Great Topics Planned for the 2016 Special Education Symposium in Des Moines

The Special Education Symposium, which is a free event sponsored by the Iowa Department of Education, is June 13-14 and is intended for special education teachers, teacher leaders and mentors, Area Education Agency staff, administrators and families with students with disabilities.

Breakout sessions will include topics such as enhancements for early interventions, literacy and significant disabilities, improving adolescent literacy, leadership supports in special education, teaching social emotional skills, and addressing Specially Designed Instruction through diagnosis, design, delivery and engagement.

Keynote speakers

• Don Deshler, a nationally known expert in Specially Designed Instruction
• Todd Whitaker, who specializes in staff motivation for teachers and administrators
• Tim Harris, a 26-year-old with Down Syndrome who owns and runs his restaurant in Albuquerque, Ariz. He also runs a nonprofit, Tim’s Big Heart Foundation, which helps people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

Visit the event website for more information and to register.