ATIA 2022

Where the Assistive Technology Community Meets to Network, Learn and Share

Over the past 22 years, ATIA has been a community gathering for assistive technology practitioners, teachers, parents and caregivers, persons with disabilities and more to learn, network and share on the best in assistive technology. We are excited to gather together for ATIA 2022, January 26 – 29, 2022 (Pre-conference Seminars January 25 – 26) in Orlando, Florida, with a virtual component!

Four women are smiling while testing a technologies that has wires connecting each of their palms. a fifth woman is standing to their right and smiling at the camera.

ATIA attendees smile and gather in Orlando at ATIA 2020. Each year, we come together to connect and learn about the latest in assistive technology and share with our peers. We are excited to bring our community back together in-person this year.

Hear what past attendees have to say:

“My first ATIA conference energized me! I came back to work on Monday ready to tackle some hurdles I thought were impossible. Knowledge from the conference armed me with new ideas. Cannot wait for next year!”
—Maria G. Trudy, LATS, EDS, OTR/L, Nova Southeastern University

“I had heard from innumerable colleagues that ATIA is the one conference that requires travel that is well worth everything. I couldn’t agree more. I came in curious and left refreshed and excited to try out various items, techniques, and strategies that I had learned.”
—Heather Donatelli, AT Consultant, BCPS

“This conference was probably the best professional conference I have attended. It provided enriching information that was practical and pertinent to the needs of the AAC world. I also thought the location and accommodations were great.”
—Keith Parmerter, Elder, ICAN Arkansas

ATIA 2022 Conference Links

Hear from Past Attendees

“Every time I attend ATIA I am able to utilize everything I learn and see with my colleagues to improve access and learning for all students in my district. I believe I become a better speech/language pathologist by attending sessions at ATIA.”

— Kathy S.

M.S CCC-SLP

“The pre-conference that focused on AT for individuals with visual impairments was fantastic. I can’t wait to share this information with my colleagues.”

— Jessica T.

Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired

“ATIA is an excellent resource for anyone in AAC and/or AT! Great for a beginner or even the advanced learner!”

— Page M.

SLP

“ATIA is a great way to network with other professionals, as well as get samples of up to date information in the field.”

— Debbie P.

SLP

“ATIA provided me with resources and strategies that I could immediately take back to my schools and students to try.”

— Jennifer C.

Special Education Consultant

“This conference was an amazing experience. It was one that grew my confidence and passion for what I’m already doing. It helped me to obtain a framework for sharing that knowledge gained with others in my field in order to build more capacity and therefore change more lives.”

— Melba A.

SLP/AT Specialist

“The ATIA conference was an eye-opening experience to the abundance of resources available. The networking was also amazing! It’s an inspiring and motivating environment for those who provide AT services to others!”

— Amber H.

Assistant DOSE

“This was my first time attending ATIA. I am new to AT, so I was overwhelmed at the volume of resources, speakers and exhibits available to me; however, it was a good overwhelming! The sessions I attended and the people I met were amazing and, for the most part, extremely useful to my professional practice.”

— Sherry H.

Vice Principal

“As a new Assistive Technology Specialist, my knowledge of assistive technology available to students grew significantly in the 3 days I attended. My mind is BURSTING with ideas of how I can implement some of the tools or resources into my district!”

— Tricia P.

Assistive Technology Specialist

“I enjoy ATIA because it gives me a chance to meet with other AT professionals to discuss best practices, challenges and how they meet them, and celebrate successes. I feel like it also gives me an opportunity to stay current on available technology while building a connection with vendors to get the assistance I need. Also, I appreciate the professional sharing of ideas and solutions among colleagues from around the world. This is a world-class event.”

— Janice R.

Assistive Technology Specialist

“As an Occupational Therapist working in a school for students with visual impairments and multiple physical disabilities, attending ATIA provides me with a wealth of knowledge and the latest technology available in the field to share with colleagues, families and the students I work with.”

— Melissa B.

OTR/L

“I learned so much in the pre-conference with Linda Burkhart. She had so much knowledge to share about PODD, switches, eye gaze and in so much detail. It was nice to get the opportunity to take a session at the conference about subjects that I don’t necessarily work with but I have an interest, like braille. I liked learning about different areas of work within two days. Having the chance to see all the different products available and talk to the manufacturers was great as well.”

— Chelsea R.

AAC Speech Language Assistant

“It was my first time at ATIA and it truly is a must-attend for anyone in the Assistive Technology field. It is all that is AT in one place, between the extensive vendor exhibit hall with the newest and most innovative AT to access to a variety of sessions that expand your learning, as well as having the opportunity to network with educators and leaders from all over the world. Being able to have access to session recordings and presentations helps bring the learning back to my school board. The facilities and staff were outstanding. Inspiring! A must go to!”

— Judy S.

Assistive Technology Lead

“At ATIA, technology enthusiasts gather and share their best assistive technology tips, tricks, basics, and new innovations. I always return to work with new ideas/perspectives for the patients we serve, as well as ways to further advance our Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology programs. I find the networking opportunities and interactions with other experts across the USA and beyond to be an invaluable part of the ATIA experience.”

— Tabatha S.

Occupational Therapist and Rehabilitation Engineering Program Leader

“I have attended the ATIA conference for 19 years in a row. And I learn something new every year! The assistive technology community is strong and always well represented at this conference.”

— Colleen F.

