Attending Visions of Community 2026
Don’t miss one of the largest disability-related conference in Massachusetts! This year’s 2026 virtual conference will feature live workshops, expert speakers, and interactive sessions on issues that matter most to young people with disabilities, their families, and those who support them. Attendees will also have the chance to connect with exhibitors and service providers through our engaging online platform.
Keynotes and Sessions
We are excited to welcome two keynote speakers who bring expertise and experience as parent-professional to their work.
- Christina Cipriano, PhD, is an award-winning scholar and internationally regarded expert in the science of learning and development. Her new book, Be Unapologetically Impatient: The Mindset Required to Change the Way We Do Things (2025), is the latest must-read for every educator, provider, parent, and person interested in improving the lives of children and families.
- David Hirsch is the father of five adult children, ages 28-36 and two grandchildren, founder of the 21st Century Dads Foundation (2015) and Illinois Fatherhood Initiative (1997), host of the popular SFN Dad To Dad Podcast, now with more than 400 weekly episodes, author of six books including 21st Century Dads: A Father’s Journey To Break The Cycle Of Father Absence (2016).
We are offering 25+ sessions in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Vietnamese. Notable sessions include:
- Supporting Family Caregiving – Weaving Together Services and Resources
- Transition Services in Mass. – What BSEA Decisions, DESE Guidance, and Courts Require Post-MCAS Changes
- Family Engagement in Special Education
- Early Literacy Policies and Progress in Massachusetts
- Division for Children and Youth with Special Needs Programs, Services and Resources
- Everyday Strategies for Supporting Children on the Autism Spectrum (Spanish)
Connecting at VOC
As a virtual conference attendee, you can join sessions, participate in chat, Q&A, and polls, network with other attendees, visit expo floors and sponsor booths, and access event lobbies for session previews and streaming. Recorded sessions will be available for viewing within the conference platform for up to 9 months after the conference.
For families in western and southeastern MA, we will also offer 4 watch parties with partner organizations. Connect with local families who have children with disabilities and view the virtual conference together – learn more about VOC watch parties.
In the lead up to Conference day, we will also offer networking sessions for our Special Education Surrogate Parents (SESPs) and opportunities to meet with the Commissioners of state agencies including Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Developmental Services, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, and Department of Public Health.
After the conference closes, we’ll continue to celebrate our community through the Youth VOC event, held in Boston on March 21.
Language Access for Families
Workshops will be available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Chinese, Somali, and American Sign Language. In addition to the languages noted above, all sessions will include access to up to 60 additional languages through our AI interpretation system. The conference schedule will indicate which sessions are held in languages other than English, and which sessions will have interpretation provided. Our language outreach team members selected presentations based on feedback from members of their communities.
Simultaneous interpretation will be provided for our “Meet the Commissioners” pre-conference address, our two keynote addresses, and for select presentations.
Registration and Discounts
We want all families to be able to access the information presented during the conference. At the same time, we do rely on ticket prices to ensure that our programs will be sustainable. If you have any hesitation about paying the ticket price, please request a scholarship by simply emailing voc@fcsn.org.
Special Education Surrogate Parents (SESPs) and MASSPAC Members may be eligible for discounts. You will hear more about this soon, or feel free to contact the SESP (rtsc@fcsn.org) or MASSPAC (masspac@fcsn.org) team for more details.
Take part in Visions of Community 2026
Visit www.fcsn.org/voc/ to register and learn more!