THANK YOU, HARLEY <TOMEY>. //

THIS IS A GREAT CONFERENCE. /
SOME OF THE
BEST MINDS
WHO RESEARCH, STUDY AND TEACH ABOUT LEARNING DIFFERENCES
ARE GATHERED HERE TONIGHT. /
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU. ///

FORD CREDIT
IS PLEASED TO BE THE SPONSOR OF THIS EVENING'S EVENT. ///

AS MY COLLEAGUES AT FORD CREDIT WILL TELL YOU …
I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. ///

I CALL IT
GOING FROM
"GOOD TO GREAT." /////

TONIGHT,
I WANT ALL OF US
TO TAKE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON OUR PAST SUCCESSES. ///

AT THE SAME TIME,
I WANT
TO CHALLENGE
ALL OF US TO CONSIDER UPGRADES …
TO FIND
THE BETTER VIEW
THAT WILL LEAD US TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
IN THE WAY WE SUPPORT PEOPLE
WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES. /////

YOU SELECTED
A TERRIFIC THEME FOR THIS CONFERENCE. /

READING
AND LANGUAGE
ARE ESSENTIAL. /
THEY FORM
THE KEYSTONE
TO SUCCESS
IN SCHOOL
AND IN LIFE. /////

ALL OF YOU
HERE -
EDUCATORS,
RESEARCHERS,
AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS
IN THE FIELD -
ALL SHARE A COMMON GOAL -
HELPING PEOPLE WITH DYSLEXIA. /////

AS A PERSON
WITH DYSLEXIA,
I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT FELT LIKE WHEN I WAS A CHILD … AND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE AS AN ADULT TODAY. ////

AS YOU KNOW,
KIDS WHO HAVE TROUBLE READING AND COMPREHENDING GET MARKED …
AND IT HAPPENS
AS EARLY AS
THE FIRST GRADE. /////

THEY SAY, /
"STICKS AND STONES
MAY BREAK
OUR BONES
BUT NAMES
CAN NEVER
HURT US." ///

!! THAT IS NOT TRUE!. /////

WORDS LIKE
"SLOW"
AND "DUMB"
HURT. ///

THEY AFFECT
THE SELF-ESTEEM OF OUR CHILDREN. ///

THEY ROB KIDS
OF HOPE. /

THEY SMOTHER THEIR DREAMS. /////

YOU KNOW BETTER THAN I DO
HOW MANY CHILDREN
FALL THROUGH
THE CRACKS
OR GET LEFT BEHIND
BECAUSE WE LACK EARLY ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS
OR ADEQUATE TEACHER TRAINING. /////

I AM PROUD THAT I.D.A. IS WORKING
IN COOPERATION WITH OTHERS
WHO HAVE BUILT A STRONG FOUNDATION
TO CREATE
A NATIONAL
ACCREDITATION PROGRAM
FOR THE TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS
WHO SERVE PEOPLE WITH L.D. ///

!! THIS IS A WIN
FOR TEACHERS …
FOR SCHOOLS …
FOR PARENTS …
AND FOR KIDS! /////

I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU
ARE K-THROUGH-12 TEACHERS. /
YOU WORK
ON THE FRONT LINES
EVERY DAY. ///

ON BEHALF
OF PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT. /////

<APPLAUSE>

I ALSO WANT
TO RECOGNIZE
THE WORK OF
SOME OF THE MEMBERS
OF THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY. ///

AS WE HEARD EARLIER,
REID <REED>
LYON <LION>
HAS LED THE WAY
IN INCREASING OUR SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING
OF HOW WE LEARN TO READ.///

THANKS TO REID,/
THE STAFF
OF THE I.D.A., /
AND MANY OTHERS HERE TONIGHT - /
FUNDING WAS SECURED FOR THE "READING EXCELLENCE ACT." ///

MORE THAN
$500 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS WAS MADE AVAILABLE
TO STATES
OVER THE LAST
TWO YEARS
FOR IMPROVED READING INSTRUCTION. /////

!! THESE ARE THE BREAKTHROUGHS WE NEED! /////

ANOTHER GREAT RESEARCHER
IS LOUISA
MOATS /

SHE NOW HEADS
AN EARLY INTERVENTION PROJECT
RIGHT HERE IN THE WASHINGTON D.C. SCHOOL DISTRICT./ HER PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE
OF CHILD
HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. ///

