Conference Sessions ›  Saturday, June 10

Conference Sessions: Saturday, June 10

9:00am - 10:30am

Keynote Speaker

Temple Grandin, Ph.D. is a designer of livestock handling facilities and an Associate Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Dr. Grandin also consults with the livestock industry on facility design, livestock handling, and animal welfare. She has appeared on television shows such as 20/20, 48 Hours, CNN Larry King Live, PrimeTime Live, and the Today Show, as well as shows in other countries. She has been featured in People magazine, the New York Times, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, Time magazine, the New York Times book review, and Discover magazine. She has authored over 300 articles in both scientific journals and livestock periodicals on animal handling, welfare, and facility design. She is the author of Emergence: Labeled Autistic, Developing Talents, and Thinking in Pictures. Her book Animals in Translation was a New York Times bestseller.

10:45am - 12:15pm

Harmonizing Your Child's Brain to Music
Lecture, Intermediate

Develop a repertoire of effective strategies for linking children with disabilities and their families to community resources that support arts and culture. Affirm the importance of creative expression by taking part in the creation of an improvisational musical piece.
Presenters: Nancy Green, Dr. Margarita Arnal, Texas

Art in Mental Health
Lecture, Introductory

Explore current research endeavors by Workman Arts to assess the value of accessible facilities and activities for artists with mental health needs. Discuss the outcomes obtained in a study concerning the impact Workman Arts had on member quality of life, and deliberate the utility of a standardized questionnaire for organizations that support this population.
Presenter: Nicole Koziel, Canada

CANCELLED - Inclusion Fever: A Music Therapist’s Perspective
Lecture, Introductory

Learn teaching strategies to help navigate the responsibility maze of including students with disabilities into your music class.  This workshop draws from the experiences of music therapists and will address many issues surrounding the inclusion of students who have autism, are non-verbal, or who have learning delays.
Presenter: Dorita Berger, Connecticut

Inclusive Strategies for the Urban Classroom
Panel, Intermediate

Explore strategies for inclusive arts education in a variety of arts disciplines, including music, dance, drama, and visual arts. Study powerful instructional practices based on extensive classroom experiences with New York City students with severe cognitive, emotional, and physical disabilities.
Presenters: Kathy London, Dr. Diane Duggan, Lisa Knox, Leslie Newman, Barbara Tetenbaum, New York

How to Win Friends and Influence Playmates
Workshop, Intermediate

Learn specific strategies to increase the number and quality of social engagements between children with disabilities and their peers. Participants will develop an activity matrix that provides structure for embedding social interactions into daily routines and ensuring consistent and planned social opportunities throughout the entire day.
Presenters: Dr. Laurie Sperry, Edith Purcell, Ron Roybal, Colorado

ADDED - Drama/Theatre Making as Emancipatory Learning
Workshop, Intermediate

Explore the link between professional actor/ensemble training strategies and contemporary adult education theory.  Learn about the capacity building model at the core of the work of Quick Bright Things Theatre Company, based on the principles of cultural democracy unique to emerging drama and disability paradigms in Ireland.
Presenters: Declan Drohan, Ireland

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1:45pm - 3:15pm

Jump Into Evaluation
Workshop, Introductory

Jump into a hands-on, interactive, and practical discussion of outcomes evaluation. VSA arts evaluation efforts focus on developing ways to document the outcomes of inclusive arts education for students with disabilities. This workshop will be a creative space in which our framework will be shared, explored, and challenged. No prior evaluation/research experience is necessary to participate.
Presenter: Dr. Kathlyn M. Steedly, Washington, D.C.

Self Advocacy Takes the Stage!
Workshop, Introductory

Come explore the High School Self Advocacy Theater, an innovative theater program where students in special education learn and practice the selfadvocacy skills essential for their transition from school to adulthood. This workshop provides an inside view of how the program works through watching video of actual classes and participating in a typical class.
Presenter: Emily Anderson, Vermont

Playground Inclusion: Using Creative Arts
Lecture, Introductory

Inclusion and meaningful participation are challenged when playground environments and activities do not match the abilities and interests of children with special needs. Learn how to develop a playground curriculum using art, music, and dramatic play to successfully create an inclusive environment for outdoor play.
Presenters: Linn Wakeford, North Carolina, Dr. Petra Kern, Canada

Six Steps to Teacher Development
Panel, Introductory

Discover how teachers without a background in the arts can learn essential skills to effectively meet the needs of students and engage them in the learning process through the arts. Delve into the ArtsSmart Institute for Learning’s professional development model that enables teachers and artists to work collaboratively to serve the interests of students of all abilities.
Presenters: Sara Lawrence, Sue Potter, Charlotte Smelser, Kay Thomas, Texas

Art and the Autistic Child
Lecture, Intermediate

Find out how to employ the arts as a tool to capture the attention and interest of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Learn from the personal experiences of an art therapist in using the arts as a tool to strengthen relationships and enhance communication and expression. Explore the unique strengths and challenges of autistic children through this session.
Presenter: Dr. Jane Richardson, Massachusetts

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3:30pm - 5:00pm

Dance - A Kinesthetic Experience
Workshop, Introductory

Be an active participant in learning how to use dance and creative movement
as educational tools. Discover new and creative approaches to modifications and adaptations for dance.
Presenter: Kit Bardwell, Kansas

Hand Papermaking for All
Workshop, Introductory

Experience the satisfaction that comes from making your own paper, a simple process that can serve as a connection between the arts and your required curriculum. Learn how to use the ancient art of papermaking to energize your classroom and empower students with disabilities to achieve success.
Presenters: Tom Harmon, V.A. Patterson, Cathy Edwards, Mississippi

Bang! Pow! Zap! Exploring Sound in Comics
Workshop, Introductory

Explore how the process of cartooning can connect the visual and language arts. Learn about the form and function of comics, focusing on how comics can help students build literal vocabulary, practice sequencing, and transform abstract ideas into stories. Come away with strategies for teaching this popular art form to students with auditory and learning disabilities. Rubrics and assessment guidelines will be provided.
Presenters: Richard Jenkins, Debra Detamore, Oklahoma

Creative Communication
Workshop, Intermediate

Discover how to communicate creatively about any subject, including math, languages, life skills, or science. Drawing on the traditions of movement, dance, drama, and music, learn how to turn a curriculum of non-artistic
content into an arts-infused, inclusive learning experience. Through interactive improvisation, explore and develop adaptive tools that enable students with disabilities to excel in the classroom.
Presenter: Lela Lombardo, Florida

Creativity Abounds: Exploring Adaptive Materials & Equipment
Workshop, Introductory

Experiment with adaptive art equipment and materials while creating works of art. Discuss inclusive strategies concerning the creation, analysis, and philosophy of art before delving into the usefulness, need, and expense of adaptive equipment and materials.
Presenter: Dr. Susannah Brown, Florida

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