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About the Getting in Touch with Literacy Conference

GITWL 2023 brings together the most current thinking on all options of literacy for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, including print, braille, auditory, tactile graphics comprehension and the use of technology.

Presentations will address the needs of a range of ages and all levels of ability, including conventional and functional literacy. Plus, more than 90 concurrent workshops and additional poster sessions will focus on specific areas, including:

  • Assessment, instruction and support

  • Assistive technology and tactile graphics

  • Braille Instruction and Tactile Literacy

  • Cultural Linguistic Diversity and English Language Learners

  • Early Childhood Literacy

  • Legislation and Policy Affecting Literacy

  • Literacy and Additional Learning Needs

  • Low Vision

  • Transitional and Vocational Literacy

  • Literacy In Everyday Life

View all the Presentations
getting in touch with literacy

Getting In Touch with Literacy: The Finale

Since 1993 we have learned so much about literacy from each other through this biennial conference. We have encouraged the exchange of information about literacy for individuals with blindness and visual impairment of all ability levels. This will be the 15th GITWL conference in the past 28 years. The final Getting In Touch with Literacy (GITWL) conference under the leadership of Janie Blome and Cay Holbrook Literacy will be held in Florida in November & December, 2023. It has been a fantastic ride and we deeply appreciate the countless professionals who have embraced this conference and supported it by organizing and presenting. The collective voices have provided a forum for supporting literacy for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. We are advertising widely with the hope that this will be the best GITWL conference ever! Given the quality of this conference through the years, this is a tall order!


Conference History/Beliefs

Literacy for individuals with visual impairments is an area of increasing interest. At one time, the subject was just one of many diverse topics discussed at general conferences. But for the past 28 years, a group of professionals and individuals with visual impairments has organized a conference devoted specifically to this topic.

The following communities have organized and sponsored the literacy conference in the past:

    1993  Little Rock, Arkansas
    1995  Austin, Texas
    1997  Minneapolis, Minnesota
    1999  San Francisco, California
    2001  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    2003  Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    2005  Denver, Colorado
    2007  St. Pete Beach, Florida
    2009  Costa Mesa, California
    2011  Louisville, Kentucky
    2013  Providence, Rhode Island
    2015  Albuquerque, New Mexico
    2017  New Orleans, Louisiana
    2019  Seattle, Washington


Noted presenters from both the vision and general literacy fields through the years have included Ruby Ryles, Fred Schroeder, Carl Augusto, Sharon Sacks, Judith Dixon, David Warren, Donna McNear, Kay Ferrell, Sally Mangold, Linda Jones, Karen Wolffe, Frances Mary D'Andrea, Amanda Hall Lueck, Jamie Dote-Kwan, Jeffrey Senge, Anne Corn, Ike Presley, Cay Holbrook, Alan Koenig, Eileen Curran, Bernadette Kappan, Denis Schreiber, Barbara Paten Maurer, Reid Lyon, Barbara Miles, Brian Cambourne, Phil Hatlen, Linda Mamer, Diane Wormsley, Ann MacCuspie, Kevin Sterwart, Karen Karsh, Betty Zaborowski, Deborah Hatton, Lisa Fittipaldi, Erik Weihenmeyer, Susan Spungin, Barbara Foorman, Michael Melor, Diane Croft, Jeff Bohrman, Jag Einhorn and Paul Malloy.

Key Beliefs of the Getting In Touch With Literacy Conference

Literacy is liberating. It opens doors, enlarges the world and makes life richer and more meaningful. Reading impacts us in a way that no other art form - or life skill - can duplicate. It touches all areas of our lives.

We believe:
It is important to focus on all options for literacy including braille, print, combination of braille and print, use of technology and other literacy tools, research, and practice. The conference is not a "braille literacy conference" though some have tried to define it as such - it is a conference that includes underlying respect for all forms of literacy. It is the belief of conference organizers that individuals with visual impairments have a right to respect for the use of all literacy tools.

A range of age levels and all ability levels should be addressed. Presentations are encouraged that deal with topics related to infants and toddlers, school aged students, and adults. Both conventional and functional literacy issues are included.

