Program

11th National Deafblind Conference program is current as at 14 February 2022. This is a program outline and is subject to change at the organisers' discretion. 

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9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Usher Syndrome Pre-Conference

Please see more information here.

9:00am - 9:15am
Welcome and housekeeping

9:15am  - 9:45am
Usher syndrome gene therapies 
Dr Tina Lamey, Senior Scientist and Research Fellow, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital

9:45am - 10:00am
Q&A

10:00am – 10:30am
Research Revelations 
Fleur O'Hare, Senior Research Manager, Vision Optimisation Research Group at The University of Melbourne & Retinal Gene Therapy Unit at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital

10:30am – 10:45am
Q&A

10:45am – 11:15am
Morning Tea 

11:15am – 11:45am
Technology and Early Braille Solutions  
Peter Cracknell, Vision Technology Specialist at Quantum Reading Learning Vision

11:45am – 12:00pm
Q&A

12:00pm – 12:30pm  
A Family Journey to Support Clinical Research
Bronwyn Doak, Parent of two young children with Usher syndrome

12:30pm – 12:45pm
Q&A

12:45pm – 1:45pm
Lunch Break

1:45pm – 2:05pm
The Pursuit of Positive Impact
Daniel Talko, young adult with Usher syndrome  

2:05pm – 2:35pm
Q&A

2:35pm – 3:00pm
Plans for the future and closing remarks

 

Read More:
Bronwyn Doak | Daniel Talko | Fleur O'Hare | Peter Cracknell | Tina Lamey

9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

CHARGE Syndrome Pre-Conference

Please see more information here.

9:00am - 9:15am
Opening Address
Madelene Rich

9:15am - 9:50am
One family's journey towards a 'typical' life in the community 
Dianne Mandeville

9:50am - 9:55am
Questions

9:55am - 10:30am
A strengths-based approach to challenging behaviour and its messages
Ann Greer

10:30am - 10:35am
Questions

10:35am - 11:05am
Break

11:05am - 11:40am
Schooling and Implementation of Specialist Support
Annette Stocker

11:40am - 11:45am
Questions

11:45am - 12:20pm
Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Approaches for CHARGE Syndrome
Debbie and Kaya Lyons

12:20pm - 12:25pm
Questions

12:25pm - 12:55pm
Break

12:55pm - 1:30pm
Physical therapy meets real life - a dad's perspective
Phil Herborn

1:30pm - 1:35pm
Questions

1:35pm - 2:10pm
Speech Pathology and the Social Model of Disability
Carmen Roche

2:10pm - 2:15pm
Questions

2:15pm - 2:50pm
Navigating Life
Stephanie Begas

2:50pm - 2:55pm
Questions

2:55pm - 3:00pm
Closing Remarks
Madelene Rich

 

Read More:
Ann Greer | Carmen Roche | Debbie Bell | Dianne Mandeville | Kaya Lyons | Phil Herborn

5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Welcome Reception
8:00 AM to 10:15 AM

Day 1 - Morning Session

Session Chair: Meredith Prain

8.00am-8.45am
Arrival - Tea and Coffee Exhibition Area

8.45am-8.55am
Conference Welcome
Sarah Love, CEO SensesWA

8.55am-9.10am
Welcome to Country 
Vaughn McGuire

9.10am-9.20am
Welcome by Minister for Disability Services - Hon Don Punch

9.20am-10.00am
Keynote Presentation - Communication - the need for a multidisciplinary approach
Sampada Shevde, Heather Lawson and Melanie Robartson

Read More:
Heather Lawson | Melanie Robartson | Sampada Shevde | Vaughn McGuire

10:20 AM to 10:45 AM

Morning Session - Stream 1

Session Chair: Emily Truswell

10.20am-10.45am 
Communication training for interpreters and support workers working with deafblind people – Results of international survey
Louisa Willoughby 
 

Read More:
Louisa Willoughby

10:20 AM to 10:45 AM

Morning Session - Stream 2

Session Chair: Meredith Prain

10.20am-10.45am
Learnings from a website accessibility audit
Phoebe Wells and Melanie Robartson
 

Read More:
Melanie Robartson | Phoebe Wells

10:45 AM to 11:15 AM

Morning Tea
11:15 AM to 12:15 PM

Day 1 - Morning Session Cont. - Stream 1

11.15am-11.40am
Rhythmic Conversations
Lee Strickland
 

11.50am-12.15pm
What if….? Creativity and connection as a way of discovering, learning and informing supports for people born deafblind
Claire Fraser
 

Read More:
Claire Fraser

11:15 AM to 12:15 PM

Day 1 - Morning Session Cont. - Stream 2

11.15am-11.40am
Hospital in the time of Covid 19: what is happening, why and what can we do
Annmaree Watharow and Roslyn Barnes
 

11.50am-12.15pm
The Challenge of Social Distancing – A review of four technologies 
Cindy Wilson and Dianne Shaddock
 

