2 Days of Keynote Speakers & Panels
Researchers, Clinicians, Educators, Policy Makers & Practitioners
Chairperson’s Welcome Address – Conference Introduction
Chief Executive Officer
Distinguished guests, respected experts, colleagues, advocates, educators, therapists, families, and friends,
Welcome to The 2026 International Conference on Neurodevelopment, Therapies, and Inclusive Education (ICNTIE)
It is my great honor, on behalf of the organizing committee, to welcome you to this international conference, We are deeply grateful for your participation and for the commitment each of you brings to advancing understanding, dignity, and opportunity for neurodivergent individuals across the lifespan.
This conference brings together voices from across the world—clinicians, researchers, educators, policymakers, practitioners, and lived-experience advocates—united by a shared belief: that neurodiversity is a natural and valuable part of human diversity, and that inclusion is not an option, but a responsibility.
Over the two conference days, we will explore evidence-based therapies, innovative practices, and inclusive models that empower individuals rather than limit them. We will challenge outdated narratives, exchange knowledge across disciplines, and most importantly, center our discussions on respect, ethics, and meaningful participation in education, employment, and community life. All sessions will be conducted in English.
This gathering is not only about learning—it is about collaboration. It is about building bridges between science and practice, between policy and reality, and between intention and impact. Each conversation held here has the potential to shape services, influence systems, and improve lives.
I encourage you to engage openly, ask boldly, and listen deeply—to the data, to the experiences shared, and to one another. Let this conference be a space where innovation meets compassion, and where inclusion is translated into action.
Thank you for being part of this important journey. I wish you a productive, inspiring, and impactful conference.
Welcome, and let us begin.
| Time | Program Description | الوصف بالعربية |
|---|---|---|
| 5:00 – 5:10 PM | Welcome National Anthem | الترحيب والنشيد الوطني |
| 5:10 – 5:25 PM | Opening Remarks – Dr. Hibah Shata - Chief Executive Officer | الكلمة الافتتاحية – الدكتورة هبة شطا - الرئيسة التنفيذية |
| 5:25 – 5:35 PM | Guest of Honor Speech - Dr. Kevin Hall, President of Zayed University | كلمة ضيف الشرف - الدكتور كيفن هول، رئيس جامعة زايد |
| 5:35 – 5:45 PM | Keynote Address - CDA | كلمة رئيسية - هيئة الصحة بدبي |
| 5:45 PM – 6:00 PM | Scientific Committee Intro Sponsor Acknowledgment | مقدمة اللجنة العلمية وشكر الجهات الراعية |
June 6, 2026 · Online Platform
| Time | Presentation | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 – 8:45 AM | Welcome Note by Conference Chairperson: AI integrated Solution for POD | Dr Hibah Shata |
| 8:45 – 9:15 AM | Identifying and Navigating Initial AAC challenges | Lauren Enders Gonzales |
| 9:20 – 10:00 AM | The Nika Project: Collaborative Sharing of Resources Around the World | Dan Phillips |
| 10:00 – 10:45 AM | Customizing AAC Systems for Real Users Today | Lauren Enders Gonzales |
| 10:45 – 11:30 AM | Creating Student Led AAC and Literacy Adventures | Lauren Enders Gonzales |
| 11:30 – 11:45 AM | Networking Coffee Break | |
| 11:45 – 12:00 PM | Breaking Barriers to AAC: AI, Arabic Support, & Buy-In | Alan Vu |
| 12:00 – 12:30 PM | Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Higher Education, Opportunities and Challenges: A Review | Dr Sharifa Alblooshi |
| 12:30 – 1:00 PM | Building Confident Eaters: Creating Therapeutic Feeding Groups for Children with Sensory Sensitivities | Katie Philcox |
