2012 Embracing Exceptionalities Southeastern disAbility Conference and Expo

[Guest guest]

2012 " Embracing Exceptionalities " Southeastern disAbility Conference and Expo

Call for Papers Extended for ONE MORE WEEK! Deadline - July 1st

2012 " Embracing Exceptionalities " Southeastern disAbility Conferece and Expo

September 24-25, 2012 - Gwinnett Convention Center - Duluth, Georgia

Exceptional Ed Events - Our goal is to encourage, educate, and inspire people

working and living with special needs. Our seminars and conferences are set up

to provide substantial information on a variety of disability related topics.

There will be a total of 50 sessions offered during this two day event, as well

as, an Exhibit Expo, Exciting Performances and a bookstore.

" LIKE " Exceptional Ed Events on Facebook and be entered to win a FREE

Registration to the 2012 " Embracing Exceptionalities " Southeastern disability

Conference and Expo

Drawing on Friday, July 6th - Winner will be posted on the Exceptional Ed Events

website and Facebook Page.

Call for Papers: Presentation proposals must be submitted by 10:00pm on Friday,

July 1, 2012

Go to www.ExceptionalEdEvents.com to submit a proposal.

Keynote Presenter:

Sujeet Desai, New York

Hi, my name is Sujeet Desai. " Suj " is my nick name. I am a 30 year old musician

and a motivational speaker. I play 7 different instruments and provide

entertainment as well as musical power point workshops to share my story.

Besides music I am training for a 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I enjoy

Alpine skiing & swimming and have competed in World Games Special Olympic

events.

In 2001, I graduated from Fayetteville- Manlius High School in Syracuse, NY with

an Honor Roll. In May 2003 I graduated from Berkshire Hills Music Academy in

South Hadley, Massachusetts after a two -year residential Post-Secondary study

in Music & Human services. After returning home I started living independently

in an apartment and for the last two years I have lived in my own home in

Niagara Falls, NY. I have the best teeth in the world as I see my dentist

everyday - both parents are dentist.

For my daily job I perform in the community for nursing homes, senior centers,

hospitals or any community events. I travel in the United States as well

internationally to give music concerts as well give motivational speeches with

musical power point workshops. I have travelled over 38 states in United States

& performed in over a dozen countries worldwide. I enjoy my part time jobs

teaching basic computer skills, as well introducing music to groups of

individuals with special needs. I am a recipient of many National and

International awards. I am a National spokesperson for Down Syndrome and an

ambassador of Down Syndrome International (based in London). My goal is to

advocate for individuals born with special needs and raise awareness in the

community about these individuals so that they are accepted like any other

citizen in the community.

Oh! I forgot to mention that I was born with Down syndrome!

Keynote Presenter:

Thornton, Washington, DC

Thornton is an outspoken advocate for people's right to live lives of

their own choosing and design. He is a clerk at the Luther King, Jr.

Memorial Library in Washington, D.C. began by volunteering at the

library 32 years ago as part of a special education program. Early on he worked

with a job coach but soon he became a full-time paid employee.

's main responsibilities include sorting, stamping and shelving books and

other clerical duties. He likes working both independently and as part of the

library's larger team, and takes great pride in ensuring that patrons are

satisfied with the branch's service and collection. 's success discredits

common misconceptions about the skills of people with intellectual disabilities.

is an active advocate for people with intellectual disabilities,

speaking about his experiences and serving as a role model, especially for young

people. His message is, " If I can make it, so can you. Give it your best and the

rest will follow. If you do that, you'll see yourself growing and growing every

day. " speaks passionately about the importance of full participation and

self-determination for people with developmental disabilities. He will challenge

us to continue the move toward quality and full community inclusion for all. An

athlete and ambassador with Special Olympics, has travelled as far as

South Africa and Morocco. Closer to home, he has been an honored guest at the

White House, where he and his family met former President Clinton.

The CBS made for TV movie " Profoundly Normal " was based on the true story of

and his wife Donna. This love story tells how two developmentally

disabled individuals overcome extraordinary circumstances to forge a life

together as husband and wife. "

Kirstie Alley stars as Donna Thornton, a woman who, from the age of 8, lived at

Forest Haven, an institution for developmentally disabled people of varying ages

and levels of ability. There she meets (Delroy Lindo), a fellow

resident, and they quickly form a bond of friendship. Through the years, Donna

and struggle to keep their hope and self-respect alive under the strict

regime at Forest Haven. Despite suffering personal abuse and neglect, they never

give up their dream of finding a better life outside the confining walls of the

institution.

When Forest Haven is closed by a court order, Donna and face an entirely

new set of challenges -- how to care for themselves in the outside world where

they have no experience. Simple tasks such as reading, cooking and taking the

bus are all enormous obstacles for them to overcome. Yet they strive to live a

normal life, and their friendship blossoms into love. When proposes

marriage, they face heavy opposition from Social Services. With help from their

social worker, Donna and embark on a courageous journey to exchange

wedding vows, winning overwhelming support from the general population in the

process.

As if marriage weren't enough of a hurdle, Donna and decide to have a

baby and face tough critics who don't think that the couple should bring a child

into the world. Despite the odds, Donna gives birth to a healthy " normal " baby

boy. As Donna and work hard to raise their child in an uncertain world,

they rely upon their love for each other to bring them through even the toughest

of circumstances.