Read More:
Annmaree Watharow | Cindy Wilson

12:15 PM to 1:15 PM

Lunch
1:15 PM to 2:15 PM

Day 1 - Afternoon Session - Stream 1

Session Chair: Melanie Robartson

1.15pm-1.40pm
Building the Bridge with a Common Language – Communication pathways and support for deafblind students in Queensland Schools
Catriona Pine
 

1.50pm-2.15pm
Typing and handwriting systems for deafblind communication using IPads and iPhones
Peter Cracknell

Read More:
Catriona Pine | Peter Cracknell

1:15 PM to 2:15 PM

Day 1 - Afternoon Session - Stream 2

Session Chair: Karen Wickham

1.15pm-1.40pm
Holding Space at Distance: Reflections on Deafblind community directed information project in the COVID-19 era
Adrienne Harper-Pike and Vanessa Vlajkovic

1.50pm-2.15pm
Balancing a work life, social life and study life during COVID
Matt Cameron

Read More:
Adrienne Harper-Pike | Matt Cameron

2:15 PM to 2:45 PM

Afternoon Tea
2:45 PM to 4:00 PM

Day 1 - Afternoon Session Cont.

Session Chair: Karen Wicham

2.45pm-3.25pm
Deafblind People and Covid-19: a population impacted, yet making an impact
Peter Simcock

3.30pm-4.00pm
Information Session: Disability Royal Commission
Edan Chapman, Deaf Australia
Amilee Myson, Your Story Disability Legal Support
Note: This session will not be live streamed

Read More:
Amilee Myson | Edan Chapman | Peter Simcock

6:30 PM to 10:30 PM

Gala Dinner
8:00 AM to 10:20 AM

Day 2 - Morning Session

8.00am-8.45am
Arrival - Tea and Coffee Exhibition Area

8.45am-9.00am
Conference Welcome

9.00am-9.40am
Keynote Presentation - 5 Good Communication Standards: 5 Service Applications: 1000s of Opportunities for Interaction Success?
Sheridan Forster
Session Chair: Meredith Prain

9.40am-10.20am
Panel Discussion - Key Successes and Learnings: Deafblind led awareness raising, peer support and advocacy
Rita Kleinfeld Fowel, Trudy Ryall, David Murray and Steve Ripley
Session Chair: Emily Truswell

Read More:
David Murray | Rita Kleinfeld Fowell | Sheridan Forster | Steve Ripley | Trudy Ryall

10:20 AM to 10:50 AM

Morning Tea
10:50 AM to 12:25 PM

Day 2 - Morning Session Cont. - Stream 1

Session Chair: Madelene Rich

10.50am-11.15am
On a Misson to Normalise 'Different'
Sarah Dalton

11.25am-11.50am
How to be Seen and Heard – Deafblind Australia
Anne Ruwoldt and David Murray

12.00pm-12.25pm
When the Impossible Becomes Possible: Adaptations to Tennis for Deafblind People
Vanessa Vlajkovic and Ian Ketteringham
 

Read More:
Anne Ruwoldt | David Murray | Ian Ketteringham | Sarah Dalton

10:50 AM to 12:25 PM

Day 2 - Morning Session Cont. - Stream 2

Session Chair: Emily Shepard

10.50am-11.15am
Exploring the potential of mainstream technology to assist those with deafblindness to achieve their individual goals
Liz Doyle

11.25am-11.50am
Exploring the support needs of parents/carers of young children with Usher Syndrome
Lauren Ayton

12.00pm-12.25pm
DBWA “Stronger Together” Mental Health Project
Karen Wickham

Read More:
Karen Wickham | Lauren Ayton

12:25 PM to 1:25 PM

Lunch
1:30 PM to 2:30 PM

Day 2 - Afternoon Session - Stream 1

Session Chair: Karen Wickham

1.30pm-1.55pm
Deafblind Employability Project
Elisa Lydiard

2.05pm-2.30pm
Peer driven learning in the deafblind community
Erika Webb and Kirsty Lim
 

Read More:
Erika Webb | Kirsty Lim

1:30 PM to 2:30 PM

Day 2 - Afternoon Session - Stream 2

Session Chair: Theresa Kirwin

1.30pm-1.55pm
Making a house a home: Individualised supported living and people with deafblindness
Meredith Prain, Michelle Stevens and Jasper Cleland

2.05pm-2.30pm
Passions, partnerships and pathways: a bespoke post school program of purposeful pursuits
Madelene Rich

Read More:
Madelene Rich | Meredith Prain

2:40 PM to 3:10 PM

Afternoon Tea
3:10 PM to 3:35 PM

Day 2 - Afternoon Session Cont. - Stream 1

3.10pm-3.35pm
How Deafblind People Run Our Own Organisation
Deafblind Victoria

Read More:
Deafblind Victoria

3:10 PM to 3:35 PM

Day 2 - Afternoon Session Cont. - Stream 2

3.10pm-3.35pm
Measuring outcomes of assistive technology use for people with deafblindness
Diane Bell

Read More:
Diane Bell

3:35 PM to 3:45 PM

Conference Close