Last week, I had the honor of attending and presenting at ATIA which is the Assistive Technology Industry Association’s annual conference that is held annually in Orlando, Florida. Attending a conference in Florid at the end of January/beginning of February is really tough for someone from Maine…
All kidding aside, ATIA is one of the BEST conferences for Assistive Technology professionals, Special Educators, Therapists, Technology Integrators, and Educators who are looking for best practices in ways to go beyond the perceived limitations of individuals with disabilities. There are numerous sessions to meet anyone’s needs, from tools to implement AAC, to Switch Access, to Eye Gaze, to Accessibility, to Town Hall meetings to deeply discuss current issues, to AT Service delivery-there is something for everybody.
While there were a smorgasbord of sessions to choose from, it was an honor to be among the many amazing presenters at ATIA. My session was called How 1:1 Initiatives Transform AT and UDL services. What a gift to be able to share how our 1:1 Initiative has been a tool to help our students access AT and UDL! While I was fortunate to receive meaningful feedback in person from some of the attendees, I am looking forward to reviewing participant feedback when the surveys are completed. I wish I had a picture of the session, so this Bitmoji version will have to do:
Among the many session takeaways from my time at ATIA, was the amazing App PD Smackdown, how to move beyond Cause and Effect with Switch Access, AEM in transition and beyond, and powerful Town Hall meetings on AT, UDL, and AEM.
On the last day of the conference, there was an AT Maker day, which featured some amazing work from AT Makers ,who are a dedicated group of students and professionals that are committed to making AT for individuals to help with everyday tasks. I was blown away by their level of expertise, compassion, and desire to improve the quality of life for an individual that requires AT.
The last, and probably the most important takeaway, is centered around community. The attendees, speakers, vendors, and organizers at ATIA are simply amazing. Collectively, we are ALL working hard to ensure that the quality of life for individuals who require AT, or a different way of presenting information, are guaranteed a high quality level of access, and are treated with respect and compassion. It is this collective effort that is simply inspiring, and continues beyond the conference. Individually, our work is meaningful. Collectively, our work is impactful.