Presenters to Date:

Schwarz, Ph.D., National Louis Univ, Chicago, IL

*Just Give Him the Whale

*Universal Design, Differentiation and Curricular Adaptations - Parts 1 and 2

Dr. McManmon, College Internship Program, Lee, MA

*I'm Ready for College but I Can't Find My Backpack: Executive Functioning

Strategies for Success in College

*Effective, Efficient and Fast Note Taking for the Visual Thinker - How to

Leverage you Visual Gifts

Iland, M.A., California State University, Northridge, CA

*Drawing a Blank: Improving Reading Comprehension for Readers on the Autism

Spectrum - Parts 1, 2, & 3

Golden, Ed.D., Special Needs Resource Magazine, Atlanta, Georgia

*The Special Educator's Toolkit - Parts 1 and 2

O'Connell, M.Ed. and Tim O'Connell, M.Ed., Social Skills Program

Consultants, Georgia

*Facilitating Social Skills in the Educational Setting for Students with

Moderate and Severe Disabilities

*Facilitating Social Skills in the Educational Setting for High Functioning

Students with Disabilities

, Northbrook, IL

*My Differently Abled Circle of Friends; Stories of Social Success Among

disAbled People

Ileana McCaigue, ORT/L, IMC, Handy OT Treatment Tools & Sensory Tools for

Healthy Living, Georgia

*Sleep Strategies: Creating a Conducive Environment and Routine to

Facilitate Healthy Sleep

Ben Satterfield, Ed.D. and Martha Rust, M.S., C.R.C., Tools for Life, Atlanta,

Georgia

*iDevices as Aug Comm: Pitfalls & Possibilities

, Ed.D., Mableton, Georgia

*Relaxation and Learning

Mark Biernath, B.S., J.D., Law Offices of Mark E. Biernath, Atlanta, Georgia

*Special Needs Planning

Cherry, B.S., AIS, LEED AP, Purple Cherry Architects, polis,

land

*Success Through Architecture - Designing Educational and Residential

Environments for the Special Needs Population

Rae Schaper, M.Ed., Read It Once Again, Inman, South Carolina

*Creating and Using Literacy Units with Young Children

*Now I See What You Mean

Kit Meaders, Ed.S. and Lynn McFarland, M.S.Ed., Georgia PINES, ston,

Georgia

*Identifying and Serving Children 0-3 with Vision and/or Hearing Loss

Sucheta Kamath, M.S., CCC-SLP, BC-NCD, Cerebral Matters, Atlanta, Georgia

*Social Networking for Cognitively Impaired: Improving Social Cognition and

Pragmatic Ability Using Social Media for Individuals with ADHD, Asperger's and

TBI

Barbara T. Doyle, M.S., Barbara T. Doyle Consulting, Orland Park, IL

*Inclusion Is Not Geography: Mapping Out Inclusion in the Minds of Others

*Creating Functional Lifetime Programs for People with Developmental

Disabilities

Joe Sarra, MSW, Childkind, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia

*Disability 101

Amy Lee, Children's Ministry Magazine, The ReThink Group,

TheInclusiveChurch.com, Georgia

*Starting a Special Needs Ministry at Your Church

Dena Gassner, LMSW, The Center for Understanding, lin, Tennessee

*Women with Autism Spectrum Disorders

*Invisible Differences - Panel Discussion

, OTR/L, OT, Conyers, GA

*A Common Sense Guide to Sensory Issues

Pam Hoppe, ChFC, CASL, Creative Solutions Group of Atlanta, Georgia

*Family Dynamics

Pope, DNP, RN, Auburn University, Alabama

*Benefits and Therapeutic Effects of Animal Assisted Therapy

Ann Elliott, RN, Raise Them High, Georgia

*The Deeming Waiver Process

Pugh, OTD, M.A., OTR/L, Dekalb County Public Schools, Georgia

*Curnch and Munch: Is it Sensory or Behaviorally Driven?

, Ed.S., Bulloch County Schools, Georgia

*20 Cool SMART Board Tricks Every Educator Should Know

Torin Togut, B.S., J.D., University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

*RTI, SLD Eligibility and Child Find: What Is It All About?

Live Performances:

*Sensory Sensitive Kids, Welcome to Our World by Becky Tai

*Music Therapy Services of Greater Atlanta

*Sujeet Desai

*MORE TO COME!

Presenter/Presentation/Performance List is Incomplete at This Time and Subject

to Change Without Notice.

Area Accommodations: Visit the website for a list of Hotels Offering Conference

Discounts

Expo Registration Now Open:

*10' X 10' Exhibitor Booth (with pipe and drape) - $295.00

*6' Table with drape and skirt - $195.00

*Exhibitor discount of $75.00 available for non-profit organizations.

*Take-one table - $40.00

Sponsorship Opportunities:

*Exclusive Conference Sponsor: $5000.00

*Conference Manual Sponsor: $1500

*Badge Holders: $1000.00

*Conference Tote Bags: $1000.00

Registration Information:

*Best Value Rate: $149.00 - Ends Aug. 15th

*Regular Conference Rate: $165.00 - Ends Sept. 16th

*On-Site (if space is available) - $175.00

*Special Group Rate: Buy 4, Get the 5th Registration FREE - Ends Sept. 16th

*Special Student Rate Available with valid ID

CEU/PLU Information Available

Contact us:

Exceptional Ed Events

(770)776-7472

info@...

www.ExceptionalEdEvents.com