2026 Conference Agenda

2026 Conference Agenda: Honoring our Past, Celebrating our Present, Charting our Future

Please note: This is a draft agenda and may change as speakers confirm their participation.

Day 1: Tuesday April 14th

	Activity Title	Location	Moderators/Speakers
8am – 4pm	Registration	Virginia Hall
8:45 am – 9:30 am	Welcome NARRTC Rebranding A Mindful Moment	Mason Room	Andre Washington, NARRTC President Jae Kennedy, President-Elect Ann Deschamps Mid-Atlantic ADA Center
9:30 am – 10:45 am	Knowledge Translation World Cafe	Mason Room	NARRTC Knowledge Translation Committee
BREAK
11 am – 12 pm Concurrent Sessions
Theme	Activity Title	Location	Moderators/Speakers
Health	Promoting Health and Well-being among Caregivers of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Randomized Controlled Trial Community-Engaged Policy Research to Strengthen Medicaid HCBS: Methods and Lessons From PATH-IDD Treating Brain Fog in Individuals with Long COVID Using an Attention Training Intervention: Feasibility and Acceptability	Virginia Salon A	Moderator: TBD Speakers: Sandy Magaña University of Texas-Austin Tonie Sadler American Institutes for Research Shira Cohen-Zimerman Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Methods	PANEL: Using the National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) to Advance Survey Design, Disability Measurement, and Longitudinal Methods	Virginia Salon B	Moderator: Salimah LaForce Georgia Institute of TechnologySpeakers: Kelsey Goddard Noelle Kurth Aaron Beuoy University of Kansas
Community Participation	Advancing NIDILRR’s Mission by Documenting the Affordability and Availability of Disability-Related Goods and Services Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Present, and Charting Our Future in Wheelchair Maintenance and Repairs Voices to Be Heard: A Focus Group Study	Virginia Salon C	Moderator: Rayna Sage University of MontanaSpeakers: Zachary Morris Stony Brook University Anand Mhatre Muyun Zhao The Ohio State University Bhanu Priya Moturu New Mexico State University Ellen Fabian University of Maryland Ann Deschamps Mid Atlantic ADA Center Crystal Brockington Image Center
NARRTC Lunch & Business Meeting 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm Mason Room President’s Report Executive Board Committee Reports Call for Nominations Moderator: Andre Washington, NARRTC President
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1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Concurrent Sessions
Theme	Activity Title	Location	Moderators/Speakers
Policy	Access to Justice: A Review of Meaningful Notice of the Rights to ADA Accommodations on Court Websites The Effect of Repealing Section 14(c) on Employment Outcomes Among People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Evidence from RSA-911 -(2017-2024) Barriers to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act	Virginia Salon A	Moderator: Yochai Eisenberg University of Illinois-ChicagoSpeakers: Heather Evans Kaitlin Spidel Katie Warden University of Washington Dian Luo University of Wisconsin – Madison Jill Bezyak Emily Shuman University of Northern Colorado
Employment	PANEL: Access to and Use of Flexible Work and Accommodations: Employer and Employee Perspectives	Virginia Salon B	Moderator: Anne Deschamps Mid-Atlantic ADA Center Speakers: Sarah von Schrader Cornell University Annette Malakoff Robert Gould University of Illinois-Chicago Erblin Shehu Syracuse University
Community Participation	PANEL: How Do You Do Community? Understanding Young Adult Perspectives on Community Participation, Leveraging a Community-Engaged Approach	Virginia Salon C	Moderator: Tracy Neville UMass Chan Medical SchoolSpeakers: Tracy Neville Davy Yue Kristin Rivera UMass Chan Medical School
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2:45 pm – 3:45 pm Concurrent Sessions
Theme	Activity Title	Location	Moderators/Speakers
Employment	Creating a Deaf-Led Employment Model Through Technology and Accessibility Technologies to Support Employment and Accommodations of People with Physical Disabilities: Findings from Qualitative Research AI-Assisted Annotation Approach for Understanding Task Engagement of Neurodivergent Employees	Virginia Salon A	Moderator: Anne Deschamps Mid-Atlantic ADA CenterSpeakers: Craig Radford 360 Direct Access Salimah LaForce Georgia Institute of Technology Anika Binte Islam Sahil Jagtap George Mason University
Methods	Advancing Online Research Through IKT: Insights from the Online Research for All Project Participatory Curriculum Development: A Tool for Developing Valuable and Utilized Programs and Resources Expanding Access: Engaging Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Remote Virtual Research	Virginia Salon B	Moderator: Kathleen M. Murphy American Institutes for Research (AIR) Speakers: Tonie Sadler AIR Rayna Sage University of Montana Jennifer Bumble AIR
Knowledge Translation	Charting the Future of Technology Transfer: Leveraging Stakeholder Feedback to Enhance Programs and Services for NIDILRR Grantees Putting Community Life Engagement into Action Outreach to Autistic People Under Siege	Virginia Salon C	Moderator: Shira Cohen-Zimerman Shirley Ryan AbilityLabSpeakers: Mary Goldberg University of Pittsburgh Jennifer Sulewski University of New Hampshire Brian Sullivan Kairon Connect, PBC
BREAK
Poster Reception with Snacks & Cash Bar 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm Mason Room & Virginia Hall

