USDLA 2026 National Conference

We are thrilled that you have chosen to submit a proposal to speak at the USDLA 2026 National Conference that will be held in the home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio June 22-25, 2026. This year our theme will be “Universal Harmony: Exploring the Melodic Chords of Distance and Digital Learning.” You will have the option of proposing a session for the onsite event or the virtual component of the conference. Please note that the virtual sessions will be on June 17-18, 2026. The call will remain open until Monday, December 15, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET.

You will receive a response from the USDLA Conference team regarding your proposal submission by January 15, 2026. If you have any questions about the proposal process, please reach out to Harriet Watkins, hwatkins@usdla.org.

We welcome proposals from all who work in distance or digital education, across constituencies. We have speakers and attendees from corporate, education (higher and K-12), telehealth, government, military, and more. While you may submit any topic you choose, we have received feedback from our community that they are interested in interactive presentations so please consider this when preparing proposals.

In accordance with our theme, the following tracks featured this year are:

• Backstage Pass to Policy: Navigating Governance and Regulation in Distance Education
• The Headliners: Distance and Digital Leadership on the Higher Education Mainstage
• Open Mic, Open Minds: Ensuring Quality, Flexibility, and Access in Online Learning
• The Digital AI Groove: Exploring Innovative Techniques and Technologies Education
• The ID Set List: Curating Best Practices in Instructional Design
• Amplify Every Voice: Ensuring Accessibility and Inclusivity in Online Education
• The K-12 Playground: Curating Best Practices in the K-12 Space

Proposal Options Available

Workshops: These 75-minute sessions are intended to be hands-on, working sessions. While we understand that you may need to present content, the majority of the time should be spent with participants actively involved. Provide detailed information in your submissions about the types of interactions and engagement you have planned. If your session would require more than the allotted 75 minutes, please note that in your session description.

AI Test Kitchen: These 75-minute sessions are intended to be hands-on, working sessions. It is intended to be an AI playground, where attendees can experiment with different AI tools. While we understand that you may need to present content, the majority of the time should be spent with participants actively involved. Provide detailed information in your submissions about the types of interactions and engagement you have planned.

Concurrent sessions: These 45-minute sessions provide an opportunity for you to give a presentation on a specific topic. Conference attendees expect sessions to provide practical advice and the sharing of experiences. The committee seeks high-quality, thought-provoking and engaging sessions – not lecture format. Co-presenters are highly encouraged. Also, the USDLA Program Committee reserves the right to select your proposal to be featured in a panel along with other presenters. We are also looking for curated "Deep Dive" presentations - proposals which go deeper into a topic, more than just surface level information.

Walk-Through Workshops/Escape Room: Instead of a static presentation, the presenter guides attendees through a series of challenges related to the session's topic. For example: A "Digital Accessibility Scavenger Hunt" where participants identify accessibility issues on various platforms.

Panels and discussion groups: These 45-minute sessions will be focused on discussions around a specific topic. You may propose a session in this category in one of two formats: (1) you may propose a traditional panel where you pre-arrange 3-5 speakers and one of you serves as the moderator, or (2) you may propose a topic of discussion, along with at least five questions you will guide the group through.

World Café / Open Space Technology Talks: These are spaces where poster sessions, Pecha Kucha’s and demonstrations happen. These sessions will occur during a 60-90 minute time block and allow participants the opportunity to stop by your station for short (7-15 minute) presentations and move around to cross-pollinate ideas. The type of tools and visuals you use are up to you. Suggested formats include, but are not limited to, posters (up to 36"x48" with hard backing); posters that can be spread out on a table; handouts, brochures, or postcards; tablets or other digital devices (note that we cannot guarantee access to power). Show off your amazing work and innovative solutions in this informal presentation opportunity.

The USDLA conference is an excellent opportunity for first-time speakers as it offers flexible session types and a supportive team who will work with you both before and during the conference to ensure you are ready to shine.

Preparing Your Proposal

The committee recommends that proposals be specific about what will make the presentation valuable to attendees. Any proposal that is perceived to be a “sales pitch” will not be considered. Your proposal should be focused on issues and innovative working solutions and include information about how you intend to engage attendees. All presenters and co-presenters (regardless of session type) will be expected to register for the full conference.

You may submit more than one proposal and/or be a co-presenter on multiple sessions. The submission form will ask you for the following, so please gather this information prior to the time of submission:

Contact Information: the names and emails for any presenter and/or co-presenters

Session Type: workshop, test kitchen, concurrent, panel or poster

Delivery Format: in-person or virtual

Constituencies: who would benefit most from attending your session

Track: while you may submit on any topic, select the one that best fits your presentation

Title: a succinct, but descriptive title of no more than ten words

Abstract: 200 words (or less) – Please note: the session abstract will be used to promote your session. Make sure it accurately reflects your session, and how it will benefit attendees. This is what draws people to your presentation.

Description: a clear summary of learning objectives, session content, and takeaways. You are also encouraged to share the types of audience participation you will use (e.g., hands-on exercise, polls, small group discussion, Q&A, etc.)

Bio: provide a bio for the lead presenter; you will be contacted for additional information on co-presenters if accepted.

Review Criteria

Conference participants will expect well-delivered presentations containing quality information that is of practical value to their day-to-day professional lives. Members of the USDLA Program Committee will look for clear descriptions. Considerable weight will be given to proposals that specify session learning objectives, clearly describe why the content will be valuable to attendees, and how you plan to encourage audience participation.