Abilities Expos - Who is going?

[KPeveler]

Who out there is going to one of the Abilities Expos around the country? The first one is in just a month or so. I am so excited!

I am going to be at the one in Los Angeles. Any other DISers going?

http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/

 

[Singledad]

wow, that looks like an awesome thing to attend! Wish I could, but the nearest one is over 200 miles away. bit too hard for me to attend with already paying for my dis trip.

You'll have to let me know what most impressed you in the expo part.

 

[mdvlprof]

Looks interesting....Maybe the one in Atlanta.

 

[brat]

Maybe one of the later ones going to WDW first. Have been to past ones and had a great time.Disney will have a booth at the LA expo so you can bring info back to shair with dis.

Have fun.Enjoy seeing some chairs get air if you get the time to watch the extreeme stunts.

 

[SueM in MN]

The ones this year are pretty far from me, but I have been twice in the past when they were in Minneapolis.
I thought it was great!

 

[KPeveler]

Had a great day at the Expo! There were so many cool things that I want!

Disneyland even had a booth, so I now have Mickey shaped reflectors for the spokes of my wheels! You can't even buy them, they are only giving them out at things like this. I also got a tote bag made for wheelchairs with the Disneyland logo.

I also met another DISer with an awesome wheelchair and a Basset service dog, but I forgot to ask her name. I saw her twice at Disneyland too the last couple days! Maybe I will see her again to actually introduce myself.

 

[brat]

Great to hear you a good time.Will love hearing about the cool new suff you saw.

We came away from he las Expo we atended with a list of I want thats.Kids really love he stunt chairs.

 

[SueM in MN]

Cool!!!

 

[Mary976]

I can't believe I hadn't heard of this before! We're definitely going to the Chicago one...DD is already looking forward to me being the odd one out because I'm walking and not using a chair like she does.

Thanks for the great info!
Mary

 

[PatMcDuck]

I want to attend the one in NJ.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Thread bump/ I went to the Abilities Expo today for NY/NJ.

I hate to say it, but I was disappointed. It was 30% car dealers showing ramps and such, 50% wheelchair accessories, wheels, etc and 20% misc. including providers of wheelchairs, and services like jobs for handicapped.

I did not see any communication devices, new software for computers or iPads, etc. My son is 21 now, and has autism and Down syndrome, and it did not seem to relate to his needs at all. I was interested in some things, for example I use a Convaid Chair for him at WDW, and day trips that require lots of walking. The Convaid co was there, and if I had Sean and his chair with me, they may have helped me adjust it for him the best way possible, etc. I went alone though.

So, my report is that it is mostly for physically handicapped. I have been so excited lately because my son is using his new iPad with Proloquo2Go. I thought, maybe I would see new apps? Wow, I thought, they should have stuff like that here. I guess I need to go to a different type of Expo.

I am VERY glad they had this Expo for the many wheelchair users I saw there, it seemed to be a great place for them to see the latest devices.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thread bump/ I went to the Abilities Expo today for NY/NJ.

I hate to say it, but I was disappointed. It was 30% car dealers showing ramps and such, 50% wheelchair accessories, wheels, etc and 20% misc. including providers of wheelchairs, and services like jobs for handicapped.

I did not see any communication devices, new software for computers or iPads, etc. My son is 21 now, and has autism and Down syndrome, and it did not seem to relate to his needs at all. I was interested in some things, for example I use a Convaid Chair for him at WDW, and day trips that require lots of walking. The Convaid co was there, and if I had Sean and his chair with me, they may have helped me adjust it for him the best way possible, etc. I went alone though.

So, my report is that it is mostly for physically handicapped. I have been so excited lately because my son is using his new iPad with Proloquo2Go. I thought, maybe I would see new apps? Wow, I thought, they should have stuff like that here. I guess I need to go to a different type of Expo.

I am VERY glad they had this Expo for the many wheelchair users I saw there, it seemed to be a great place for them to see the latest devices.

You are correct that it is mostly for physical disabilities.

If you go to the Proloquo2Go website at www.proloquo2go.com, you can look for some of the conferences that they are presenting at. Those would be the ones that the computer and communication type presentations are at.

One of the big ones is each year in Minneapolis in October. It is called Closing the Gap and includes computers, computer access and communication devices. All sorts of tech stuff.

 

[PatMcDuck]

WOW, San Diego in November sounds pretty good, haha.

 

[peemagg]

Does anyone know where they are holding any for next year? I would like to go to one but just can't swing it this year, so I thought maybe next year it would be doable.

 

[SueM in MN]

Does anyone know where they are holding any for next year? I would like to go to one but just can't swing it this year, so I thought maybe next year it would be doable.

There is a link in the first post to the website of the Abilities Expo:
http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/

It does list 2 for 2012. Atlanta in February and Los Angelos in March.