Poster Title	Presenters
Oral Health, Mental Health, and Functional Outcomes in Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions	Danielle Losonci & Michelle Zechner Rutgers University School of Health Professions
2. Strive to Thrive Environmental Scan	Sumithra Murthy & Svetlana Mitric University of Illinois-Chicago
3. Resources for more effective participation on advisory boards for accessible cities	Delphine Labbe University of Illinois – Chicago
4. Advocacy Experiences of Black Individuals with Disabilities: A Photovoice Study	Taylor Roberts New Mexico State University
5. Use of a Mini Campaign to Drive Social Media Accessibility Education	Meghan Porter University of Washington
6. Changes in topics of technical assistance provided to family members of people with disabilities, 2018-2024	Meghan Porter University of Washington
7. Internet-Assisted Career-Oriented Soft-Skills Training	Weili Lu Rutgers University
8. Navigating Higher Education: Telehealth Transdiagnostic CBT and Supported Education for Post-Secondary Students with Mental Health Conditions	Weili Lu Rutgers University
9. Using a Digital Toolkit to Support Individuals with Disabilities to Succeed in Career and Technical Education	Ni Gao Rutgers University
10. What are the Research Priorities for Improving ADA Implementation According to the Disability Community and ADA Professionals?	Yochai Eisenberg, Delphine Labbe, and Rob Gould, University of Illinois-Chicago
11. Virtual Future is Now	Tamar Heller University of Illinois-Chicago
12. Adapting Systems Mapping Methods with Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Partners: From Causal Loops to Culturally Responsive Design	Meghan Donahue, Kelly Roberts, and John McDermott Northern Arizona University
13. Changes in Subjective Well-being Among People with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury	Devyn Smith Medical University of South Carolina
14. Data-Driven Inspection Scheduling for Wheelchair Safety	Muyun Zhao and Anand Mhatre Ohio State University
15. Family Caregiving and Well-Being in Serious Mental Illness: Mixed-Methods Findings on Risk and Protective Factors	Mercedes Hernandez and Sandy Magaña University of Texas at AustinMaria Y. Hernandez Cal State Los AngelesMaria Santos Cal State San Bernardino
16. Evaluating the PATH-25 as a Screening Tool for Caregiver Readiness Following Inpatient Brain Injury Rehabilitation: A Prospective, Observational Pilot Study	Stephanie Agtarap Craig Hospital
17. Identifying Fall Prevention and Management Needs of People Post-Stroke who Use Wheelchairs and Scooters	Ziwei Li University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
18. Understanding the Adjustment to Disability and Work Motivation of Young Adults Through Positive Psychology	Amaka Okori University of Wisconsin-Madison
19. Health and Sexual Education, Disability, and the Role of the ADA: Perspectives from Parents, Self-Advocates, and Service Providers	Mariana García-Torres, Sarah Parker Harris, Rob Gould, and Oscar Gonzalez University of Illinois Chicago
20. Accessibility in Healthcare Facilities, a Cross-Sectional Study.	Md Obidul Haque and Nora Shih University of Missouri
21. Understanding ADA Rights After High School: Perspectives from Families of Youth with Disabilities	Mariana Garcia-Torres and Rob Gould University of Illinois-Chicago
22. Exploring Perspectives Toward Integrated Supports Among Rural Family Members of Adults with Intellectual and developmental Disabilities	Meghan Burke and Julianna Kim Vanderbilt University
23. Examining the Effect of Bioecological Factors on Expectations for Community Living and Participation: An Exploratory Multi-Method Investigation	Grace L. Francis George Mason University
24. The experiences of youth with disabilities in accessing supports under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973	Isabelle Burakov and Meghan Burke Vanderbilt University
25. Gaps in Accessible Air Travel Services: Training and Beyond	Shu Cole Indiana University-Bloomington
26. Healthcare Workers’ Ability, Willingness, & Readiness to Meet ADA Responsibilities for Assuring Access to Health Services for People with Disabilities	Megan Broadbent University of Guam
27. Evolving Demographics and Injury Characteristics of U.S. Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury, 1972–2024	University of Alabama-Birmingham
28. The Effect of Eliminating Subminimum Wage 14(c) Program on the Employment of People with Severe Cognitive Disabilities	Xueting Sun, University of New Hampshire

