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 Presenters | Program | Registration | Accommodations | Sponsorship Family Alliance Ontario and Integration Action for Inclusion
proudly present the Achieving True Inclusion:
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An event for the whole familyMay 5, 6 & 7, 2006Download: Conference Brochure | Pre-Conference Event Flyer |
| 1:00 - 3:00 | Pre-Conference Event Positive Behavioural Supports, Ed Mahoney Strategies for listening and responding to children/students who have difficulty communicating and/or are non-verbal. This session will be held at the Community Living Windsor building at 7025 Enterprise Way in Windsor. Child Care Providers, Educators, Other professionals and parents welcome There is no charge for this event sponsored by BEST START. Check out the separate flyer. Please phone (519) 974-1008 to sign-up for this event. Space will be limited. |
| 5:30 - 6:30 | Registration for weekend program |
| 6:30 - 7:00 | Welcome and Overview Special Guest |
| 7:00 - 8:15 | Humour and Stress: Enjoy a light and lively interactive time with Christine Byrne of Living Resources. You won't want to miss this! |
| 8:30 - 9:00 | Who are You? - Icebreaker |
| 9:00 - 10:00 | Informal get together in lobby Bring snacks to share! |
| 8:30 am | Registration |
| 9:00 am | Guest Speaker: Honourable Sandra Pupatello, MPP, Windsor West will greet conference participants. |
| 9:30 am | Morning Key Note: From High School Inclusion and onto College: My Real College Experience Janice Fialka, son Micah Fialka-Feldman, and a friend presenting - session will include a BREAK |
| 11:15 am | Concurrent Sessions
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| 12:30 pm | Lunch |
| 1:30 pm | Concurrent Sessions
Session C Positive Behavioural Supports-- and Session D Unencumbered Planning and Facilitation-- will also run until 3:00 pm if needed to allow some extra time for questions or discussion |
| 2:45 pm | Recreation, Rest or Networking Break Check out the IAI race car! Enjoy Games and/or Movies; Go for a swim, Enjoy the fitness centre. Take a nap; Adults: Have a Massage! Therapists: Erica Coulter, RMP and Paul Stearns, RMP, will be offering a 10-15 minute massage. Sign up upon arrival! |
| 5:00 pm | Supper |
| 6:00 pm | Evening Key Note: The New Story, Challenging conventional ways of providing support to people - listen to how parents and people with disabilities have been the pioneers of new paradigm thinking and acting, John Lord |
| 7:30 pm | 1) My Life, My Choice: Person Directed Living - DVD
True stories of people living out the "New Story": different local people living outside the box. (This session is for those who are not going to the Annual General Meetings below.) |
| 2) Annual General Meetings: for Board of Directors and members of Integration Action for Inclusion and Family Alliance Ontario |
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| 8:30 pm | Entertainment Brian Fitzsimmons and David Flynn DJ Services / Live Entertainment with Jim and Marilyn Dolmage / Silent Auction |
| 9:15 am | Common Vision for Real Transformation Presentation ... facilitated by John Lord This work has been a collaboration of four Provincial groups: Family Alliance Ontario, Individualized Funding Coalition for Ontario, People First of Ontario, Special Services at Home Provincial Coalition. They will share their understanding with others about ways to get ready for the MCSS Blueprint on Transformation being released this spring. |
| 10:30 am | Break |
| 10:45 am | Interactive work - working in groups to develop concrete plans and strategies for our own communities! |
| Noon | Lunch |
| 1:00 pm | Conference ends! |
Download: Conference Brochure | Pre-Conference Event Flyer
Local Family Networks and IAI Chapters from various communities have in the past made requests of the local agencies in their community - those they know are committed to inclusion. A number of agencies in the past have been willing to invest in people and families by sponsoring them to attend this annual conference.
Many see this as one way of developing leaders in their communities. Families, family networks and/or IAI chapters have had success approaching executive directors for support making a request for conference fees and accommodation. If you belong to a family network or IAI chapter, ask them to write a short letter that explains what kind of sponsorship dollars you are looking for and how many people and families this would help.
There are many examples of how to do this. For one adult to register for the conference it will cost $135.00 and this includes all snacks, meals and conference sessions. Another request might be the agency assist with sponsorship with the conference fees for 6 adults and then ask people to pay for their own accommodations. On a final note-- supporting three adults, who share a room, would cost approximately $400 for the fees and food, and another $140 for the three to share the room for two nights.
As a recipient of sponsorship dollars, there are a number of ways you can bring back information to your community. One way might be to take good notes at the sessions and bring the information back for copying and sharing. Other families may like to hear the news! Writing a story for a newsletter is another good way to give back. Providing a package of handouts to the agency for them to make copies for other families is another way. And if you are up for it, offering to talk to people and families at small information meeting in your community is another way.
A graduate of the University of Windsor and Wayne State University, Chris has practiced social work in the Windsor/Essex County area since 1980. A native of Essex County, Chris's work experiences have been in the areas as of mental health, palliative care, grief and bereavement.
