Digging Deeper to Make Systems Change

A series of two webcasts on April 28, 2011 and October 5, 2011

2011 PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT AND INFORMATION

Summit Mission and Purpose

The Mission of the National Summit on Deaf Education is to promote and advance knowledge and leadership through professional and parent stakeholder partnerships that result in collaborative state education systems and improved outcomes for children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The National Summit on Deaf Education joins leaders in education and administration with parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing for the purpose of designing educational systems and services that will successfully launch every deaf or hard of hearing student from birth to young adulthood to his/her highest academic and social potential.

The Summit will not host a face-to-face meeting in 2011 but will provide two webcasts that each include two presentations. By using the webcast format, the Summit is modeling the use of technology to deliver the presentation content to state teams across the country.

This year's Summit showcases several models that can be adapted for use by state teams in addressing critical issues within their states. It is an opportunity for state teams to learn strategies for using current research and effective strategies to make decisions for improvement as they are applied to accountability for student outcomes in deaf education. This activity provides the states with an opportunity to apply the information presented toward addressing the goals of the National Agenda.

Expected Outcomes of the Summit:

• Participants will identify current research and effective strategies to be used for improvement planning and selection of improvement strategies/programs as they are applied to accountability for student outcomes in deaf education.
• States will have formed or strengthened their stakeholder teams that include parents, and state department of education, state school, and regional program leaders, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, higher education representatives, and other critical players.

Conference Agenda

The 2011 State Leaders' Summit will be comprised of a series of two webcasts; each webcast will include two 75-minute presentations and a brief question and answer period for each presentation. There will not be an onsite meeting this year. The webcasts will be archived after each broadcast date.

April 28, 2011 (Archived for all registered participants)

• Effective Itinerant Services for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing; The Wisconsin Process
• Developing a Statewide Program in a Time of Chaos: Partnerships Make the World Go 'Round

Presentation Descriptions

October 5, 2011

• Creating a Competitive Edge: How to Prepare a Deaf/HOH Student's Knowledge, Skills and Talents for the World of Work
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher Preparation Program Changes in Response to Evolving Student Needs and State and National Trends

Presentation Descriptions

Registration

Online registration is now available. The registration fee for the webcast series is $500 per state team for one viewing site and $750 per state team for multiple viewing sites within one state. To register, go to
https://utconferences.outreach.utk.edu/ei/cm.esp?id=191&pageid=_3490MYQOE
Note: State teams that registered for the April webcasts do not need to re-register for the October webcasts; the registration link will be sent to the state team contact person prior to October 5.

Viewing the Webcasts

States (or regions within states) are encouraged to bring together team members to view the webcasts on the day they are broadcast. Each presentation will be followed by a brief question and answer period with the presenters. The webcasts will also be archived for viewing by registered state teams who are unable to meet during the days of the live broadcasts.

Information about the webcast link and technical requirements will be distributed to the main contact for each registered team prior to the broadcast; opportunities will be provided to test the connection prior to each broadcast.

Who Should Participate?

The involvement of state teams is critical to effecting systems change. Whether the presentations are provided in a traditional conference format or via a webcast series, the Summit is dedicated to creating opportunities for vested parties to work together for information gathering, planning within states, and problem solving.

To effectively plan, we strongly encourage the participation of state teams that are comprised of key leaders and stakeholders who represent a variety of perspectives. Opportunities to discuss state plans will be provided as part of the Summit agenda. We recommend that the state teams include representation from:

• Parents
• State Departments of Education
• State (or other) Special Schools and Programs for the Deaf

Additional team members to consider include representatives from higher education, early childhood deaf education, local programs, or others who have a vested interest and potential influence in improving educational outcomes for children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing.

We also welcome Summit participants representing the groups listed above who are from states that have not yet formed a team. Participating in the Summit webcasts this year could serve as the "seed" for future state leadership team activities.

Parent Participation

In every state there are parents committed to systemic improvement, and their perspectives must be included when addressing the critical issues in deaf education. Therefore, we strongly encourage parents to be part of each state team. Start now to identify your parent leader! If you are a parent interested in this opportunity, make yourself known to the state department of education and/or superintendent of the school for the deaf in your state.

Accessibility:

Watch and listen to the presentations online via web-based software. Sign language interpreting and captioning services will be provided as part of each presentation.

Broadcast Schedule:

The webcasts will be aired live, beginning at 12:00 pm EDT.

Presentation 1:	12:00 - 1:30 eastern
	11:00 - 12:30 central
	10:00 - 11:30 mountain
	9:00 - 10:30 pacific

Presentation 2:	2:30 - 4:00 eastern
	1:30 - 3:00 central
	12:30 - 2:00 mountain
	11:30 - 1:00 pacific

Other Summit Information

Past Summit notes: www.ndepnow.org

For additional information, please contact Marcia Kolvitz at Marcia.kolvitz@pepnet.org.