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 13th, 2025.
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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
14th Jul - 13th Aug 2025
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
13th July 2025
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.
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Heather Maydak
Assistive Technology
Professional
Heather Rushmore Maydak began her career as an SLP assistant for individuals with severe and profound disabilities before earning a master's degree in Rehabilitation Science and Technology from the University of Pittsburgh. After her role as an Assistive Technology Specialist at two UCP facilities, she transitioned to the University of Washington's Center for Technology and Disability Studies. In this role, she performed outpatient computer access assessments and provided training for rehabilitation therapists. Moving to North Carolina provided the chance to teach undergraduate and graduate students in AT at East Carolina University's Special Education Department. In addition, Heather directed the AT lab and created an online graduate certificate program. A RESNA Certified Assistive Technology Professional, she also serves as an instructor for the Fundamentals Course, guiding professionals toward ATP certification. Heather currently serves as Director of Assistive Technology at Westminster Technologies, conducting AT assessments for schools and developing and delivering professional development programs.
Autism Specialist
Nikki Robertson
Nikki Robertson is an autism specialist, educator, and the founder of Teaching Autism. She has worked in special education for over a decade, creating hands-on, engaging, and independence-building resources for students with complex needs, especially individuals on the autism spectrum. Through her online store, blog, podcast, and trainings, she support educators around the world with practical, low-stress strategies that actually work in real classrooms. Whether it’s themed learning days, visual supports, or task boxes galore, she is all about helping teachers build routines and systems that actually work, especially when it comes to creating calm, consistent mornings that set the tone for the whole day.
Clinical Assistant Professor
Lauren Bedsole
Lauren Bedsole, M.Ed., is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Special Education in the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation at Arizona State University. She currently serves as the Early Childhood Area Lead for the graduate program, where she teaches graduate courses in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education and supervises graduate interns, student teachers, and apprentice teachers. Prior to joining ASU, Lauren spent over a decade working in PK–6 public school settings, both as a Social Emotional Learning and Behavior Specialist and as a self-contained special education teacher serving students with diverse needs.She has presented professional development locally and at international conferences, with a focus on early childhood education, inclusion, special education, and social-emotional learning. Earlier in her career, Lauren worked in a clinical applied behavior analysis (ABA) setting, where she specialized in individualized behavior intervention plans, data analysis and provided 1:1 direct therapy to children with a range of developmental disabilities, ages 2–22. Her primary focus was early intervention for children ages 2–6, using evidence-based strategies to build communication, social, and adaptive skills. She holds a Master’s degree in Special Education from Grand Canyon University and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Human and Family Development from Arizona State University.
Educator & Resource Creator
Laura Hackwell
Laura Hackwell, the owner of Miss Lulu Special Ed, is passionate about helping special education teachers balance academic and functional instruction while keeping high expectations. With 15 years of experience teaching in self-contained classrooms and working as a special education coordinator, she’s been where you are and understands both the challenges and rewards of this work. For over 10 years, she has created practical, easy-to-use resources that support educators worldwide. Committed to inclusive practices, Laura focuses on ensuring all students with disabilities have meaningful access to learning, empowering teachers with tools to foster engagement, independence, and success. Her goal is to make teaching a little easier while helping students thrive.
School Psychologist
Dr. Brandi Tanner
Brandi Tanner, Ph.D., NCSP, is a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, GA. She has experienced the IEP process in many roles, including special education teacher, general education teacher, school psychologist, private psychologist, advocate, and family member. Dr. Tanner is the founder of Your IEP Source. She uses her experience and expertise to help IEP teams use clinical information to develop appropriate accommodations and intervention programs for students with disabilities. She provides resources and educational programs for parents to learn about the IEP and 504 process. She consults with schools, agencies, and professionals and provides training on effective collaboration at the IEP or 504 table.