Conference committees raise funds and solicit sponsorship in order to keep registration costs for conference participants as low as possible. Because this conference is most valuable to those who provide direct service to individuals with visual impairments, every effort should be made to keep registration and lodging costs reasonable for teachers of students with visual impairments and rehabilitation teachers. Sponsorship of various aspects of the conference (speakers, meals and breaks, printing, etc) helps keep conference expenses as low as possible. Proceeds from the Getting In Touch With Literacy conference should be used to support the on-going planning of professional development in literacy instruction. Therefore, all conference proceeds from this conference will be dedicated to efforts to support literacy for individuals with visual impairments.

Conversations on Literacy

For the past thirty years, the Getting In Touch With Literacy conference has been a forum for discussion, explorations, and conversations about literacy for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. People have met colleagues and built connections through these in-person conferences since 1993. The COVID years made it difficult to maintain and foster connections.

You are a valued member of this community, and while we wait to gather again in 2023, we invite you to participate in a series of virtual conversations. Eight virtual sessions were planned to capture the spirit of in-person interactions with robust conversations using a variety of breakout rooms and other online meeting tools.

Tickets are required to attend the virtual conversations. Cost per ticket is $30.00. Each ticket allows access for up to two people. In keeping with our desire to stay connected until the 2023 Conference, we encourage you to invite another member of our literacy community to join you on your ticket. Feel free to invite a co-worker, colleague, or even someone you met at the last Getting In Touch With Literacy Conference.

For those that applied their conference registration to the Conversations on Literacy, your tickets will be issued at no further cost.

For our university personnel preparation programs, a special rate is being offered. Please contact Janie Blome for more information. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect university students with colleagues around the world.

ACVREP CEUs are available for each session.

Join us between now and October 2023, as we build excitement towards the next in-person Getting In Touch With Literacy Conference to be held November 29 - December 2, 2023, in St. Pete Beach, Florida!

After a summer break, topics and dates for the final Conversations on Literacy will be announced as they are confirmed.

Podcast

Texas School for the Blind podcast: "A Sense of Texas"
Part 1  |  Part 2


Network

Meet other passionate experts and share ideas



Have Fun

Enjoy Florida attractions and the beach


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Registration

Getting In Touch With Literacy 2023: The Finale

Registration for the 2023 GITWL Conference is now open. Click here to register.

Dates:
November 29, 2023
  • Preconference Workshops
  • Opening Session, Keynote and Reception
November 30-December 2, 2023
  • Conference Sessions and Poster Sessions
Costs:
  • $275 Early Rate prior to August 31
  • $325 Regular Rate after August 31 but prior to October 31
  • $400 Late Rate between October 31 and November 26
  • $120 Full day pre-conference workshop (optional)
  • $60 Half-day pre-conference workshop (optional)

GITWL Friends and Supporters

Hotel Info



TradeWinds Island Resort on St. Pete Beach is located on 20 acres, directly on a Gulf of Mexico beach in Saint Pete Beach. The hotel offers 5 outdoor swimming pools, 4 full-service restaurants, and a spa.

Guest rooms at the Island Grand are equipped with a microwave, coffee machine, toaster, small refrigerator, and kitchenware. A flat-screen with cable TV is also included. Some rooms offer views of the Gulf of Mexico.

TradeWinds Island Grand features 2 hot tubs and 2 tennis courts. Guests can enjoy paddle boats, beach volleyball, a water slide, and beach cabanas. Complimentary access to the KONK Activities Center is available for all guests. 24-hour babysitting services and themed drop-off camps are available for an additional fee. Water sport activities include water slide rides and parasailing.

Dining options at the TradeWinds Island Grand include the Palm Court Italian Grill, Bermudas, Flying Bridge.Casual dining includes a poolside beach bar and grab-and-go options.

Fort De Soto Park is 16 minutes' drive from TradeWinds Island Grand, while Central St. Petersburg is 10 mi away. The Dali Museum is just 11 mi from the hotel.

The special conference rate for GITWL attendees is $172 per night, which will be available November 28 - December 3, 2023. The conference rate applies for single or double occupancy. Click for Reservation

TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, 5500 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706



Flight Info

Delta Air Lines is pleased to offer special discounts for Getting In Touch With Literacy. Click here to make an online reservation.

You may also call Delta Meeting Network® at 1.800.328.1111* Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. (EST) and refer to Meeting Event Code NM2U2

*Please note there is not a service fee for reservations booked and ticketed via the reservation 800 number.