Session selections now open

Delegates are now taking advantage of selecting their preferred sessions. As we promised in December, session selections have been open since early January. What a way to celebrate the first day back for 2012! We are thrilled to see that so many people have already logged in to select their preferences. If you have already completed your registration but haven’t received an email with your session selection log in username and password, please contact us at conference@spectronicsinoz.com and we’ll resend all the information you need.

Session selection is optional – you’re more than welcome to “wing it” whilst at the conference. Please be aware however, that if you have registered for the “I Want Everything” package you will need to log in to select your pre-conference workshop selection for Tuesday 22nd May – this is the only day where a session selection is absolutely necessary.

A reminder too, for those of you who know that you are attending but haven’t yet got around to submitting your registration … the earlier you register the more likely you are to select your preferred sessions. So register now to lock in your preferences!

Conference accommodation at Jupiters – and Jupiters’ prizes!

Now is the time to start thinking about your trip to the Gold Coast. We have negotiated a discounted rate (available for conference delegates only!) at Jupiters Hotel Gold Coast, the conference venue. In addition to the convenience of staying onsite, you will also have access to FREE wireless internet – both on the conference floor and in your room! A saving of $25 per day. To take advantage of these conference rates please note that all bookings must be made using the special Spectronics booking link – see the Accommodation page for all the information and instructions on how to make a booking. Rates are valid for occupancy on a single, twin or double basis (per room, per night):

• Superior room $189
• Corner balcony superior room $220
• Executive room $240

And as an added incentive to stay at Jupiters Hotel Gold Coast, ALL delegates who book their accommodation using the special Spectronics booking link will automatically go into the draw to win a spectacular prize valued at $775. The prize includes two nights’ accommodation in a superior room for two adults (including full buffet breakfast each morning!), as well as two dinner and show tickets.

Jupiters has also been generous in providing our early bird registration prize – a fantastic dinner and show package for two, valued at $198. But you need to be fully registered by Monday 9th April to go in the draw!

FULL program PDF now available to download

We know it’s handy to see the conference program in its entirety – and in a printable format! So we have developed a PDF of the FULL program for you to download and share with your Principal, colleagues and friends and family. To download a copy click here. The most up-to-date version of the document can be found on the Program page – it will be updated each time we update the online version. Enjoy!

Free introductory conference webinar

The Conference Committee thought it might be useful to host a free introductory conference webinar, aimed at helping you to prepare for your attendance at the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012. We hope it may help you to get a feel for how to get the most out of your conference participation!

We will take you on a tour of the innovative new web apps for planning your schedule at the conference, accessing presentation resources from all presenters and adding notes taken in the sessions to your timetable. Even if you are a “regular” attendee, you may also find this useful as many new initiatives are in place this year. Keeping it fresh and inspiring for you!

We will be hosting two sessions, and will record them both so that if you are not able to join us “live”, you can watch the presentation later at a time that suits you better.

Choose from the two sessions we have available (content repeated) and register online now for free!

• Only one month to go! Thursday 19th April, 3.15pm Australian Eastern Standard Time
• Only two weeks to go! Wednesday 9th May, 3.15pm Australian Eastern Standard Time

Session selections opening in January

As we’ve been promising, session selections are back! It is now only a matter of weeks until you can pre-book your preferred sessions – it is optional however. If you have already completed your registration you will be given priority to make your selections from Monday 9th January and we will be in touch with details of how you go about it.

Session selections will then be open to ALL as part of the registration process from Monday 16th January.

The earlier you register the more likely you are to select your preferred sessions, so if you know you are attending but haven’t yet got around to submitting your registration, register now to avoid any disappointment.

Keynote Presenter: Linda Burkhart | AT and AAC Integration Specialist for children with significant disabilities

Linda Burkhart is another of our keynote presenters – she is an internationally known pioneer in the field of simplified technology for children with severe challenges. Linda has developed numerous adapted switches and innovative applications for using these devices with children. She is the author of a number of books and software titles on topics of assistive technology and augmentative communication.

Linda was a classroom teacher for fifteen years. Then for eight years, she worked as an Augmentative Communication and Assistive Technology Specialist for the Centre for Technology in Education – a joint project between the Johns Hopkins University and the Maryland State Department of Education. Currently, Linda works as a private consultant and technology integration specialist.

