2024 OSEP Conference

Presenter Information

The theme of this year’s conference, Early Beginnings to Bright Futures, inspires us to explore recent advancements and evidence-based practices focused on improving outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.  We are excited to offer a range of session types that allow for innovative presentation formats, facilitate knowledge sharing, and maximize audience engagement. Together, we can reshape the narrative related to disability and create pathways for children with disabilities to thrive and reach their full potential. 

If you will be presenting at the 2024 OSEP Leadership and Project Directors’ Conference, please use the resources below in preparation for your session. 

Please remember, ALL presenters must be registered for the conference. Please ensure all presenters on your session are registered. Register here  

If you have not yet reserved a hotel room, please visit the Lodging, Dining, and Activities page.  

Resources 

• Important Deadlines
• Submit Presentation Materials
• Section 508 Accessibility Requirements 
• Implementation Showcase Presenters 
• Talk Session Presenters 
• Meetups and Workshops 
• Poster Presenters 
• Technology Demonstration Presenters 
• OSEP Scholar/Intern Showcase
• Resource Exhibition Booths
• Contact Us 

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

• Accept or decline the decision status of your proposal, confirm session information (title, description) and all speakers (names and organizations) for your session, and update any content from your original submission by Friday, May 17, 2024 (deadline passed). All information will be included in the conference agenda as entered after the deadline. No edits will be accepted after the deadline.
• Prepare and submit your session’s 508 compliant PowerPoint (if using) any any accompanying handouts by Monday, July 1. All presentation materials should be submitted through the conference portal unless otherwise indicated by the OSEP Conference Planning Committee. Any presentation materials created and submitted must use the conference templates provided.

SUBMIT PRESENTATION MATERIALS

1. Log in to the proposal portal through Login.gov.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page, under “Call for Proposal Submissions.” 
3. In the table, you will find your session name(s). Then click the “edit” button in the table affiliated with your submission(s).
4. Scroll down on the page until you find the “Presentation” and “Handout” sections and upload your 508-compliant materials to the corresponding section

Section 508 Accessibility Standards 

Digital materials distributed at OSEP Conferences are required to meet the standards outlined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 508 was adopted in 1998). Section 508 requires that Federal agencies’ electronic and information technologies are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes electronic and information technologies developed by and for organizations that receive Federal funds. General information can be found on the Section 508 website.

Presenter Requirements for Section 508 Compliance 

To confirm that all materials (including PowerPoints, handouts, and any other electronic files) at OSEP Conferences meet Section 508 guidelines, presenters will be required to complete several steps to ensure content is compliant. 

For information on making your Word or PowerPoint Presentation accessible, please refer to the following resources: 

• Accessibility Guidelines for Microsoft Word Documents 
• Accessibility Guidelines for Microsoft PowerPoint Documents  
• Section 508 Content Creation Resources 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Section 508 Guidelines 

What materials need to be Section 508 compliant at OSEP Conferences? 

• All digital materials that will be distributed at the conference must be Section 508 compliant. This includes all PowerPoints, handouts, and presentation content. 

What is the easiest way to ensure Section 508 compliance? 

• In short - keep it simple! Images and complex tables, smart art graphics, fonts, and animations make the Section 508 process much more difficult. Adding in “alt text” that clearly describes the meaning of a visual is a good place to start to ensure content is compliant. 

Help! I want to make a Section 508 compliant Portable Document Format (PDF) file, but they are very difficult to create. 

• Unfortunately, making an accessible PDF is much more difficult than making a Section 508 compliant Word document or PowerPoint presentation. To create an accessible PDF, it is easiest to first generate an accessible Word document or PowerPoint presentation. Presenters can submit their Section 508 compliant Word documents to the conference planning team who will then adapt them into a 508 compliant PDF 

Implementation Showcase Session Presenters 

About Implementation Showcase Sessions 

Implementation Showcase sessions feature sites that are effectively implementing policies, practices, or programs that led to improved outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families. Typically, 3-5 presenters participate in an Implementation Showcase and at least 20 minutes is built in for audience discussion. 

