APBS: 21st International Conference on Positive Behavior Support: The Expanding World of PBS: Science, Values and Vision, March 3 - March 9, Chicago, IL

Information for Presenters

Please note that all presenters must register for the conference.  Visit the registration page to complete your registration. All presenters should be registered by January 12, 2024.

Guidelines

All Session Presenters are provided with a screen, LCD projector, and microphone (where needed). Laptops are the responsibility of the presenter.

Breakout Sessions are 60 minutes in length and occur at various times throughout the conference on Thursday and Friday, March 7-8.

In an Ignite Session, each presenter/proposal will receive 5-10 minutes to present one important aspect of their experience. A 60 minute time slot may include presentations from 7-10 different presenters arranged around a common theme.  If participating in an Ignite Session, be sure to connect with your co-presenters and if possible, select one person to coordinate the session flow. Feel free to email conference@apbs.org for additional information or assistance.

In a Combined Session, two related topics are grouped and presenters share a 60 minute time slot with each presenting for approximately 30 minutes. Be sure to connect with your co-presenter to coordinate timing and content.

Workshops will be held Wednesday, March 6 (morning and afternoon) and Saturday morning, March 9.  Workshops are 4 hours in length.

A limited number of Mini-Skills Sessions are being piloted at the conference this year. These sessions are 120 minutes in length and provide an opportunity for practical instruction.

Posters will be presented during the Poster Session & Reception on March 8, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Each poster presenter will be provided with a 6’x18″ table on which to display information using a tri-fold foam presentation board (also provided). The boards are 36″ high by 48″ wide. If needed ahead of time, presentation boards will be available for pick up on Wednesday, March 7th and Thursday, March 8th in the Registration Office. Presentation boards will also be available in the reception location just prior to poster session set up.

Poster presenters are not supplied with audio visual equipment, Internet access or electrical power. Please keep in mind that rented equipment, electrical, and internet is at the expense of the presenter. 

There will be two scholarships awarded for students who present scholarly work at the Poster Session. The Ted Carr Outstanding Posters Awards will be given to students who present original research or original research-based practitioner or teacher education information. If the only entries to the contest fall into the research-based or practitioner/teacher education category then two awards shall be presented within that single category to ensure that two awards are delivered each year.

To be considered for the Ted Carr Outstanding Poster Award presenters must: (1) be an APBS Student Member (2) be present and set-up 30 minutes prior to the start of the Reception/Poster Session; and (3) visibly post their APBS generated Poster Session sign.

  • Follow all copyright laws in handouts and slides
  • Review guidelines on bias-free language and information on inclusivity for all attendees.
  • When assembling slides, consider:
    • Bullet points (typically 3 per page… not paragraphs)
    • Background – light, preferably white, with no patterns
    • Font Size:
      • Title Slide: 44
      • Content Headers: 40 or larger
      • Content: 24 or larger
    • Font Color should be Black for most, BLUE for emphasis
    • Added graphics should help emphasize the point to be made, rather than as decoration (e.g., student images with quotes, star to note handout, data graph to illustrate point)
    • If you include other sources of information (e.g, quote), be sure to always reference using APA format:On slide where quoted or referenced (Crone, Hawken & Horner 2010 – add page # if quote)
    • On last slide (APA Citation of each source referenced or quoted)
  • Presenters will receive an invitation to log into the Speaker Resource Center portal for uploading slides and handouts.
  • Submit presentation files in one of two formats:
      1. Standard PowerPoint file (.ppt or .pptx)
      1. PDF in 1-slide per page format
  • Additional files (handouts, notes, tools, etc.) that were discussed in your presentation may also be provided.
  • Files should be uploaded to the Speaker Resource Center. Please contact conference@apbs.org with questions regarding access to the portal.

APBS is committed to ensuring that the 21st International Conference on Positive Behavior Support is an inclusive experience for all attendees. Over the years, countries/regions represented have included Canada, Guam, Australia, Netherlands, Iceland, and Taiwan to name just a few. In addition, attendees represent  a variety of settings–Early Childhood, Schools, Community Agencies, and Families. In order to provide the best conference experience for all participants, as you are preparing your presentation, we ask that you consider the following points below.

Preparation of Materials

  • When using an acronym, spell it out and explain its meaning the first time it is used
  • Consider analogies, use of figurative language, and jokes in the presentation that may not translate across cultures
  • When talking about individuals with a disability, consider the preference of the individuals when determining if it is more appropriate to use people-first vs identity-first (bias-free) language
  • Explain context or setting of where positive behavior support is used. Some examples:
    • When discussing schools, in addition to saying high school and/or grades 9-12, mention students typically 14-18 years old
    • When discussing early childhood, explain if the setting is a private daycare, within a public school, home childcare setting, etc.
    • When mentioning agencies, provide an explanation of the population served by agency and the services provided to this population
  • If using a video, include closed captioning in the video
  • Review the font size and type on powerpoint slides for ease of reading. Use the accessibility feature to look for areas of improvement.

Day of Presentation

  • At the start of the presentation, assess the audience to identify who is attending your session. For example, roles of attendees (e.g., teacher, agency director, family member, university personnel, etc.) and location of residency (e.g., outside of the USA)
  • Monitor the pace of the presentation to allow for processing for those for whom English is a second language
  • Pause at key points to allow participants to ask for clarification on the information presented

APBS is committed to the use of bias-free language throughout all correspondence including the website, conference media, and any business emails. This means that presenters must use bias-free language in their presentation and slides. Bias-free language honors the preference of the community, individual, and/or families and can include either identify-first language (e.g., autistic person) or person-first language (e.g., person with autism).  Please see this APA resource for further guidance.

Shipping and Receiving

The Hyatt Regency Chicago will only accept prepaid packages. Any packages coming in C.O.D. will be refused by the hotel and no notification will be made by the hotel to the shipper. All materials, literature, products etc. that are shipped to the Hotel for the conference should be sent to the following address:

Hyatt Regency Chicago
YOUR NAME
151 E Wacker Drive
CHICAGO, IL, US, 60601
HOLD FOR: Your name, arrival date, and name of event

Packages

A handling and storage fee will apply for each package received by the hotel. The Hyatt Regency Chicago shall not be liable for safe or timely arrival of any packages sent to the hotel by or for the group. It is the Group’s responsibility to check on the arrival of any packages and to check to insure that the contents are intact. The Hyatt Regency Chicago accepts no liability for lost, stolen or damaged goods.

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