National Special Olympics Research Symposium -- Conference Overview

2006 Special Olympics U.S.A. National Games Symposium - "Compete, Empower, Unite"
The Gateway Hotel and Conference Center
July 1, 2006
8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Reception 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Special Olympics will conduct a one-day symposium, to be held in conjunction with the first-ever Special Olympics USA National Games, which will highlight subjects ranging from health and fitness to attitude change and the impact of the Special Olympics movement.

The symposium will provide a forum to assess the current status of people with intellectual disabilities in the United States, to learn about new research findings, and to challenge one another on what needs to be done to meet the needs of this underserved and often overlooked population.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona will deliver the keynote address. Featured speakers include Dr. Timothy P. Shriver, Chairman of the Board, Special Olympics International; Dr. Rick Rader, Director, Morton J. Kent Habilitation Center, and Editor-in-Chief, Exceptional Parent Magazine, and Loretta Claiborne, Board Member of Special Olympics International and Special Olympics athlete. Other speakers will include government leaders and policymakers, health care practitioners, Special Olympics athletes, and academic experts in public health, education and employment. A number of panels and individual presentations will take place, including:

"Progress for People with Intellectual Disabilities," moderated by Dr. David Braddock, Associate Vice President, University of Colorado System, and Executive Director, Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities.

"Promoting Health for People with Intellectual Disabilities - It Can & Must Be Done," moderated by Dr. Antonia Novello, Commissioner of Health for the State of New York and former Surgeon General of the United States.

"Creating Welcoming Communities for People with Intellectual Disabilities," moderated by Dr. Gary Siperstein, Professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston, Founder and Director of the Center for Social Development and Education and Director of the Regional Collaborating Center of Special Olympics, Inc.

"More Solutions and Better Solutions by and for People with Intellectual Disabilities," moderated by Dr. Stephen B. Corbin, Special Olympics International Senior Vice President for Constituent Services and Support and Dean, Special Olympics University