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Education Consultant
Heather Cacioppo
Heather Cacioppo is a former self-contained special education teacher with 8 years of classroom experience in middle school and high school classrooms. She has also spent nearly 3 years as a Special Education Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator. With a Bachelor's in Special Education and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction specializing in Teacher Leadership, Heather brings both hands-on experience and deep instructional expertise to her work. She’s the founder of Full Sped Ahead, where she supports self-contained special education teachers with real-world strategies, time-saving tools, and adapted resources that actually work in complex classrooms. Heather also mentors teachers one-on-one, helping them feel confident in making educational decisions—without the constant stress, overwhelm, or burnout that so many face in the field. Her philosophy is simple but powerful: special education teachers shouldn’t have to do it all alone. With the right support, structure, and community, they can thrive. We are better together!
Want to share your expertise in special education? Apply to be a speaker at SPED Summit!
Cara Vega
Special Education Teacher
With 12 years of experience in elementary special education, Cara holds certifications in K–6 Elementary and K–12 Special Education, along with a Master’s in Educational Leadership. She has taught 2nd–6th grade across co-teaching, resource, and self-contained classrooms. Cara’s passion lies in upper elementary, where she creates resources and shares best practices to support accommodations and modifications for all learners
Special Education Teacher
Sophie Cole
Sophie Cole is an Irish special education teacher and advocate. After experiencing a traumatic assault in her classroom in 2022, Sophie launched a national campaign to amend Ireland’s Assault Leave policy for teachers and SNAs. Her advocacy led to unanimous support for policy reform, shining a light on the urgent need for educator protections. Through her platform, she shares teaching resources, personal insights, and supports thousands of fellow educators across the special education community.
Caroline Koehler
Special Educator
Caroline Koehler is a nationally recognized educator, curriculum creator, and documentation mentor for special educators—passionate about making the complex world of special education more manageable, meaningful, and human-centered. With over 20 years in the classroom and dual Master’s degrees in General and Special Education, Caroline brings lived experience, deep empathy, and real-world strategies to her work. She’s supported over 50,000 educators across 81 countries, sharing tools that transform not only how we teach, but how we prepare students for real-life success beyond the classroom. Known for her friendly tone, approachable expertise, and no-fluff support, Caroline is the founder of SPED Up Paperwork, with the mission of Empowering Educators, Transforming Documentation. Through her membership, she creates tools that help teachers shift from burnout to balance—without sacrificing quality or compliance. When she's not creating special education resources (over 280 and counting!), Caroline’s usually sipping hot chocolate or tea, gardening, taking care of barnyard animals, or advocating that being “different but okay” is something to celebrate.
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Heather Maydak
Assistive Technology
Professional
Technology in Special Education
Explore how assistive technology (AT) can enhance learning, increase independence, and reduce barriers for students with diverse needs. This session walks through the key stages of the AT process—from identifying needs and selecting tools to implementing and monitoring their use—while challenging common assumptions about cost and complexity. With a focus on practical, budget-friendly solutions, it highlights built-in accessibility features available on everyday devices like iOS and Windows. It also offers a glimpse into how artificial intelligence is influencing the AT landscape. Educators will gain useful strategies and resources to support inclusive instruction, including guidance on accessible lesson design and tools like the free CIFS Feature Matching Guide.
Coming Soon
Nikki Robertson
Autism Specialist
Autism & Neurodiversity Support- Life Skills Centers
In this session, Nikki Robertson explores the power of Life Skills Centers in supporting neurodivergent students on their path to greater independence. With a focus on practical, hands-on learning, Nikki shares how these spaces can be used to teach essential daily living skills—from cooking and cleaning to money management and social interaction. Attendees will gain ideas for setting up meaningful life skills experiences that help students build confidence, increase autonomy, and prepare for real-world success beyond the classroom.
