---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 09:27:48 -0500
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: CONFERENCE INFO/CALL FOR PROPOSALS.IF APPROPRIATE,PLEASE POST TO LISTS


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                   EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE
                   State University of New York

                                 announces

 "DISABLED, BUT ENABLED AND EMPOWERED"
                     March 19-22, 1998

          The fourth biannual major multidisciplinary
        Empire State College Conference focusing on
       disability issues, empowerment, education, and
        advocacy featuring disability advocates and
               community and national leaders
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


     They no longer maintain their silence.

     They're exploding the myth of "helplessness" and
     have thrown off archaic, prejudicial stereotypes that
     branded them as "handicapped," "retarded," and "crippled."

     The 49 million men, women and children with disabilities
     are today emerging as an organized, articulate, political,
     and social force working to expand the parameters of the
     American dream of independence.

     In educational, legal, employment, and technological
     arenas, persons with disabilities have made giant strides
     in recent decades.

     At one time forced to watch life from the sidelines,
     today these individuals strive to earn their own paychecks,
     live in their own homes, drive their own cars, and
     interact with a full range of social, spiritual, and
     recreational groups of their own choosing.

     Their Civil Rights march from disability to independence
     and self-advocacy into the next millennium will be mapped
     at the SUNY Empire State College Conference, Thursday
     through Sunday,  March 19 through 22, 1998.


           "DISABLED, BUT ENABLED AND EMPOWERED"



***********************************************
            Electronic Announcement (Text only)
                            and
                    Call for Proposals

  1998 Conference Theme:  Building Common Ground
          for the Millennium 2000 fostering
      the Inclusion of People with Disabilities

      The call for proposals is at the end of this
           announcement as well as background
                information on the conference.
***********************************************


   FEATURING SIX CONCURRENT INTEGRATED THEMES

             Six interrelated themes will be explored at this
             conference.  Presentations will be accepted related
             to only one theme as well as presentations that
             bridge two or more themes.

  EDUCATION
              - Distance Learning and Higher Education
                for post-secondary students with disabilities
              - Non-traditional higher education and
                training for people with disabilities
              - Adult education including continuing,
                literacy, and adult basic education
                for people with disabilities
              - Lower education - current issues and trends
              - Early childhood education

  EMPLOYMENT
              - Employment of People with Disabilities
                  in the Electronic Age
              - Strategies for fostering employment
              - Injured workers/rehabilitation issues
              - Sheltered employment
              - Internships and other special initiatives
              - Tax credits and other incentives

  ARTS, RECREATION, ENTERTAINMENT
    AND SPIRITUALITY
             - The arts and disabilities
             - Participation in recreation and entertainment
             - Fostering inclusion within religious
                 communities
             - Recreation activities and sports for
                 athletes with disabilities

  ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND
    UNIVERSAL DESIGN
            - For employment and education
            - For housing and participation in all aspects
              of society
            - The Internet and telecommunications

  ADVOCACY AND INCLUSION
            - Through awareness and sensitivity discussions
            - Self, Community and Systemic
            - Independent Living initiatives
            - Aging and Disability
            - Gender Issues and Disability
            - Disability, Multiculturalism and
                Diversity

  SOCIAL POLICY/SOCIAL CHANGE
            - Legal issues
            - Policy changes, initiatives
            - Emerging and future trends
             - Disabilities studies - within a discipline
               and multidisciplinary studies
             - International trends

 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

  Thursday Keynote Speaker:  JOHN HOCKENBERRY,
     Correspondent, NBC, CNBC and MSNBC.
     Mr. Hockenberry will speak about many of
     the themes of the conference - the pursuit of higher
     education with a disability, inclusion, assistive
     technology and other topics.


 Friday Keynote Speaker:  JUDITH HEUMANN, Assistant
     Secretary of Education, United States Department
     of Education.  (invited but not confirmed)  Ms. Heumann
     directs the Office of Special Education and
     Rehabilitation Services.  She will discuss IDEA
     and related educational issues.


 Saturday Keynote Speaker:  HEATHER WHITESTONE
     MCCALLUM, Miss America, 1995, will be the
     keynote speaker.  As the first Miss America with a
     disability, she has emerged as an advocate for
     persons with disabilities stressing personal
     responsibility and achievement.


