There's still room left for the Thursday evening dinner cruise on Lake Champlain! Sign up ASAP!!

Have questions? Give me a call (860-486-3321) or drop me an email (carrol.waite@uconn.edu)

Carrol Waite, Institute Manager

How do You Meet the Unique Needs of College Students with Disabilities?

Come learn skills you'll use every day! The objective of this Training Institute is to assist concerned professionals to meet the unique needs of college students with disabilities. Participants can select from a variety of Strands and Single Sessions taught by experts in the field that provide participants with in-depth information and adequate time for questions and follow-up activities.

Participants also have opportunities to share information and network with each other at various activities throughout the week.

Should You Attend?

Yes! If you are one of the following, you should attend this Institute:

• LD/Disability Specialist
• 504/ADA Administrator
• Administrator
• Faculty / Instructor / Tutor
• Educational and Career Counselors
• Academic Skills Center Personnel

Registration Information

Early: $365 - Payment [check or PO] must be received [not just postmarked] on or before May 1, 2006.

Regular: $395 - Payment [check or PO] must be received [not just postmarked] on or before May 23, 2006.

Discount: $345 - Rate for each person if three or more individuals from the same institution register together (i.e., mail in materials together). Payment [check or PO] must be received [not just postmarked] on or before May 23, 2006.

On-Site: $485 - All registrations received after May 23, 2006 will be considered "on-site" registrations and processed accordingly.

Saturday Post-Session: Regular: $50; On-Site: $75

If payment in full is not received by July 31, 2006, a fee of $25.00/month will be assessed thereafter until payment is received in full.

Registration Form

Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to open the PDF file. Click on the Adobe logo to dowload your free copy

If you have problems with the PDF format, drop me an email (carrol.waite@uconn.edu) and I will email you the Registration Form in Word format.

Additional Registration Information

See Registration Form for detailed payee information. Registrations are processed by an agency outside the University. Do not send registration materials to, or make checks or purchase orders payable to, the University of Connecticut. Questions pertaining to registration should be directed to Project Solutions at 207-797-7130.

Credit cards are not a payment option. Foreign payment must be made in U.S. funds. Any charges levied by U.S. banks will be billed to the issuer of the check.

Connecticut State Agencies wishing to use the CORE system to process registration payments, please contact Carrol Waite, Institute Manager, via email carrol.waite@uconn.edu or phone at (860) 486-3321 for credit account information. Please do not process transfers without including our account information.

CEU's: We are unable to offer CEU's in conjunction with this Institute. Participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance onsite that states the number of contact hours and other pertinent information about the Institute.

Cancellation Policy

You will receive a complete refund if you cancel by 4:00 p.m., EDT, May 5, 2006. Cancellations made after this time will be subject to charges for arrangements incurred in your name (meal/food service, educational materials, etc.). If you do not attend and do not cancel in accordance with the above guidelines by calling Project Solutions at 207-797-7130, you will be liable for the full registration fee. Participant substitutions may be made at any time. The Univesity of Connecticut reserves the right to change instructors and to cancel or reschedule this program in the event of insufficient enrollment or unforeseen circumstances.

Hotel Information

2006 will mark our third visit to Burlington. Get ready to enjoy life in the most beautiful corner of Vermont. From the splendor of Lake Champlain, to the Adirondacks glowing in the sunset to small-town pleasures and outdoor adventures like hiking, boating, golf and more... discover Vermont's charm and unparalleled vitality at the Wyndham Burlington. Amidst this captivating setting is the ideal location for your visit. A recent $3 million refurbishment has enhanced every part of the hotel. Each of the guest rooms has been newly restyled with lovely furnishings and thoughtful amenities including dataports and high-speed internet access. At the Wyndham Burlington, you're close to everything this delightful region has to offer. The Wyndham is located on the shore of the lake in the heart of downtown.

Room rate will be $139.00 (double or single, plus 11% tax). Contact the Wyndham at 800-658-6504 (or 802-658-6500) to make a room reservation. Mention your are attending the UConn Institute to receive the group rate.

Visit the Wyndham Burlington web site at: www.wyndham.com/hotels/BTVBU/main.wnt for additional information.

Parking is provided by the City of Burlington Parking Garage which is attached to the Wyndham Burlington. For overnight guests at the hotel, the standard garage fee is $5.50 per day per car which provides all day in and out privileges. Day attendees (those who are not overnight guests at the hotel) may purchase discounted parking vouchers at the Oak Street Cafe (within the Wyndham hotel).

Please note: As is customary, a maximum number of rooms are blocked for the conference and after that number is reached, or May 4, 2006, whichever comes first, reservations at the conference rate will be honored on a first-come, first-serve availability basis. This is standard practice in the industry and is beyond our control. If the hotel reaches capacity, you are encouraged to make a reservation elsewhere but are also encouraged to check back with the Wyndham Burlington from time to time [even the day before the Institute begins!] as there can be last minute cancellations that will free up rooms.