| 1:00 – 1:30 PM | Lunch | |
| 1:30 – 2:00 PM | Counselling Intervention Model for Positive Lifestyle Development in Youth Experiencing Psychological Distress | Dr Sonakshi Ruhela |
| 2:00 – 2:40 PM | Mental Health Disorders and Interventions in Homeless Shelters (US and India) | Dr Rupa Kalahasthi |
| 2:45 – 3:15 PM | Relationship of Parenting Styles, Social Anxiety and Loneliness with Internet Gaming Addiction among Adolescent | Muhammad Tahir Khalily |
| 3:15 – 3:45 PM | Navigating the Landscape of Social Competence and Theory of Mind (THOM) | Lochana Mangwani |
| 3:45 – 4:15 PM | From Therapy Room to Classroom: Embedding a School-Wide Language Stimulation Framework | Tasmiyah Sacoor |
| 4:15 – 5:00 PM | Practical Psychological Assessment Strategies for Accurate Neurodevelopmental Diagnosis | Dr Massrat Shaikh |
| 5:00 – 5:30 PM | Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Towards Inclusion | Lama Ayoub |
| 5:30 – 6:00 PM | The Impact of the Tomatis® Listening Program on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD | Dr Aleksandra Shumar |
June 7, 2026 · Online Platform
| Time | Presentation | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 – 9:15 AM | Empowering Voices: The Potential of Generative AI with AAC | Lauren Enders Gonzales |
| 9:15 – 10:00 AM | Read It, Write It, Say It, DO IT!! | Dan Phillips |
| 10:00 – 10:45 AM | Personalizing AAC -- A Deep Dive into Vocabulary Customization | Lauren Enders Gonzales |
| 10:45 – 11:30 AM | Evolving Behavior Analysis: Neurodiversity, Assent, and Interdisciplinary | Dr Laura Barcelos Nomicos |
| 11:30 – 11:45 AM | Networking Coffee Break | |
| 11:45 – 12:30 PM | Visual Processing - Tracking eye gaze movement to understand cognitive thinking | Dan Phillips |
| 12:30 – 1:00 PM | Empowering Neurodiverse Individuals: Strategies for Inclusive Employment in the MENA Region | Christine DerSarkissian |
| 1:00 – 1:30 PM | Lunch | |
| 1:30 – 2:00 PM | Challenges in Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder with emerging technology | Dr Saleh M Alsalehi |
| 2:00 – 2:30 PM | Best practices for infants and toddlers | Mahmoud Mahmoud |
| 2:30 – 3:00 PM | Art as a Language for Emotional Wellbeing | Zainab Abbas |
| 3:00 – 3:30 PM | Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity, and Health Challenges Among Children with ASD | Dr Sharifa Alblooshi |
| 3:30 – 4:00 PM | Digital innovations to integrate technology with behavioral science | Ahmad Othman Rushdy Alhashlamoun |
| 4:00 – 4:30 PM | Strategies for parents of children with ASD and depression | Rania Fakhro |
| 4:30 – 5:00 PM | Integrating Assessment Data for Accurate and Meaningful Neurodevelopmental Diagnosis | Dr Massrat Shaikh |
| 5:00 – 5:30 PM | Understanding and Managing Parental Reactions in Counseling Sessions | Dr Jihene Mrabet |
| 5:30 – 6:00 PM | IEP Development, Accommodations and Curriculum Modifications | Lochana Mangwani |
13 يونيو 2026 · منصة إلكترونية
| عنوان العرض التقديمي | وقت |
|---|---|
| استراتيجيات استباقية لإدارة الأزمات السلوكية - السيد أحمد عيد | 8:30 – 9:30 AM |
| تطبيق أفضل الممارسات في التعليم الشامل - السيدة دعاء دريدي | 9:30 – 10:00 AM |
| تقييم الأطفال الذين يعانون من اضطرابات لغوية حادة وضعف في مهارات التواصل - د. ياسر السابي | 10:00 – 11:00 AM |
| استراحة قهوة للتواصل | 11:00 – 11:15 AM |
| فن إدارة السلوك وتعديله بناءً على نهج تحفيزي سلوكي قائم على المحاكاة - د. أشرف بلتاجي | 11:15 – 12:00 AM |
| مؤسس واستشاري العلاج بالموسيقى وإعادة التأهيل – شركة RMTKA للحلول العلاجية والتعليمية بالموسيقى ذ.م.م. – د. رحاب كمال | 12:00 – 12:30 PM |
| الإدارة السريرية والرعاية متعددة التخصصات - السيد محمود محمود | 12:30 AM – 1:00 PM |
| غداء | 1:00 – 2:00 PM |
| التدخلات الدقيقة، وأساليب التقييم، والمناهج العلاجية لاضطرابات التعلم - د. أشرف بلتاجي | 2:00 – 2:45 PM |
