The in-person Breaking the ICE (BTI) Conference depends on sponsors and donations to help reduce the cost of attendee fees. Many people who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) are on very limited budgets and have many extra costs due to their disabilities. These weekend conferences were held once every two years since 2001, but have been postponed since 2019 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. We hope to hold another in-person conference when it is considered safe for individuals with compromised immunity systems.
This has historically been a small, Ontario-wide conference, with ICEalberta and ICEwest hosting their own conferences for participants in Western Canada. Now that we have joined forces with ISAAC Canada, we plan to make this a Canadian conference, with attendees coming from various regions of Canada. The conference generally includes 50-60 people who use AAC, plus professionals, students, family members, friends, and attendants for a total of over 100 attendees. AAC is a slower method of communication, thus creating and maintaining friendships and a sense of community needs more time. The conference format includes extra time for meals and breaks – to allow for networking, as well as physical needs.
Your donation will help to support:
- Honorariums and expenses for the weekend presenters (most presenters are people who use AAC)
- Venue rental
- Accommodations for participants
- Participant registration and travel costs
- Attendant care services for participants
- Creation of promotional materials
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Your donation is much appreciated!