SYMPOSIUM ON LEARNING DISABILITIES 2019
FRIDAY, OCT. 11, 2019
8 A.M.-4:30 P.M.
Lake Receptions,
4425 N. Highway 19A,
Mt Dora, FL 32757
President’s Welcome
Well beyond academic tradition, the college’s embrace of current research and best practice has been the very essence of our nation-leading student outcomes and has informed every element of “the Beacon experience,” from our instructional models, to our unique service delivery framework. Today’s symposium draws together the leaders and thinkers who have shaped and are now transforming what we know about a world of neurodiversity. We at Beacon consider ourselves both fortunate and privileged to have this gathering of such distinguished presenters in the educational arena that animates Beacon’s mission.
Adorning Beacon’s collegiate seal is the inscription Illumen Vitae Abundantiorem (Illuminating the Life Abundant). This thematic concept pervades and unifies all that we do at the college. Beacon has boldly declared the features that we believe comprise and ultimately define the Life Abundant. This is a life that embraces and thoughtfully balances the pursuit of (1) intellectual challenge, (2) a code of ethical and moral principles, (3) the healthy moorings of family ties, trusted friendships, and positive social networks, (4) a lifestyle of wellness across all domains, (5) worthy work to sustain an independent lifestyle, (6) service in the cause of bettering the larger community, and (7) dreams and ambitions that demand a devotion to lifelong learning. Our speakers and panelists today will help the college to further map and clarify the means by which we can realize our ambitions for our students more fully.
Whether you are a member of the Beacon community, a visiting colleague, or a person whose interest has been piqued by the compelling nature of the subject at hand, it is our pleasure to welcome you to this sponsored symposium.
Dr. George J. Hagerty
President, Beacon College
Symposium Schedule
Friday, October 11, 2019
| 8:00-8:45 am | Registration |
| 8:50-8:55 am | The occasion, President George J. Hagerty |
| 9:00-10:00 am | Keynote address, Steve Silberman |
| 10:00-10:10 am | Break |
| 10:15-11:15 am | Workshop: “Promoting Self-Determination for Students with Disabilities” |
| 11:15-11:25 am | Break |
| 11:30-12:30 am | Workshop: “How exactly does ADHD affect academic achievement?” |
| 12:35-1:35 pm | Lunch |
| 1:35-1:45 pm | Break |
| 1:45-2:45 pm | “How Do We Move The Employment Needle for Students with Disabilities?” |
| 2:45-2:55 pm | Break |
| 3:00-4:30 pm | Panel Discussion and Wrap-up: “Where do we go from here? |
Keynote Address
“Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and The Future of Neurodiversity”
STEVE SILBERMAN
Contributing Editor, Wired
Steve Silberman is an award-winning science writer whose articles have appeared in Wired, the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Financial Times, the Boston Globe, the MIT Technology Review, Nature, Salon, Shambhala Sun, and many other publications. He is the author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity (Avery 2015), which Oliver Sacks called a “sweeping and penetrating history…presented with a rare sympathy and sensitivity.” The book became a widely-praised bestseller in the United States and the United Kingdom, and won the 2015 Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction, a California Book Award, and a Books for a Better Life award. It was chosen as one of the Best Books of 2015 by The New York Times, The Economist, The Financial Times, The Boston Globe, The Independent, and many other publications, and is being translated into 15 languages.
Description: Using his popular book as a launching point, Steve Silberman will explore the future of neurodiversity and the benefits and challenges of embracing it in our increasingly globally-connected world.
Workshops
Workshop: “Promoting Self-Determination for Students with Disabilities”
University of ConnecticutJoseph W. Madaus, Ph.D., is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the Director of the Center on Postsecondary Education and Disability, and a Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. He is co-editor of Preparing Students with Disabilities for College Success: A Practical Guide to Transition Planning.
University of South Florida – St. PetersburgDr. Lyman Dukes III is an associate professor of special education at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. He is also Principal Investigator of Project 10: Transition Education Network, which is a transition-focused training and technical assistance center funded by the Florida Department of Education. He is co-editor of Preparing Students with Disabilities for College Success: A Practical Guide to Transition Planning.Description: This session will present an overview of the importance of self-determination in students with disabilities. These skills are especially important in assisting students with accessing needed disability services and supports, but given that most students chose to not self-disclose to their college, self-determination skills become especially important in helping students to navigate the college environment independently. An overview of the existing literature will present definitions of self-determination and provide support for its importance to the success of students. Participants will also be introduced to the APP Tool, a brief and easy way for higher education professionals to identify campus activities, policies, and procedures that can enhance, or hinder, student self-determination.
Workshop: “How exactly does ADHD affect academic achievement?”
Beacon CollegeDr. Oksana Hagerty is an educational and developmental psychologist, who serves as a learning specialist and assistant director of the Center for Student Success at Beacon College. She specializes in academic support, cognitive abilities, learning disability interventions, and educational and developmental psychology. For 12 years, she served as an associate professor at Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University [Ukraine], teaching practical, methodological, and theoretical courses in developmental and educational psychology.Description: Managing ADHD is essentially, managing performance. This presentation explores strategies for the classroom, at home, and self-management to prevent this neurological condition from becoming a major destabilizing factor in collegians’ academic and professional lives.
Workshop: “How Do We Move The Employment Needle for Students with Disabilities?”
Bloom Consulting LLC
Dr. James Williams is the Chief Operating Officer and Pre-ETS Director at Bloom Consulting. He is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Advanced Certified Autism Specialist, and an Adjunct Professor at St. Edward’s University. He is also a certified Special Education Teacher with experience in public and private education and social services.
Description: The discussion focused session addresses post-college employment outcomes for students with disabilities and the various strategies, solutions, and services which may be provided to foster more success for these students as they enter the world of competitive employment.
Panel Discussion
“Where Do We Go from Here? “
Head of School, Fletcher School; Director of The Rankin Institute
Dr. Betit is a graduate of Dartmouth College in English Language and Literature. He later received his doctorate in Education at Fielding Graduate University. He spent nearly three decades at Landmark College, serving in senior management positions. He also served as Deputy Executive Director for Educational Affairs of the King Salman Center for Disability Research in Saudi Arabia.
Posny Education Consulting LLC
Dr. Alexa Posny served as Director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) for the U.S. Department of Education, and was the Deputy Commissioner of Education with the Kansas State Department of Education, State Director of Special Education, and Director of Special Education for the Shawnee Mission School District.
Bloom Consulting LLC
Dr. James Williams is the Chief Operating Officer and Pre-ETS Director at Bloom Consulting. He is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Advanced Certified Autism Specialist, and an Adjunct Professor at St. Edward’s University. He is also a certified Special Education Teacher with experience in public and private education and social services.
Description: The discussion focused session addresses post-college employment outcomes for students with disabilities and the various strategies, solutions, and services which may be provided to foster more success for these students as they enter the world of competitive employment.
Western Michigan University
Wanda Hadley is an Associate Professor of higher education leadership in the Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology. Hadley focuses her research on the academic adjustment issues first-year students with learning disabilities experience in their transition to college through the lens of student development theory. In 2015 in honor of the 25th year of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Dr. Hadley was recognized by the American College Personnel Association as one of the 25 scholars in the United States conducting research about college students with learning disabilities.
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