Day 2: April 15th

	Activity Title	Location	Moderators/Speakers
8 am – 10 am	Registration	Virginia Hall
8:45 am – 10 am	KEYNOTE PANEL: What’s Past is Prologue: A NIDILRR Retrospective	Mason Room	Moderator: Wendy Strobel Gower Cornell UniversityPanelists: Anjali J. Forber-Pratt American Association on Health & Disability Corey L. Moore Langston University Gregg Vanderheiden Raising the Floor TBD
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10:15 am – 11:15 am Concurrent Sessions
Theme	Activity Title	Location	Moderator/Speakers
2026 Best Papers	Housing Stability for Households with LTSS Needs in America: Contrasting Pre-Pandemic Housing Data from 2017 with Data from 2021 Manifestations of Eugenic Ideology in New York Termination of Parental Rights Decisions Involving Parents Labeled with Intellectual Disabilities, 2013–2023 Improving Knowledge and Attitudes via an Interactive Video: A Randomized Controlled Trial	Virginia Salon A	Moderator: Sarah von Schrader Cornell UniversitySpeakers: Michele McDonnall Karla Antonelli Mississippi State University Kartik Trivedi University of New Hampshire Luci Duffy Robyn Powell Brandeis University
Health	PANEL: Prevalence Data and Themes from the 2025 NSHD Modules on Medical Ableism	Virginia Salon B	Moderator: Kesley Goddard University of KansasSpeakers: Jae Kennedy Washington State University Noelle Kurth University of Kansas Marissa Diz University of Illinois-Chicago
Research Utilization	From Data to Direction: Trends and Networks in NIDILRR-funded Research (1980-2025) Bringing Real Butts & Real Lives into Wheelchair Cushion Development Development of a Person-Centered Approach to Emergency Preparedness for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities	Virginia Salon C	Moderator: Nathan Moon Georgia Institute of TechnologySpeakers: Devin Dedrick Kathleen M. Murphy American Institutes for Research Jessica Chaiken National Rehabilitation Information Center Carla Borsoi Austin Perry Kalogon Tom Keating Cognitopia
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11:30 am – 12:30 pm Concurrent Sessions
Theme	Activity Title	Location
Technology	The Accommodation Access Support System for Aging Well (ACCESS for Aging Well): A Decision Support Tool for Assistive Technologies Augmented Reality Platform for Hand and Upper Limb Rehabilitation Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives on the Design, Usability, and Translation of a Wheelchair-Mounted Assistive Robotic System for Activities of Daily Living (pending confirmation)	Virginia Salon A	Moderator: Robin Jones University of Illinois-ChicagoSpeakers: Nathan W. Moon Georgia Institute of Technology Bhawna Shiwani Alexander Kupin Mira Pianta Joshua Kline Altec Inc. Md Samiul Haque Sunny Asif Al Zubayer Swapnil Mohammad H Rahman University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Utilization	PANEL: Collaborative Innovation in Audio Description: Integrating Community, Education, and AI to Advance Accessible Media	Virginia Salon B	Moderator: Salimah LaForce Georgia Institute of TechnologySpeakers: Charity Pitcher-Cooper The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute Shasta Ihorn San Francisco State University Lana Do Northeastern University
