Alarming thought for the day for a conference organiser: it is around three weeks until the big, beautiful conference co-convened by the University of Sydney and Macquarie University. But it is good news for conference attendees as the final program is released. Today we will share the day one program which is a combination of presentations, performances and ice cream (yes, ice cream, and popcorn too). Next week we will share the second day workshop program and performance (yes, yes, more ice cream and popcorn).
For more information and any questions, email conference2025@dsiproject.org
For registrations and more information, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/filling-in-the-gaps-and-joining-the-dots-tickets-1459528391709
DAY ONE PROGRAM
Thursday 27th November, 2025
8:00am
Registrations open at Susan Wakil Building, University of Sydney, Camperdown Campus
9:00am
Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to the Conference
- By Associate Professor Shane Clifton, Head of the Centre for Disability and Policy at the University of Sydney, and Professor David McAlpine,Academic Director of Macquarie University Hearing, Macquarie University.
Housekeeping
- By Dr Diana Tang, a Macquarie University Research Fellow and co-Master of Ceremonies (MC) of the conference
Performance: Lucy’s Story
- Performed by Susan Jordan, this play shows how her character, Lucy, who has dual sensory impairment, navigates her community shrinking in size
9:45am
Keynote Part 1: Overlooked and Misunderstood: Exploring the Complexities and Challenges of Deafblindness in the UK
- By Associate Professor Peter Simcock, this keynote highlights how deafblindness remains widely misunderstood due to limited research leading to significant challenges for those affected. Drawing on his research and experience, Peter talks about how legal and policy frameworks in England attempt to address these issues.
The Data Gaps Panel
- Featuring Dr Emily Shepard, Dr Annmaree Watharow, and Professor Bamini Gopinath who will provide an overview of the dual sensory impairment -deafblindness landscape using paediatric data, data from the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, and data from the Australian Eye and Ear Health Survey.
11:00am
Morning tea break
11:25am
The Gaps Panel: What do people need and want?
- Featuring Dr Emily Shepard, Jennifer Weir, Victoria Hamilton, Yunie Rahmat, and Madelene Rich who will provide an overview of the needs of young people, older people, people who experience visual hallucinations, people from low income countries, and the caregiver perspective.
12:05pm
Everything you always wanted to know about the Brief ICF Core Set for deafblindness, and were afraid to ask
- By Professor Walter Wittich, this presentation outlines the development of standardised World Health Organisation International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for assessing deafblindness, aiming to unify global approaches to care and policy.
12:50pm
Lunch break and Trade expo
1:50pm
The Joining the Dots Group
- Featuring Hannah McPierzie, Dr Emily Shepard, Dr Moira Dunsmore, Dr Tara Brown-Ogilvie who will provide an overview of developed and developing services and programs to support people with dual sensory impairment- deafblindness and others.
2:55pm
Keynote Part 2: Joining the Dots collaboration, creating credentialing: Towards Greater Understanding
- By Associate Professor Peter Simcock, this second keynote talks about the Certificate and Diploma in Professional Studies course at Birmingham City University which is designed to equip professionals with essential skills and knowledge to support people with deafblindness.
An Australian online Deafblind Introductory Training Course (DB-ITC)
- By Dr Meredith Prain and Steve Rose, this presentation introduces a new training course that aims to build workforce capacity and awareness around deafblindness to support service providers, families and individuals.
The Ripple Effect: Communities helping each other
- By Stephen Hallinan, a Deafblind man who will talk about the evolution of the Hunter Deafblind social group using a community-based social inclusion model.
4:25pm
Ice cream break
5:00pm
Inaugural “Helping hand” award
- Presented by Dr Gail Box, President and Treasurer of the Deafblind Association of NSW.
Film screening of the ‘The Journey’
- This 1-hour film is followed by a live question and answer session with the film director, Chris Tuckfield.
Book signing event
- The deafblind history project book ‘A Tribute to Deafblind Lives and Connections in NSW 1995 – 2024. Drawn from Interviews and the Pages of Rainbow News’ by Aunty Ros Sackley and team
- The Usher Syndrome book – by Dr Annmaree and Dr Emily Shepherd
- The book on dual sensory impairment and older adults: an invisible epidemic by Dr Moira Dunsmore and Dr Annmaree Watharow
7:00pm
The end of day one activities.