Sped Summit
World's Biggest Special Education Conference. It's completely free!
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Is the conference virtual only?Yes Sped Summit is completely virtual. All presentations will be delivered online only.
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Can I watch replays if I am unable to attend live?Yes replays are available for all sessions till August 21, 2024.
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How will I get the Professional Development Certificates?You would be asked to take up a short quiz after each session. If you score above a certain percentage, the PD certificate will be delivered to you over email.
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How do I sign up for Sped Summit?Use this link to sign up for the summit.
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Who is this for?The Sped Summit is for all special ed professionals, be it special educations teachers, SLPs, PTs, OTs, ABA therapists and more...
Frequently Asked Questions
22nd Jul - 21st Aug 2024
CONNECT
Connect with the members on our Facebook Group
Never miss an announcement, or a fun anecdote. Join our Facebook and stay in touch with the community.
Starbucks Gift Cards, TpT Resources, AbleSpace Subscriptions, and much more...
We have multiple giveaways lined up for you during the entire conference. Raffles, quizzes, and surprise gifts. Get ready to learn and get ready to win!
Professional Development and Fun!
Professional
Development Certificates
Get professional development certificates for each session you attend
Multiple
Giveaways
Opportunities to win multiple giveaways during the conference
Resources and
Bonus Materials
Powerful resources and bonus materials to upgrade your practice!
Session List
Learn from the who's who in the special education space. Practical professional development sessions for FREE!
Are you a Sped Professional? This is for you!
Special Education Teachers, SLPs, PTs, OTs, ABA Professionals and more...
Sessions starts 22nd July 2024
10 speakers and 10 sessions
5-day virtual conference
Completely Virtual and online
Replays available through Jul & Aug
Absolutely free at no extra cost
Speakers
People who have been there and done that. Practical tips at the comfort of your home.
Sandra L.Aranda
Speech Language Pathologist
"Sandra L. Aranda is a Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who studied at and received Degrees from San Jose State University. Sandra has over 28 years of experience working with preschoolers through Junior High students. Currently, she is working with Extensive Needs as well as General Education students at Bernal Intermediate School and next year at Sakamoto Elementary School. Sandra is passionate about working with all of her students and helping them learn the skills they need to be able to communicate successfully in life as well as helping them to excel in their academics. Sandra believes in a data-driven approach and has used AbleSpace as her attendance and data platform for many years now. In her downtime, Sandra considers herself a ‘Gamer Geek’ and enjoys board games, role playing games (RPGs), and also live action role playing (LARPs). She also acted for many years in four local theaters in a variety of roles. Sandra uses these experiences to run what she calls a “Game Based Speech Program”. Her students practice a wide variety of Speech skills while participating in various activities. Sandra also firmly believes that many language and social skills can be learned through games and she created the Bernal Game Club this past year that was attended by over 40 students."
Angela Restivo
Behaviour Specialist
Angela Restivo is an Intervention Services Specialist in Coppell Independent School District in Texas. She has 23 years experience in public school Special Education, including 20 years as a Behavior Specialist. Angela is a Licensed Social Worker, Licensed Behavior Analyst, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Emily Muccianti
Reading Specialist
"Emily is a reading specialist, interventionist, mentor, coach, and consultant. During her tenure in K-12 public education, her expertise in reading instruction, methodology, and data analysis brought several of her programs state recognition. Emily is passionate about providing teachers with evidence-based strategies and resources to improve student outcomes. She continues to support reading intervention educators across the country through design and implementation of their MTSS/RTI system frameworks with the goal of increasing student reading gains. "
Samantha Letney
Special Education Teacher
"Hello! My name is Samantha and I have always wanted to be a teacher ever since I was little. I first became passionate about working with people with disabilities when I joined the first-ever inclusive cheerleading team for students with disabilities (The Spartan Sparkles). This experience completely changed my life. I then started a collegiate inclusive cheerleading team called the UNI Sparkles. After college, I went on to teach high school special education (intellectual disabilities) and elementary (mild and severe disabilities). One of my favorite aspects of being a special education teacher was the creation aspect. I LOVED creating resources for my students and it was always a dream of mine to start a TPT store. In May of 2021 I woke up at 4am and told myself, today is the day! As soon as I started creating and sharing my resources with other teachers on TPT, I decided that wasn’t enough. I wanted to make an even bigger difference in the special needs community. I decided to start creating YouTube videos to help other special education teachers with classroom tips, support and ideas to make teaching and lesson planning easier. I got an overwhelming positive response to my Youtube videos which made me want to continue helping and inspiring other teachers. I brainstormed different ideas on how I could create a free community focused on teachers supporting teachers. That is when my Facebook support groups were born! My mission through my company ActiviTeach is to help you feel inspired and supported in your journey as a special education teacher! Feel free to follow along on my journey as I continue to try to make a difference and grow our special education teacher support community!"