Transition-Aged Youth	Empowering Independence: Promoting Dignity of Risk in Postsecondary Education for Young Adults with I/DD The Effect of Paid Employment During High School on the Acquisition of Competitive Integrated Employment and Community Engagement in Adulthood: A Scale-Up Evaluation Study for Youth with Autism and Related Conditions Charting the Future of Workplace Inclusion: AI-Delivered Empathy Coaching for Autistic Transition-Age Youth	Virginia Salon C	Moderator: Jessica Chaiken National Rehabilitation Information Center Speakers: Jennifer Bumble Tonie Sadler American Institutes for Research Carol Schall Whitney Ham Virginia Commonwealth University Christopher Claude Trylanda Jennings Roane Melanie Derry Virginia Commonwealth University
Lunch & Awards 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Mason Room Best Paper Best Student Poster, and NARRTC Recognitions Moderator: Robin Jones, Great Lakes ADA Center
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1:45 pm – 2:45 pm Concurrent Sessions
Theme	Activity Title	Location	Moderators/Speakers
Survey Research and Methods	Prevalence and Life Circumstances of Parents with Disabilities: Estimates from the American Community Survey Charting a Future in Disability Measurement: Methodological Considerations for Federal and Nonfederal Surveys	Virginia Salon A	Moderator: Sarah von Schrader Cornell UniversitySpeakers: Miriam Heyman Frank Li Ilhom Akobirshoev Monika Mitra Brandeis University Megan Henly Hyun Ju Kim Nathan Thomas Jiffy Lansing University of New Hampshire Miriam Heyman Brandeis University
Health	Beyond Affordability: Impact of Housing Assistance on Health and Other Disability-Related Disparities Everybody Moves! How to support Access to Leisure-Time Physical Activity for all. Stakeholder-Informed Guidelines on Positive Oral Care for People with Mental Illness	Virginia Salon B	Moderator: Shira Cohen-Zimerman Shirley Ryan AbilityLabSpeakers: Kartik Trivedi Debra Brucker University of New Hampshire Delphine Labbé Casey Herman Yochai Eisenberg University of Illinois-Chicago Monika Stodolska University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign Michelle Zechner Rutgers University
Employment	TVR PATH: Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Personal Approach to Traditional Holistics: What it is and how it can be used Quality Indicators of Supported Employment for Job Seekers and Employees with IDD: Stakeholder Perspectives and Fidelity Measures The Relationship between State Intellectual and Developmental Disability Agency Employment Payment Methods and Employment Service Provision for People with IDD	Virginia Salon C	Moderator: Robin Jones University of Illinois-ChicagoSpeakers: Meghan Donahue Kelly Roberts John McDermott Northern Arizona University Carol Schall Christopher Claude Virginia Commonwealth University John Shepard Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston
BREAK
3 pm – 4 pm	NIDILRR Updates – details pending	Mason Room	Moderator: Jae Kennedy NARRTC President-ElectNIDILRR Panelists: TBD
CONFERENCE CONCLUDES