Chris is a dynamic, creative and entertaining speaker as well as an excellent workshop facilitator. She has achieved a high level of recognition for her work. She has presented extensively throughout Essex/Kent/Lambton Counties. She has also been an invited speaker at major conferences in Ontario, across Canada and in the United States.
Chris has an amazing way of sharing how to deal with stress through humour. Some frequently requested topics available to companies, organizations, community groups, schools and church groups include - Art Therapy, Humour & Health, Stress Management and Relaxation. She is a lot of fun.
Micah Fialka-Feldman, 21 years old, thrived in inclusive education from elementary through his high school years. He has a cognitive impairment and was supported by the general and special education staff, including paraprofessionals, peer tutors (LINKS), a Circle of Friends, and the use of creative modifications and accommodations in classes to meet his needs. He excels in the use of computers and uses both Screen Reader© and Dragon Point and Speak© (a voice-to-text program) to enhance his independence in learning and communicating.
Some of his high school accomplishments included: Varsity Letter in Cross Country and Track, Member of the Homecoming Court, and the Social Studies Department Award for his civic involvement. In 2004 Micah received the Michigan CEC "Yes, I Can" award for his self-advocacy. He was selected to attend the Michigan Youth Leadership Forum in 2001 and the National Youth Leadership Forum in 2002 (one of 77 youth in the country).
He is a proud National Board Member of KASA or Kids As Self Advocates - www.fvkasa.org . Micah has published articles and is a national speaker on inclusion and inclusive post secondary experiences. He has provided the keynote for several conferences including Tennessee's State Special Education Annual Conference, Iowa 's Parent Educator State Conference, Michigan 's State Rehab Conference, and others.
One of Micah's most remarkable experiences is learning on a college campus. Since 2003, he has been at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, while still being enrolled in public schools with an IEP. He sits in on classes, is a member of several student organizations, and volunteers at the Student Activities Center.
"Micah, through a very well-organized Power Point presentation, "Watch out! Here I come?" beautifully, poignantly, and humorously conveyed a young person's enthusiastic journey to further his education beyond high school. To me, Micah embodies Kathie Snow's motto: 'When you see, meet, or think about a person with a disability presume competence.' I highly recommend Micah as a speaker or conference presenter."
Ned Andrew Solomon, Director
Partnership in Policymaking
Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities
Ms. Fialka has worked professionally in the field of adolescent health care for more than 30 years, as a social worker, educator, consultant, administrator, grant writer, and trainer. From 1986 through 1998, she was the director of the Taylor Teen Health Center, which she co-founded. In 1992 she expanded her professional work to include consultation and speaking to professionals and parents of children with special needs. She combines her personal experience as a mother of a 21-year-old son who has developmental disabilities and her professional expertise as a social worker, trainer, and national speaker.
Janice was a member of the Michigan Special Education Advisory Committee (2003-2006) and is a current Member of the Advisory Board of Everyone Together - www.everyonetogether.org . Janice is a Reviewer for Young Exceptional Children (YEC), a publication of Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).
Currently Ms. Fialka is the Special Projects Trainer for Michigan's Early On ® Training and Technical Assistance (Part C of IDEA). In this role, Janice has co-authored and facilitates a four part training titled, Knowing Ourselves and Connecting with Families which uses the principles of reflective practice and relationship-based work when working with families of young children who are challenged by mental illness, cognitive impairments, and/or unstable living conditions.
Ms. Fialka has provided the keynote address at numerous conferences throughout the country. In her talk, The Dance of Partnership: Why Do My Feet Hurt? She addresses the unique dimensions which challenge the partnership between professionals and parents of children with special needs.
Ms. Fialka has presented at conferences, day long workshops, and other events throughout the United States and Canada. Ms Fialka and her son Micah have presented together.
Clayton is currently working as an Educational Resource Consultant for Vision Resource Services at The W. Ross Macdonald School. Vision Resource Services provides functional vision assessments and programming recommendations for Ontario students, who have vision impairments, who are receiving their education in their community schools. Clayton is a certified member of the Ontario College of Teachers with additional qualifications in Special Education and as a Specialist Teacher of the Blind. Clayton has worked in a variety of positions for the Ministry of Education at The W. Ross Macdonald School (A provincial Resource Centre for Students with Visual Impairments) in Brantford Ontario for more than 30 years.
Clayton has a particular interest in students who have multiple disabilities (including severe behavioural impairments) and has developed a successful approach for developing working and social relationships that accommodate for their behaviours.
Clayton and his wife Carol are parents of three sons and a daughter. Their youngest Emily, as a person who has severe disabilities, has given us a special insight into the life of people with severe disabilities. Emily has always been a full participant in the life of her community. She enjoys family and community relationships and is accepted and supported by all members of her community. Although she requires significant support, Emily is able to enjoy the independence, dignity, and self-determination that full inclusion in her community provides. Our family believes in the full inclusion of people with disabilities and have worked to ensure that Emily would always have that opportunity. This conviction led us to the Supreme Court of Canada and a Landmark decision (Eaton vs. The Brant County Board of Education) that helped define the rights of people with disabilities under the charter of rights and freedoms.