DR. MOATS
IS BRINGING RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTION
INTO THE CLASSROOM. ///

IN TESTIMONY
TO CONGRESS ABOUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHER TRAINING,
SHE BOILED
IT DOWN TO
THE VERY ESSENCE. ///

SHE SAID
HER MOTTO IS, "KNOW YOUR STUFF, KNOW WHO
YOU ARE STUFFING, AND STUFF CHILDREN SYSTEMATICALLY AT EVERY MOMENT POSSIBLE." /////

!! THAT IS GREAT! ///

THERE ARE
TWO OTHER PERSONAL HEROES OF MINE
THAT I
WOULD LIKE
TO MENTION. //

DR.
GORDON SHERMAN CAN TAKE
COMPLEX SCIENCE AND MAKE IT SIMPLE ENOUGH THAT
I CAN UNDERSTAND IT. ///

GORDON MADE
THE MOVE FROM THE IVY HALLS
OF HARVARD
TO THE NEWGRANGE SCHOOL
AND OUTREACH CENTER
IN NEW JERSEY.///

AND PEOPLE LIKE YOUR GOOD PRESIDENT
HARLEY TOMEY FIGHT THE
GOOD FIGHT
EVERY DAY
TO BRING RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTION TO STATE DEPARTMENTS
OF EDUCATION./////

THESE PEOPLE --/ AND SO
MANY OTHERS
HERE TONIGHT--/
ARE MAKING
THE DIFFERENCE FOR THIS GENERATION
OF CHILDREN …
AND THE GENERATIONS
YET TO COME. /////

THIS IS THE KIND
OF WORK WE NEED. /////

NOT RESEARCH
FOR ANOTHER FOOTNOTE
THAT WILL APPEAR
ON PAGE 77
OF AN
ACADEMIC PAPER. ///

WE NEED MORE SCIENTISTS
WHO ARE WILLING TO MAKE THE LEAP FROM WEARING
THE WHITE COAT
TO BEING
THE WHITE KNIGHT./////

OUR FOCUS
ON CHILDREN
IS IMPORTANT. /

WE WANT
TO GIVE KIDS
THE FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESS … /
AND WE WANT
TO PROVIDE THOSE
AS EARLY
AS POSSIBLE. ///

AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN NOT FORGET THE ADULTS. /////

UP TIL NOW,
OUR RESPONSE
TO LEARNING DIFFERENCES
HAS EMPHASIZED THE CLASSROOM.///

I STAND
BEFORE YOU
AS EVIDENCE
THAT A LEARNING DIFFERENCE
DOES NOT END WHEN A CHILD LEAVES SCHOOL. /////

LEARNING DIFFERENCES
ARE LIFETIME EXPERIENCES
THAT MUST BE FACED EVERYDAY. / YET OUR FOCUS ENDS AT HIGH SCHOOL. /////

TO DO THIS,
WE WILL
NEED TO FIND DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS. //

WE WILL
NEED TO CAST
A WIDER NET /
AND SEEK
NON-TRADITIONAL PARTNERS. //

WE WILL
NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. /////

?? HOW ABOUT ESTABLISHING
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
THAT OFFER ASSESSMENT
FOR THOSE ADULTS WHO SLIPPED THROUGH
THE CRACKS 20, 30, EVEN 40 YEARS AGO? /////

?? WHY NOT
PARTNER WITH LOCAL LITERACY PROGRAMS
AND OFFER TRAINING
TO VOLUNTEERS WHO TEACH ADULTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES? ///

AS A BUSINESS PERSON,
I AM ALSO CALLING ON CORPORATIONS TO EXAMINE THEIR RESPONSE TO THIS CRITICAL NEED. ///

ALL COMPANIES
IN THE UNITED STATES
- INCLUDING MY OWN -
NEED EMPLOYEES
THAT CAN READ. ///

AND MANY COMPANIES ARE NOW WILLING TO SUPPORT L.D. INITIATIVES. /////

WE KNOW
THE STATISTICS:
UP TO 15 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS AFFECTED
TO SOME DEGREE
BY LEARNING DIFFERENCES. ///

THERE ARE ABOUT 200 MILLION
PEOPLE IN AMERICA WHO ARE
OLD ENOUGH
TO WORK. /

THAT MEANS
THERE MAY BE
AS MANY AS
30 MILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WORKING UP
TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. ///

!! THINK OF
THE POWER
WE COULD UNLEASH IF WE COULD GIVE THOSE ADULTS THE SELF-CONFIDENCE AND HOPE
TO PERFORM
AT THEIR FULL CAPABILITIES!/////