Airport, Hotel Shuttle, Train, and Bus Information

Burlington International Airport (BTV) is the closest airport and is served by most major airlines. For details, visit the airport's web site at www.vermontairports.com

For overnight guests at the hotel, the Wyndham Burlington provides hotel shuttle service between the hotel and Burlington International Airport. Contact with the hotel to arrange for pickup may be made via the courtesy phone in the baggage claim area.

The hotel shuttle is NOT accessible. If you are an overnight guest at the Wyndham and need to schedule accessible transportation between Burlington Airport and the hotel, at your earliest convenience please contact: Janice Valgoi, Director of Sales at the Wyndham Burlington, at 802-859-5011 (or email: jvalgoi@wyndham.com)

Train travel is possible via Amtrak with arrival into Essex Junction (approximately 5 miles from the hotel). For details, visit Amtrak's web site at www.amtrak.com

Bus travel is possible via Greyhound. For details, visit their web site at www.greyhound.com

Auxiliary Aids and/or Services

The Center on Postsecondary Education and Disability would like to ensure that no individual with a disability is excluded, denied services, or otherwise treated differently from other individuals attending the Institute because of the absence of auxiliary aids and/or services.

Please contact us about special accommodation needs at your earliest convenience, but no later than May 1, 2006 so that there is sufficient time to make appropriate arrangements. Special equipment (which is borrowed from other resources) and/or materials in alternate format will not be available on-site unless specifically requested in advance.

For assistance with auxiliary aids and/or services, or a copy of this brochure in alternate format, please contact: Carrol Waite, Institute Manager, at (860) 486-3321; email: carrol.waite@uconn.edu

Comments from 2005 Participants

Click here to see comments from 2005 participants.

Schedule

Click here to see the 2006 schedule.

Keynote

Self-Determination: An Essential Component of Success in Postsecondary Education and Beyond. Presented by Dr. Sharon Field, Co-Director, Center for Self-Determination and Transition, Wayne State University

There is substantial evidence that a self-determination emphasis in academic support programs for students and faculty in postsecondary education settings would lead to more successful outcomes for students. In this session, we will explore the rationale for including a self-determination emphasis in academic support programs at the postsecondary level. Models of self-determination (one specifically geared toward the needs of students and the other targeted towards the needs of faculty) will be offered. These models can be used to guide the development of instructional and support programs. Specific strategies for promoting self-determination, including the use of coaching techniques, will be provided. Finally, barriers to implementing a self-determination emphasis in postsecondary settings will be listed and possible solutions to those barriers will be identified. This session is intended to provide participants with a broad understanding of the issues involved in incorporating a self-determination emphasis in academic support programs. In addition, we expect that participants will leave the session with ideas for specific self-determination strategies they could use in their programs.

Strand Descriptions

Detailed descriptions will be added over the next few weeks as they become available.

Please note: Each Strand is continuous for three days. You will make one choice from Strand one and one choice from Strand II. Also note the level of the Strand appears in parentheses after the title. Please select your attendance accordingly.

Strand I, Sessions A-E:

1. Making Lemonade: Working with 1) Negative Outcomes, 2) Static and Changing Reporting Relationships, and 3) Parents (intermediate/advanced) - Louise H. Russell, M.A., Harvard University, MA. The purpose of this strand is to exmaine skill-building in those DSS environments with their share of negative interactions and outcomes, and is designed to be very interactive and contributory, including sharing of bad decisions and outcomes. As such, the expectation is that participants will want to contribute constructive ideas designed to problem-solve in general, not exchange war stories. Attendees will work to identify some problem-solving variables designed to turn negative outcomes around toward a more "win-win-win" direction for students, faculty, and the DSS office; will focus on using these same skills when dealing with strained relationships with your boss and other influential personnel; and will look at the skills as they could apply to parental "involvement" with your office.

2. Understanding Learning Disability Evaluations (beginner) - Joseph W. Madaus, Ph.D., University of Connecticut. Novices to the field of postsecondary learning disability services may feel overwhelmed and confused when "deciphering" learning disability evaluations. Geared for the newcomers to the field, this strand will include information related to the fundamentals of assessment, common methods of learning disability diagnosis, common assessment instruments, and tools and methods useful in interpreting scores and learning disability documentation.

3. Administrative Problem Solving: Strategies and Solutions Using Assessment (beginner/intermediate) - Linda Refsland, MS.Ed., Iona College, NY. Many disability services professionals work in single-person departments and are not able to collaborate with colleagues regarding program evaluation and improvement. Presented information and guided discussion will be utilized to help participants generate solutions to current concerns. Content will address the practical difficulties of administrators trying to incorporate assessment into department life.

4. A Primer for Understanding the Reasonable Accommodation Dance on College Campuses: A Legal Perspective (all levels) - Jeanne M. Kincaid, Drummond, Woodsum & MacMahon, ME. Disability service providers and ADA coordinators need to reconsider who should be served and how to do so in a manner consistent with each institution's overall mission. Participants will grapple with cutting edge ADA/Section 504 issues that have emerged in the wake of the onslaught of litigation, including: Who is considered disabled? Who is considered "otherwise qualified?" What level of documentation is permissible? What are the limits of reasonable accommodation? and Understanding the role of faculty in the accommodation process. This strand will include a discussion of the most recent court and agency rulings to keep the participants up-to-date in this emerging legal minefield.

