L-R: Jude Shingle, Ann Ellison, Judy Stewart and Me (Maureen Barber-Carey) in Washington, D.C.

Yesterday, my colleagues and I had the privilege to give a presentation at the 2014 VSA Intersections: Arts and Special Education Conference. The title of our talk was Digital Art at the Intersection of Arts and Special Education. It focused on the use of technology in special education specifically with the implementation of social stories™.

Early on we made a commitment to technology and wanted to provide insight on how our school uses it to help students learn, grow and gain confidence. The audience was very receptive. They enjoyed watching a film the students made, learned various methods to secure funding for technology and gained an understanding of the fundamentals of a social story. They also enthusiastically participated in making a social story with our artist in residence Jude Shingle.

Only in its second year, the VSA conference is truly amazing and a great resource. It provides a wealth of knowledge and is a wonderful networking opportunity. I met many individuals dedicated to the arts and special education including the VSA representatives from Korea and Hong Kong. I look forward to continuing our collaboration with VSA and watching as this conference continues to grow.