2020 TASH Conference - Virtual Edition: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 2020 TASH Conference - Virtual Edition website! We’re so glad you are here!

Each year, the TASH Conference brings together individuals with significant disabilities and their allies to share resources and success stories, learn about field-driven best practices, and network within a community engaged in shared values. The conference is attended by passionate advocates, leaders, and subject matter experts from every corner of the disability community. Conference attendees play an important role in supporting individuals with significant disabilities to overcome various barriers in order to live their best lives. Central to this work is the premise that individuals reach their optimal potential only when they are given the opportunity to live, work and thrive across the lifespan in the same communities we are all members of. The conference is intentionally designed to support the interests of professors and researchers from leading institutions; those involved in local, state, and federal governments and public policy; special and general educators, and school administrators; home and community-based service providers; students, family members, and most importantly, self-advocates with lived experience.

This year, while we are taking the conference virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe that our unique approach to providing exceptional first-rate content and building strong community ties and connections across various stakeholders will yield an extraordinary event! We have taken extra steps to bring people closer together during these times, as well as to create an amazing virtual environment that expands our knowledge, spurs our creative thinking, and focuses on healthy living and having fun! Our conference theme, Feel the Power of Inclusion, reinforces the importance of our continued commitment to promoting a world of equity and opportunity for all, and is predicated on the value of bringing together diverse perspectives and experiences in an effort to build strong human connectivity and spur collective action.

Need technical assistance during the conference? Please email our support staff at helpdesk@tash.org.

11:14am EST

About Day 1 Intensives

Day 1 Intensives are short-course workshops delivered by teams of national exemplars around a specific topic. Intensives will be delivered in a "live" format to allow attendees to dive into popular topics in more depth.
This year, there will be four tracks with four workshops per track:

Employment & Transition
Human Rights
Inclusive Education
TASH Doctoral Students and Early Career Faculty Workshop

Day 1 Intensives will be held on Tuesday, December 1. Registered attendees can select and add their preferred Intensive track to their schedules at any time. Zoom links will be shared closer to the event date.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:14am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

11:15am EST

Track 1: Employment & Transition

Day 1 Intensives: Employment & Transition Track

11:15-11:30 AM EST: Welcome and Keynote Address: The Power of Competitive Integrated Employment in Achieving Equity and Opportunity for All
Presenter: Jennifer Johnson

11:30 AM-12:30 PM EST: Promoting Inclusion to Increase Employment for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities
Presenters: Kathleen Woodward, Kristin Corcoran, Montrel Tennessee, Sandy Jordan, Kelie Hess
Employment remains a critical part of community inclusion for people with disabilities (Administration on Community Living, 2019). This presentation will share how the Administration on Disabilities' Partnerships in Employment grantees formed a group of stakeholders to improve employment outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities by creating and supporting programs and policies that promote inclusion. Participants will hear from the national evaluator and grantees from DC, South Carolina, and Utah on how they promote inclusion of youth and young adults with disabilities through self-advocacy programs, parent and family engagement, and career and technical education. Presenters will also share success stories of how their states' have involved students with the most significant disabilities in employment opportunities. The presentation will conclude with a discussion on the importance of inclusion of youth and young adults with disabilities in competitive integrated employment.

12:45-2:00 PM EST: Building an Inclusive and Resilient Workforce: Recruitment, Retention and Innovation
Presenters: Susan Brooks, Dale Verstegan
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the fragility of the Direct Support Professional workforce, and increased the already too high unemployment rate of people with disabilities. Now, more than ever, innovative ideas are needed to tackle these critical issues. The DSP Academy is a training program that certifies people with disabilities as DSP's supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It starts with high expectations and uses principles of customized employment and universal design to prepare people with disabilities for success as a Direct Support Professional, supporting others to achieve their dreams. We will also share our learning from adapting to provide a large portion of the DSP Academy curriculum in a virtual environment. Staff development is most often accomplished through external training organizations. The DSP Academy is a great example of provider organizations adopting and reinforcing the training curriculum. While external training trainers and events should be valued, this approach does not ensure the development of staff skills, competency and improved employment outcomes and presents challenges with sustainability as well.

