2021 National Coding Symposium – Agenda
May 11-14, 2021
9:00 – 12:00 AM and 1:00 – 4:00 PM (PDT)
12:00 – 3:00 PM and 4:00 – 7:00 PM (EDT)
PDF version available soon. Please check back. Thanks!
4-Day Overview
(Subject to updates, so please check back occasionally.)
Each block is repeated twice a day, with different Keynotes (8), Presentations (8), Panels (12), and Q&As (6 – Friday only).
| Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keynote 1: Ted Henter, JAWS | Keynote 3: Kisiah Timmons, Verizon Media | Keynote 5: Jyotsna Kaki, Google | Keynote 7: Leonie Watson, TetraLogical |
| Presentation 1: Coding is accessible for everyone! Glen Gordon JAWS/Vispero | Presentation 3: Printf (“Are there prerequisites to learning to code?rn”); That’s not a typo, folks! | Presentation 5: The Development of an App Saqib Shaikh, Microsoft/Seeing AI | Presentation 7: Coding for K-12 students Sara Larkin and Jennifer Bliss, Iowa Ed. Services |
| Panel 1: What are Coders and what do they do? | Panel 5: What does it take to get a job in coding? | Panel 9: How do University programs support accessible coding? | Q&A: Meet the Coders and Professionals in the field of coding |
| Panel 2: If I learn how to code, do I have to be a Programmer? | Panel 6: How do I turn a cool tech idea into a business? | Panel 10: How do K-12 instructors teach coding? | Q&A: Meet the Professionals who get you hired and Entrepreneurs who are today’s change-makers |
| — | — | — | Q&A: Meet the Instructors teaching code in K-12 and higher education |
| — | — | — | Coding Camp Info and Scholarship Awards |
| Keynote 2: Rahma Ali, Fable Tech Labs | Keynote 4: Laura Allen, Google | Keynote 6: Michael Forzano, Amazon | Keynote 8: Jennison Asuncion, LinkedIn |
| Presentation 2: What do the job availability and future of technology employment look like? Dean Hudson, Apple, Inc. | Presentation 4: Dealing with the inaccessible Sina Bahram | Presentation 6: Learning to Code; It’s not just for Programmers Greg Stilson, APH | Presentation 8: Learning to code, with or without school Chancey Fleet, New York Public Library |
| Panel 3: What does it take to get a job in coding? | Panel 7: How do University programs support accessible coding? | Panel 11: What are Coders and what do they do? | Q&A: Meet the Coders and Professionals in the field of coding |
| Panel 4: How do I turn a cool tech idea into a business? | Panel 8: How do we teach coding to students with visual impairments? | Panel 12: If I learn how to code, do I have to be a Programmer? | Q&A: Meet the Professionals who get you hired and Entrepreneurs who are today’s change-makers |
| — | — | — | Q&A: Meet the Instructors teaching code in K-12 and higher education |
| — | — | — | Coding Camp Info and Scholarship Awards |
Daily Schedule
(Subject to updates, so please check back occasionally.)
Tuesday
| Time | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| PDT 9:00-9:20 a.m. EDT 12:00-12:20 p.m. | Keynote | Ted Henter, JAWS |
| PDT 9:20-9:50 a.m. EDT 12:20-12:50 p.m. | Presentation: Coding is accessible for everyone! | Glen Gordon, JAWS/Vispero |
| 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 10:00-10:50 a.m. EDT 1:00-1:50 p.m. | Panel: What are Coders and what do they do? | Moderator: Steve Clower, Desmos Josh Miele, Amazon/Smith Kettlewell Rahma Ali, Fable Tech Labs Ken Perry, APH |
| 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 11:00-11:50 a.m. EDT 2:00-2:50 p.m. | Panel: If I learn how to code, do I have to be a Programmer? | Moderator: Steve Clower, Desmos Joe Hodge, APH Peter Tucic, HumanWare Ka Li, Fable Tech Labs |
| 1 hour – 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 1:00-1:20 p.m. EDT 4:00-4:20 p.m. | Keynote | Rahma Ali, Fable Tech Labs |
| PDT 1:20-1:50 p.m. EDT 4:20-4:50 p.m. | Presentation: What do the job availability and future of technology employment look like? | Dean Hudson, Apple, Inc. |
| 10 minutes | Break | |
| PDT 2:00-2:50 p.m. EDT 5:00-5:50 p.m. | Panel: What does it take to get a job in coding? | Moderator: Matthew Ballinger, Oregon Commission for the Blind Carl Wise, Vispero |
| 10 minutes | Break | |
| PDT 3:00-3:50 p.m. EDT 6:00-6:50 p.m. | Panel: How do I turn a cool tech idea into a business? | Moderator: Mike May, Good Maps/Sendaro Dave Pinto, The Academy of Music for the Blind (AMB) John Gardner Sr., ViewPlus Joe Jorgenson, Accessibyte |
Wednesday
| Time | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| PDT 9:00-9:20 a.m. EDT 12:00-12:20 p.m. | Keynote | Kisiah Timmons, Verizon Media |
| PDT 9:20-9:50 a.m. EDT 12:20-12:50 p.m. | Presentation: Printf (“Are there prerequisites to learning to code?rn”); That’s not a typo, folks! | Ken Perry, APH |