Ed is a Special Education Resource Teacher with the Hamilton Wentworth Catholic School Board whose role it is to support students and teachers in the classroom.
He is also a Professor at Mohawk College in Hamilton, where he teaches
He is an Associate Faculty Instructor with Conestoga College in Kitchener where he teaches a course entitled Approaches to Autism' as part of the Educational Assistant Program.
Ed speaks at workshops and seminars as requested on the topic of Positive Behavioural Supports and Re-Thinking Restraints. He runs a summer camp for children with Autism He is respected by parents and professionals.
Marlyn Shervill is a broker/facilitator working with people, their families and friends through Windsor Essex Brokerage for Personal Supports. Marlyn, along with a steering committee started a Brokerage Project in 1997, which was based on an individualized funding model and independent planning. Today, brokerage-facilitation supports are offered as an ongoing service available to people and their families who choose it through Windsor Essex Brokerage for Personal Supports. Marlyn also manages the team of facilitators at the organization.
Through her varied roles as a broker/facilitator she assists people to dream and to figure out how they want to live their life. Marlyn believes everyone can direct their lives and determine what they want to do -- communicating in their own way. In her role as a broker/facilitator, she may: provide independent planning support, mediate, negotiate, facilitate the development of support networks, help write Personal Support Agreements (contracts) and provide good and timely information.
Marlyn does presentations about the role of brokerage/independent planning and facilitation and the changes in people's lives along with people and/or families. Some recent presentations include: the Making Citizenship Real Conference in Windsor Essex; Creative Supports Conference in Guelph, Community Living Ontario Annual Conference, London; London Family Network; Huntsville Association for Community Living; Muskoka Family Network; and the Annual meeting of APSW's to name a few.
Marlyn is actively involved with the Individualized Funding Coalition for Ontario as part of their leadership team.
Mrs. Bonn has practiced in the area of wills and estates since 1979. She has abundant experience in drafting all types of wills and trusts, the administration of estates, estate planning and planning for incapacity.
Mrs. Boon has presented seminars on wills and estate planning for groups representing individuals with special needs and retirees. She has been a course instructor for many years in estate planning and administration at the Law Society of Upper Canada Bar Admission Course for prospective lawyers.
Mrs. Bonn is a member of the law society of Upper Canada and the Canadian Bar Association. She is past President of the Essex Law Association and the Windsor Estate Planning Counsel. She is a volunteer on a number of Boards and committees in Windsor and Essex County.
Marilyn Dolmage is currently an Inclusive Education Consultant for Community Living Welland Pelham and the Brockville and District Association for Community Involvement.
She has been Project Co-ordinator for The Ontario Coalition for Inclusive Education since 1995. This has involved unprecedented collaboration among people with disabilities, students, families, educators, administrators, government, advocates and friends, across Ontario:
Marilyn has worked alongside people with disabilities and their families to end segregation and create new supports and relationships - for over 35 years. She managed inclusive preschool, early intervention and family support programs, and assisted people to re-locate and close Muskoka Centre, an Ontario government institution. Marilyn continues to help people obtain individualized government funding, hire their own employees and direct their own supports.
Her Master's thesis concerned the responsibility of social workers to advocate politically for better educational opportunities. Marilyn was awarded the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy Leadership in Education Award in 1997.Marilyn is Chair of the Provincial Parent Association Advisory Committee on Special Education Advisory Committees. She contributes to the Ministry of Education Working Table on Special Education (Funding) Reform.
Marilyn has learned most from her 3 children, whose insights have given her hope for the future. Her family struggled to ensure they attended school together, and to assist her older son to have the education, medical treatment, employment and community life he wanted. His sudden death in 2004 - at the age of 29 - has heightened her resolve to improve policy and strengthen families and communities.
In this keynote address, John Lord will outline what he has called the New Story. Challenging conventional ways of providing support to people, he will describe how parents and people with disabilities have been the pioneers of new paradigm thinking and acting over the years. He will challenge us to build the New Story with individuals and families, as well as with government policy and communities.
John Lord is a researcher, parent, and consultant. He was a founder and first director of the Centre for Research and Education in Human Services. He has published widely in areas that have contributed significantly to our thinking about disability and community. He was the Research Director of the Special Services at Home Evaluation, Chair of the Round Table on Individualized Funding, and recently was the Principal Investigator of a new study called, Moving Toward Citizenship: A Study of Individualized Funding in Ontario. He has been a representative on the Special Education Advisory Committee in his community over the years, a support to other families and a community builder. In recent years, he has been active with the Individualized Funding Coalition for Ontario.
Download: Conference Brochure | Pre-Conference Event Flyer
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