Week 3 - Blog #4 - Publishing a paper or Presentation?

Paul, age 8, at a cabin in Lake Tahoe
we rented last summer.

My action research project is on making social stories digital to increase their effectiveness with students with Asperger's or high-end autism.  Although, my project is in the special education realm I am not a special education teacher.  My son has Asperger's and that is my connection to this topic.  Although. . . I did teach one year of special education in a private school about ten years ago.  I'm not sure that one year qualifies me to be a presenter or a writer of special education issues.  But, I know that parenting a nine year old with this disorder does.  Many educators and parents are interested in positive and effective ways of teaching social skills to students on the autistic spectrum.

I have presented in several conferences and although the reaction from others makes you feel good, it is a lot of work with little or no financial gain.  Most conferences pay your way into the conference for presenting in the conference.  The presenters that make money at conferences have products that they sell after or before their presentation.  I know that sharing information isn't about money, but there is a lot of work to do to prepare for a presentation at a conference.  This is not the time to throw something together and run with it.  You need to have a well thought out plan, presentation, handout, and door prizes.  That's right, educators love getting something for free.  Especially if what you are offering has something to do with implementing what you are presenting.

So. . . the paper is a lot of work too, but it would be done at the end of this class and I wouldn't have to spend any more money to prepare it for publishing.  I might have to do a re-write, but that is just time, not money.  I think that I am leaning towards writing a paper with my findings from my action research project.  Now I need to narrow my focus and look at the publications that would be interested in the information I have to offer.