Call for Presentation Proposals

Mid-Atlantic ADA Conference

The Mid-Atlantic ADA Center requests session proposals for the Mid-Atlantic ADA Conference, which will be held in Baltimore, Maryland on September 21 - 23, 2021.

Proposal deadline: Monday, February 22, 2021

Notification of proposals accepted or declined: Friday, April 9, 2021

We are accepting proposals on all topics related to the ADA, however, we have a particular interest in presentations in these specific areas:

  • Title I compliance for HR professionals
  • Topics relevant to state and local government agencies
  • Detention and corrections under Title II

The selection committee will give preference to proposals that apply the law in unique and specific contexts and include creative ways to involve participants, such as workshops, case scenarios, extended Q&A, etc.

We also have special interest in advanced level sessions that have a specific focus and provide in-depth information in a particular area, rather than a broad overview. For example, we are more likely to accept a presentation that will focus on Title I accommodations for people with psychiatric disabilities than a session on Title I accommodations in general. Suggested topic areas include the following:

  • Role of the ADA coordinator (emphasis on practical advice and problem-solving in real or hypothetical scenarios)
  • Accessibility for historic places (emphasis on specific and varied settings)
  • Effective communication in specific settings
  • Effective communication in virtual settings (captioning, interpreters, accessible platforms for screenreaders, difference between Title II and III regarding captioning requirements, best practices for PowerPoint presentations, etc.)
  • Emergency preparedness (emphasis on real or hypothetical scenarios and problem-solving)
  • Virtual access to state and local government programs
  • ADA leave, FMLA, Workers’ Comp
  • Affirmative action in employment (Section 503 or voluntary programs)
  • Workplace harassment and retaliation (emphasis on legal aspects, case law and settlement agreements)
  • Health and mental health care issues in prisons
  • Juvenile justice in correctional settings
  • Healthcare (emphasis on real or hypothetical scenarios)
  • Reasonable accommodation scenarios (advanced session proposals)
  • Pre-employment rules and best practices (recruiting, applications, interviews, hiring, etc.)
  • How individuals can deal with ADA violations (combining overview of enforcement options with other strategies for resolving issues)
  • Interplay of ADA and other laws (e.g., scenarios that involve ADA and constitutional law)
  • Disability identity and/or issues of importance to disability communities

Speaker Benefits

  • Complimentary registration fee for the entire conference
  • One night's stay in the conference hotel (limit two presenters per session)
  • Valuable professional exposure
  • Copy of the evaluation summary from your session(s)

Additional Information

  • The audience at our annual conference is typically a well-informed mix of approximately 250 people including Title II coordinators from state and local governments; professionals within the business, disability services, rehabilitation, and human resource communities; architects and design professionals; people with disabilities, and disability advocates.
  • This will be an in-person event, with all speakers and participants attending at the hotel in Baltimore.
  • Conference breakout sessions will be 90 minutes in length and must be interactive, including at least 20 minutes of Q&A and/or interactive activities. If your presentation will take longer, please indicate that your topic will require more than one session.
  • The Mid-Atlantic ADA Conference is committed to full accessibility of all presentation materials including PowerPoints. Check out our information on creating accessible PowerPoints and conducting inclusive presentations. Presenters are required to submit accessible PowerPoints. If your PowerPoint is not accessible, we will ask you to revise and resubmit.

Presentation Submission

Fill out the form below to submit a proposal. You may submit more than one proposal, but you must complete a separate form for each proposal.

100 - 150 words; please include specific information about the topics you will cover.
Objectives should be specific and measurable and begin with an action verb. Use verbs such as describe, develop, identify, define, discuss, demonstrate, list, measure, review, state, explain, express, practice, use, apply, etc. For example: "Identify three differences between best practice A and best practice B." This is an important component of the selection process. Abstracts with incomplete or incorrectly formatted Learning Objectives may be returned for revision or may not be accepted. Please identify at least four Learning Objectives.
Briefly describe the presenting experience and credentials for each presenter. If you have presented this session before, please list the date(s) and audience. (No more than 200 words.)
Please provide a short biography (no more than 200 words), including information regarding your expertise in the proposed topic area. If your proposal is accepted, this biography will be included on the conference web site.
Please provide a short biography (no more than 200 words), including the reason a second presenter is needed for the session.
Check all that apply

*** Thank you for your proposal! ***