You will have many opportunities to see Linda presenting at the conference – one of her sessions, Learning Partner: Assisted Scanning with PODD, co-presented with Gayle Porter, (developer of the Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display – PODD – communication books and pages sets for speech generating devices) is bound to be a popular one! This session will share creative strategies for systematising the process of partner and child learning. Learn about when and how to use a direct model, partial model or full model to enhance understanding of patterns within PODD. Learn methods for recognising and teaching initiation as well as helping a child to develop a clear mode of response for partner-assisted scanning. Practical strategies, videos and case examples will be shared.

Amazing Sensory Guru technologies now here in ANZ | See it in action at the Conference!

Multi-sensory Room technologies have not changed dramatically for many years, but Sensory Guru in the UK is now ramping it up in amazing ways! They are turning around largely passive environments, offering options for active participation and for a progression of skills development within a multi-sensory environment.

The Magic Carpet interactive projection system is just one of their new technologies. The system projects interactive games and images onto the floor so that users can play with and control the images simply by moving on or over the projected image – even with the slightest of movements. Its multi-user interaction supports group activities allowing for collaborative play with able-bodied peers.

Add in the Tobii PCEye, (a clip-on eye control device for a computer) and Sensory Eye FX software, and students with even the most significant physical disabilities can actively participate in games with their peers. They can join in by controlling the fun Magic Carpet activities by eye control alone. A great way to build competence in eye control before moving on to more demanding applications too.

Mmm … it’s hard to convey how cool these tools are with words alone. Click here to watch a short video to help to bring it all to life for you!

To see some of the other truly innovative multi-sensory environment installations being created by the Sensory Guru team in the UK, visit their website or join their active Facebook Group. Their inspirational catalogue of options and ideas is also wonderful to flick through.

The great news just in is that these technologies are now available across Australia and New Zealand from Bas Tijdhof at Link-AT Assistive Technology in Adelaide. Bas will be displaying the Magic Carpet and EyeFX at the conference trade exhibit. It will be a popular (and fun) exhibit for sure!

From the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference Committee at Spectronics – we wish you a wonderful Christmas/New Year break! Looking forward to seeing you in 2012!

Do you use any of the above pictured “easy-tech” tools from AbleNet in your classroom or disability support organisation? Do you use any at home? Tools like the PowerLink 4 Control Unit, BIGMack, Step-by-Step Communicators, All-Turn-It Spinner, the MEville to WEville Early Literacy and Communication Skills Curriculum Collection, Jelly Bean or Jelly Beamer switches, or the popular SuperTalker Progressive Communicator? Any other AbleNet technologies?

If you do, and if you share your story about how you use these technologies, AND you are attending the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference in May 2012, you will be in the running to win a fabulous prize of a fully-funded return trip from Australia or New Zealand to the USA in January 2013 to attend the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Conference in Orlando, Florida. A prize worth over $5000 … and just a 10 minute drive to “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Centre” (in case you are so inclined)!

We sincerely thank AbleNet, as a conference Gold Sponsor, for making this opportunity available as the ATIA conference offers many opportunities to hear presentations by prominent assistive technology practitioners from across the globe. It also includes an extensive trade exhibit hall, again featuring all key assistive technology suppliers from many different countries. A great chance to update your knowledge and form lasting valuable contacts.

What do you have to do to enter the competition?

It’s simple! Just register to attend the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012 and show us how you are using AbleNet technologies in the classroom, within your school, organisation or at home. Submit a presentation (in any format) to tell your story and to share with other Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference delegates over the days of our event. The only proviso is that all entries must be submitted online by Friday 4th May 2012. An online entry form will be coming soon, but if you have any questions at all, just contact Eliza Bale, Conference Convenor on conference@spectronicsinoz.com.

Maybe spend some time thinking about how you might like to be in the running to win over your Christmas/New Year break? Especially as we have no entries to date. Could you be the lucky winner?

All Key AAC Technologies and App Developers will be on-site!

