Creating our future: On Campus and Beyond

Conference Program

Conference Report

Workshops

PowerPoint Files

Audio Files

Photo Album

Sponsors

Exhibitors

Photo

Call for Speakers

Come be part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS)! The 2006 Conference Planning Committee invites expressions of interest by individuals interested in speaking on one of the four workshop panels at our biannual national conference, taking place November 10 – 12, 2006 at the Delta Ottawa Hotel and Suites. The theme for this year’s conference is Creating Our Future: On Campus and Beyond.

Our conference operates using a single-track format. This allows all delegates to participate in all four workshops. Speakers will therefore be required to present twice, once in the morning, and once in the afternoon, either Saturday or Sunday. Each speaker will have up to 20 minutes to present, and will then participate in a question and answer session along with their fellow panelists. Sign language and English/French interpretation will be provided.

Workshop Panels

1. Job Search Strategies: Competing in The Employment Market

The future for many college and university graduates includes a desire to compete for the same employment opportunities as their non-disabled peers. Subjects to be addressed may include:

  • First-hand experiences of individuals with disabilities pursuing interesting careers (e.g., in the arts, media, sciences, etc.);
  • Disclosing a disability in the workplace;
  • Arranging for workplace accommodations;
  • Mentorship;
  • Opportunities for graduate students.

2. Looking Into the Future of Post-Secondary Education

Post-secondary education promises to offer a wealth of opportunities and challenges for students with disabilities. Topics to be addressed may include:

  • On-campus programs that deliver services to students with disabilities in innovative ways;
  • Impact of eLearning on students with disabilities;
  • New types of adaptive technologies used by students with disabilities;
  • Experiences of students with disabilities pursuing options such as distance education, vocational and trade skills.

3. Creating Leaders for the Future

The key to developing future leaders is to provide practical information that can be applied immediately. Our goal is to make this workshop skills-based, interactive and innovative, including opportunities for participants to practice skills and to get immediate feedback. Subjects to be addressed may include:

  • Experiences of students successfully advocating for change on their campus, including lessons learned;
  • Effective strategies for dealing with campus media, on-campus departments and organizations;
  • Working with the mainstream student movement;
  • Lobbying university/college administration;
  • Public speaking tips and tricks;
  • Negotiation skills;
  • Writing a press release.

4. New Developments in Disability Studies

Disability Studies is an important field experiencing growing interest on Canadian campuses. We invite students studying in this area to submit presentations on their completed research or research-in-progress that showcases new and emerging subjects in the field.

Instructions and Deadline

Expressions of interest should be no more than 500 words in length and must include:

  • A title,
  • Name(s) of speaker(s),
  • The name of the workshop panel of interest,
  • The specific subject that the presentation will address, and
  • A description of the proposed presentation.

In addition, each speaker is asked to include a résumé/CV. Deadline for receipt of material is Friday, June 2, 2006.

Presentations are encouraged in either English or French, and we invite international submissions. We are able to accept material in print, on disk, online or by e-mail attachment. In case a speaker drops out, we will choose an alternate from the submissions received. The Conference Planning Committee will inform those selected no later than July 31, 2006. Please include any alternate contact details to reach you during the summer, where appropriate.

Due to limited funding, only student panelists can be considered for financial support.

Send your expression of interest and resume:

Celebrating 20 years