Virtual - 2026 Education Series
2026-03-19 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-26 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York)
The Virginia Down Syndrome Association will host the 12th Education & Transition Conference will be Saturday, March 14th at the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College – Parham Campus. In conjunction with the conference, VDSA is pleased to provide additional learning opportunities for caregivers, educators, and self-advocates with ID/DD.
Feel free to register for any and all sessions! The registration page is here: https://virginiadsa.networkforgood.com/events/95531-2026-virtual-education-series
Thursday, March 5th 7-8pm – Transition Plans in IEPs presented by Liz Capone
Participants will learn more about:

How parental data can contribute to transition plans
Identifying community opportunities
The importance of soft skills
Ensuring readiness for Interviews
Taking a deep dive into Interests, hobbies, and preferences
Identifying continuing education options
Aligning transition information in the IEP with real world opportunities
Aligning potential jobs with skill

Speaker Bio: Liz Capone is an Advocate, Expert Witness, and a former Special Education Teacher of 21 years. She has taught at every grade level from PreK-12 and has worked in six school districts, including the largest school system in Virginia. She has teaching experience in all settings from general education to an acute unit and has extensive experience writing IEPs as a case manager, team leader, and IEP coordinator. Liz has presented to multiple organizations nationally, including the Arc of Northern Virginia, Decoding Dyslexia Utah, and Formed Families Forward.
Thursday, March 12th 7-8pm – ABLENow Information Session presented by Brittany Bullock
Presentation Information: More independence, greater financial security and a better quality of life – that’s the future ABLEnow is building. Join us for this information session to discover the advantages of ABLE accounts and the national ABLEnow program. In just one hour, we’ll cover the answers to these questions, and more:

What are ABLE accounts?
Who is eligible?
How can I use the money in an ABLE account?
What are the features and benefits of ABLEnow?
How can I learn more and open an account?

Speaker Bio: Brittany Bullock joined Commonwealth Savers in 2013 as a Financial Operations Analyst. Since then, she has moved into the role of Relationship Marketing Specialist, spending most of her time traveling the Central and Tidewater regions of the state educating individuals and families on the importance of ABLE accounts and how empowering they are for people with disabilities. As part of the marketing team, she also conducts virtual events and webinars both statewide and nationwide. Brittany has a B.S. in Business from Virginia Commonwealth University, with a concentration in International Business. She is passionate about helping others and looks forward to sharing this wonderful information with you all.
Thursday, March 19th 7-8pm – Making Sense of Behavior presented by Bright Achievements ABA
Presentation Information: Our focus is on helping families identify the core functions of behavior. We will cover common functions such as seeking attention, escaping non-preferred activities/stimuli, and gaining tangible items. Since all behavior serves a purpose, this presentation will provide families with tools on how to observe and collect data to determine potential function(s) and select appropriate, function-based interventions. The goal is to make applied behavior analysis techniques more accessible to caregivers by using real-life examples and breaking down common definitions and language.
Thursday, March 26th 6-7pm – GRTC Travel Training Information Session presented byKelsey Calder
Presentation Information: Kelsey Calder, Travel Training Instructor for GRTC, will be giving an information session on how to use the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) buses to travel independently!

Virtual - Improvaneer
2026-03-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
The Virginia Down Syndrome Association is excited to start the virtual Improvaneer Method 5 week class again!!
7:00 to 8:00 pm

Returning and new participants welcome!
Teens and adults are welcome to sign up!

The Improvaneer Method:
Teaches participants:
Eye Contact. Creative Thinking. Adaption To Change. Quick Thinking. Focus. Listening. Voice Projection. Character Development. Attention To Detail.
Structure:

Each class lasts one hour and has a theme, a discussion, five games, and ‘homeprov’ that the participants are to practice with friends and family.
In each class we will gradually build in real world scenarios by mostly playing games that imitate various jobs, situations, and connections in real life.
Each week parents will receive an outline of what is coming up in the class.
After the class, emails will be sent to with ‘homeprov’ reminders.

Note from Rob Snow – CEO and Creator
The Improvaneer Method Way focuses on supporting our mission while maintaining immense respect, admiration, and support for the individuals utilizing the program. At all times, we will create a positive learning atmosphere that incorporates fun, humor, and discipline into the achievement and ultimate practice of this skill.
Learn more:
https://www.theimprovaneermethod.com/
Register here: https://virginiadsa.networkforgood.com/events/95223-virtual-improvaneer-winter-2026

Virtual - Communication Skills Groups for Teens and Adults
2026-04-08 15:30 - 17:00, 2026-04-22 15:30 - 17:00 | Zoom
VDSA is pleased to offer virtual Communication Skill groups thanks to a partnership with Longwood University. Teens ages 13-18 and adults 19 and over are invited to join Longwood University speech therapy students in conversation! This is a low-pressure, conversational style program where you’ll connect with each other and have a great time! This event is free of charge.
The Adults group will meet from 3:30pm until 4:15pm and our teens group will meet from 4:15pm until 5:00pm.
Sessions will take place via Zoom on February 11th, February 25th, March 4th, March 18th, April 8th, and April 22nd.
Register here: https://virginiadsa.networkforgood.com/events/96962-virtual-building-communication-skills

Virtual - Improvaneer
2026-04-09 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-04-16 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-04-23 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-04-30 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-07 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-21 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-28 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-06-04 19:00 - 20:00 and 2 more dates | Zoom
The Virginia Down Syndrome Association is excited to start the virtual Improvaneer Method 5 week class again!!
7:00 to 8:00 pm

Returning and new participants welcome!
Teens and adults are welcome to sign up!

Sign Up Here: Virtual Improvaneer
