Wait, there’s a conference?

Watch NAD President Melissa Draganac-Hawk invite YOU to #NAD2018!

Where and when is the 2018 NAD Conference?

July 3-7, 2018 in Hartford, CT at the Hartford Marriott Hotel and the Connecticut Convention Center.

Who attends the NAD Conference?
  • Deaf, hard of hearing, late deafened, deaf blind, and hearing consumers
  • Parents and family members
  • Federal employees
  • Deaf and hard of hearing professionals
  • Organizational and corporate representatives
  • Professionals whose services are targeted to deaf, late deafened, hard of hearing, and deaf blind individuals.
  • Retirees active in civic and community service
  • Mainstream and residential education students
  • College and university students
  • Educators of the deaf
  • Interpreters
Do you have a letter I can show my boss why I should go to the NAD Conference?

Yes! Check out our sample letter to use for your employer.

Why should I register in advance?

Registration for package tickets’ deadline is May 31, 2018.

  • Some events have limited capacities and may be sold out
  • All NAD Conference meal events have early deadlines for food orders
  • Seating may not be available if you wait until the last minute
  • To make check-in at the conference faster and easier
  • Your information, registration badges, tote bags, and our support will be prepared and ready for you in advance!
Can non-delegates watch the Council of Representatives?

The Council of Representatives welcome everyone; while votes are limited to delegates, the general public can still be in the room and watch the proceedings.

What is Racial Justice Training?

There will be a four hour training for anyone who is interested in unpacking their privilege and learning about racial justice. Throughout your workplace and personal experiences, you’ve likely gleaned information and knowledge here and there related to diversity and racial justice. Whether your knowledge is limited or in-depth or somewhere in between, in this workshop, you will build a “toolbox” like they do on Saturdays at Home Depot. Contained will be a beginning framework in organizing your knowledge, unpacking privilege, discussing racial issues, touching upon other contributing and examining your past and future contributions to racial justice. Participants will have a chance to be hands-on through a mixture of presentation and discussion.

What is ProTactile Training?

This four hour training will be available for anyone who is interested in learning about ProTactile; it is pro-touch, pro-experience and pro-responsibility. Protactile supports “hands-on” learning and “hands-on” experience rather than an experience limited to the DeafBlind person’s partial vision/hearing or vicarious information.  Protactile is for sighted people too. Protactile is radical — sighted people listening tactually (as well as with their vision) is a radical thing. It is parallel to hearing people communicating with each other using sign language (and no voice) when in a Deaf environment. Thus, protactile is also political. It challenges sighted privilege. Protactile is a rejection of the pressure from the dominant society to conform to sighted-hearing norms AND sighted-Deaf norms. Come learn how to find your “inner protactile” and you will learn protactile as a philosophy, attitude and language.  Best of all, you will learn how to become an ally and coexist with DeafBlind people in your community, work place and families.  aj granda and Jelica Nuccio have been working closely together in developing a new curriculum to teach protactile to DeafBlind and sighted people. As Jelicia and aj note in their first protactile vlog (video blog): “The philosophy behind protactile recognizes, first and foremost, that DeafBlind people value touch for purposes of communication in the same way that hearing people value sound/voices and Deaf people value vision. Touch is our way of being present with one another.” They travel across the nation bringing protactile philosophy and practices to everyone.

Can I register at the conference?

Yes. Non-combo registration is available at the conference. However, registering before the Conference saves you money and time and guarantees you seating at meals and events. Meal events have deadlines and seating may not be available if you wait until the last minute.

What is Government Employee Training (GET)?

In partnership with Deaf in Government (DIG), the NAD is offering GET sessions during the Conference. Registration is for federal and state employees and includes:

  • GET sessions
  • NAD workshop sessions, RID Region I sessions, and NDEC sessions
  • Certificate of Attendance
  • NAD Exhibit Hall
  • [email protected] events
What is OGG Breakfast and how can I purchase a ticket?

The Order of Georges and Georgettes (OGG) biennial breakfast is an opportunity for NAD members, in good standing of three years or more, to gather and celebrate. Following the NAD’s conference theme of Deaf Education and 200 years of American Sign Language (ASL), the OGG is thrilled once again to share this event with members. This year’s breakfast is hosted by NAD appointed board member, Meena Mann. The NAD is honored to have Tim Riker from Rhode Island as the emcee along with our special presenter, Mark Apodaca of New Mexico. Mark will be sharing his wisdom on the history of Deaf Education and leadership. The OGG tickets are only available for NAD members, in good standing of three years or more. For more information on how register for this event, please contact us.

I see that Family Day is open to the public, so what does that mean?

Family Day is a free event with many entertaining family-friendly activities that are open to the public! This is a wonderful event to take your family to watch and to immerse in!

Will you be able to accommodate to my needs for the events and workshops?

Yes!  All NAD workshops, sessions, events, etc will be voice interpreted and CART/Captioned unless the presenter is not using ASL. Then, we will have an ASL interpreter available next to the presenter.  If you need to make additional requests, you can do so by June 1st.

Is the conference appropriate for young children?

Yes! The 2018 NAD Conference was designed to attract families and their children. We have a wonderful schedule for children ages 3-17!