2:15-3:30 PM EST: Supporting Employment through Supported Decision-Making
Presenter: Erin Leveton, Joan Christopher, Morgan Whitlatch
Talk with DC and MO about how they are braiding the National Supporting Families Community of Practice principles and tools with learning from the National Supported Decision-Making CoP to support self-determination and employment. Hear the national perspective on what's happening to launch and grow supported decision-making and promote self-determination, inclusion, and competitive integrated employment. We will share experiences in MO and DC and then have you share what's happening in your state. Next, we will do a deep dive with family members about how supported decision-making works in practice. Finally, we will facilitate a conversation to share promising practices in engaging self-advocates and families to not only help them envision and plan a good life for themselves and their children, but also to better inform state systems changes through deep engagement with families and to successfully advocate for those changes.

3:45-5:00 PM EST: The Power of Leading a Self-Determined Life Through Person-Centered Planning
Presenters: Kelie Hess, Tricia Jones-Parkin, Aubrey Snyder
As the Utah School to Work Interagency Transition Initiative enters its 5th year of the project, we have identified a need for building self-advocacy skills and focusing on strengthening individualized opportunities and aligning service plans prior to work experiences and going through the process of discovery. The school to work project is introducing person-centered planning tools and the process with students entering their first year of post-high with the goal of 1. Students directing IEP and person-centered planning meetings 2. Aligning goals across service systems and life domains 3. Development and exploration of individualized work and community-based experiences to inform and strengthen the Discovery and Customized Job Development process.

Moderators

Alison DeYoung

Project Manager, YES! Center | TASH

Alison DeYoung is the Project Manager for the Youth Employment Solutions - YES! Center, the national training and technical assistance center for the Partnerships in Employment (PIE) state projects. She began working in the field of education in 2008 while completing her undergraduate... Read More →

Presenters

Joan Christopher

Research Instructor, Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities

Activities and programs to support people with disabilities and their families

Morgan Whitlatch

Legal Director, Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities

Morgan K. Whitlatch is the Legal Director of the Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities, an independent, non-profit advocacy organization that has been advancing the interests of D.C. residents with developmental disabilities since 2002. Morgan has devoted her legal career... Read More →

Dale Verstegen

Senior Research Associate, TransCen

Dale Verstegen, a Senior Research Associate at TransCen, since 2007, is assigned to a range of research, training and technical assistance projects related to transition and employment services in various parts of the country. Mr. Verstegen provides consultation and training in the... Read More →

Erin Leveton

Director, Alvarez & Marsal

Kristin Corcoran

Consultant, The Lewin Group

I am a Consultant for the Lewin Group. We are the national evaluator for the Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Grant, which provides funding for state grantees to promote competitive, integrated employment for youth and young adults with intellectual and developmental dis... Read More →

Montrel Tennessee

Project Manager, DC Department on Disability Services

Sandy Jordan (she/her)

Director of Employment Programs, Able South Carolina

Sandy directs Able SC’s employment programs and has a special interest in youth transition, connecting with employers, and financial literacy for individuals with disabilities. Before working at Able SC, she spent ten years providing career supports and guidance to individuals with... Read More →

Susan Brooks

Chief Innovation Officer, RCM of Washington

Tricia Jones-Parkin

Project Director, Utah State University

Tricia Jones-Parkin has over 20-years of experience working with people with disabilities. In 2011, Tricia collaborated to craft the Employment First Language for Utah and has focused on capacity building and systems change efforts to increase the number of people employed and included... Read More →

Aubrey Snyder

Training and Development Specialist, Utah State University

Hi! I'm Aubrey. I am a Sibling and I work at the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University. Before working at USU, I worked as an employment case manager for youth experiencing homelessness, a paraprofessional in a special education classroom with 3rd-6th graders... Read More →

Kelie Hess

Utah School to Work Program Manager, Utah State University

My name is Kelie Hess. I work at Utah State University Center for Persons with Disabilities as the Utah School to Work Project, Program Manager. The Utah School to Work Project is a statewide initiative that focuses on cross-systems collaboration for improving competitive, integrated... Read More →

Jennifer Johnson

Deputy Commissioner, Administration on Disabilities, Administration for Community Living

Kathleen Woodward

Senior Consultant, The Lewin Group

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

11:15am EST

Track 1: Employment & Transition: Building an Inclusive and Resilient Workforce: Recruitment, Retention and Innovation

