For those of you who are not familiar, the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) is a national organization composed of parents, parent attorneys, and parent advocates whose mission is to protect the rights of children with disabilities (http://www.copaa.org). This past week I attended COPAA's annual conference which took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As always, the conference included a panoply of workshops, lectures, and brainstorming sessions. Some of the highlights included:
A fantastic presentation by Amy Langerman, Esq. about behavior management
A session with Brian Reichow, PhD., BCBA-D, about the implications of the new DSM-5, especially for individuals with autism
An interactive litigation strategies session headed by Jon Zimring, Esq.
A special education finance session with Sonja Kerr, Esq.
A session presented by Andy Feinstein, Esq. and Caroline Heller, Esq. about the meaning of "free appropriate public education"
A brainstorming session for 2013 policy considerations
The conference also covered developments in recent case law and current trends in special education.
The 2014 conference is slated for March 7-10 in Baltimore, Maryland.