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5th Annual IL Statewide Transition Conference Registration Information:
Program Information

| November 8 | November 9 | November 10 |

UPDATE: Presentations and Handouts are now available on the Program Information section of the web site in PDF!
If accessible formats are needed, please contact the conference planners.

Professionals, families and students were invited to participate in special workshops focused on practical and evidence based strategies that address family involvement, student development, self-determination, and effective program structures. Pre-conference was structured to support longer sessions for topics that require more time and some shorter sessions offering information on best practices and innovative programs. The pre-conference was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, with the availability of a special one-day conference attendance rate, to provide opportunities for those who may not be able to attend during the week.

Sunday Sessions:

1:00 - 2:30 PM Sessions | 1:00 - 4:00 PM Sessions | 2:45 - 4:00 PM Sessions

Sunday, November 8th
1:00 - 2:30 PM Sessions

PC1: Health Track
Ensuring Success in Transition and Transfer of Health Care to Adult Providers
Speakers: Dr. Andrew Defreitas, Dr. Miriam Kalichman, Dr. Larry Vogel and Dr. G. Revivo

Panelists will discuss various health conditions and the ways that health care transition impacts the condition. Physicians will share personal experiences with sending and /or accepting patients to adult care; things that work and stories of pitfalls. Tips for families, youth and staff (therapists, school staff, counselors and care coordinators) will be provided to help ensure a successful transition of care.

PC2: Community Track
Using Video IPods to Promote Independence: Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials
Speakers: Toni Van Laarhoven, Traci Van Laarhoven-Myers, Justin Olson, Anna Brady, Heather Johnson

Presentation | Handouts

The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of how video Ipods can be used to promote independent functioning of individuals with developmental disabilities in vocational, community, or home settings. Attendees will be provided with a synopsis of the latest in handheld research followed by demonstrations for creating video-based instructional material using free software. Tutorials for creating materials will be given to participants so that they can begin to create materials on their own.

PC3: Education Track
Career and Technical Education: A Mechanism to Support Successful Transition for All Students
Speaker: Kat Oertle

Presentation

The major themes of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement act of 2006 (Perkins IV) are intended to provide students with the academic and technical skills necessary to succeed in the 21st Century knowledge and skills based economy. Collaboration is necessary to actualize Perkins IV, thus improving transition success especially for students who have been historically left out. In this session, implications of the national, state, and local CTE programs of study implementation will be discussed.

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Sunday, November 8th
1:00 - 4:00 PM Sessions

PC4: Community Track
A Detailed Adventure of What to Do and When
Speakers: Sherri Schneider & Brian Rubin

Unfortunately, caring for individuals with special needs does not come with a book. This interactive informative session will cover government benefit eligibility throughout one's lifetime (SSDI, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, DAC, HBWD) as well as PUNS, the waiver programs (Children and Adult), Special Needs Trusts, gifting by Family/Friends, divorce of parents, group health insurance, selecting guardians and trustees, guardianship and alternatives, letter of intent and the state of the state.

PC5: Education Track
How to Develop a Transition Program that Honors Students' Potential through Education, Employment, and Service: Follow the Need
Speakers: Mary Ellen Kasik, Joe Volante, Mindy Newman

Presentation

Students participate in active transition planning when they know their personal hopes are valued. Particularly in a challenging economy, students need to remain encouraged to seek meaningful opportunities. This session will present the practical realities of developing a transition program. Grayslake High School, District 127, initiated a Transition Program in the 2008-09 academic year to collaboratively support students’ efforts at self-determination as they pursue independent employment, service opportunities and post secondary education. Participants and presenters will exchange transition-related strategies. Grayslake students will share their experiences and insights.

PC6: Employment Track
Cold Calls, Marketing Yourself & Choosing A Career Path
Speakers: Bonnie Pinnow, Carl Larson, Phyllis Laycock, Mark Augustine, Rochelle Fowler & Thomas Lowery

Presentation

This session will look at a number of strategies including: How to make a first great impression when trying to land a job, how to market yourself as you are selling your skills, how to ace interviews, how to get and be job ready, and how to choose a career path. This is also for employers so they can see the benefit of hiring people with disabilities.

PC7: Education Track
Transition Planning and a New IEP Process: The Paradigm Shift
Speaker: Matt Cohen

Presentation

The session will cover how IDEA 2004 has increased the importance of transition planning and that the IEP be driven by that transition plan. Attendees will be able to identify the new changes in legislation, understand the affects of those changes on the IEP process and identify new outcomes for planning, based on those changes.

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Sunday, November 8th
2:45 - 4:00 PM Sessions

PC8: Health Track
Creating Your Own Electronic Care Notebook
Speakers: Rita Klemm, Donna Scherer, Bob Cook

Presentation

This session will demonstrate how adolescents and youth can begin to manage their own health care by creating and maintaining their own personal care notebook and using technology to do it.

PC9: Employment Track
Illinois WorkNet TM: Free Employment Resources for Transition Success
Speakers: Natasha Telger, Nathan Zak

Presentation

This session will provide both consumers and professionals with Illinois WorkNet career exploration activities and resources for locating training providers, will inform participants about free employment resources to prepare for a job, find a job, and locate work support services all within Illinois WorkNet, will inform participants about workforce professional resources and training opportunities available to assist in working with individual and businesses, and demonstrate new assistive technology incorporated into Illinois WorkNet. Browse Aloud is great for those with low literacy, dyslexia, visual impairments and more.

PC10: Education Track
Best Practices in Transition: from Research to Practice
Teresa Garate

There is extensive research in the area of transition, however this research isn’t always transferred to practical applications in schools. This session will highlight some of the literature on best practices and provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on how to convert these findings into practical applications of policies and programs at their schools.

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For more information
contact Debbie Einhorn
at 866-436-7842 ext.116,
or via email at: deinhorn@fmptic.org

The Adobe Reader, available free from the Adobe web site, is needed to view and print the PDF files.

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