OLC Accelerate 2026 logo

Orlando, FL | November 16-19, 2026

Gather with colleagues, recharge your practice, and celebrate the work shaping the future of digital learning at #OLCAccelerate2026. More details rolling out soon!

Two women attending OLC Accelerate 2025 smile for a photo as they walk together through the conference foyer.

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Accelerating Online Learning Worldwide

The Accelerate 2026 conference, hosted by the Online Learning Consortium, showcases groundbreaking research and highly effective practices in online and digital learning across K-12, higher education, and corporate L&D. This event is designed to empower and support leaders, instructional designers, educators, and training professionals by offering a wide range of sessions and activities. These are specifically curated to address the unique challenges and shared goals of our entire community, helping to shape the evolving landscape of digital learning and workforce development.

Conference Program

Multiple Pathways to Learn. OLC is committed to fostering collaborative spaces where educators and L&D professionals across K-12, higher education, and workforce learning can share their experiences and work together to enhance learning communities and environments.

The Call for Proposals will open March 17. Details coming soon. 

The 5th Annual Leadership Network Symposium will take place on Monday, November 16. The Leadership Network Symposium is a space for current and aspiring leaders in digital education to learn, to collaborate, and to network with colleagues from around the world. At this ticketed pre-conference event, attendees will discuss the current trends, pressing issues, and major challenges facing leaders in digital learning today.

Get impactful strategies you can immediately apply to your work in these hands-on, experiential workshops held Monday, November 16 at the conference in Orlando, FL. Join us for these ticketed classes covering critical topics in digital learning!

Tuesday morning, November 17, delve deeply into vital subjects at 4 available Accelerate summits, including artificial intelligence (AI), instructional design, K12, and affordable learning solutions for HBCUs. Hear from distinguished thought leaders and participate in robust discussions on the hottest topics in digital, online, and blended education. These summits are included in your Conference Pass registration, enhancing your onsite experience with invaluable insights and discussions.

Different topics need different presentation affordances! Expect to be actively involved in sessions at OLC Accelerate. Our sessions range from traditional Education Sessions to deep-dive Workshops, engaging “Conversation, Not Presentation” sessions, interactive Gamified Sessions, 15-minute Express Sessions, and in-depth conversations through Discovery Sessions. Presentations will encourage deep thinking and engagement around relevant topics.

Engagement Opportunities

Get more out of your experience by forming meaningful connections and sprouting new collective ideas with the best and brightest in our field.

Interested in leading an engagement session? Engagement activities are an important part of our programming at OLC Accelerate. Have a great idea for a fun and interactive session? Submit a proposal to lead an Engagement activity at the conference. The call for proposals opens March 17.

Field Guide Program

Need help determining which sessions best fit your professional development needs?  Our Field Guides are here to help. Make connections and navigate the conference with other attendees.

Engagement Hub

Connect with other attendees through lightweight, collaborative activities.

The AI Exploration Zone

Explore challenges and craft innovative approaches for better reaching our unique populations of learners. 

OLC Accelerate 2026 General Schedule

8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Leadership Network Symposium (ticketed event)

Southern Hemisphere III, IV, V

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Immersion Classes (ticketed event)

Asia 3, 4

1:00 – 4:00 pm

Immersion Classes (ticketed event)

Asia 3, 4

3:00 – 6:00 pm

Early Registration & Field Guide Consulting

Convention Foyer

3:00 – 6:00 pm

Exhibit Hall Preview Reception

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

4:15 – 4:45 pm

First Time Attendee Welcome & Orientation

Asia 1

4:45 – 5:30 pm

Field Guide Tours of the WDW Dolphin Convention Center

Departures from Convention Foyer – Field Guide Station

6:00 pm – Evening

Dinner on your own. We recommend making dinner reservations in advance. In addition to the hotel, dining is available via an easy walk or boat ride to the Disney Boardwalk or by Disney bus to Disney Springs

6:30 – 7:30 am

Yoga

Asia 2

Morning

Breakfast on your own

7:30 am – 5:00 pm

Registration Desk Open; Field Guide Consulting Station Open until 12:00pm

Convention foyer

8:00- 9:30 am

Summits – Part 1

AI Summit – Southern I-II
HBCU Summit – Asia 5
ID Summit – Southern IV-V
K12 Summit – Asia 4

9:00 – 9:30 am

First Time Attendee Welcome & Orientation

Asia 1

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Exhibits Open

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Engagement Hub and The AI Exploration Zone Open