THINK OF THE AFFECT ON OUR BUSINESSES. /

PICTURE THE IMPACT ON OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY. /

!! IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES! /////

?? HOW DO WE
FIND THIS SOLUTION? /

?? HOW DO WE UNLOCK THIS DOOR?/////

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR US …
AS PARENTS,
L.D. ADVOCATES, TEACHERS, RESEARCHERS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND CORPORATIONS. ///

FOR EXAMPLE, CISCO -
ONE OF THE LEADING PROVIDERS OF INTERNET NETWORKING EQUIPMENT
IN THE WORLD - OFFERS A PROGRAM CALLED NETWORKING ACADEMY. ///

THE PROGRAM
IS BEING THOROUGHLY TESTED
TO MAKE SURE
IT IS ACCESSIBLE
TO STUDENTS
WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES. ///

AWARENESS HELPS, OF COURSE. /
AS MANY
OF YOU KNOW,
THE CEO OF CISCO, JOHN CHAMBERS,
IS DYSLEXIC. /////

I MET HIM RECENTLY … AND WE KIDDED EACH OTHER
ABOUT BEING DYSLEXIC
AND THE ADVANTAGES
IT GAVE US
IN THE BUSINESS WORLD. /////

I AM PLEASED
THAT MY COMPANY IS WORKING
ON THIS ISSUE
AS WELL. /

WE HAVE CREATED
A PROGRAM CALLED "L.D. IN THE WORKPLACE." ///

WE DEVELOPED THIS PROGRAM WORKING
WITH I.D.A., N.C.L.D., AND OTHERS. ///
OUR FIRST STEP IS TO CREATE AWARNESS. ///

NEXT,
WE WILL LOOK
AT OUR RECRUITING PRACTICES …
WHICH WE KNOW NEED WORK. /

!! I AM THE CEO …
AND I COULD NOT PASS THE EMPLOYMENT EXAM! /////

AT FORD CREDIT,
WE WANT LEARNING DIFFERENCES
TO BE
ANOTHER WAY
IN WHICH WE VALUE DIVERSITY. / ANOTHER WAY
WE RECOGNIZE
THE UNIQUE ABILITIES OF EACH PERSON. /////

WE DEVELOPED
THIS PROGRAM OURSELVES …
AND WE WANT
TO SHARE IT
WITH ANY COMPANY
THAT IS INTERESTED. /////

BY LINKING THE CORPORATE, COMMUNITY, EDUCATION
AND RESEARCH PIECES TOGETHER,
WE HAVE A FRAMEWORK FOR COOPERATION. /

THAT LEVEL OF COLLABORATION COULD TAKE US FROM GOOD
TO GREAT AS
WE STRIVE
TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS
OF PEOPLE
WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES. /////

AND THERE IS
NO BETTER TIME
TO HAVE THIS LEVEL OF TEAMWORK … BECAUSE WE NEED IT MORE
THAN EVER. /////

WE ALL HAVE
A ROLE TO PLAY
IN THIS EFFORT …
WITH I.D.A TAKING THE LEAD. /////

LET US TURN AGONY INTO ACCEPTANCE … AND ACCEPTANCE INTO SUCCESS. /////

THAT IS WHAT I AM SEEKING. /

THAT IS
THE CHALLENGE
I OFFER
TO ALL OF US TONIGHT. /////

NONE OF US
CAN CHANGE
WHAT HAPPENED
IN THE PAST. /

TOGETHER,
WE CAN CHANGE
WHAT HAPPENS NOW
AND IN
THE FUTURE. /////

CHANGE CAN HAPPEN. /
WE HAVE SEEN IT
IN OUR LIFETIMES.///

THIS CITY HAS BEEN THE BACKDROP
FOR SO MANY IMPORTANT CHANGES
IN OUR SOCIETY. ///

LET US ADD LEARNING DIFFERENCES TO THAT HISTORY. ///

LET US LEAVE
THIS CITY,
WITH THE MEMORIES OF A GREAT CONFERENCE,
AND WITH RENEWED PURPOSE …
AND AN INCREASED DEDICATION
TO WHAT COOPERATION
CAN BRING TO ALL PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES. /////

THAT IS MY DREAM. /

TOGETHER,
I BELIEVE
WE CAN MAKE
THAT DREAM
COME TRUE. /////

THANK YOU. /////
###