| 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 10:00-10:50 a.m. EDT 1:00-1:50 p.m. | Panel: What does it take to get a job in coding? | Moderator: Enjie Hall, University of Toledo Heather Kennedy-MacKenzie, APH Mike Hess, Blind Institute of Technology |
| 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 11:00-11:50 a.m. EDT 2:00-2:50 p.m. | Panel: How do I turn a cool tech idea into a business? | Moderator: Alex Russamanno, New Haptics Bill McCann, Dancing Dots Hans Jorgen, Be My Eyes Tom Pey, WayMap |
| 1 hour – 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 1:00-1:20 p.m. EDT 4:00-4:20 p.m. | Keynote | Laura Allen, Google |
| PDT 1:20-1:50 p.m. EDT 4:20-4:50 p.m. | Presentation: Dealing with the inaccessible | Sina Bahram, Prime Access Consulting |
| 10 minutes | Break | |
| PDT 2:00-2:50 p.m. EDT 5:00-5:50 p.m. | Panel: How do University programs support accessible coding? | Moderator: Andy Stefik, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Richard Ladner, University of Washington |
| 10 minutes | Break | |
| PDT 3:00-3:50 p.m. EDT 6:00-6:50 p.m. | Panel: How do we teach coding to students with visual impairments? | Moderator: Vanessa Herndon, CSB Amanda Rodda, Washington State School for the Blind |
Thursday
| Time | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| PDT 9:00-9:20 a.m. EDT 12:00-12:20 p.m. | Keynote | Jyotsna Kaki, Google |
| PDT 9:20-9:50 a.m. EDT 12:20-12:50 p.m. | Presentation: The development of an App | Saqib Shaikh, Microsoft/Seeing AI |
| 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 10:00-10:50 a.m. EDT 1:00-1:50 p.m. | Panel: How do University programs support accessible coding? | Moderator: Sile O’Modhrain, University of Michigan Laura Milne, Macalester College |
| 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 11:00-11:50 a.m. EDT 2:00-2:50 p.m. | Panel: How do we teach coding to students with visual impairments? | Moderator: Jennifer Bliss, Iowa Ed. Services Gina Fugate, Maryland School for the Blind |
| 1 hour – 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 1:00-1:20 p.m. EDT 4:00-4:20 p.m. | Keynote | Michael Forzano, Amazon |
| PDT 1:20-1:50 p.m. EDT 4:20-4:50 p.m. | Presentation: Learning to Code; It’s not just for Programmers | Greg Stilson, APH |
| 10 minutes | Break | |
| PDT 2:00-2:50 p.m. EDT 5:00-5:50 p.m. | Panel: What are Coders and what do they do? | Moderator: Ed Scott, Good Maps Michael Forzano, Amazon Lucas Radaelli, Google Austin Seraphin, Accessibility Consultant |
| 10 minutes | Break | |
| PDT 3:00-3:50 p.m. EDT 6:00-6:50 p.m. | Panel: If I Learn how to Code, do I have to be a Programmer? | Moderator: Peter Torpey, Xerox/Eyes on Success Greg Stilson, APH Darryl Adams, Intel, Brian Burrow, ViaNet Communications/NFB |
Friday
| Time | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| PDT 9:00-9:20 a.m. EDT 12:00-12:20 p.m. | Keynote | Leonie Watson, TetraLogical |
| PDT 9:20-9:50 a.m. EDT 12:20-12:50 p.m. | Presentation: Coding for K-12 students | Sara Larkin and Jennifer Bliss, Iowa Ed. Services |
| 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 10:00-10:30 a.m. EDT 1:00-1:30 p.m. | Q&A: Meet the Coders and Professionals in the field of coding | Kisiah Timmons, Verizon Media Sina Bahram, Prime Access Consulting Ken Perry, APH |
| 5 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 10:35-11:05 a.m. EDT 1:35-2:05 p.m. | Q&A: Meet the Professionals who get you hired and Entrepreneurs who are today’s change-makers | Sina Bahram, Prime Access Consulting |
| 10 minutes | Break | — |
| PDT 11:15-11:45 p.m. EDT 2:15-2:45 p.m. | Q&A: Meet the Instructors teaching code in K-12 and higher education | |
| PDT 11:45-12:00 p.m. EDT 2:45-3:00 p.m. | Coding Camp and Scholarship Awards | Adrian Amandi, CSB |
| 1 hour | Break | |
| PDT 1:00-1:20 p.m. EDT 4:00-4:20 p.m. | Keynote | Jennison Asuncion, LinkedIn |
| PDT 1:20-1:50 p.m. EDT 4:20-4:50 p.m. | Presentation: Learning to code, with or without school | Chancey Fleet, New York Public Library |
| 10 minutes | Break | |
| PDT 2:00-2:30 p.m. EDT 5:00-5:30 p.m. | Q&A: Meet the Coders and Professionals in the field of coding | |
| 5 minutes | Break | |
| PDT 2:35-3:05 a.m. EDT 5:35-6:05 p.m. | Q&A: Meet the Professionals who get you hired and Entrepreneurs who are today’s change-makers | |
| 10 minutes | 5 minutes | |
| PDT 3:15-3:45 p.m. EDT 6:15-6:45 p.m. | Q&A: Meet the Instructors teaching code in K-12 and higher education | |
| PDT 3:45-4:00 p.m. EDT 6:45-7:00 p.m. | Coding Camp and Scholarship Awards | Adrian Amandi, CSB |