Special Educator
Dayna Abraham
"Dayna Abraham, bestselling author of Calm the Chaos: A Fail-Proof Roadmap for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids. As a National Board Certified educator, parent of three neurodivergent children, and an ADHD adult herself, Dayna brings a unique and out-of-the-box perspective to parents raising kids in the modern world. Through her compassionate framework, Calm the Chaos, she has helped millions of desperate parents around the world, find peace and meet their children where they're at when conventional parenting tools have failed them."
Special Education Teacher
Lydia Huninghake
"Lydia is a veteran teacher of Special Education for 15 years. She has taught various settings of Special Education: Resource, Co-Teaching, Self-Contained for ESY, and Virtual. Her dynamic caseloads range within grade levels of K-12 with students on the Autism Spectrum, Specific Learning Disabilities, Developmental Delays, Intellectual Delays, and Emotional Disabilities. As her school district transitioned into supporting Multi-Tier Systems of Support (MTSS), Lydia also transitioned to becoming Coordinator of building MTSS implementation, organizing intervention classes along with mentoring teachers. She has also help develop a virtual branch of learning for elementary aged students within her district. With the experience of virtual teaching, Lydia has continued to streamline collaboration with parents as they become a deeper part of the IEP and support process for their learners. Virtual teaching has been insightful to family mentoring along with including learning coaches in the IEP planning process. "
Special Education Teacher
Laine Shields
Laine Shields is an Autistic educator and Transition Specialist, who specializes in teaching and creating curriculum for Neurodivergent teenagers and adults. Laine began in the Accessible Education field 16 years ago. He uses his lived experience combined with his professional background to advocate for shifting towards neurodiversity affirming teaching practices and inclusive disability education.
Special Educator
Stephanie Flores
"Stephanie Flores is an accomplished educator with over 21 years of experience in the field of education. She began her career as an elementary school teacher, and her passion for inclusive education led her to become a Special Educator. Certified as an Educational Diagnostician, Stephanie also served on the district’s Autism evaluation team. Over the years, she transitioned into district administration and currently serves as the Executive Director of Intervention Services. In her current role, Stephanie leads the Special Education, Section 504, Dyslexia, and Early Childhood Department, overseeing programs that ensure all students receive the support they need to thrive academically and socially. Her commitment to improving educational outcomes for diverse learners is evident in her leadership and advocacy within the district. Outside of her professional endeavors, Stephanie is a dedicated mother of three children, each attending different stages of schooling—high school, middle school, and elementary school. Her husband is a firefighter for the city of Dallas. Actively involved in her community, Stephanie serves on the advisory committee for the Austin College Teacher Program and is an ordained deacon at her church."
Special Education Teacher
Shelley Kenow
"Shelley Kenow is a Special Education Consultant, licensed Special Education Teacher, best-selling Author, podcast host, Master IEP Coach®, national and international Speaker, and entrepreneur. She has been in the field of special education for over 30 years. She has written hundreds, if not thousands, of Individualized Education Programs (IEP), and led as many or more IEP meetings. She has trained thousands of teachers, parents, therapists, and administrators on Leveling Up the IEP, Understanding Behaviors, and truly collaborating as an IEP team member with everyone at the table. Shelley believes we know who we are, but not who we will be. With that in mind, she believes it is crucial for all those involved in writing the IEP to have a positive outlook for students and to focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities. "
Special Education Teacher
Rachel Glassman
My name is Rachel Glassman, and I am the face behind Engaging Early Learners. I just completed my 7th year teaching special education. I have taught in a PreK self-contained classroom and a 2nd-grade inclusion classroom. Throughout my years of teaching, and especially with my preschool self-contained experience, I have become very passionate about teaching ALL students in every classroom! I hope that you find my session helpful.
Samantha Letney
Special Education Teacher
Pros and Cons to Teaching High School Special Education Vs Elementary Special Education
Watch this video to learn about if being a high school special education teacher or elementary special education teacher would be best for you! This video is about my own experiences teaching both secondary and elementary special education. Take everything light-hearted and remember that these were just my own experiences and we all have our own personalities that might be suited for a certain grade level. Every school is different so your experience might be different from my own. I hope this video helps someone who is considering a grade level change or to decide which teaching job to pursue!