 Sunday Keynote Speaker:  JOHN LANCASTER,
     Executive Director, President's Committee on the
     Employment of People with Disabilities, United States
     Department of Labor, will be the keynote speaker.
     Mr. Lancaster will discuss strategies to foster
     employment by people with disabilities.


 ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, AND RECREATION EVENT

  On Saturday evening, March 21, 1998 featuring a wheelchair
  ballet, arts displays and several performances by artists
  with disabilities.   Wheel chair basketball and interfaith
  initiatives to include people with disabilities will also
  be featured.


FEATURED SPEAKERS

Several featured national speakers will be present at the
conference addressing the various themes of the conference.
Some of the confirmed speakers include:

        Dr. Ellen Arnold, Arncraft, Inc.

        Lyle Bald Eagle, Sioux Nation - the only Native American
                Nation to adopt A.D.A.

        Dr. Norman Coombs, Equal Access to Software and Computing
                Scholar, AAHE

        James Dixon, National Organization on Disability

        Dr. David Du Bois, SUNY Empire State College

        Dr. Nancy Gadbow, SUNY Empire State College

        Dr. Roger Hiemstra, Professor Emeritus Syracuse University,
                Adult Education

        Dr. Devva Kurnitz, World Institute on Disability and
                Society for Disability Studies

        Jill Jacobs, National Organization on Disability

        Dr. Carolyn Jarmon, EDUCOM Fellow, 1996-1998

        Dr. Jane Jarrow, former Executive Director of the
                Association for Higher Education and Disability,
                and currently President of Disability Access and
                Information Service

        Dr. Mary Klinger, SUNY Empire State College

        Dr. Marcia Scherer, Center for Assistive Technology,
                University at Buffalo - SUNY


  OVERVIEW OF THE CONFERENCE

        In addition to the keynote speakers, featured speakers,
special events, and exhibits by human service agencies,
assistive technologists, book publishers and other
disabilities-related products and services, the conference
will have 88 concurrent sessions and approximately 200
round table and breakout sessions as well as exhibits
and assistive technology displays.


CONFERENCE LOCATION

        The Four Points Sheraton Hotel, located on the banks
of the Genesee River in downtown Rochester, will be the
conference hotel.  This full-service hotel has excellent
conference facilities and guest accommodations and is
conveniently attached to the Riverside Convention Center
by an enclosed pedestrian walkway to over 100 retail
stores.   Restaurants, theaters, entertainment, and
cultural activities also are located near the hotel.
The hotel is in close proximity to Amtrak and there is
a free shuttle service from the Greater Rochester
International Airport.


  ACADEMIC CREDIT/CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS

A variety of studies (graduate and undergraduate)
will be available.  There will be several opportunities
to incorporate this conference into undergraduate and
graduate studies.  Continuing education units will be
available for participants.  For more information about
pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies in connection
with the conference including a course to be offered
on the world wide web, please request further information
electronically by sending a message to [log in to unmask]


FOR MORE INFORMATION

PERSONAL CONTACT:

Please contact for additional information:
                Dr. David Du Bois ([log in to unmask])
                Dr. Mary Klinger ([log in to unmask])
                Dr. Nancy Gadbow ([log in to unmask])

ELECTRONIC REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION:

    Questions about the conference, including registration fees,
housing costs, and exhibitor information  may be addressed to:
                 [log in to unmask]

COLLEGE WEB PAGE:

Information about Empire State College can be found
on the college's WEB page:  www.esc.edu

CONFERENCE WEB PAGE:

After October 25, 1997, a special Web Page about
    the conference can be found by accessing
    www.esc.edu/disabled/   The conference web page
    will be updated as further details about the
    conference become available.

  MAILING ADDRESS:

                 SUNY Empire State College, Genesee Valley
                         Center, 8 Prince Street, Rochester, NY  14607

  TELEPHONE INFORMATION:

            Conference Information Line  716-244-3884, ext. 113
            Switchboard  716-244-3641
            FAX:  716-473-1949


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


  CALL FOR PROPOSALS
  "DISABLED, BUT ENABLED AND EMPOWERED"

  The fourth biannual major SUNY Empire State College
  conference, focusing on disability issues, empowerment,
  and advocacy  will feature disability advocates and
  community and national leaders.