If you are interested in the very newest trends in technologies supporting Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), we will be offering an Australasian first! All seven of the key international developers of AAC apps for iPads, and a comprehensive group of developers of dedicated speech generating devices both within Australia and internationally will be exhibiting and/or presenting at the conference!

Not only will this offer you a one-stop-shop option to check out all of the new developments under the one roof, it will allow you to evaluate and compare options. When is an iPad app best? When would a speech generating device be more appropriate? In what situations are both appropriate and complementary to support communication by your students and older AAC users? Save yourself hours of research by having the chance to speak directly with the technology developers and see the tools first-hand!

So, who will be there?

AssistiveWare (Netherlands)

Developers of the ground breaking AAC app Proloquo2Go – the first full-featured AAC app for the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad. It continues to be a ground breaker through its frequent updates and Proloquo2Go 2, with its many new features, will be available for you to check out first-hand.

Therapy Box(UK)

Developers of the TBox apps range, Therapy Box offers two great switch accessible AAC applications for the iPad – Predictable and Scene&Heard.  More recently they have begun to diversify and have started to produce some speech and language therapy apps as well.

AbleNet(USA)

Developer of a wider range of assistive technologies – of which their excellent SoundingBoard AAC app is one.  SoundingBoard is now a Universal App, is switch accessible and has a range of professional-created boards available for in-app purchase.

TapSpeak (USA)

Developers of a range of AAC apps. Beginning with TapSpeak Button, a single message communication app and moving through to TapSpeak Sequence and TapSpeak Choice, they offer a range of switch accessible apps for a range of AAC users. 

Alexicom Tech (USA)

Developers of the world’s first Internet-based (but not Internet-dependent) AAC System. It works anytime, anywhere on iPad, Android, PC and Mac. AlexicomAAC is a full featured AAC app which is also switch accessible and has a range of other exciting features. 

Tobii ATI (Sweden)

Tobii ATI develop a wide range of AAC technologies including their new AAC app Sono Flex. Offering a continuation with the page sets available for Tobii Communicator, Sono Flex offers a combination of core vocabulary and situation specific page sets to meet the needs of a wide range of learners. They will be represented at the conference by Link-AT in Australia.

Attainment Company (USA)

Attainment have also recently released an AAC App. To complement their existing range of speech generating devices, the well-known GoTalk range, the GoTalk Now app offers great templates for making a range of communication displays for different users with options such as text-to-speech, digitised speech and a range of image imports available as you design each page. The Attainment Switch app also provides the option of turning your iPad or iPhone into a switch – and can be used to control a computer or another iPad running GoTalk Now.

In addition to all listed above, suppliers and/or developers of dedicated speech generating devices from DynaVox, Liberator (PRC), Toby Churchill, Saltillo and AMDi will also be available to answer your many questions in this rapidly evolving sphere of technologies. We are really very excited to have ALL on board for you!!

Keynote Presenter: Joy Zabala | Universal Design for Learning advocate and developer of the SETT Framework

The next of our wonderful keynote and featured presenters we’d like you to meet is Joy Zabala, pioneer in special education and assistive technology (AT).

Joy has spent over 25 years conducting professional development and training to expand the use of AT as a means to increase the communication, participation and productivity of people with disabilities. She is a frequent presenter on AT decision-making, implementation, and evaluation of effectiveness, as well as how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and AT work together as complementary supports for student achievement.

Joy is the developer of the SETT Framework, a collaborative decision-making tool, a founding member of the QIAT Community and facilitator of the QIAT List, and a past-president of the Technology and Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children. She serves on the Advisory Boards of the Family Centre for Technology and Disability and Bookshare. Currently Joy is the Director of Technical Assistance at CAST, where she also directs the technical assistance efforts of the National Centre on Accessible Instructional Materials and serves as the evaluator of the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard Development Centre.

Come along and see her plenary session Raising the Achievement Bar with Universal Design for Learning. Joy will lead participants on a journey that begins with the early development of UDL and proceeds right up to most current thinking about implementation. Hear about how UDL works with AT, AIM and Learning Technologies. Learn about the National Centre for UDL, the UDL Guidelines, and many other free resources, supports and tools. To see the full plenary blurb click here.

