OCALICONLINE 2020: We’re Saving You a Front Row Seat
By now, we’re sure you know that OCALICON, the nation’s premier autism and disabilities conference, is transitioning to a completely virtual experience this year.
OCALICONLINE 2020 will be the same great event you know and love, simply in an online format. This transition has created a number of changes—for our planning team, and our participants, attendees, exhibitors, volunteers, and presenters.
For those already registered or those thinking about registering soon (hint, hint: our early bird rate ends Friday, October 16), we thought you might have some questions about what to expect this year.
- Are you offering on-demand sessions?
Yes! Most breakout sessions will be recorded and available following the conference. Attendees must register by November 9 in order to gain access to the live event and/or the on-demand content. Access to the live event on November 11-13 and on-demand content will not be available for purchase after November 9. Please refer to the Schedule-at-a-Glance to view which sessions will be available on-demand. On-demand content will be available through the first week of January 2021. - Will there be opportunities to connect with people in real time?
Yes! We know how much OCALICON participants look forward to meeting each other every year, and recognize the power of connecting and engaging with presenters, other attendees, OCALI staff, and others while at the conference. That’s why we also have a number of opportunities to connect with people in real time. From dedicated times for networking sessions, presenter meet-n-greets, and connecting with OCALI staff in our virtual “OCALI Central” hub, there will be lots of opportunities for real time, real person engagement. Most breakout sessions will also include a live chat option, which gives you the opportunity to interface directly with presenters, ask your questions, and share your own thoughts and experiences. - With content being offered online, how will you ensure that it’s accessible?
As an organization committed to promoting access and inspiring change for people with disabilities, accessibility is at the very top of our priority list. We want to make sure that everyone has the ability to fully attend and participate in OCALICONLINE! For starters, all registrants can request specific accommodations and/or supports through the designated field on the registration form – such as an ASL interpreter. Our conference planning team and OCALI staff have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure our content and technology platforms, as well as the entire design of the event are accessible. We’re also collaborating with presenters to ensure their presentations are both engaging and accessible. For example, we work with presenters to help them understand the importance of audio description to help attendees who are blind or visually impaired understand any presented visual content – like a slide or infographic. This could include reading the words on a slide or describing the details or information shown in an infographic. Captions will also be provided for all breakout sessions, which can help support attendees who are deaf/hard of hearing, as well as those who may not be a native English language speaker or who might be watching in a sound-sensitive environment. Designing with inclusion in mind benefits everyone! - Will I be able to earn credit/CEUs?
Yes! We are pleased to be able to offer an opportunity for earning continuing education credits and/or graduate credit through a variety of professional organizations and licensing boards. Graduate credit is available through Ashland University and Kent State University for an additional fee. CEU applications are currently being submitted for OCALICONLINE. Approved agencies and hours will be posted as they are approved. - Once I register, how do I access the live event?
You will login to your OCALI Pass account in order to access the conference. Please log in to your account in advance of the conference to ensure you know your password and are ready to go first thing on November 11! Sessions will be provided through the Zoom platform, however, you do not need a Zoom account or app to access OCALICONLINE sessions.
For additional questions, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Our team views these changes as opportunities to think outside of the box, and we’ve had a lot of fun thinking about new ways to make OCALICONLINE engaging, relevant, and meaningful. While many things have changed (and continue to change), our commitment to deliver a world-class learning experience that inspires change and promotes access to opportunities for people with disabilities remains the same.
We hope you’ll join us this year on November 11-13, 2020.
Welcome to the community. There’s a place for you here.
Learn more and register now! Hurry! Early Bird Registration closes Friday, October 16!
Join Us for a Free Webinar With Ohio’s Interagency Work Group on Autism and Employment First Task Force
Friday, October 23 from 11 a.m. -12 p.m.
This month marks the 75th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Over half of young adults with autism are unemployed and unrolled in higher education in the two years after high school—this is lower than any other disability group. And, by the age of 25, more than 50 percent of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have never obtained paid employment.
Join Ohio’s Interagency Work Group on Autism and Employment First Task Force to discuss this important topic. Hear from Chloe Rothschild, autism advocate, writer, and presenter about her own transition and employment experiences, as well as members of the DeWine administration on the ways they are partnering to improve employment outcomes for Ohioans with autism.
Panelists include:
- Chloe Rothschild, advocate, writer, presenter
- Kevin Miller, Director, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities
- Kim Hauck, Deputy Director, Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities
- Paolo DeMaria, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ohio Department of Education
- Stephanie Siddens, Senior Executive Director, Ohio Department of Education
The webinar takes place Friday, October 23 from 11 a.m. -12 p.m. and is facilitated by OCALI’s Office of Policy. Register now.
For additional resources on transition planning and provider training, visit Ohio’s Employment First website.
What’s New at OCALI
InspirED Virtual Learning Series: October Sessions
In mid-September, OCALI, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Education’s Office for Exceptional Children launched the InspirED Virtual Learning Series. This free professional learning series is designed to fill a need and help educators, administrators, and families find the information and resources they need to support learning and successful outcomes for their students or children during a very unique time of learning.
The learning series features Zoomcast sessions or recorded, facilitated conversations that are approximately 30 minutes each. All content is focused on increasing the successful engagement of diverse learners in a remote/virtual instructional environment, linking users with appropriate resources and tools. Learners have the opportunity to earn a professional development certificate by completing a survey at the end of each learning session.
Mark your calendar for these upcoming sessions:
- October 15: Myth Busting Transition Assessment
- October 22: Top 10 Tips to Develop a Growth Mindset in a Virtual World
- October 29: Access in a Virtual Environment: Proactive Planning to Support Effective Communication for Learners Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
We’re Open: OCALI’s Lending Library
OCALI’s Lending Library is available for online browsing and order requests with no-contact delivery. The OCALI Lending Library is available to any person over the age of 18 residing or working in the state of Ohio. To create a Lending Library account, please submit your information using the registration form. Once your application has been processed and your account has been established, we will notify you via email. Browse our resources.
Educational Identification of Students with ASD Virtual Training Series
The process to identify and serve students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires a well-trained and experienced evaluation team. From creating your team to administering quality assessments to accurately interpreting findings and communicating with parents and families, it is critical to have the knowledge and skills to best support students with ASD.
OCALI is pleased to host the Educational Identification of Students with ASD Training Series virtually for the 2020–2021 school year. This introductory training series, with 10 two-hour sessions (November 2020–March 2021) is designed for school-based evaluation teams that want to learn about the process for educational identification of students with ASD. Learn more and register.
The Journey: A Free Webinar Series
To support County Boards of Developmental Disabilities in helping youth with complex needs and their families navigate the journey to from school to adult life, the Lifespan Transitions Center at OCALI has created a free, four-part webinar series, called The Journey, designed to support topics, such as:
- Creating structure,
- Improving self-determination,
- Planning for transition, and
- Supporting literacy.
The webinars highlight different websites, videos, printable documents, and other resources. Additional webinars are being planned, so save the dates for the following:
- October 26, 2:30-3 p.m.: Transition Assessment and Transition Planning for Youth with Lifelong Needs
- November 30, 2:30-3 p.m.: Self-Determination and Youth with Complex Support Needs
OCALI Now 