22nd Jul, 9:00AM PST
Sandra L.Aranda
Special Language Pathologist
Personal Insights into Digital Data Collection
This presentation aims to share Sandra's experiences with digital data collection to support informed decision-making, foster collaboration among educators, and ultimately improve educational outcomes for students in SPED programs. We discuss how digital tools and technologies are revolutionizing the way educators collect, analyze, and utilize data for administrative and academic benefits. Sandra also talks about some digital tools and platforms used for data collection, how they integrate with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and their role in progress monitoring and personalized instruction.
22nd Jul, 9:00AM PST
Dayna Abraham
Special Educator
Role of sensory skills in education, and strategies to support sensory integration for special education students
This presentation explores the critical role sensory skills play in the educational development of students in special education. The presentation highlights the impact of sensory processing difficulties on learning and behavior, emphasizing the challenges faced by special education students, and specific strategies to promote better learning outcomes.
23rd Jul, 9:00AM PST
Stephanie Flores
Special Educator
Collaborative Partnerships through Inclusive Classrooms
Through the lens of inclusive classrooms, we will explore ways to leverage the strength of all educators, develop a mindset of ownership and dig into practical ways to partner and deliver small group instruction using the 6 collaborative teaching strategies. We will explore the partnerships between general educators and special educators and dive into successful paraprofessional training and support. "
23rd Jul, 9:00AM PST
Lydia Huninghake
Special Education Teacher
The Power of AI in Education
Join me for an in-depth virtual presentation where we explore 19 cutting-edge AI platforms designed to revolutionize education. Whether you're a seasoned tech-savvy educator or just beginning to incorporate technology into your teaching, this session offers valuable insights for everyone. We will cover: - Comparing AI Tools for Teachers vs. Students - Teacher-Focused AI Tools - Student-Focused AI Tools - AI Tools for Special Education - Why These Tools Matter Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding of AI's transformative potential in education. Whether you're looking to enhance your teaching toolkit, support diverse learners, or stay abreast of the latest trends, this presentation offers valuable insights and practical strategies.
24th Jul, 9:00AM PST
Shelley Kenow
Special Education Teacher
How To Chair and Manage an IEP Meeting
This presentation will cover the topics of relating to parents, what should be said and not be said at an IEP meeting, how to present potentially bad news, making sure everyone's voices are listened to, and developing a truly appropriate Individualized Education Program that meets the child's unique needs while preparing that child for further education, employment, and independent living.
24th Jul, 9:00AM PST
Laine Shields
Special Education Teacher
Teaching your Autistic Students about their Autism
This presentation focuses on the important and sensitive task of educating autistic students about their own autism. Understanding their disability can empower students, helping them to navigate their experiences and advocate for themselves. The presentation will cover key topics such as the appropriate age and developmental stage to begin these discussions, strategies for explaining autism in a clear and positive manner, and the use of tailored resources and tools. We will explore how to foster a supportive and inclusive classroom environment that encourages open dialogue and self-awareness. Additionally, the presentation will provide insights into how educators can work collaboratively with parents and caregivers to ensure a consistent and supportive approach.
25th Jul, 9:00AM PST
Emily Muccianti
Reading Specialist
RSP and Reading Intervention: Maximizing reading gains through program collaboration
In this session we will explore the transformative power of synergy between Resource Specialist Programs (RSP) and reading intervention initiatives. We will delve into practical strategies and collaborative approaches that can significantly boost reading outcomes for students requiring specialized support. Participants will gain insights into how coordinated efforts between RSP and reading intervention programs and resources can create a cohesive and comprehensive framework for addressing diverse student needs. We'll discuss how to effectively align goals, share data, and integrate resources to foster a seamless support system.
25th Jul, 9:00AM PST
Rachel Glassman
Special Education Teacher
Role of Parents in SPED programs
In this presentation, we delve into the crucial role parents play in the success of Special Education (SPED) programs. Special education is not just about what happens within the school walls; it requires a collaborative effort between educators, administrators, and most importantly, parents. The presentation will highlight various aspects such as advocacy, communication, and partnership between parents and educators. We will discuss how informed and engaged parents can positively impact their child's educational journey, ensuring personalized support and fostering a supportive learning environment. Additionally, we will explore strategies for enhancing parent-teacher collaboration, navigating Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and empowering parents to be effective advocates for their children.
26th Jul, 9:00AM PST
Angela Restivo
Behaviour Specialist
Behavioural Intervention Strategies for young students
In this session, attendees will explore a variety of behavior strategies for early childhood, preschool, and kindergarten students in specialeducationn classrooms. Attendees will learn about evidence-based techniques to address common behavioral challenges, promote positive behaviors, and create a conducive learning environment.
26th Jul, 9:00AM PST