Speech Language Pathologist, AT Specialist

“‘No one is an expert. Technology is always changing especially when working with people with Complex Needs.’ Everyone working with people with special needs should come to the ATIA conference. ‘Assistive Technology ‘ is a process, not a product. In order to improve the lives of those we work with, we must all continue to learn what is available and ask a question, try new ideas, and share what we learn with others. I loved the conference and learned so much! My son is a student who uses eye gaze to communicate. He loved attending multiple sessions and sharing what he learned with his peers and teachers!”

— Brenda S.

Special Education Teacher

“ATIA has an amazing group of individuals with fantastic ideas, programs, resources, and excitement about sharing what they know as well as learning and collaboration with attendees. I have attended the conference for two years now: and I always leave excited to share all the amazing things that are happening in AT around the US and other countries. The built-in time for collaboration with other professionals in the field is also helpful. Every session I attended had great materials, resources and was also willing to share their contact info and support. Overall, I highly recommend attending the ATIA conference to my peers.”

— Sheila O.

Orthopedis and Health Impairment Itinerant Teacher

“Attending ATIA has directly improved my instruction of students with complex needs. It is the only time I am able to learn from others about how to best teach our students. Preparing to present at the conference I end up learning so much from my own content. Diving deep into a topic and then sharing your knowledge with others to then gain feedback to do even better is an extraordinary thing!”

— Kim K.

Teacher

“This was my first time attending ATIA and I was blown away by the amount of information that I came away with. The knowledge that I gained at ATIA, from every single session, is going to help me provide better access to AT in my county. I am so excited to use all of the strategies and tools that I learned about!”

— Elisabeth M.

Assistive Technology Coordinator

“Attending the ATIA conference allows me to stay up-to-date on products, research and best practices in a rapidly evolving field. The quality of the presentations seems to be improving every year and it is so useful for my practice to have all the best vendors in a single location to try and learn about products and product upgrades.”

— Lisa B.

Occupational Therapist

“As a first-time attendee, I was excited about the information and resources that ATIA provided. I look forward to using the knowledge I received to grow as a professional and better serve our local districts.”

— Allisa T.

AAC Consultant

“I am a power wheelchair user and the technologies I have found at ATIA have allowed me to further my goals of independent living and independent learning and allowed me to do the same for our students by sharing what I’ve found. It has also taught me a lot about different disabled experiences and what to be mindful of in order to make things as accessible as possible for everyone.”

— Sydney H.

“I find that attending ATIA each year reinvigorates me and gets me excited and thoughtful about my practice. I get so many ideas to bring back to my schools and I find that I can implement things right away. I also appreciate the time to meet with vendors and ask questions that I might now pursue over email.”

— Patricia W.

AT Specialist

“What a valuable experience that provides a nice mix of the latest AT trends and devices, session presentations to learn more about those areas most of interest to you as the attendee, product and device demos, hands-on experience and the make and take put ATIA over the top in providing a complete hands-on experience!”

— Jennifer D.

VOS Consultant

“This was my first time attending ATIA and the experience was amazing. I work in several different programs within my organization (social-emotional, behavioral, and developmental disabilities) and was able to find sessions that provided relevant ideas and solutions for each of these practice areas. Every session I attended provided new information and tools for me to use in my daily practice.”

— Sarah C.

MS OTR/L Occupational Therapist

“As a first-time attendee of the ATIA conference, I am inspired to go back and make positive changes in my district. It was an honor to be part of this amazing conference and I look forward to coming back next year!”

— Lauren D.

Ed.D., SLP-CCC/AT Liaison

“ATIA is my early energizer! The workshops and hands-on experience with all the new technologies are inspiring and invigorating! I always leave with a multitude of ideas, some new, some reminders of ideas that fell by the wayside in the hustle and bustle of daily therapy services. Not to mention all the great freebies and giveaways!”

— Teresa S.

MS, CCC-SLP

“ATIA blew me away!! It will take me weeks to process all of the new information! I learned about many different aspects of my AT practice! I will definitely be back.”

— Megan D.

SLP Consultant

“When I first heard about the ATIA conference I was nervous that it was all going to be about high-tech AT devices. I was so glad to find out that so many sessions did not revolve entirely around devices and that many of the items shared were free, so I could easily implement them into my classroom.”

— Kristyn S.

ESE Teacher

“As a first-time attendee and an OT I was not sure what to expect. I was like a kid in a candy store. This conference went above and beyond to provide me with the confidence to go forward with great ideas, new contacts and a wealth of information. I would recommend to other therapists as well.”

— Judy M.

“I would highly recommend ATIA for anyone who works with infants through adults that may need assistance with communication, learning, cognition, vision, or movement. The speakers are incredibly knowledgeable about their subject areas, and the ability to communicate in person with vendors in order to problem-solve for specific clients is invaluable.”

— Amy R.

, MA, CCC/SLP, ATP, Owner

“Learning, sharing, and networking were the themes of this week. I am leaving reinvigorated and ready to implement what I learned when I return to work on Monday.”

— Amber K.

Program Support Teacher-Autism

“ATIA met all my expectations and beyond! I loved the sessions on emerging technologies! My mind is exploding in an incredible way with all the new knowledge from fantastic session speakers and hands-on experiences with vendors! Loved ATIA!!!”

— Brenda W.

“I’ve been attending ATIA, every year for at least 15 years. I am not a speaker, exhibitor, vendor, etc., just an ordinary SLP that keeps coming back. It is my tried and true access to a top-notch continuing education experience. I leave not only better informed but with refreshed excitement for my profession.”

— Karen R.

M.Ed. M.S. CCC/SLP AAC Consultant Speech Language Pathologist