President's Message (November 2026)
ELECTIONS
Thank you to everyone who ran in our election for 2027. Congratulations to Yilin Shen (Secretary), Cody Puckett (Representative Assembly), Sedigheh Fatollahzadeh (Membership), and Lucia de Valle Penella (Student Chair).
DARTS AWARDS
Help Us Celebrate Our DARTS Community!
Nominations Close November 29, 2026
We invite our members to recognize the extraordinary educators, leaders, and student artists who make the world of arts and special education richer and more hopeful. Nominations remain open for all three DARTS awards!
DARTS Arts Educator Award
Celebrating the ART of teaching every learner
Honoring educators whose courageous belief that the arts belong to every learner has made a significant impact on the lives of students with disabilities and differences.
DARTS Lifetime Achievement Award
Honoring a career that changed what is possible
Recognizing individuals whose lifetime of teaching, leadership, scholarship, creativity, or advocacy has expanded opportunities for students and people with disabilities and differences through the arts.
NEW! DARTS Artist in Residence Award
Celebrating the voices, imagination, and artistry of students with disabilities and differences
Do you know a student artist whose work deserves to be celebrated?
Our newest award recognizes student artists with disabilities and differences, from sixth grade through graduate school, who demonstrate creativity, artistic voice, and a commitment to their creative practice.
The selected artist will have their work showcased throughout an academic year in DARTS communications, inviting our community to encounter their ideas, imagination, and unique artistic expression.
All nominations close November 29, 2026. Please help us celebrate the remarkable people and artists within our community!
DARTS @ CEC 2027
March 10, 2027 - March 13, 2027 Columbus, Ohio
Wednesday, March 10
Wednesday, March 10
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: TBD
Accommodations in and Through the Arts
Jasmine Begeske, Clinical Associate Professor, Purdue University
Sedigheh Fathollahzadeh Dizaji, Doctoral Candidate, Purdue University
Carolyn Breedlove, Special Education Teacher Leader, Salem-Keizer Public Schools
Paige Hutto Kelley, Regional Coordinator- Region 4 Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (RDSPD), Region 4 Education Service Center
Wednesday, March 10
12:30 PM – 1:15 PM
Poster Round A
Poster Hall
Multisensory Virtual Reality Music Experiences to Support Phonological Awareness for Autistic Students
Kent Godfrey, Florida State University, PhD Student
Thursday, March 11
Thursday, March 11
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Location: TBD
Music With Purpose: Supporting Student Outcomes Through School-Based Music Therapy
Kellee Coviak Hansen, Ingham Intermediate School District, Music Therapist
Laurel Rosen-Weatherford, Monroe County Intermediate School District, Supervisor of Special Education
Thursday, March 11
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
Location: TBD
DARTS Showcase: “I want a girlfriend” Doing Comics to Learn to Conversate
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities can face years of loneliness. They seek companionship but also encounter communication barriers. Graphic narratives (comics) can assist in developing conversation skills, establishing ethical guidelines, and generalizing these skills in other areas of life. This session shows how one group joyfully accomplished this work and participants co-create their own comic.
