A national conference focusing on how technology can transform the lives of disabled people is coming to Coventry next month

TechAbility Conference 2026 takes place at Coventry Building Society Arena on November 19 and is expected to attract more than 200 delegates from across the education, adult care and health sectors.

Those in attendance support people with learning difficulties and disabilities to use assistive technology, and the conference is now in its ninth year, with this edition set to be the biggest in its history as it moves to Coventry Building Society Arena.

It is organised by TechAbility, the assistive technology service run by Natspec and part-funded by the Ian Karten Charitable Trust.

TechAbility works to improve outcomes for people with learning difficulties and disabilities in education and adult care, providing consultancy, training, webinars and resources for the staff who support them.

The annual conference aims to send delegates away better equipped to use technology to open up learning, communication and independence for the people they support.

It will feature a series of presentations and workshops grounded in practice and research, with artificial intelligence among the key themes.

The keynote speech will be given by Beth Moulam, a Paralympian and author who uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and a range of assistive technology in her daily life. Beth will be releasing her new book “How to live audAACiously” on the same day as the conference. She will talk about dreaming big, working hard and being resilient as an assistive technology user, and the importance of preparing young people for adult life and independent living.

The wider programme includes sessions on embedding AI alongside assistive technology, the ethics of smartglasses in education and care, how assistive technology can help disabled people into work and a smartwatch system that turns hand gestures into a switch for communication software.

Fil McIntyre, TechAbility Manager, said: “Assistive technology can change someone’s life, but only if the people supporting them know what’s out there and have the confidence to use it.

“AI is on a lot of people’s minds, and there’s plenty of that on the agenda, but having Beth as our keynote keeps lived experience at the centre of the programme.

“This is our biggest conference so far, and we’re looking forward to it being hosted at Coventry Building Society Arena for the first time.”

A wide range of exhibitors are expected at the event, with delegates given the opportunity to meet assistive technology suppliers, including headline sponsors BeechBand and PAM Group, Smartbox Assistive Technology, Scanning Pens and CENTURY TECH.

Jenni Ford, Director of Sales and Marketing at Coventry Building Society Arena, said: “It is fantastic to be hosting the conference for the first time and bringing hundreds of professionals to Coventry.

“Our conference space means the sessions, exhibitions and networking can all happen under one roof, and there’s plenty of room for the event to grow with us in the years ahead.”

Places cost from £160 plus VAT. To book, visit https://www.techability.org.uk/techability-conference-2026/