| تطبيقات العلاج بالقبول والالتزام (ACT) لدعم آباء الأطفال المصابين باضطراب طيف التوحد - د. ريم عبد الرزاق | 2:45 – 3:15 PM |
| رحلة البلوغ... الفهم والدعم - السيدة لما أيوب | 3:15 – 3:45 PM |
| الأنماط الغذائية والنشاط البدني والتحديات الصحية لدى الأطفال المصابين باضطراب طيف التوحد الذين تتراوح أعمارهم بين 3 و17 عامًا في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة - د. شريفة البلوشي | 3:45 – 4:15 PM |
| التكامل والمعالجة الحسية: المعالجة الحسية المركزية - د. أشرف بلتاجي | 4:15 – 4:45 PM |
| الابتكارات الرقمية لدمج التكنولوجيا مع علم السلوك - السيد أحمد عثمان رشدي الهاشلامون | 4:45 – 5:15 PM |
| استكشاف تجارب الآباء وتصوراتهم لأداة M-CHAT R/F للكشف المبكر عن اضطراب طيف التوحد لدى الأطفال الصغار الذين تتراوح أعمارهم بين 16 و30 شهرًا - السيدة نانسي جلال أبو سمرة | 5:15 – 5:30 PM |
| تطبيق أفضل الممارسات في التعليم الشامل: إطار بحثي عملي قائم على أدلة عملية من وحدة التعليم الشامل في مدينة الشارقة للخدمات الإنسانية - السيدة دعاء دريدي | 5:30 – 6:00 PM |
Global Experts Sharing Knowledge and Experience
Ms. Lauren Enders Gonzales, MA, CCC-SLP, is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist and educator with nearly 30 years of experience in Eastern Pennsylvania (US) schools.
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Mr. Dan Phillips is the Director of an Assistive Technology Resource Center in Marin County, California, supporting over 4,000 students with special needs.
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Dr. Laura Barcelos Nomicos, BCBA-D, is a licensed behavior analyst and the Director of the Global Institute for Behavior Analysis.
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Ms. Katie Philcox is an experienced Board Certified Behavior Analyst with over 15 years of clinical practice supporting neurodiverse children,adolescents, and families.
Read MoreMr. Ahmad Eid is a consultant specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Speech & Language Pathology (SLP).
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Ms. Clinical Psychologist specializing in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder for 30 years. International trainer in ADOS2, gold standard diagnostic assesment for ASD.
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Ms. Lochana Mangwani is a Counselling Psychologist (B.A. Psychology, M.Sc. Psychology Counselling)
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Dr. Jihene Mrabet is a Clinical Psychologist with a PhD in Clinical Psychology from France and two master’s degrees in Professional Clinical Psychology
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Dr Sonakshi Ruhela holds a Harvard Certification in Higher Education with a PhD in Psychology, recognised by the Ministry of Education, UAE
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Dr. Yaser Al Sabi is the Rehabilitation Manager (MERTA) at Cochlear Arabia, leading services across the Middle East, Russia, Turkey, and Africa.
Read MoreDr. Ashraf Mohamed Beltagy is a Mental Health and Special Education specialist with extensive experience in assessment, therapeutic programs.
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Dr. Reem Abdulrazzak is a senior psychologist with a PhD in Psychology and a Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis.
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Dr. Sharifa Alblooshi is an Assistant Professor of Public Health and Nutrition at Zayed University, UAE. She earned her PhD in Public Health from UAE University (College of Medicine and Health Sciences) in 2017.
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Christine DerSarkissian, Ed.D, BCBA, QBA, IBA, is the re-elected President of Association for Behavior Analysis Lebanon (ABAL) and project manager at PuzzleMeBoo.