5. Coaching College Students with ADHD: Partnerships that Promote Self-Determination (all levels) - David R. Parker, Ph.D., University of Connecticut & Cynthia Runberg, B.S., MCC, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In this strand, the presenters will explore three related trends: a rise in college students with ADHD who request services for their performance-based needs, increased research about the executive functioning (EF) difficulties of students/adults with ADHD, and the rapid rise of coaching as a new service delivery model. While many service providers express interest in coaching, training time and costs can be prohibitive. This practical strand will focus on partnerships that service providers can form with private practice coaches to meet students' needs in a manner that promotes the self-determination of students, DSS professionals, and coaches alike.

Strand II, Sessions F-J:

6. Developing and Managing a Disability Services Program (beginner/intermediate) - R. Trey Duffy, M.A., California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. In this strand, the presenter will address the development and management of a disability services program with emphasis on budget, personnel, policy, program and professional standards, and operational procedures.

7. Keys to Crafting Effective LD Documentation Updates: Palatable Enough for Disability Services Providers and Potent Enough for High-Stakes Testing Agencies (advanced) - Manju Banerjee, M.S., University of Connecticut and Educational Testing Service & Loring Brinckerhoff, Ph.D., Educational Testing Service. Given the high cost of obtaining disability documentation updates, it has become increasingly important to consider guidelines for updating documentation to be palatable enough for disability services providers and yet potent enough for high-stakes testing agencies. Participants will learn more about what evaluators need to do in order to address shifting documentation criteria in higher education. Topics discussed will include an overview of the critical components necessary to update LD documentation, testing agency perspectives on whether the Summary of Performance will eclipse or add to documentation requirements, followed by case studies with LD documentation updates.

8. Assistive Technology Applications at the Postsecondary Level (beginner) - Kristine Neuber, M.Ed., George Mason University, VA. In this strand, the presenter will discuss and demonstrate commonly used assistive technologies at the postsecondary level. Participants will gain an understanding of the types of technologies available, how services are often provided, and common issues associated with providing AT on a college campus. Demonstrations will include a wide range of software programs including text scanning and reading, document reading, talking dictionaries, Braille translation, screen enlarging and screen reading technology, as well as a few hardware devices. Participants will be provided with demonstration copies of many of the software applications demonstrated.

9. Combining Research-Based Study Skills, Accommodations, and Manipulatives to Improve Mathematics Learning (beginner/intermediate) - Paul Nolting, Ph.D., Manatee Community College. Participants will learn how to use math study skills, understand how processing deficits affect mathematics learning, recommend the appropriate math accommodations, and be able to understand how math manipulatives can improve student learning. Participants will learn note-taking, homework, problem solving, test anxiety reduction, and test-taking systems. Participants will be able to explain to math instructors which processing deficits cause the most difficulty in math learning and the reasons for appropriate accommodations. Participants will practice with math manipulatives, be able to bring samples back to their tutors and math instructors, and be provided with theory and hands-on learning to help improve students' math success.

10. Students with Psychiatric Disabilities (beginner/intermediate) - Laura DiGalbo, M.Ed., Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, State of Connecticut. Participants will be provided with an overview of characteristics experienced by students with psychiatric disabilities and how they are exhibited in the classroom and on campus. Participants will explore current benefits and detriments of treatment and medication on learning and will leave with practical strategies and interventions to utilize on their campuses.

Single Session Descriptions

Click here to see Single Sessions.

Saturday Post-Session

Using the New Summary of Performance in the Disability Documentation Process: How Can it be Used to Determine Eligibility and Appropriate Accommodations presented by Stan F. Shaw, Ed.D., University of Connecticut & Manju Banerjee, M.S., University of Connecticut and Educational Testing Service, NJ.

AHEAD's Best Practices: Disability Documentation in Higher Education (2005) states that "institutional documentation policy should be flexible, allowing for the consideration of alternative methods and sources of documentation, as long as the essential goal of adequately describing the current impact is met." The Summary of Performance (SOP) is now the only transition assessment information required of secondary schools as a result of IDEA 2004. In this session, the presenter will describe how to use the "alternative" data coming from SOP's to effectively determine both eligibility under Section 54 and provide appropriate accommodations. Participants will have the opportunity to review completed SOP's to consider their utility in the disability documentation process.

Dinner Cruise on Lake Champlain

Back by popular demand! Thursday evening dinner cruise on Lake Champlain aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III, Burlington's 500 passenger luxury cruise ship.

We respectfully request that you sign up no later than May 19, 2006. This deadline is not a 'sales gimmic.' Truth be known, if you choose to wait until after this deadline, there stands a great chance that you will not be able to participate. We are required to make deck reservations by a given date in accordance with the number of people attending so once that date and respective number are reached, there are no exceptions. The deck we have reserved is wheelchair accessible.

Click here for a boat form.

Visitor Information

Visit the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerace for information on the greater Burlington area.

Or visit Vermont.com for a Guide to Burlington.

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