What Is LDACON, the LDA International Conference?

Updated

LDACON is the Learning Disabilities Association of America's annual international conference, and its 64th edition is described on the LDA site as bringing together educators, counselors, attorneys, school psychologists, administrators, para-educators, researchers, and other professionals, along with parents of children and adults who have learning disabilities. The stated purpose is for these audiences to "learn, discover, advocate and work to create awareness and new opportunities." If you work in or around special education, or you are a parent looking for current information and a professional network, LDACON is the LDA event built for that mix of audiences.

Who LDACON Is For

The conference audience named on the LDA site is broad by design. It spans both the professionals who serve people with learning disabilities and the families who advocate alongside them.

Audience Why they attend, based on LDA's description
Educators and para-educators Learn and discover alongside peers in the field
Counselors and school psychologists Connect with assessment and intervention professionals
Attorneys and administrators Engage on advocacy and policy dimensions
Researchers Exchange current work in learning disabilities
Parents and adults with LD Access information and a community of advocates

This is not a single-track teacher workshop. The mix of legal, clinical, administrative, research, and family perspectives is the point — LDA describes the conference as a place for these groups to "learn, discover, advocate."

What Happens There

LDA frames the conference around four verbs: learn, discover, advocate, and create awareness and new opportunities. In practice, that means the value is twofold — current information on learning disabilities, and connection to a network of people working on the same issues.

LDA's broader identity supports this. Since 1963, the organization has described itself as providing "cutting edge information on learning disabilities, practical solutions, and a comprehensive network of resources" to people with learning disabilities, their parents, teachers, and other professionals. The conference is the annual, in-person expression of that mission.

One member quoted on the LDA site, an assistant professor from Michigan, says LDA "allows me to stay aware of cutting edge intervention strategies and assessment and encourages me to keep current on special education law." That combination — intervention practice plus special education law — is a reasonable expectation for conference content, given how LDA positions itself.

Becoming an LDACON Partner

LDA invites organizations to "Become an LDACON64 Partner." The site's description of the partner audience mirrors the attendee list: educators, counselors, attorneys, school psychologists, administrators, para-educators, researchers, and other professionals, plus parents of children and adults with learning disabilities.

If you represent an organization that serves this community, partnering is the route to visibility with that combined audience. The site does not publish partner tiers, costs, or deadlines in the material available, so treat the partner page as the starting point and confirm terms directly with LDA rather than assuming any package details.

Deciding Whether to Attend or Partner

Use these conditions to sort your situation:

  • You are a parent or an adult with LD — the conference puts you in the same room as the professionals and advocates LDA describes; check the program for family-facing sessions before committing.
  • You are a practitioner (educator, psychologist, counselor, administrator) — the stated focus on intervention strategies, assessment, and special education law is the draw; compare session topics against your own gaps.
  • You are an attorney or policy-focused professional — LDA's advocacy posture (see its public statements on special education oversight) suggests policy content will be present; confirm by reviewing the agenda.
  • You represent an organization — the partner route reaches the full cross-section of attendees; request current terms from LDA directly.

Practical Next Steps

  1. Go to ldaamerica.org and open the LDACON conference section to see the current edition's dates, location, and program.
  2. Match the session list against your role using the audience table above.
  3. If you are considering partnership, use the "Become an LDACON64 Partner" entry point and ask LDA for the current partner terms, since pricing and deadlines are not stated on the site.
  4. If cost or travel is a barrier, note that LDA also offers membership, which members describe as a year-round source of information on legal protections, accommodations, intervention strategies, and special education law — a lower-commitment alternative to the conference.