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Mr. Ahmad Hashlamoun is a developer and researcher specializing in the integration of technology with behavioral psychology.
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Ms. Lama Saif Aldeen Ayoub is the Manager and Founder of InclusionBee Training and Consultation Center in the United Arab Emirates.
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Ms. Nancy Abusamra is a Senior Staff Nurse and Nurse Educator with 16 years of experience in nursing education, specializing in professional training and healthcare workforce development.
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Ms. Rania Fakhro is a behavioral and mental health practitioner with over 20 years of experience supporting children and families affected by intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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Mr. Alan Vu, MA, CCC-SLP, is the founder and CEO of Flexspeak. He is a licensed speech-language pathologist and a person who stutters.
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Dr. Massrat Shaikh is an Educational Psychologist with over a decade of experience supporting children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental.
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Ms. Tasmiyah Sacoor is a Senior Speech-Language Pathologist and Head of the Speech Therapy Department at Sanad Village, Dubai.
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Mr. Mahmoud A. Mahmoud is a Regional Clinical Director and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over a decade of experience in early intervention and autism services.
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Dr. Aleksandra Shumar is an experienced specialist in child-centered educational and psychological support, with expertise in developing individualized intervention plans.
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Dr. Saleh M. AlSaleh, MD is a healthcare leader and consultant with extensive experience in health systems strategy, operations, and hospital transformation across Saudi Arabia.
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Dr. Muhammad Tahir Khalily is a distinguished psychologist, educator, and academic leader with over 30 years of professional experience in Clinical Psychology.
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Mrs. Duaa Dridi is the Head of the Inclusive Education Unit at Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS), with over 15 years of experience leading.
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Dr. Rehab Kamal is a Music Therapy and Rehabilitation Consultant and the Founder of RMTKA Music Therapy and Learning Solutions LLC.
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Ms. Zainab Abbas is an expressive art practitioner for emotional wellbeing and the founder of A Million Little Pieces, an initiative centered on intuitive.
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Dr. Rupa Kalahasthi is a NY State Licensed and American Board-Certified Clinical Psychologist and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Psychology.
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Dr. Ahmed Said is a Qualified Behavior Analyst (QBA) and Case Manager with more than ten years of professional experience in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)s.
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Maharat Learning Center bridges the gap between Medical, Educational, and Social Care services for children and young adults with special needs through a multidisciplinary and technology-driven approach.Our Vision is to become the leading technology-driven Educational Institute that empowers and enables individuals with variable degrees of learning difficulties, cognitive challenges and other developmental delays. Our Mission is to provide an enabling environment for individuals facing various challenges and support them with the necessary life skills, academics, technology skills, vocational training, job placement and coaching for successful inclusion.
We provide multidisciplinary services including clinical psychological, cognitive, developmental and educational assessments, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Toilet Training and Feeding Therapy. Our unique model meets the requirements of children and young adults with specific learning difficulties including Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as well as cognitive disorders and other developmental delays and learning difficulties.
Our services include behavioral assessments, 1:1 behavioral therapy, tutoring for specific learning difficulties, learning support and school supervision services, vocational and life skills training, tertiary education support, job coaching, and professional training. Our programs are individualized and unique to each child. We utilize Assistive Technology, Augmentative Alternative Communication, ABA teaching techniques, online resources, virtual reality, and other innovative technology to teach children and young adults the academic, social, and life skills they need to succeed in school, university, and life.
To be a leading technology-driven educational institute empowering individuals with learning and developmental challenges.
To create enabling environments with life skills, academics, vocational training, and coaching using best-researched teaching methods.
2026 International Conference on Neurodevelopment, Therapies & Inclusive Education
27–29 March 2026 · Dubai, UAE
Maharat Learning Center invites organizations, institutions, healthcare providers, educational partners, and industry leaders to collaborate as sponsors. This international conference offers direct access to decision-makers, clinicians, educators, researchers, and policy influencers across neurodevelopment, therapy, and inclusive education sectors.
Please complete the form below.
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