Coming Soon
Lauren Bedsole
Clinical Assistant Professor
Classroom Strategies & Instruction
In this session, Lauren Bedsole shares effective, inclusive classroom strategies that support diverse learners in special education settings. With a focus on practical instruction, she offers tools and approaches that help educators meet students where they are—academically, behaviorally, and emotionally. From differentiated teaching methods to fostering student engagement and independence, Lauren’s insights are designed to help teachers create structured, supportive classrooms where all students can thrive.
Coming Soon
Laura Hackwell
Educator & Resource Creator
When Inclusion Hits a Wall: Problem-Solving Student Struggles Without Pulling the Plug
When students struggle in inclusive settings, the answer isn’t always more pull-out, it’s better problem-solving. In this practical session, you’ll learn how to identify barriers, adjust supports, and preserve inclusion using a real-world framework. Walk away with go-to modifications, planning strategies, and reframing language for tough IEP team conversations. Whether you’re supporting students with cognitive disabilities, navigating team resistance, or just feeling stuck, this session gives you the tools and mindset to troubleshoot challenges without abandoning the vision of inclusive education.
Coming Soon
Dr. Brandi Tanner
School Psychologist
Building Bridges: Student-Focused Collaboration at the IEP Table
In this empowering session, Dr. Brandi Tanner explores how families, school teams, and private clinicians can come together to create truly student-centered IEPs. Through her "3 C’s of Student Success" framework—Clinical, Clerical, and Communication—Dr. Brandi provides a clear path for building stronger, more collaborative relationships at the IEP table. Whether you're a parent, educator, or specialist, you'll leave with actionable insights to bridge gaps, foster trust, and ensure every student receives the coordinated support they deserve.
Coming Soon
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Heather Cacioppo
Education Consultant
Using Task Analysis to Promote Student Independence
In this session, Heather Cacioppo shares practical strategies for using task analysis to help students develop independence in both academic and everyday routines. From simple classroom jobs to real-world life skills, she demonstrates how breaking tasks into small, teachable steps can reduce overwhelm, increase confidence, and build long-term self-sufficiency. Attendees will learn how to create, differentiate, and implement task analyses at all grade levels, using visual supports, prompting strategies, and data tools that can be easily integrated into any special education classroom.
Coming Soon
Sophie Cole
Special Education Teacher
Behavior Management & Support
Positive Behaviour Strategies: To reduce and eliminate behaviour that challenges.with Sophie Cole, Early Years Practitioner and Primary School Special Education Teacher. Campaigner for an amendment to Assault Leave for teachers and SNAs. This webinar would be particularly suitable for Teachers and SNAs working with students who present with behaviours that challenge. This webinar looks a stratergies that support students with Intellectual disabilities. This webinar will focus on practical, evidence-based strategies to support students' positive behaviour. We focus on understanding behaviour and the triggers for it. Understanding how to carry out effective observations and implement them to support your students' positive behaviour. We will explore techniques to create a safe and stimulating environment to reduce/eliminate behaviours that challenge. We will discuss techniques for responding to behaviour that challenges, which will enable you to defuse the situation. Finally, we will discuss assaults in our classroom's and how to support yourself and your colleagues if this occurs.
Coming Soon
Cara Vega
Special Education Teacher
No Frills Modifications and Accommodations
In this practical session, discover simple, low-prep strategies to accommodate and modify ELA and math instruction for diverse learners. These no-frills approaches are designed to be effective, inclusive, and easy to implement—no extra planning or fancy tools required. Whether you're supporting students with IEPs, English learners, or those who just need a different way in, you'll walk away with ready-to-use ideas that can be applied tomorrow.
Coming Soon
Caroline Koehler
Special Educator
Transition Planning for Students with Special Needs
At SPED Summit 2025, Caroline will be diving into one of her favorite topics: Transition Planning for Students with Special Needs. Expect a session packed with practical guidance, flexible strategies, and encouragement that honors the dignity of every student. Caroline’s mission is to help educators feel less overwhelmed by paperwork and more empowered in their purpose.
Coming Soon