  • CHILDREN & TEENS (ages 3-17) – Registration required for free admission to workshops, College Bowl/Youth Ambassador Program events. Payment required for all other events.
  • INFANTS (ages 0-2) – Free admission, no registration required. If your child still would like a badge to fit in, please register your child for ages 3-17.
  • We also offer Kids Camp for ages 4-12!
  • The Jr. NAD Pages program is a wonderful community service and leadership program for your deaf child aged between 12-17 years old.

The following events are perfect for your family for a fun-filled Conference week:

  • Opening Ceremony
  • College Bowl Preliminaries
  • College Bowl Finals
  • Youth Luncheon
  • Youth Ambassador Program Finals
  • Family Day (all day Saturday, July 7, 2018)

Children of all ages must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. However, if you would like your children to have a separate experience on their own as you enjoy the Conference, they can attend the Kids Camp or if they’re old enough, they can be a Jr. NAD Page!

Wait, what’s the Jr. NAD Pages Program?

The Jr. NAD Pages program is geared towards deaf and CODA teens between 12 and 17 years old and interested in the inner workings and strategies of the NAD Conference.

What exactly is the Kids Camp?

The camp will provide activities, entertainment, and field trips for children aged 5 to 12. This program will be held during the 54th Biennial NAD Conference from July 4-6 from 8 AM to 5 PM.

What’s the difference between the NAD Registration for Children & Teens ages 3-17 and the Kids Camp?

The Children & Teens NAD Conference Registration for Children & Teens ages 3-17 is access to general conference registration, like workshops, [email protected] events, and so on. The Kids Camp is separate from the Conference to provide activities for kids, under supervision — the parents don’t have to be there.  The Kids Camp will be an additional charge, further details will be released soon.

Why do you sell packages now?

Previously, we offered combo registration along with non-combo events. Non-combo events are events at individual prices which includes luncheons. However, luncheons are not sold on-site and is not offered with Combo Registration. Often, attendees purchased combo registration without realizing luncheons were not included. For this reason, we have enhanced your shopping experience by creating packages that includes luncheons!

So, what’s happening at the 2018 NAD Conference?

Take a look at the 2018 Conference schedule.  Check back often for additions/changes to the schedule.  During the conference, you will receive live changes/updates via the mobile app!

Who else is involved with the conference?

Check our list of partners.

How can my organization/company become a sponsor?

It’s easy. Contact us to become a sponsor!

Can I earn Continuing Education Units (CEU) at the conference?

Yes, CEUs are available and paid for in advance during conference registration. Each partner (DIG, NDEC, RID and NAD) charges their own flat rate fee for processing of CEU’s or Certificates.

For example, if you want CEU’s from both RID and NDEC, the CEU /Certificate processing fee will be $100 (RID) and $100 (NDEC) = $200.   If you want only for NAD Certificate, the NAD Certificate processing fee will only be $10.  There is no charge for DIG Certificates.  Please see below for more details.

  • DIG Certificate:  ($0) DIG Certificates are provided at no charge and are designed for government employees and are from Deaf in Government. DIG Certificate recipients will receive a certificate via e-mail after the conference and do not need to sign in at each workshop.
  • NDEC Certificate: ($100) There will be a charge of $100 for NDEC Certificates which are designed for teachers K-12 and are from the Connecticut Department of Education. NDEC Certificate recipients will receive a certificate via e-mail after the conference and do not need to sign in at each workshop. 
  • RID CEU processing: ($100) There will be a charge of $100 for RID CEU processing which includes all credits earned during the conference. More information on how to earn CEUs will be forthcoming.
  • NAD Certificate:  ($10) There will be a charge of $10 for NAD Certificates.  Recipients will receive a certificate via e-mail after the conference and do not need to sign in at each workshop. Please contact us if another format is required.

When you register for the conference, check the ‘CEU’ box so your name will be on the list for CEUs. Please contact us for details.

Why should I stay at or near the conference hotel?
  • All conference activities are in the hotel.
  • The NAD negotiates a special rate for conference attendees.
  • Attendees who stay in the hotel, allow the NAD to pay less for meeting space which makes registration rates lower.
  • The hotel is surrounded by many fun places to spend your time.
  • Easier networking opportunities.
  • Save extra time from taking public transportation or walking.
  • Staying in the conference hotel makes it convenient for you to go to your room in between activities.
Can I visit the exhibit hall without registering for the conference?

Yes, the exhibit hall is open to the public!

Can I volunteer?
I have allergies or dietary restrictions, what can I do?

The NAD selects meals we hope everyone will enjoy. We realize that some individuals have dietary restrictions and food allergies. Attendees who have notified us about food allergies or dietary restrictions that prevent them from eating the standard entree selection will be provided with a vegetarian/vegan meal based as closely as possible on their specific dietary needs. The NAD will do its best to accommodate all dietary requests; however because the focus is on food allergies, we cannot always guarantee requests such as low-fat, low-salt, low-carb, sugar-free, etc. Alternate soups, salads or desserts also may not be available. Please contact us for special meal requests no later than June 1, 2018.

Still have a question?

Please contact us if you don’t find the answer to your question above.