Submit your presentation to be a speaker at our 63rd Annual International Conference in St. Louis, Missouri from February 16th to February 18th, 2026!

To be considered, please review the information below and submit your application before June 15, 2025. 

What We’re Looking For:

LDA’s Annual International Conference focuses on support, education and advocacy attracting educators, professionals, researchers, and individuals with learning disabilities from the U.S. and worldwide. In 2026, the program committee is especially interested in submissions addressing the intersection of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other SLDs with language, culture and economic disadvantage. Also, an area of focus is transitioning to adulthood and supporting individuals with SLD and related disorders in postsecondary education and the workplace.

Types of Presentations:

Lecture: Classroom style seating with standard AV provided by LDA. Seating typically is set anywhere from 25-100 people.

Poster Session: Sessions with visual displays on poster boards that can be viewed and discussed with small groups with authors during allocated 1-hour time periods.

Mini-Sessions: The format is a short, focused presentation, typically 15-20 minutes long, highlighting a new idea or offering a practical takeaway. Designed to be a quick, engaging experience with an opportunity for audience interaction. Mini-Sessions on like topics will be grouped in one room during a one-hour block.

Panel Discussion: A group of 3-5 experts will discuss a particular topic and take questions from audience members.

Our Main Strands:

The following strands will be used during the conference. The lists are examples and are not all-inclusive.

Law, Policy & Advocacy: Sessions focused on disability rights, individual advocacy, and public policy advocacy.

• IDEA and 504
• Advocacy/Public Policy
• Legal & Justice
• Workplace Accommodations and Support
• School discipline & disability
• Environmental/Medical
• Educator Preparation (teachers, principals, school psychologists, school counselors)
• Related Service Provider Preparation
• Post-Secondary Issues & Practices
• Assessment & Evaluation
• Adult Education & Literacy Policy & Advocacy
• Career and Technical Education Advocacy

Ideas for the Classroom to Implement NOW: Sessions offering practical strategies and activities, grounded in evidence, that educators can implement in their schools and classrooms. These sessions are typically offered by practicing teachers, interventionists, counselors, school psychologists, speech and language pathologists and other education service providers. 

• Assessment & Evaluation
• Early Childhood Education
• K-12 Instruction and Intervention with a focus on literacy and mathematics
• Career and Technical Education
• Mental Health and Behavior

Research to Practice: Sessions focused research on supported practices and implementation of such practices by educators, psychologists, policy makers, and others. Sessions will include the presentation of research studies, published and unpublished, by academic researchers as well as action research by practitioners. Research To Practice sessions will conclude with implications of the research to improve practice and outcomes for individuals with SLD and related disorders. Focus areas include but are not limited to:

• Educator Preparation (teachers, principals, school psychologists, school counselors)
• Related Service Provider Preparation
• Post-Secondary Issues and Practices
• Discipline Practices
• Mental Health
• Assessment and Evaluation
• Adult Education and Literacy
• Early Childhood
• Instruction and Intervention
• Research

LDA’s mission is to serve all individuals with learning disabilities. Thus, the selection committee will prioritize submissions that address social justice, equity, ableism and culturally relevant practices.