Accommodation at Jupiters Hotel

With only six months to go it is time to start considering your trip to the sunny Gold Coast! We have negotiated discounted rates at the conference venue – Jupiters Hotel Gold Coast.

The discounted accommodation rates we’ve negotiated with Jupiters are lower than those at the hotels we’ve used in previous years, meaning a saving for you! By using Jupiters’ accommodation, you also help us to keep future registration fee increases to a minimum – the more rooms booked at the hotel by conference delegates, the less the cost of the venue hire to us, meaning we are effectively able to pass these savings onto you. As well as securing free wireless internet for all delegates on the conference floor, we have also arranged for FREE wireless internet in delegates’ rooms at Jupiters – that’s a saving of $25 per day!

To take advantage of the conference rates simply book via the Spectronics booking link and quote the special rate code – full details are available on our website.

And as an added incentive to stay at Jupiters we have secured a fantastic prize – read on for details!

Delegate prize draws

Accommodation Prize

All delegates who book their conference accommodation at Jupiters Hotel will automatically go into the draw to win a spectacular prize valued at $775! The prize includes two nights’ accommodation in a superior room for two adults (including full buffet breakfast each morning) at Jupiters Hotel Gold Coast. You will also receive tickets to the impressive Jupiters Theatre – dinner and show tickets for two!

Please be aware that only those delegates who use the special conference accommodation link will go into the draw. So make sure you use this link and quote the special rate code! The lucky winner will be drawn during the conference and will receive a voucher for their prize.

Early Bird Conference Registration Prize

Complete your conference registration by Monday 9th April 2012 to automatically go in the draw to win a dinner and show package valued at $198!

The prize includes dinner for two at any participating Jupiters Restaurant, followed by a show at the Jupiters Theatre. The shows at Jupiters change every few months but if you’d like to know more information please see Jupiters Theatre Attractions. The lucky winner will be randomly drawn and announced in the April 2012 Conference Emailed Update, and contacted via email.

Wishing you all the best for the last weeks of the school term!

If you are keen to attend the conference, you will see that there are a range of registration packages available. Registration is open now and can be completed online or via the downloadable program – just fax the form on page 15 to me on 07 3808 6108 or +61 7 3808 6108 if sending from outside of Australia. If you have any questions please let me know.

Our Conference Program is now finalised!

The Inclusive Learning Technologies 2012 Conference full program has gone LIVE on the conference website offering over 100 sessions from which to choose. The hardest task will be making a choice from the many excellent presentations and hands-on workshops available in each timeslot!

Take a look now if you haven’t done so already. And as I’ve mentioned previously, optional session selection will be back next year. You will be able to select your preferences in January and we will definitely be in touch once this option is available.

Opportunity for Hands-on Learning on the iPad | “AppTastic! Hands-on with the iPad for Accessibility and Special Education”

Many people have been asking if there will be an opportunity for hands-on iPad learning at the conference. Yes there definitely will be! We will have a hands-on iPad lab seating 90 delegates running over all four days of the conference.

On the Pre-Conference Workshops Day (Tuesday 22nd May 2012), the lab will be extended to offer 200 places in the session titled “AppTastic! Hands-on with the iPad for Accessibility and Special Education”. This full-day hands-on workshop will be presented by a team of seven Apple Distinguished Educators and Apple Accessibility Ambassadors from the USA and from several states of Australia. Each presenter will cover their own particular area of expertise ranging from an overview of the Apple iOS/iTunes environments; Apple iOS accessibility features; apps for students with vision and hearing impairments; apps for students (and teachers) in special education classrooms; and management of ePub digital books within a school library system. A full day immersed in learning all things iPad – delivered by experts in the field ready to answer any and all questions!

Delegates will have the option of bringing their own iPads to the conference, or using the iPads provided in the hands-on labs. For those of you registering for the “I Want Everything” package and wishing to take advantage of the four day free-of-charge iPad loan, at this stage we have 94 iPads remaining. We are still urging people to register early to ensure they don’t miss out if they wish to take up this exciting offer.

Once the session selections open in January 2012, delegates will be offered places in their preferred Pre-Conference Workshops in order of receipt of their registration. This is another great incentive to register early as the AppTastic workshop will be very popular we know!

Feedback from the last conference in 2010

Tell the world that you’re coming!

