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S 1 - Advocacy of the Future: Full Partnership Between Self-Advocates and Family Members Organization: National Coalition on self-determination   Presenters: Ray Gerke and Donna Szamatowicz

This workshop will put forth the notion that the "next generation" of effective advocates needs to be composed of a partnership with self-advocates and family members. Through exploration of the organization’s history, presentation of the NConSD mission, discussion of the group’s fundamental values, and stories of the challenges we have encountered and overcome, we hope to show that the most compelling advocacy is composed of a true partnership.

S 2- Skip Walking. Let’s Dance!  A Multi-Media Workshop on Nurturing Children Who Have Disabilities  Presenters: Ron Taylor (with sons Micah and Jonah on video) and Maureen Keyes with son Matthew

This workshop features not only video clips from Ron and Maureen's work in Special Ed as producers, educators and parents, but also excerpts from other producers' award-winning videos and feature films such as King Gimp, Educating Peter, and Forrest Gump. Inside every clip is a lesson and an insight! Maureen has used media to instruct teachers at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee for many years, and Ron has focused his camera and personal transformation on the personal relationship rewards portrayed in his 21-year documentary about his son Micah who has CP. The title of this workshop reflects its major theme of celebration evidenced by Micah's dancing with a partner even though he has not yet achieved the expected goal of walking.

Bring cameras and camcorders (a few will be provided) for hands-on exercises in producing your personal stories, and share your journals, newspaper clippings, cued-up videos, and photographs that communicate your life-altering experiences because of your association with disability. Biovideo-Feedback for self-esteem and awareness is among the many experiential exercises in the workshop.

The workshop addresses the issues of educating and parenting children in a new paradigm of positive proactivity. How better to shift society's perspective from insult and burden to celebration and quality of life than the production of positive media. The lessons learned affect all areas of nurturing: skill building for parents, inspiring reciprocal benefits for both caregiver and receiver, and current technologies for professional development in school districts and social service agencies.

My heart knows no differences between us. My eyes and ears delight in them!

S 3 - Teachers and parents as partners: What do we know about academic outcomes for students with significant disabilities, and how can we ensure our children have successful and meaningful outcomes? Presenter: Rachel Quenemoen

First, researchers will speak to recent dramatic shifts in our understanding of what students with significant disabilities can know and be able to do with meaningful access to challenging grade level content. Next, a teacher and parent presenter team will demonstrate how all children can access and make meaningful progress in the grade level content, using videos, case studies, and structured activities. Finally, we will have an interactive discussion among researchers, teachers, parents, and other participants to come to common understanding of where the opportunities and the challenges are in ensuring achievement for all students.

Rachel Quenemoen is a parent, researcher, and national technical assistance provider for the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO), and technical assistance partner to the National Alternate Assessment Center (NAAC)