12:45-2:00 PM EST: Building an Inclusive and Resilient Workforce: Recruitment, Retention and Innovation
Presenters: Susan Brooks, Dale Verstegan
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the fragility of the Direct Support Professional workforce, and increased the already too high unemployment rate of people with disabilities. Now, more than ever, innovative ideas are needed to tackle these critical issues. The DSP Academy is a training program that certifies people with disabilities as DSP's supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It starts with high expectations and uses principles of customized employment and universal design to prepare people with disabilities for success as a Direct Support Professional, supporting others to achieve their dreams. We will also share our learning from adapting to provide a large portion of the DSP Academy curriculum in a virtual environment. Staff development is most often accomplished through external training organizations. The DSP Academy is a great example of provider organizations adopting and reinforcing the training curriculum. While external training trainers and events should be valued, this approach does not ensure the development of staff skills, competency and improved employment outcomes and presents challenges with sustainability as well.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

11:15am EST

Track 1: Employment & Transition: Supporting Employment through Supported Decision-Making

2:15-3:30 PM EST: Supporting Employment through Supported Decision-Making
Presenter: Erin Leveton, Joan Christopher, Morgan Whitlatch
Talk with DC and MO about how they are braiding the National Supporting Families Community of Practice principles and tools with learning from the National Supported Decision-Making CoP to support self-determination and employment. Hear the national perspective on what's happening to launch and grow supported decision-making and promote self-determination, inclusion, and competitive integrated employment. We will share experiences in MO and DC and then have you share what's happening in your state. Next, we will do a deep dive with family members about how supported decision-making works in practice. Finally, we will facilitate a conversation to share promising practices in engaging self-advocates and families to not only help them envision and plan a good life for themselves and their children, but also to better inform state systems changes through deep engagement with families and to successfully advocate for those changes.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

11:15am EST

Track 1: Employment & Transition: The Power of Leading a Self-Determined Life Through Person-Centered Planning

3:45-5:00 PM EST: The Power of Leading a Self-Determined Life Through Person-Centered Planning
Presenters: Kelie Hess, Tricia Jones-Parkin, Aubrey Snyder
As the Utah School to Work Interagency Transition Initiative enters its 5th year of the project, we have identified a need for building self-advocacy skills and focusing on strengthening individualized opportunities and aligning service plans prior to work experiences and going through the process of discovery. The school to work project is introducing person-centered planning tools and the process with students entering their first year of post-high with the goal of 1. Students directing IEP and person-centered planning meetings 2. Aligning goals across service systems and life domains 3. Development and exploration of individualized work and community-based experiences to inform and strengthen the Discovery and Customized Job Development process.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

11:15am EST

Track 1: Employment &Transition: Promoting Inclusion to Increase Employment for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities

11:30 AM-12:30 PM EST: Promoting Inclusion to Increase Employment for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities
Presenters: Kathleen Woodward, Kristin Corcoran, Montrel Tennessee, Sandy Jordan, Kelie Hess
Employment remains a critical part of community inclusion for people with disabilities (Administration on Community Living, 2019). This presentation will share how the Administration on Disabilities' Partnerships in Employment grantees formed a group of stakeholders to improve employment outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities by creating and supporting programs and policies that promote inclusion. Participants will hear from the national evaluator and grantees from DC, South Carolina, and Utah on how they promote inclusion of youth and young adults with disabilities through self-advocacy programs, parent and family engagement, and career and technical education. Presenters will also share success stories of how their states' have involved students with the most significant disabilities in employment opportunities. The presentation will conclude with a discussion on the importance of inclusion of youth and young adults with disabilities in competitive integrated employment.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Employment

11:15am EST

Track 2: Human Rights

Day 1 Intensives: Human Rights Track

11:15 AM-12:30 PM EST: Protecting the Rights of People with Disabilities During COVID-19
Presenter: Samantha Crane, Jennifer Mathis, Anita Cameron
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network and the Bazelon Center will describe their work to enforce the right of people with disabilities to access health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have reached out to other advocates, including the Disability Visibility Project and Not Dead Yet, as co-presenters. Starting early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous disability advocates raised concerns with hospital and state plans on allocation of scarce medical resources, which either explicitly or effectively deprioritized people with disabilities in need of life-saving care. In response, a coalition of national and local advocates used a variety of strategies to ensure that states and hospitals adopted more equitable policies on allocation of resources. Advocates used similar strategies to address other potentially discriminatory policies, including policies that limited individuals' access to in-person supports while hospitalized.