If you have already registered for the conference or have been accepted as a presenter – fantastic! Now, why not share the good news by proudly displaying “I’m attending” or “I’m presenting” badges in your emails, on your website, blog, Facebook and/or Twitter profiles? It’s easy to set up!

Our team has put together helpful instructions on how you can do this! To get your badge and to learn more, click here!

The Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012 on Queensland’s Gold Coast in May next year will provide valuable targeted learning in these areas – and much more! Innovative and practical applications of a wide range of technologies to address literacy, numeracy, communication and behavioural challenges are embedded throughout the four day program.

And the full program has just gone LIVE on the Conference website offering over 100 sessions from which to choose. The hardest task will be making a choice from the many excellent presentations and hands-on workshops available in each timeslot!

Delegates consistently tell us that they leave with a renewed confidence, enthusiasm and commitment to the challenge of really making technologies work for their students of all ages – and ALL abilities.

Will there be opportunities for hands-on learning on the iPad?

Yes there definitely will! We will have a hands-on iPad lab seating 90 delegates running over all four days of the conference.

On the Pre-Conference Workshops Day (Tuesday 22nd May 2012), the lab will be extended to offer 200 places in the session titled “AppTastic! Hands-on with the iPad for Accessibility and Special Education”. This full-day hands-on workshop will be presented by a team of seven Apple Distinguished Educators and Apple Accessibility Ambassadors from the USA and from several states of Australia. Each presenter will cover their own particular area of expertise ranging from an overview of the Apple iOS/iTunes environments; Apple iOS accessibility features; apps for students with vision and hearing impairments; apps for students (and teachers) in special education classrooms; and management of ePub digital books within a school library system. A full day immersed in learning all things iPad – delivered by experts in the field ready to answer any and all questions!

Delegates will have the option of bringing their own iPads to the conference, or using the iPads provided in the hands-on labs. As an added incentive to register early, the first 200 delegates registered for the “I Want Everything” package will be offered use of an iPad free-of-charge during the conference. What a great way to explore firsthand how the iPad might be of benefit to your students. At this stage – only 133 iPads remain for loan so we are urging people to register early to ensure they don’t miss out if they wish to take up this exciting offer.

Once the session selections open in January 2012, delegates will be offered places in their preferred Pre-Conference Workshops in order of receipt of their registration. This is another great incentive to register early as the AppTastic workshop will be very popular we know!

Please join us and share the news with your colleagues!

The Inclusive Learning Technologies Conferences are only held once every two years. So it would be wonderful to have you and others on your team join us next year. If I can help with any information at all, please email me on conference@spectronicsinoz.com or phone (07) 3808 6833 or +61 7 3808 6833 if calling from outside Australia. If you would like copies of our printed Preliminary Program posted to you, please just ask. I am happy to post out one or one hundred copies for you to share!

If you have already registered for the conference or have been accepted as a presenter – fantastic! Why not share the good news by proudly displaying “I’m attending” or “I’m presenting” badges in your emails, on your website, blog, Facebook and/or Twitter profiles? It’s easy to set up! Learn how here!

]]> http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/conference-2012/questions-re-ipads-and-technologies-supporting-special-education-or-learning-support-join-us-for-answers/feed/ 0 http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/conference-2012/inclusive-learning-technologies-including-ipad-apps-conference-2012-update-september-2011/ http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/conference-2012/inclusive-learning-technologies-including-ipad-apps-conference-2012-update-september-2011/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 06:51:50 +0000 Eliza Bale http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/?p=3589 Following is the latest update about the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012. Enjoy! This month we have included some key conference dates which you should add to your diary if you are planning to join us. And of course we sincerely hope that you are able to be a part of our biggest ever Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference!

Final program available next month

The Call for Papers is now closed. Thank you to all who contributed to such a truly innovative pool of proposals. Close on 150 in total!! The Conference Program Committee is currently carefully considering each of the papers submitted – not an easy task! But they will work hard to ensure that the selected presentations complement those of our Keynote and Featured Presenters to ensure an inspiring and motivating spread of presentations and hands-on workshops for ALL delegates.