• These sessions should be interactive and stimulating, address multiple perspectives, challenge current practices and expectations, and provoke thoughtful discussion.  
• Implementation Showcase sessions will be 75 minutes in length. The number of presenters is limited (up to 5) to allow sufficient time for audience participation and discussion. 

PLEASE NOTE: Implementation Showcase presenters will receive an email from the OSEP conference planning team with next steps for finalizing their session content and submitting their materials. 

Implementation Showcase Presenter Guidelines and Templates 

• Presenter Guidelines 
• PowerPoint Template 
• Handout Template  

Talk Session Presenters 

About Talk Sessions 

Talk sessions are opportunities for participants to share innovative ideas, address persistent issues, and discuss effective practices in preparation, research, technical assistance (TA), technology, and policy for improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families. 

• These sessions should be interactive and stimulating, address multiple perspectives, challenge current practices and expectations, and provoke thoughtful discussion.  
• Talk sessions will be 60 minutes in length. The number of presenters is limited (2-4) to allow sufficient time for audience participation and discussion.  
• Presenters should plan to spend 30-40 minutes presenting and 20-30 minutes in discussion with attendees. 

Talk Session Presenter Guidelines and Templates 

• Presenter Guidelines 
• PowerPoint Template 
• Handout Template 

OSEP Scholar/Intern Showcase

About OSEP Scholar/Intern Showcase

These showcase sessions are opportunities for scholars and interns to highlight their research and scholarship related to results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

•  OSEP Scholar and Intern Showcase sessions will 10 minutes in length. The number of presenters is limited (1-2) to allow sufficient time for audience participation and discussion.   

OSEP Scholar/Intern Showcase Guidelines and Templates

Presenter Guidelines  

PowerPoint Template

Poster Session Presenters 

About Poster Sessions 

Poster sessions provide informal opportunities to discuss your project with a broader audience.  Posters should highlight innovative practices in your State, program, or individual grant that led to improved outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families. 

• Attendees will visit your poster and hear about your work during a 60-minute block. 

Poster Presenter Guidelines 

• Poster and Technology Demonstration Presenter Guidelines 

Technology Demonstration Presenters 

About Technology Demonstrations 

Technology Demonstrations offer opportunities to share new and innovative technologies available to practitioners, State and local education agencies, researchers, and technical assistance providers. 

Technology Demonstration presenters will present technology in an interactive manner by: 

• Describing who the technology is intended to benefit, 
• Walking users through the technology, and 
• Highlighting key features relevant for audiences looking to implement these technologies in their local context. 

Attendees will visit your Technology Demonstration and discuss your product during a 60-minute block. 

Technology Demonstration Presenter Guidelines 

• Poster and Technology Demonstration Presenter Guidelines 
• PowerPoint Template 

Meetups and Workshops 

About Meetups and Workshops 

Meetups and Workshops are speaker-facilitated events and are NOT presentation-based session formats. 

Meetups are 60-minute networking and brainstorming events that encourage communities to connect around similar topics, passions, roles, or interests. 

• Meetups will be scheduled during free periods throughout the conference; sessions may be hosted mornings, evenings, or during lunch breaks.  
• Meetup leads will receive further information, including discussion guidance, from the conference planning team through email. 

Workshops are 60-minute, in-depth instructional programs with hands-on learning activities and specific takeaways. 

• Audience participation should be incorporated throughout, not just reserved for questions at the end of the session. 

Meetup and Workshop Presenter Guidelines and Templates 

• Presenter Guidelines 
• PowerPoint Template 
• Handout Template 

Resource Exhibition Booths

About Resource Exhibition Booths

The Resource Exhibition booths are reserved for OSEP’s largest national centers and affiliated organizations. Exhibitors will share information with attendees about their center and highlight recent work and resources.

• Attendees will visit your booth and hear about your work during a 60-minute block. Exhibition Booths will also be left up after the poster session so attendees can continue learning about the important contributions of these organizations.

Resource Exhibition Booths Guidelines

• Presenter Guidelines  

Contact Us 

Questions?  Please contact osep-meeting@air.org