Registration opens Wednesday night from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Ivorys, located on the first floor of the hotel. Look for signs and balloons outside the doors to guide you to the right place!

Registration will also be open on Thursday, February 18th, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Upon arrival, head to the right side of the room, where name tags will be displayed in alphabetical order. Friendly volunteers will be available to assist if you need help finding your name tag.

Each registered attendee receives a bag with travel goodies inside! Don’t forget to pick up some fun ribbons, pens, and SHAA stickers to kick off the event in style. We’re excited to welcome you—see you at registration!

The Virtual Convention will be available to all registered attendees starting February 22nd, with access remaining open through March 5th.

A link to access the online convention platform will be emailed to all registered attendees on February 22nd. If you haven’t received the link by Feb 23, please contact us!

Please note that the virtual convention is a separate component and does not include all in-person presentations. Sessions available online are marked with a computer icon in the convention brochure.

Kick off your journey to Destination: Excellence on Wednesday, February 17! Join LaRita Smith, LBSW, and Kelvin Smith, PhD, from 6:00–7:00 p.m. in Wynfrey AB for our opening keynote, Navigating Autism as a Team: A Mother and Son’s Journey from Preschool to PhD. Hear their inspiring story and explore the power of collaboration, advocacy, and inclusion.

Then join us for our Networking Hour from 7:00–8:00 p.m. in the second-floor pre-function area. Enjoy light hors d’oeuvres, reconnect with colleagues, and meet fellow attendees and speakers as we begin our convention journey together!

No CE credit is offered for the networking hour.

The Association Breakfast will be on Thursday, February 18th from 8:00-9:15 AM. 

We are thrilled to introduce a FREE Association Breakfast to kick off SHAA 2027! From 8:00–9:15 AM, enjoy breakfast, opening remarks, updates from ABESPA and our convention chair, and the Honors and Awards program.

The morning’s highlight will be a 30-minute keynote by ASHA President, Perry Flynn titled “Destination: Leadership — Finding Your Path to Lead" 

We’ll close the morning with door prizes, including free 2028 convention registration, a complimentary hotel stay, and fun giveaways from exhibitors.

SHAA is offering free box lunches for all attendees on Thursday! Be sure to select your lunch preference when completing your registration. Box lunches will be available upstairs in the pre-function area, where all break refreshments are served.

Make the most of your lunch break from 12:00–1:00 p.m. with five one-hour lunch presentations and five student poster presentations. These sessions are optional and offer additional CE opportunities; each student poster presentation is 15 minutes.

Prefer to enjoy lunch and catch up with colleagues? Wynfrey ABC will remain open for dining, with no presentation scheduled.

SHAA knows that every great journey is made even better by the connections we build along the way! Join us for Destination: A Sweet Connection on Thursday, February 19, from 5:00–5:45 PM. This complimentary ice cream social will feature the Unless U Scoops cart, serving more than five delicious flavors for attendees to enjoy.

Open to all convention attendees, this event is the perfect stop to relax, connect with colleagues, and build new relationships as part of your SHAA convention experience.

Unless U is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping adults with developmental disabilities reach new destinations academically, physically, socially, and vocationally. Unless U Scoops is one of the organization’s creative initiatives, providing meaningful opportunities while engaging with the broader community.

While enjoying your ice cream, be sure to explore the exhibit hall and connect with our exhibitors. They are an essential part of the SHAA journey, offering valuable products, services, and resources to help you reach new levels of excellence in your work.

The Quest for the Cup will begin immediately after the Student Awards and Scholarships presentation, which starts at 5:45 PM on February 18th. The Quest will run from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM for one hour of intense academic competition.

The Quest for the Cup is an intercollegiate scholar’s bowl, where graduate students from participating universities compete in a challenging series of Praxis-style questions. Each university team will present and answer questions, with each correct answer earning them one point. The team with the highest score will take home the prestigious “traveling” trophy, proudly displayed at the winning university until the next year's event.

Join us to witness the intellect, collaboration, and competitive spirit that defines Quest for the Cup!

The Quest for the Cup and student honors and awards are free for all to attend and will be located in Wynfrey ABC

** Box lunch is available to purchase on registration for $15 but is not required to attend the meeting**

Committees are a great opportunity to connect and contribute to the important work of SHAA. If you're not currently involved in a committee, this is the perfect time to get involved and make a difference! 

Click here to contact someone on the committee

Click here to learn more about committees

If you do not want to attend a committee meeting, you can visit the Hyatt Regency food court. 

Rise, shine, and start your Friday with learning!

The 2027 SHAA Convention will feature eight Early Bird Presentations on Friday, February 19, from 7:00–8:00 AM. With a wide variety of topic areas, there is something for everyone!

Choose from sessions covering:

• Speech Sound Disorders

• Early Risk Detection

• Curriculum and Research

• Airway and Swallowing After the NICU

• The Parent Perspective

• Multidisciplinary Dysphagia Care

• AAC Make-and-Take

• Empowering Children With Hearing Loss

We’ll have coffee and light bites available before the presentations, followed by a full buffet-style breakfast after the sessions.

Set your alarm and join us for a great start to Friday at the SHAA Convention!

SHAA invites students to attend our Convention by volunteering!

Step 1: Become a SHAA member.

• Visit alabamashaa.com → Join SHAA.

• Register as a student and pay the $15 membership fee.

Step 2: Sign up to volunteer.

• Register as a student volunteer on our registration page by Monday, January 8, 2027 (spots may fill earlier).

• Student volunteers receive free admission to enjoy the SHAA Convention.

If you are unable to volunteer, you can still attend by registering as a student for $75.