2012 Together We Can Learn Conference

Refuse to Deal with Life. Make it Deal with You.
Josh Hanagarne
 Josh Hanagarne is the (formerly) twitchy, noisy giant known as the World's Strongest Librarian. He has made great progress treating his own extreme case of Tourette's Syndrome and is now working to replicate the process with others. Now that he can sit still and be quiet, his credibility as a librarian is no longer in dispute. He believes in curiosity, questions, strength, and that things are never so bad they can't improve. You're going to believe it as well.  Join Josh as he shares his inspirational story and strategies .
Understanding and Shaping Behavior- Moving from No @%* to Sure!
  Lee Stickle, Director of the Kansas Instructional Support Network (KISN)
Challenging behavior is frequently reported by parents, teachers and other caregivers as their number one concern.   How we intervene, how we teach children really does matter, the message is more than the words, it is the context, the tone and where we deliver it!  
Sibling Panel
Lilly Keohane ~ A freshmen at St. James Academy.  Lily has a younger brother who has autism.
JP Holley ~ A junior at the University of Minnesota. He has a younger brother who has autism.
Keeley Schwindt ~ Attends Fort Hays State University. She has an older brother with mild cerebral palsy.
Colleen Stack ~ Owns her own day care center. She has a younger sister with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy. 
Facilitated by Darla Nelson-Metzger, Families Together, Inc. and sibling.
  Technology Promotes Access
Sean J Smith, Associate Professor of Special Education, University of Kansas.  Dr. Smith has a background in the area of special education and technology, specifically towards the integration of technology across teacher preparation programs. He is the proud parent of four young children, one having an intellectual disability.
This session will focus on technology-based solutions (low, mid, and high tech) as well as ways family members can further enhance their involvement in the identification, implementation, and evaluation of technology tools to assist their son or daughter with a disability. Discover how technology can reduce a student’s reliance on parents, siblings, friends and teachers, helping foster not only access to the general education curriculum but also improving self-esteem.
What’s Fair: Learning with a Difference
  Leia Holley, Families Together, Inc. She is the proud parent of two young men, one having autism.
Every classroom is unique and every child learns differently. During this interactive session, participants will experience many of the environmental and learning barriers students who learn differently struggle with daily. Parents and professionals will gain a better understanding of potential reasons a student might struggle academically and behaviorally in the classroom.
The Mission of Early Intervention Services
Sarah Walters,  Part C Coordinator, Kansas Department of Health and Environment.  Sarah has over 20 years experience in Part C and early childhood programs at the local, state and national levels.  She is also the aunt of a woman who has cerebral palsy.  
This session will provide an overview of the Mission and Key Principles of early intervention services and what evidence based practices look like for families who have infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays.
Tweet:  I'm Thinking about Going to College!
Wendy Parent-Johnson, Research & Professor & Assistant Director Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities and Richard Parent-Johnson, Senior Research Associate, Center for Research on Learning
Inclusive postsecondary education is becoming a reality for many students with intellectual disabilities who previously never considered college as an option.  Come hear about college opportunities nationally and  activities that have been occurring in Kansas through the Think College Kansas initiative.  This session will also share information and strategies about what you can do to plan and prepare for postsecondary education.   
Vision & Learning 
Dr. Linda Lawrence, Ophthalmologist and Dr. Anne Nielsen, Outreach Director at the Kansas State School for the Blind
Dr. Lawrence will speak about how the visual process contributes to learning. Participants will learn how the eye takes a picture, how this picture is then processed, and how to maximize the functional vision of your child/student.
SPARKLE: Supporting Parent Access to Resources, Knowledge, Linkages & Education
Megan Cote, MS Ed, Nena Murphy-Herd, MS Ed, and Dinell Stuckey from the Kansas Deaf-Blind Project.
Project Sparkle is a program of individualized learning that enhances the ability of parents of children who are deaf-blind to fulfill their roles in the development and education of their children.  The training program focuses on: 1) Deaf Blindness; 2) Vision; 3) Hearing; 4) Touch; 5) Concept Development; and, 6) Intervention.  At the conclusion of the training, parents will have a completed Child Profile that they can share with their child’s educational team and other people who have direct interaction with their child . 
Please Note: This training is for parents or caregivers  of  children with deaf-blindness.