Current Trainings
Iowa National Summer Transportation Institute
Free summer STEM camp
Sunday, June 22 – Friday, June 27, 2025
The Iowa National Summer Transportation Institute (INSTI) is a free STEM summer camp for students entering 9th, 10th, or 11th grade, and will be held on the University of Iowa campus.
Students of color, young women, and youth with and without disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Join us for 5 days of learning focused on STEM Education, careers in the transportation industry, leadership, college readiness, and more!
INSTI is hosted by the University of Iowa REACH Program, in collaboration with the Civil Rights Bureau of the Iowa Department of Transportation and funded through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
To apply, contact kathryn-abrams@uiowa.edu or view the application form.
Built Environment for All: Shaping Active Communities for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Brought to you by the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact and Special Olympics International
Friday, June 6, 2025 – 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Join us for a powerful webinar presenting findings from interviews with Special Olympics athletes to make towns easier to navigate for people of all abilities.
This webinar will also provide strategies to involve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in your built environment work!
Introducing New Resources to Elevate Family Caregiver Programs
National Caregiver Support Collaborative (NCSC) Training Opportunity
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 – 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Please join the Administration for Community Living (ACL) on Tuesday, June 10, for an aging network training opportunity to learn more about the National Caregiver Support Collaborative (NCSC), an innovative initiative offering resources and technical assistance to aging network organizations and key partners, including those serving tribal and kinship caregiver support networks.
This educational opportunity is intended for aging network organizations and key partners.
Mindspring Hosts Webinars & Events
Free Training Opportunities
June 2025 dates
Webinar Series
Mindspring provides free mental health education opportunities to the public through webinars on a wide variety of mental health topics. Webinars are hosted every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:00pm-1:00pm, and Wednesday from 10:00-11:00pm and 12:00pm-1:00pm CST.
All webinars are free and open to the public. Webinars are recorded and emailed to all registrants. Certificates of attendance are administered to anyone who participates in the live webinar and completes the survey at the end.
Upcoming Events
A Training to Assist You in Communicating with Individuals with Limited Speech
Essential Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 - 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Sponsored by Brain Injury Alliance Iowa and presented by Krista Davidson, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech Language Pathologist, Clinical Professor, Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Iowa, Inventor – RescueVoice.
*IBC approved for 1.0 hour Generic.
SAVE THE DATE: 2025 Make Your Mark! Self-Advocacy Conference
It’s Time to Advocate: GAME ON!
September 18-19, 2025
Holiday Inn & Suites Des Moines-NW
4800 Merle Hay Rd, Urbandale, IA
The Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council (DD Council) Make Your Mark! Conference is geared toward Iowans with disabilities who want to be more involved in advocacy at a local, state, or federal level. Parents, family members, caregivers, direct support professionals, and other disability advocates are also expected to be in attendance.
Apply to Become a Presenter
We are interested in presentation ideas that help people with disabilities learn how to be more involved in their communities, become leaders, and advocate for themselves and others.
Presentations should focus on one of the following categories:
- Community Inclusion
- Advocacy
- Volunteerism
- Grassroots Organizing
- Employment and Financial Independence
- Leadership
- Self-Determination
- Self-Care or Wellbeing
All presenter applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on May 23, 2025.
Registration is Now Open for the 2025 SOAR Conference
Seeking Opportunities for an Advocacy Revolution
October 3-5, 2025
Embassy Suites by Hilton – Omaha Downtown
Old Market, 555 S. 10th St., Omaha, NE 68102
This event brings together self-advocates with disabilities from around the Midwest to exchange ideas and learn from each other about advocacy.
Participating States: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming
Training Sources
Health Care Provider Training
Free suite of videos
Assuring Access to Quality Health Care for Persons with Disabilities is a free suite of videos aimed at educating current and future health care professionals on strategies to effectively communicate with and accommodate patients with a variety of disabilities.
Empowering Families in Special Education: Navigating Resources for Your Student
The Iowa DD Council hosted a discussion with the Iowa Department of Education, ASK Resource Center, Disability Rights Iowa, and Health and Human Services. They discussed resources and tools available for your family and how to advocate for the services your child needs.
Disability Exchange Podcast
The Disability Exchange (DX) podcast is produced and presented by the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Iowa’s UCEDD, at the Center for Disabilities and Development. Join UCEDD staff and podcast co-hosts, Mike Hoenig, Laury Scheidler and Judy Warth, for this engaging series.
All episodes of the DX podcast are available on the Anchor by Spotify platform.
Or search for “Disability Exchange” wherever you get your podcasts. And find links to a variety of other platforms on the DX Anchor by Spotify page. DX is not yet available on Apple podcasts.
Joanna Sabha produces the DX podcast for the UCEDD. Get in touch with her if you have questions or would like to learn more about it at Joanna-sabha@uiowa.edu or 319-356-1347.
Download transcripts of new podcast episodes, below, or catch up with episodes from previous seasons.
Access to Training
Our Training Sources page provides links to a variety of training resources that are available on an ongoing basis. Most of these resources are online, available any day, any time. Check websites for fees associated with the trainings.
The Conner Training Connection makes every effort to assure these listings are up-to-date. Visit our Training Sources page.
Training Calendar
Please visit our interactive calendar to find trainings on disability-related topics, including autism, brain injury, mental health, self-advocacy and transition. We invite you to share trainings with us and others using the "Add Event" button on this calendar.
Please visit our Contact Us page on this website for more information or support.