Please join us to hear from self-advocates and activists who will speak about disability issues form their own lived experience.
Amplifying Voices of Disability is a dynamic, fully virtual professional learning experience centered on timely, hot-button disability issues presented from the point of view of disability activists and self-advocates.
The event is designed to elevate lived experience, challenge assumptions, and provide practical insights that participants can apply in education, healthcare, mental health, technology, and community settings.
The event builds on the success of Amplifying Voices of Disability 2025, which welcomed over 100 participants from 14 states, nearly half of whom came from rural underserved communities. Participant feedback highlighted the impact of hearing directly from self-advocates:
“The topics were already very engaging, but the real-life experiences and approaches were incredible.”
“The advice was raw and real, stemming from lived experiences and thoughtful explanations.”
Sustaining this momentum, the 2026 program will feature four engaging sessions on several hot topics in the disability field, including:
- Journey to Successful Adulthood: A personal story highlighting how technology, family support, and educator collaboration can fuel long-term success
- Disability-Inclusive Technologies: A discussion about the opportunities and challenges presented by generative AI and other emerging technologies for the disability community
- Neurodiversity: An exploration of the neurodiversity paradigm and how embracing it can make a positive difference for attendees and the people they support
- Disability and Mental Health: A session focused on mental health issues and representation that provides practical tools for more thoughtful, inclusive interactions
The 2026 speaker lineup includes a powerful group of disability activists, researchers, and self-advocates:
- Elizabeth Freund, a neurodivergent speech-language pathologist passionate about reshaping understanding of neurodivergent identities
- José Rosario, a therapist, researcher, wheelchair user, and advocate for mental health in minoritized communities
- Joshua Dieker, a disability advocate sharing his journey navigating life with invisible disabilities
- Lawrence Weru, a researcher, digital storyteller, and disability-inclusive technologies advocate who identifies as a person who stutters
- Lisa Dieker, PhD, a nationally recognized leader in special education, teacher preparation, and technology integration
All sessions will be hosted live on Zoom, with access links provided upon registration. Participants can earn up to five Continuing Education (CE) credit hours.
Registration is $79 with early-bird pricing through February 1, 2026, and $99 after February 1.
To learn more or register, visit the Amplifying Voices webpage.
Photos: Photographs of presenters, including (left to right) Elizabeth Freund, Jose Rosario, Joshua Dieker, Lawrence Weru, and Lisa Dieker
Topics:
Health and Wellness
,
Policy and Advocacy
,
CEDC
,
COLA