  March 19 - 22, 1998 in Rochester, New York

     It is anticipated that participants will include
individuals with a broad range of interests, professional
fields, expertise, and experience related to disabilities
and disability issues:  the experience of having a
disability, distance learning and persons with disabilities,
employment of persons with disabilities, legal issues and
social policies, assistive technology, challenges persons
with disabilities face as learners throughout the lifespan,
housing, recreation, human services, and spirituality,
programs and services, future of disability issues and
services.

     These areas will be explored through six themes
throughout the conference:

     EDUCATION

     EMPLOYMENT

     ARTS, RECREATION, ENTERTAINMENT,
     AND SPIRITUALITY

     ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND UNIVERSAL DESIGN

     ADVOCACY AND INCLUSION

     SOCIAL POLICY/SOCIAL CHANGE

  (These themes are discussed in greater detail in the above
  conference announcement).

Through general sessions with keynote and featured speakers,
concurrent sessions, exhibits, and receptions and special
events, participants will be able to engage in dialogue
and informal conversations with other conference attendees.
The conference provides an unusual opportunity for people
with many different interests, experience, and perspectives
to come together and share ideas.


DESCRIPTION AND CRITERIA FOR PROPOSAL
SELECTION FOR CONCURRENT SESSIONS

     Concurrent conference sessions are scheduled for one
hour and may be done in one of several formats:
        <> presentation
        <> presentation of topic with time for discussion
        <> round table - brief presentation with significant
                time for informal discussion of topic,
        <> workshop - primarily an interactive working session
                with active participant involvement,
        <> poster session - visual presentation/
                           demonstration of topic and discussion
                           with participants who move from one poster
                           area to another.

Concurrent sessions may include use of audio/visual
presentations, handouts, and other appropriate methods and
techniques.  It is recommended that sessions include some
strategies that encourage active involvement of participants.
All proposals should address one or a combination of the
themes and areas of emphasis as described above.

Submission Dates

Proposals for concurrent sessions must be received by
December 15, 1997.

Peer Review of Proposals

        All proposals will be peer reviewed by at least three
individuals.  All individuals who have submitted proposals
will be notified on the results of the blind review by January 15,
1998.  (If an electronic mail address is supplied with the proposal,
notifications may be received prior to January 15).

For proposals accepted, all presenters will be required
to submit a 300 word summary of the session on diskette using
Microsoft Word or Word Perfect for PCs by March 15, 1998.  Following
the conference a Proceedings will be published and distributed to
all conference attendees.

Submission Criteria

To be eligible for selection, all proposals must conform to the
following criteria:

1. One copy of a cover sheet with the following information:
        a.  title of the proposed concurrent session,
        b.  area of emphasis or theme (as described in the Call
                    for Proposals),
        c.  name of presenter(s),
        d.  address, phone number, fax number,
                    and e-mail address,
        e.  type of session ( presentation, round table,
                    workshop, poster session).
2.  Three copies of a single-spaced page that includes the same
title as on the cover page, a summary (not to exceed 75 words),
and an expanded description of the proposed session in more
detail, including program outcomes, content, and format and
technique (not to exceed 300 words).

Send Proposals to:  Dr. Nancy F. Gadbow, SUNY Empire State
College, 8 Prince Street, Rochester, NY  14607.


BRIEF BACKGROUND:

The Conference provides a balance of presentations
between human service professionals, assistive
technology professionals, educators, and people with
disabilities.  A product of previous conferences has been
the opportunity for people with various disabilities to focus
on common issues and for human services professionals to
gain a better understanding of the larger issues related to
disabilities.

Self-advocacy is promoted at the Conference.  The Conference
promotes awareness and sensitivity to disabilities issues
by encouraging the attendance by people with and without
disabilities.  This conference will bring together national
leaders related to assistive technology, alternative and
distance higher education, and advocacy.  This conference
is unique in its focus on non-traditional higher education and
distance learning, to achieve greater inclusion and
participation of adult learners with disabilities in
post-secondary education.  In addition, employment using
technology will also be a major focus of the conference.

Past attendees have commended the blend of presentations
for breadth of experience and issues related to disabilities.
Several collaborative initiatives have been spawned from
discussions which occurred at past conferences because of
the inclusion of people from a multitude of disciplines.
The planning committee will continue to include a blend of
presentations by professionals from many disciplines, people
with first hand experience with disabilities, and students.