What We’re Excited About: OCALICONLINE 2021
We’re just weeks away from hosting OCALICONLINE 2021. And while every year is special, this year, we celebrate 15 years as a catalyst of moving inspiration into action.
With less than a month to go, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome you and others from around the globe as we connect virtually. Over 1,500 of your peers and colleagues have already signed up – from 42 states, Australia, Canada, France, Namibia, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. For those who are already registered or if you’re thinking about attending for the first time, here are a few things we’re excited about and hope you will be, too.
Judy Heumann Keynote: Friday, November 19, 12:30 p.m. ET
OCALICONLINE 2021 will feature Judith (Judy) Heumann, a lifelong advocate for the rights of disabled people. She contracted polio in 1949 in Brooklyn, New York and began to use a wheelchair for her mobility. She is now an internationally recognized leader in the disability rights community, and featured in the Oscar-nominated Netflix documentary, Crip Camp, released in 2020.
Dynamic presenters and presenters, and diverse content
With 300+ presenters and partners from around the world, our learning sessions highlight content for every age, and every milestone across the lifespan. From early childhood to school-age to adulthood, our sessions feature the best-of-the-best in their areas of expertise to share research, best practices, and resources that support the lifelong needs of individuals with disabilities and those who live with, love, and support them. Check out this teaser video of some of our presenters.
Special events within OCALICONLINE
Interested in learning more about inclusive leadership, or assistive technology and how it can be leveraged for individuals with developmental disabilities or with visual impairments? OCALICONLINE 2021 features a line-up of special events focused on these very topics. With experts from around the world, these sessions will provide you with practical resources and tips for taking your understanding of assistive technology to the next level.
Tuesday, November 16: Inclusive Education Leadership: Bring a team to this extended session on inclusive leadership! Hear from Ohio Department of Education leaders from the Office for Exceptional Children about special education and gifted education updates, key focus areas of supports, and project updates related to Each Child Means Each Child.
Tuesday, November 16: The BEST AT Forum is an opportunity to learn about cross-curricular braille literacy and assistive technologies for students who are blind or visually impaired. Sessions include a wide range of topics, such as learning braille with LEGO Braille Bricks, accessible astronomy, the expanded core curriculum, and much more!
Wednesday, November 17: AT for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: Join us for a full day focused on assistive technology supports for individuals with developmental disabilities. Sessions range from advocacy and AAC assessment to smart home adaptations and AT solutions in minutes!
These are not stand-alone events, but are integrated into the conference itself. Attendees wishing to attend these sessions must register for the entire conference.
Celebrating moments of impact over 15 years
Over the past 15 years, we have seen, heard, and witnessed countless moments of impact. These stories are living examples of how those seemingly small moments of inspiration are transformed into action. These stories are of ordinary, every-day teachers, parents, and service providers whose lives were changed because of what they experienced at OCALICON. They’re people just like you. And these are their moments of impact, when inspiration transformed into action. Hear from past participants as they share their special moments of impact.
Creative and fun ways to network and connect virtually
Looking for ways to take a quick break or unwind for a bit? Check out the OCALICON Channel. It’s where you can hear updates and announcements from our hosts. It’s where you can catch episodes of Slow TV. The channel will stream continuously during conference hours. And new for this year, are our OCALICONLINE hosts, the Good Life Ambassadors (GLAs). GLAs are dedicated to educating and inspiring the local community on an assortment of topics that promote inclusion and the full participation of people with disabilities in community life. You’ll also have the chance to speak directly with OCALI staff and other attendees. This is your chance to have conversations, exchange ideas, and connect with innovators and practitioners.
There’s still time to register
If you’re not registered, what are you waiting for? Don’t miss the opportunity to attend the premier autism and disabilities conference where thousands of people from around the world come together to learn, network, and share research, best practices, and resources to support the life-long needs of individuals with disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder and sensory and low-incidence disabilities. Register now!
Celebrating the Capabilities of People With Disabilities to the American Workforce
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and this year’s theme is America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, this theme “reflects the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Each October, NDEAM is designed to recognize and celebrate the contributions and capabilities of people with disabilities to the American workforce.
