CEC-Ohio 2025 Summer Conference

CEC-Ohio Summer Conference 2025:

Register Here

Communities of Practice

Date: June 6, 2025
Time: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: The Fawcett Center, Ohio State University
2400 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43210

Registration fee is $80 for CEC members and $100 for non-members (includes light snacks/coffee and lunch).

Join us for the Ohio Council for Exceptional Children's summer conference. This year’s conference theme,"Communities of Practice," underscores the importance of collaboration, shared learning, and collective problem-solving to enhance outcomes for students with disabilities.

Why Communities of Practice?
Communities of Practice (CoPs) are groups of educators, professionals, and stakeholders who share a common goal of improving special education through knowledge exchange, collaboration, and best practices. These networks empower educators by fostering ongoing professional learning, innovation, and support, ultimately strengthening services and outcomes for students with exceptionalities.

Keynote Speaker
We are thrilled to welcome Marcquis Parham from Ohio University as our keynote speaker. Mr. Parham brings expertise in leadership and student advocacy, offering valuable insights into how Communities of Practice can drive meaningful change in the field.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Sean Smith (The University of Kansas)
Inclusion through Innovation: AI-Driven Tools that Foster Inclusion

We are also pleased to welcome Dr. Sean Smith from the University of Kansas, who will present on AI-Driven tools for educators that foster inclusion. In this engaging session, Dr. Smith will provide an overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) can be leveraged to enhance inclusion in educational settings. The session will explore practical applications of AI to support students with disabilities and promote more accessible learning environments. By aligning AI-driven tools with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, participants will gain insights into how technology can be thoughtfully integrated to meet the diverse needs of all learners and strengthen inclusive practices across educational contexts.

Breakout Sessions & Poster Presentations
Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in engaging breakout sessions and poster presentations featuring experts, practitioners, and researchers from across Ohio.

Some of the presentation topics include:

• Addressing Challenges in Providing Counseling as a Related Service – Identifying barriers and exploring solutions to improve student access to counseling supports.
• My IEP, My Voice: A Student-Led Journey – Demonstrating the power of student-led IEPs in fostering self-advocacy and engagement.
• Promoting Equity Through Enhanced IEP and ETR Monitoring – Strengthening oversight and accountability to ensure fair and effective special education practices.
• Enhancing IEP Meetings Through Family Engagement Strategies – Implementing best practices to create meaningful and collaborative family partnerships in the IEP process.
• Building Community Connections for Students in Transition Programs – Strengthening partnerships between schools, families, and community organizations to support successful student transitions.
• Ohio’s Paraprofessional Preparation Initiatives: A Statewide Panel Discussion Showcasing programs and strategies designed to equip paraprofessionals with essential skills for supporting students with disabilities.

This conference is ideal for special education teachers, intervention specialists, administrators, related service providers, higher education faculty, paraprofessionals, families, and advocates who are committed to strengthening special education practices in Ohio.

We invite you to join us for a day of learning, collaboration, and networking as we explore how Communities of Practice can enhance special education services, professional development, and student success.

Register today!