, M.A., is a Consultant for Assistive Technology, Eaton ISD, Charlotte, MI.

PC-19   Sensory Processing, Sensory Integration, and Seating and Access: How to Support Access and Independence with Students in Wheelchairs
Karen M. Kangas, OTR/L, ATP, is an Occupational Therapist, Assistive Technology Specialist, and Clinical Educator in private practice, Shamokin, PA.

PC-20   "Whodunit!" Unraveling the Mystery of Social Relation Skills for Asperger's Syndrome: Practical Uses of Technology for Intervention
Susan L. Stokes, M.A., CCC-SLP, is an Educational Autism Consultant and Trainer in private practice, Fond du Lac, WI.

PC-21   Beyond Emergent Literacy: Supporting Guided Reading for Students with Significant Disabilities
Caroline Ramsey Musselwhite, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is an Assistive Technology Consultant and Author, AAC Intervention, Litchfield Park, AZ; Nancy Hogan, M.S., is a Teacher/Assistive Technology Team, Agawam Public Schools, Agawam, MA; Laurel Richardson, M.A. Ed, OTR, is an Assistive Technology Specialist, Buckeye School District, Goodyear, AZ; and Kim Daswick, B.A., is a Parent of an AAC User, Litchfield Park, AZ.

PC-22   Technology Supports for Homework
Judith P. Sweeney, M.A. Special Education, is the President/Consultant, Onion Mountain Technology, Inc., Canton, CT.

PC-23   Clicking in the Fast Lane with Clicker 5 and Clicker Paint
Dan Herlihy is an Assistive Technology/Technology Resource Specialist, Connective Technology Solutions, Inc., Hoosick, NY and Darlene Brodbeck, M.S., is the AT Coordinator, ACES, Hamden, CT.

PC-24   Writing with the 6 + 1 Traits for Children with Significant Disabilities
Susan Norwell, M.A. Special Education, is an Educational Specialist in private practice, Focused Learning Solutions, Buffalo Grove, IL.

PC-25   Providing Meaningful Curricular Experiences for Students with Significant Disabilities
Kelly Fonner, M.S., is an Assistive/Educational Technology Consultant, Lake Geneva, WI and Scott Marfilius, M.S., is an Assistive/Educational Technology Consultant, Bayside, WI.