At OCALI, the Lifespan Transitions Center is proud of its long-standing partnership with Employment First. Employment First is a policy to ensure every individual of working age has an opportunity to seek employment. Agencies are directed to provide a person-centered planning process for every individual of working age to identify their desired employment goal and their place on the path to community employment.
“The foundational elements of Employment First’s framework—agency-neutral, outcome-focused, and person-centered—are directly aligned with our Center’s work and mission,” shares Alex Corwin, Secondary Transition and Workforce Manager, at the Lifespan Transitions Center at OCALI. “Our Center partners with all of the Employment First Taskforce member organizations to support successful systems that incorporate community life and employment.”
When supporting communities, there are many questions for those seeking employment and those who support individuals seeking employment. In celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Center proudly shares the following free resources organized around some of the most common employment-related questions.
How prepared am I for employment?
Assessing a person’s preparedness is one of the first steps toward seeking employment. The Employment Life Skills Assessment (ELSA) is a free, informal assessment that families and professionals can use to gather information about their family member’s abilities with employability and compare against the employment standards expected of adults. This assessment can help start the conversation for preparing someone to enter or reenter the workforce. Check out the professional version or the family version of the assessment.
I’m ready to start looking for employment. How do I get started?
If you’re seeking information on the path to community employment and how to start looking for a job, the Community Life Guide, which includes two important areas of information and training. The first is community health and safety training, and the second is the Job Seekers Guide, which focuses on job seeking training and community employment. It provides step-by-step instructions and resources on how to get on the path to community employment and find a job that you enjoy.
What happens to my social security, Medicaid, and other benefits when I start working?
If you’re looking for information and resources to help analyze the impact of employment on an individual’s benefits, The Disability Benefits 101 (DB 101) is an integrated suite of online tools, information, and training where people with disabilities can directly access plain-language information about work and benefits and health coverage programs. Three calculators have been developed, including: Work and Benefits, School To Work; and Medicaid Buy-In. This suite of resources is designed for families, job seekers, and professionals and can be used to help analyze the impact of employment on an individual’s benefits. While DB 101 does not replace a comprehensive benefits analysis, it can help to provide a general understanding about employment and benefits.
How do I support a person with a disability with learning new tasks on the job?
As teams prepare youth for the transition to adulthood, developing skills for employment becomes a priority. To teach these skills educators, job coaches and others need effective tools. What Works for Work, is a free, 12-session online resource that uses evidence-based practices on how to support people with disabilities.
Throughout the month and beyond, we encourage you to explore these free resources. By sharing them, you may help others understand how they can better promote access in their schools, workplaces, and communities. For additional resources from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, visit their website.
What’s New at OCALI
Yes We Can: Journey Towards Independence
A New, Interactive Video Series: October 27, December 15, January 26, 4 p.m.
Join Michelle and her guide dog, Tonne, for a new, interactive video series designed to share how she lives an independent, quality life as a person who is DeafBlind. Each 30-minute episode will include pre-recorded segments, followed by a live dialogue with Michelle, who is eager to share her experiences and connect with viewers. Tying all of these episodes together is the connection to the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), which includes foundational skills essential for people with disabilities. The sessions are free, but registration is required. Certificates of completion are available for the series. Join us for one or all episodes.
Register by October 25: 2021-22 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 for the 2021-2022 school year. This introductory training series, with 10 two-hour sessions, is designed for school-based evaluation teams that want to learn about the process for educational identification of students with ASD.
November 2: Ohio UDL Collaborative Monthly PLC
The members of the Ohio UDL Collaborative invite you to their monthly, virtual PLC. Join others from Ohio who are implementing UDL and find growth in the conversations to support your UDL journey. This session will focus on variability, mindset, and equity.
November 11: InspirED: Ensuring Access to the General Curriculum for All Learners
Effectively designing instruction and assessment in a way that provides universal access across courses, lessons, and learning activities is essential for ALL students. Learn more about the strategies, research, and support resources to effectively design instruction and assessment in a way that provides universal access across courses, lessons, and learning activities. Created for educators, by educators Ensuring Access to the General Curriculum for All Learners is a new, FREE video-based learning series designed to ensure ALL learners have access to the general curriculum.
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