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

9:30 – 10:15 am

Field Guide Tours of the WDW Dolphin Convention Center

Departures from Convention Foyer – Field Guide Station

9:30 – 10:30 am

Networking Coffee Break, The AI Exploration Zone, & Engagement Hub Activities

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Summits – Part 2

AI Summit – Southern I-II
HBCU Summit – Asia 5
ID Summit – Southern IV-V
K12 Summit – Asia 4

12:00 – 1:15 pm

Attendee Lunch Marketplace, Exhibit Hall Open – a limited menu of salads, sandwiches, snacks, and beverages available for purchase

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

Start of Regular Conference Sessions

1:15 – 2:00 pm

Concurrent Session 1; Discovery Sessions begin

Breakout Rooms

1:15 – 4:15 pm

Engagement Hub and The AI Exploration Zone Open

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

1:15 – 6:45 pm

Exhibits Open

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

2:15 – 3:00 pm

Concurrent Session 2

Breakout Rooms

3:15 – 3:30 pm

Express Sessions 1

Breakout Rooms

3:30 – 4:15 pm

Networking Coffee Break, The AI Exploration Zone, & Engagement Hub Activities

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

4:15 – 5:30 pm

Welcome and Keynote Address

Pacific Ballroom

5:30 – 6:45 pm

Welcome Reception

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

6:45 pm – Evening

Dinner on your own. We recommend making dinner reservations in advance. In addition to the hotel, dining is also available via an easy walk or boat ride to the Disney Boardwalk or by Disney bus to Disney Springs

6:00 – 7:30 am

Accelerate 5K Fun Run/Walk (ticketed event)

Walt Disney World Swan (causeway entrance)

7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Registration Desk Open

Convention Foyer

8:00 – 9:30 am

OLC Awards Recognition, Breakfast Celebration, and Fellows Panel

Pacific Ballroom

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Exhibits Open

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Engagement Hub and The AI Exploration Zone Open

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

9:45 – 10:30 am

Concurrent Session 3

Breakout Rooms

10:30 – 11:15 am

Networking Coffee Break, The AI Exploration Zone, & Engagement Hub Activities

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

11:15 am – 12:00 pm

Concurrent Session 4

Breakout Rooms

12:00 – 1:00 pm

Attendee Lunch Marketplace, Exhibit Hall Open – a limited menu of salads, sandwiches, snacks, and beverages available for purchase

Pacific Ballroom

1:00 – 1:45 pm

Concurrent Session 5

Breakout Rooms

2:00 – 2:45 pm

Concurrent Session 6

Breakout Rooms

3:00 pm

Exhibit Hall closes; Discovery Sessions end

Atlantic Exhibit Hall

3:00 – 3:15 pm

Express Sessions 2

Breakout Rooms

3:30 – 4:15 pm

Concurrent Session 7

Breakout Rooms

4:15 pm – Evening

Dinner on your own. We recommend making dinner reservations in advance. In addition to the hotel, dining is also available via an easy walk or boat ride to the Disney Boardwalk or by Disney bus to Disney Springs

6:30 – 7:30 am

Yoga

Asia 2

8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Registration Desk Open

Convention Foyer

8:15 – 9:45 am

Specialty Coffee Service & Continental Breakfast

Pacific Ballroom

9:00 – 9:45 am

Plenary Address

Pacific Ballroom

10:00 – 10:45 am

Concurrent Session 8

Breakout Rooms

11:00 – 11:45 am

Concurrent Session 9

Breakout Rooms

12:00 – 12:45 pm

Concurrent Session 10

Breakout Rooms

12:45 – 1:30 pm

Accelerate 2026 Closing Celebration

Southern Hemisphere Foyer

Conference Ends

This schedule is subject to change.

  • Sessions are 45 minutes long, unless otherwise noted.
  • All sessions are considered BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
  • There are 15 minute breaks between concurrent sessions.
  • All sessions are held at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort (Orlando, FL)
  • All sessions are in US Eastern Time Zone (ET)

Leadership Network Symposium and OLC Immersion Classes are Monday, November 16 pre-conference ticketed events with additional registration fees.

AI, HBCU, Instructional Design, and K-12 Summits Tuesday, November 17 are included as part of the regular conference program at no additional fee.

About the Venue

The program will be held at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, FL. Stay onsite and take advantage of our special conference room rates

Spending extra time in Orlando and bringing family? Get discounted Disney tickets for your conference stay.

Sign Up for Conference Updates

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get the latest conference updates, including registration discounts, calls for proposals, and programming announcements. 

Virtual | March 3-5, 2026

OLC Innovate provides a path for innovators of all experience levels and backgrounds to share best practices, test new ideas, and collaborate on driving forward online, digital, and blended learning. Join us as we challenge our teaching and learning paradigms, reimagine the learning experience, and ideate on how disruptions in education today will shape the innovative classroom of tomorrow.

 

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