12:45 - 2:00 PM EST: Supported Decision Making: From Dream to Reality
Presenters: Dana Lloyd, John McCarty
Supported Decision-Making is essential in order for people with disabilities to control all aspects of their lives. This workshop will not only take you on a journey to explore supported decision-making from conception to implementation, as we follow one young man's path to make his own decisions pursue his dreams, but offer practical tools for developing (or assisting someone else to develop) a supported decision-making plan. This workshop will feature a panel of presenters including an Autistic person, an advocate and a parent will share what they have learned from the process of using supported decision making to overturn a guardianship, how to implement those principles and practices, as well as a the role of parents and supporters.

2:15 - 3:30 PM EST: Leaving State Guardianship: My Life, My Choices
Presenter: Whitney Kays, Maegan Pirtle
This presentation follows the story of Shanae, who was assigned state guardianship many years ago. As a result, major life decisions were chosen for her: where to live, who she lived with, how she spent her day, etc. In 2016, she partnered with Mattingly Edge to imagine and create a fundamentally different lifestyle. In late 2018, one of her biggest dreams became a reality: Shanae moved into her own home and began looking for someone to be her private guardian. This was a long and difficult road, but she persisted! Hear from Shanae and her private guardian on how these and other changes have affected her life. Attendees will also hear from Mattingly Edge, her service provider, to hear how they were able to help make Shanae's dreams become a reality, including having a hands-on approach in recruiting a private guardian, locating a low-income landlord, making her home accessible, and recruiting a team of supporters for Shanae to spend her time pursuing valued social roles.

3:45 - 5:00 PM EST: #BlackDisabledLivesMatter
Presenter: Parris Boyd
This session will give a brief overview of the development of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, why it is important for the disability perspective to be incorporated within it, and how to do that. It is important to recognize that none of us can isolate any particular aspect of our identities that we are marginalized by. This is particularly important for black disabled people who are at the intersection of at least two identities that have higher rates of interaction with the police. Both the disability rights movement as well as the #BlackLivesMatter movement have important implications for their lives, which means that their need to be represented in both movements. The disability movement and #BlackLivesMatter are movements that started in response to inequities within their respective communities. The disability movement is still fighting hard for things like jobs, inclusion and healthcare while the #BlackLivesMatter movement was created in response to police brutality.

Presenters

Samantha Crane

Director of Public Policy, Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Samantha Crane is director of public policy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s national office. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Samantha previously served as staff attorney at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, focusing on enforcing the right to community integration... Read More →

Dana Lloyd

DD Program Director, Georgia Advocacy Office

Dana Lloyd has been engaged in advocacy with people experiencing injustice on both a personal and professional level for over two decades. Dana currently serves as director of the Developmental Disabilities program at the Georgia Advocacy Office and coordinates the GA Supported Decision... Read More →

John McCarty

Fellow, SARTAC

John McCarty is an active self advocate. He presents on disability issues to a wide variety of audiences throughout Georgia, US and internationally. John is a 2019-2020 SARTAC Fellow, a national year-long opportunity working with a host organization on issues that directly... Read More →

Whitney Kays

Director of Service Innovation, Mattingly Edge

Whitney has a Bachelor of Science in Education with a specialization in Moderate/Severe Disabilities. She also has her Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Teacher Leadership. She has been working in the field of disability since 1995 but has been working in Disability Integration... Read More →

Parris Boyd

Project Coordinator, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University

Maegan Pirtle

Housing Solutions Project Manager, Mattingly Edge

Jennifer Mathis

Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Anita Cameron

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives, Human Rights

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes Systems Change Advocacy, Supported Decision-Making
Tags Coronavirus, Discrimination, Healthcare, Hospitals, Healthcare Supports, Supported Decision Making, Self-Determination, Autonomy, Guardianship, Success Stories, Community Living, My Home, My Life, Advocacy, Inclusion, Police Reform, Policy
Format General

11:15am EST

Track 2: Human Rights: #BlackDisabledLivesMatter

3:45 - 5:00 PM EST: #BlackDisabledLivesMatter
Presenter: Parris Boyd
This session will give a brief overview of the development of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, why it is important for the disability perspective to be incorporated within it, and how to do that. It is important to recognize that none of us can isolate any particular aspect of our identities that we are marginalized by. This is particularly important for black disabled people who are at the intersection of at least two identities that have higher rates of interaction with the police. Both the disability rights movement as well as the #BlackLivesMatter movement have important implications for their lives, which means that their need to be represented in both movements. The disability movement and #BlackLivesMatter are movements that started in response to inequities within their respective communities. The disability movement is still fighting hard for things like jobs, inclusion and healthcare while the #BlackLivesMatter movement was created in response to police brutality.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Human Rights

