Conference Agenda

Saturday, March 19th, 2016

8:30am - Check in and light continental breakfast (included in registration cost)

9:00am - Navigating the Maze of Autism Services and Research

Sharon Kedar, Ph.D., a Geophysicist and father of Ido Kedar

Dr. Kedar PhD outlines the challenges that parents, scientists, and professionals face in supporting autistic people, and addresses some of the misconceptions of what science does and does not say about autism.

9:30am - Teens Who Type

Ido Kedar, author of Ido in Autismland 

9:45am - Roads to Communication

Darlene Hanson, M.A., CCC, and Katie Anawalt, M.S., CCC-SLP at Resource for Education, Advocacy, Communication, and Housing (REACH)

By using video clips of people who type or use letter boards, speech language pathologists, Darlene and Katie, demonstrate strategies and ideas for building skills for supported and independent typing.

10:30am - Teens Who Type

Samuel Capozzi, college student at California State University, Channel Islands

10:45am - Break

11:00am - Spectrum of Opportunity Keynote Speech

Tracy Thresher and Larry Bissonnette, stars of Wretches & Jabberers documentary

Accompanied by their communication partners, Tracy and Larry, discuss their experiences, advocacy, and journey in learning to communicate by typing.

12:00pm - Lunch (included in registration cost; gluten free options available)

1:00pm - Panel of Educators Who Include Students Who Type

Adrienne Johnston (Inclusion Facilitator); Kimberly Kitchen (Elementary resource teacher); Eric Dettenmaier (Math teacher); Amber Tesh (English teacher); Deborah Spengler, M.S., MFT ​(BII)

1:45pm - Teens Who Type

Dillan Barmache, high school student at Canoga Park High School

1:55pm - Break

2:05pm - Parent Panel on Lessons Learned

Duval Capozzi, Tami Barmache, Barbara Johnson

2:45pm - Closing Reflections on Inclusion

Gerardine Wurzburg, Director and Producer of Wretches & Jabberers

Academy Award winning director and producer delivers closing remarks on supporting the inclusion of individuals who use letter boards, keyboards, and tablets to communicate.