Following the tradition established in 2001, 2003, and 2005, PEN-International supported the NTID Technology and Deaf Education Symposium, held on the RIT campus. PEN-International uses the occurrence of the Symposium to bring representatives of PEN partners and affiliates to Rochester to attend important PEN-International meetings and to participate at the Symposium.

This year PEN partners traveled to Rochester from China, Russia, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Czech Republic, Korea, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. Additionally, a specialist in deaf education attended from Kenya.

Selected PEN partners participated in special meetings related to Africa, Russia and a special self-study process designed to collect impartial feedback from key partners as to the effectiveness of the PEN programs in their home countries.

All PEN partners and affiliates were included in the June 20, 2008 PEN-International Business Meeting. High on the agenda was a review of the PEN-International Year 7 Report and an open discussion on the priorities for the next 2 1/2 years of PEN-International. Each partner and affiliate was given the opportunity to provide the group with a brief presentation about their program's accomplishments of the past year.

Many of the PEN partners participated in the Technology and Deaf Education Symposium, Chaired by PEN Associate Director, E. William Clymer. The papers and posters at the Symposium focused on the used of technology for instruction and access in the education of deaf students.

Visit the Technology Symposium Website for more information