Steve Kroeger, University of Cincinnati, Associate Professor, Emeritus
Thursday, March 11
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM
Poster Round C
Poster Hall
Music as Intervention for Learners With Autism: A Review of Current Research and Practice
Xiaoning Sun, Missouri State University, Assistant Professor
Thursday, March 11
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: TBD
Expanding Access: Switch-Adapted Tools and Toys in Art Education
Mopinre Akinola-Olabanji, Purdue University, Graduate Student
Bukola Abiiba, Purdue University, Graduate Student
David Jackson, Purdue University, Lecturer
Sara Lucas-Dreiss, smART Consulting, Special Needs Alliance Group, Montgomery County Public Schools, Adaptive Fine Arts Specialist
Sedigheh Fathollahzadeh Dizaji, Purdue University, Doctoral Candidate
Jasmine Begeske, Purdue University, Clinical Associate Professor
Thursday, March 11
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Poster Round D
Poster Hall
Music-Mediated Intervention as a Bridge to Readiness to Learn in AI-Adapted Early Childhood Classrooms
Jae Young Jung, Arizona State University, PhD student
Thursday, March 11
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Location: TBD
Art as an Antidote to Aggression
Beverley Johns, Learning and Behavior Consultant, Retired Professional Fellow, MacMurray College
Juliann Dorff, Kent State University, Emeritus Senior Lecturer
Linda Hoeptner Poling, Kent State University, Professor
E. Paula Crowley, Illinois State University, Professor Emeritus
Thursday, March 11th
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Poster Round F
Poster Hall
Hip Hop Pedagogy and Reading Outcomes for Students with Learning Disabilities
Buruuj Tunsill, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Assistant Professor
Thursday, March 11th
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Location: TBD
Bring AI, Technology, and the Arts together with FRACTAL
Jose Blackorby, WestEd, Research Director
Leticia Perez, WestEd, Senior Professional Learning Specialist
Allison Martinez, Katabasis
Karen Melchior, WestEd, Research Manager
Bill Causey, Katabasis, President
Nagelle LeBoyd, WestEd, Research Assistant II
Friday, March 12
Friday, March 12
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM
Poster Round G
Poster Hall
Harmony In Motion: A Holistic Approach to Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Erin Downey, Monmouth University, Undergraduate Student
Friday, March 12
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: TBD
Express Yourself: Identity-Affirming Supports for Neurodivergent Students
Keishana Barnes, University of Memphis, Assistant Professor of Special Education
William Hunter, University of Memphis, Professor of Special Education and Assistant Chairperson, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership Department
Friday, March 12
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Poster Round H
Poster Hall
Inquiry, Innovation, and Inclusion: Using STEAM to Foster Meaningful Learning Experiences for Students with Disabilities
Katelyn Hadder, Lipscomb University, Assistant Professor of Special Education, Board-Certified
Friday, March 12
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM
Location: TBD
Meaningful Access to the Arts: Adaptive Practices and Assistive Technology
Jasmine Begeske, Purdue University, Clinical Associate Professor
Yilin Shen, Purdue University, PhD student
Rhoda Bernard, Berklee College of Music, Founding Managing Director, Institute for Accessible Arts Education & Assistant Chair, Music Education Department
Alice Rhodes, Asbury University, Associate Professor
JOURNAL OF THE ARTS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION (JASE)
The August 2026 special issue for the Journal of the Arts and Special Education (JASE) is out now! You can read it on the JASE website (https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jase/).
JASE is currently accepting manuscripts (research articles, community partnership articles, and practitioner papers) and cover art. Learn more about submitting to JASE here (https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jase/policies.html).
If you are interested in being a peer reviewer for JASE, reach out to David Miranda through email ([email protected]) for more information.
DARTS AMBASSADORS
Are you passionate about bridging the gap between the arts and special education?DARTS is looking for dedicated individuals to join our team as State Ambassadors. This is a unique opportunity to help lead initiatives that foster inclusive arts environments and support students with disabilities nationwide. As a State Ambassador, you will build networks, share resources, and advocate for multisensory, accessible arts pedagogy in your region. Whether your background is in music, visual arts, dance, or drama, your expertise can help shape a more inclusive future for all learners.
How to Apply: If you are interested in representing your state and making a meaningful impact in the field of arts and special education, we want to hear from you. Please contact Cody Puckett at [email protected].
DISES 2027 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE which will take place June 15–18, 2027, in beautiful Marrakech, Morocco. Learn more here: https://dises-cec.org/events/2027-dises-conference DISES has incorporated the arts in their conference strands in hopes of seeing more DARTS members attend and present. Ever thought about sharing your work internationally? Now might be the time.
Possible DARTS @ DISES topics include:
Inclusive arts education across educational settings
Arts-based research and participatory methodologies
Adaptive arts practices and accessible creative technologies
Thank you for all you do to make the arts meaningful and inclusive for each and every student!
DARTS- Division of Visual and Performing Arts Education
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