Ohio University Southern to host Virtual Envision Access Conference

Ohio University Southern will host the 2025 Virtual Envision Access Conference from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, March 7. The free, two-session event will provide educators, administrators, and advocates with tools to support neurodivergent learners and create more inclusive educational environments.

Organized by Dr. Teresa McKenzie, accessibility coordinator at Ohio University Southern, the conference will highlight best practices in strength-based learning and equitable education for students with disabilities.

The first session, “Embracing Diversity: Strength-Based Learning with Neurodivergent Learners,” will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. and will be led by Kathy Magnusson, M.Ed., founding director of Wildewood Learning, and Monica Cochran, M.Ed., a learning consultant with Learning Without Borders. This session will introduce practical strategies to shift from a deficit-based model to an approach that recognizes and nurtures students’ strengths.

From 11 a.m. to 12:05 p.m., Lindsay Rice, M.Ed., a third-grade teacher and neurodivergent education advocate, will present “Equitable Education for Neurodivergent Learners.” Rice, who has ADHD and autism, will share insights into the neurodivergent experience, explain key terms such as rejection sensitivity dysphoria and masking, and offer research-backed strategies to support neurodivergent students.

The Virtual Envision Access Conference is open to educators, administrators, parents, and policymakers interested in creating more inclusive learning environments. Registration is free.

For more information, contact Dr. Teresa McKenzie.