As I mentioned in my last note to you, we are constantly adding to the program, so visit the Conference Program page to keep an eye on it as it is fleshed out live. The final program will be available for all to view in late October. Not long to go now!

Featured Presenter: Ian Bean | Special Education Needs and Assistive Technology Consultant

As the conference draws ever nearer, I’d like to introduce you to some of our many wonderful presenters. To start this month … meet Ian Bean. He may need no introduction of course, but if you are not aware of his background, please read on.

Ian was formerly the Consultancy and Training Manager at Inclusive Technology in the UK where he led a team of teachers and therapists providing consultancy and training services to schools in the use of assistive technology. He has recently launched out independently as a Special Educational Needs and Assistive Technology Consultant, based in the UK, but available to provide his valuable services worldwide!

Ian is also known for his work at Priory Woods School, where he taught learners of all ages with a wide range of severe and multiple disabilities – internationally recognised as a model of best practice in the use of ICT for this student group. Ian wrote and maintains the popular Priory Woods website which is visited by many thousands of people each day eager to use the free switch and touch screen programs he wrote for the site. So popular in fact, that there have been 3.5 million downloads of the activities! See www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk.

He has an in-depth knowledge of assistive technology and has developed detailed assessment techniques and novel teaching strategies to exploit the full potential of these technologies. He shares his valuable resources and expertise now on his own comprehensive website at ianbean.co.uk.

Below are just a couple of the comments about Ian after his contribution to the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference in 2010. View many more glowing comments here and visit YouTube to see him in action on stage in Oz last time. He proved to be our most popular presenter in 2010 so how could we not “bring back the Bean” for you?

FREE iPad loan – the countdown!

In case you missed my note in July, the first 200 delegates registered for the “I Want Everything” package will be offered use of an iPad free-of-charge for the full four days of the conference!

We have been surprised at the number of registrations we have received already – before we even have a program published. Such is the reputation of the conference now we are told. Very flattering. But as the registrations are coming in, the number of iPads remaining for loan is steadily decreasing and we know from past experience that once the program is live, the number of registrations will increase dramatically.

So, if you would like to take advantage of the offer of an iPad for use during the conference, complete your registration soon to ensure that you don’t miss out!

Key conference dates for you to note!

This year is well and truly flying! The conference will be here before we know it, so to make sure you’re on top of what’s coming up we thought it might be handy to highlight some key dates.

• FINAL Conference Program available live – late October 2011
  As soon as the program is finalised you’ll be able to view it on the Conference Program page.
   
• Session selection – Monday 9th January 2012
  Yes! As promised it’s back – so get ready. Optional of course! Once you are registered we will let you know – closer to this time – how to go about selecting your preferences to guarantee your place in the sessions you really don’t want to miss.
   
• Early bird registration closes – Monday 9th April 2012
  Get in early for your chance to win the Jupiters’ dinner and show package valued at $198!
   
• Registration closing date – Friday 18th May 2012
  Open now!

New! As an enticing incentive to register early to attend the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference, the first 200 delegates registered for the "I Want Everything" package will be offered use of an iPad free-of-charge for the full four days of the conference! If you don't already have an iPad to bring with you to the conference, this will provide a great opportunity to explore firsthand how the iPad might be of benefit to your students, your teaching, your therapy programs, or just for your own use.

There will be a focus on mobile learning in many of the sessions – with an iPad lab for hands-on learning sessions too. Free wireless Internet access will be available to all throughout the conference too of course to enhance this learning experience.

We also have news of three VERY exciting prizes from our three generous Gold Sponsors!

From AbleNet.  A chance for one lucky delegate to win an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Conference in Orlando, Florida, USA in January 2013! Just show us how you are using AbleNet technologies to support your students. Read more!

From DynaVox Mayer-Johnson.  A chance to win the innovative DynaVox Maestro speech generating device valued at $13,000. Just tell us how you would benefit from winning this prize. Read more!

From Texthelp Systems.  A chance to win the fabulous prize of a Texthelp Read&Write GOLD Dual Platform for Windows and Mac – P-12 School and Home Site Licence (for two campuses) along with five USB Mobile versions of the program. Valued at $14,000! Just tell us how you would benefit from winning this prize.
Read more!

To ensure that you keep up-to-the minute up-to-date with exciting announcements like these, it would be great if you could do three things.

1. Sign up via the conference website to receive the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012 emailed updates

2. Visit the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012 Facebook page and “like” the page and while there join the ILT2012 Facebook Group
3. Follow us on Twitter @ILT2012

We’d love to have you as a part of the growing ILT2012 Conference “family”.

Call for Papers – Six weeks to go

We continue to welcome submissions to contribute to the Conference program. If you are interested in contributing please note that there are now only six short weeks left to get your papers in! The Call for Papers will close on Wednesday 31st August, so please submit your abstracts online now. A FREE three-day Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012 registration valued at $750 will be offered to all successful applicants!

200 FREE iPads available for loan!

New! As an enticing incentive to register early to attend the Conference, the first 200 delegates registered for the “I Want Everything” package will be offered use of an iPad free-of-charge for the full four days of the conference! If you don’t already have an iPad to bring with you to the Conference, this will provide a great opportunity to explore firsthand how the iPad might be of benefit to your students, your teaching, your therapy programs, or just for your own use.

There will be a focus on mobile learning in many of the sessions – with an iPad lab for hands-on learning sessions too. Free wireless Internet access will be available to all throughout the conference too of course to enhance this learning experience.

If you would like to take advantage of this exciting offer, complete your registration now!

Feedback from the last conference in 2010

Funding Grant Update

We have disappointing news regarding the popular National Disability Conference Funding. This year we are not eligible to apply for funds from FaHCSIA’s “National Disability Conference Initiative”. And despite our best efforts at explaining to FaHCSIA the importance of this funding to our industry and delegates, we apparently no longer meet the criteria to receive funding to support some of our delegates with disabilities and their parents/carers to attend.

Please feel free to provide any feedback or concerns you have regarding this change in funding distribution to the National Disability Conference Initiative Team at disability@fahcsia.gov.au.

Our team has collated a number of other grant possibilities – funding that you apply for on your own behalf. See the Conference Grant Possibilities page for the various links.

Program viewable online – watch us build it live!

Keep an eye on the program as it is fleshed out live, online over coming months!

Rather than hide it away until we have our program completed in October 2011, we are more than happy to share with you as we piece the program together. Things will change for sure but we are happy for you to watch, so check out the Conference Program page!

Dedicated ILT2012 Conference Facebook Group

The ILT2012 Facebook Group has been set up as an open forum for anyone who is taking part in the 2012 Conference as a presenter, exhibitor or delegate. And for anyone else who would like to be there! The members are growing so we’d love for you to join us! Please also feel free to add friends you think may be interested to the group. It will be a great medium to communicate with fellow delegates and supporters of the Conference before you get there!

Do you feel you need assistance with any of the following?

• Keeping up-to-date with learning support technologies in regular ed 
• Keeping up-to-date with new software and hardware options for special ed students
• Making sense of the MANY Apps now available for iPads in schools
• Just knowing how to get started on successfully implementing these tools in classrooms and beyond?

If so. You are not alone! The Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012 on Queensland’s Gold Coast in May next year will provide valuable targeted learning in all of these areas – and much more! Delegates consistently tell us that they leave with a renewed confidence, enthusiasm and commitment to the challenge of really making technologies work for their students of all ages – and ALL abilities.

Feedback from the last Conference in 2010

It would be wonderful to have you join us next year

If you have attended an Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference in the past, you will be well aware of the quality of this professional learning event – held only once every two years. If this is the first time you have heard about this conference – we warmly invite you to learn more by visiting our comprehensive conference website or downloading the Preliminary Program.

Registration and the Call for Papers are both now open. Even though it is still a year away, registrations are coming in already and the Exhibit Hall is nearly full with only two booths still available! Such is the reputation of this conference.

It really would be wonderful if you could join us too. And as an added incentive to register soon, the first 200 delegates registered will be offered use of an iPad free-of-charge for the full four days of the conference! What a great way to explore firsthand how the iPad might be of benefit to your students!

If you just wish to be kept up-to-date at this stage, please sign up to receive our regular updates or just send me a quick reply and I’ll add you to our growing list of people interested from across Australia, New Zealand, SE Asia and beyond.