11:15am EST

Track 2: Human Rights: Leaving State Guardianship: My Life, My Choices

2:15 - 3:30 PM EST: Leaving State Guardianship: My Life, My Choices
Presenter: Whitney Kays, Maegan Pirtle
This presentation follows the story of Shanae, who was assigned state guardianship many years ago. As a result, major life decisions were chosen for her: where to live, who she lived with, how she spent her day, etc. In 2016, she partnered with Mattingly Edge to imagine and create a fundamentally different lifestyle. In late 2018, one of her biggest dreams became a reality: Shanae moved into her own home and began looking for someone to be her private guardian. This was a long and difficult road, but she persisted! Hear from Shanae and her private guardian on how these and other changes have affected her life. Attendees will also hear from Mattingly Edge, her service provider, to hear how they were able to help make Shanae's dreams become a reality, including having a hands-on approach in recruiting a private guardian, locating a low-income landlord, making her home accessible, and recruiting a team of supporters for Shanae to spend her time pursuing valued social roles.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

11:15am EST

Track 2: Human Rights: Protecting the Rights of People with Disabilities During COVID-19

11:15 AM-12:30 PM EST: Protecting the Rights of People with Disabilities During COVID-19
Presenter: Samantha Crane, Jennifer Mathis, Anita Cameron
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network and the Bazelon Center will describe their work to enforce the right of people with disabilities to access health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have reached out to other advocates, including the Disability Visibility Project and Not Dead Yet, as co-presenters. Starting early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous disability advocates raised concerns with hospital and state plans on allocation of scarce medical resources, which either explicitly or effectively deprioritized people with disabilities in need of life-saving care. In response, a coalition of national and local advocates used a variety of strategies to ensure that states and hospitals adopted more equitable policies on allocation of resources. Advocates used similar strategies to address other potentially discriminatory policies, including policies that limited individuals' access to in-person supports while hospitalized.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Human Rights

11:15am EST

Track 2: Human Rights: Supported Decision Making: From Dream to Reality

12:45 - 2:00 PM EST: Supported Decision Making: From Dream to Reality
Presenters: Dana Lloyd, John McCarty
Supported Decision-Making is essential in order for people with disabilities to control all aspects of their lives. This workshop will not only take you on a journey to explore supported decision-making from conception to implementation, as we follow one young man's path to make his own decisions pursue his dreams, but offer practical tools for developing (or assisting someone else to develop) a supported decision-making plan. This workshop will feature a panel of presenters including an Autistic person, an advocate and a parent will share what they have learned from the process of using supported decision making to overturn a guardianship, how to implement those principles and practices, as well as a the role of parents and supporters.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Human Rights

11:15am EST

Track 3: Inclusive Education

Day 1 Intensives: Inclusive Education Track

11:15 AM-12:30 PM EST: Challenging the Stigma of Disability in Education
Presenter: Alan Holdsworth
The session will explore strategies and policies that educators and students can adopt to challenge the stigma of disability in K-12 and in college and university campuses. The focus will be on changing and challenging damaging stereotypes and attitudes that still remain in education. Participants will learn about useful resources and tools that they can use, and will learn about the concept of disability pride and how to introduce this into curriculum and college life and how the language that we use is important in how attitudes about people with disabilities are shaped. The session will be a mixture of presentation, group discussion and Q & A.

12:45-2:00 PM EST: An Inclusive Life Starts with an Inclusive Education: Views from School Administrators
Presenter: Kurt A. Schneider, Jenny Sterpin, Kate Cavanaugh, Joanna Ford, Beth Carmody
This presentation aligns with the 2020 theme, "Feel the Power of Inclusion," by sharing the leadership and determination that school systems have demonstrated in order to pave the way for all people to have an inclusive life. The presenters will share their views on how school districts and individual schools in Illinois are eliciting and hearing the voices of people with disabilities to improve outcomes of students and their non-disabled peers. Presenters will describe their change processes, and how their districts and schools are evolving to develop relationships and networks to create a unified educational system based upon inclusive "TASH" values. The work of Theoharis and Causton-Theoharis (2008, 2014), Capper & Frattura (2008), and Schneider & Sands (2020) outlines a theory of how to create a vision for inclusive education and the related action steps. Through regional and individual district case examples shared, the alignment to such research will be highlighted.

2:15-3:30 PM EST: Equitable and Inclusive IEP Development Workshop
Presenters: Katie McCabe, Jennifer Kurth, Andrea Ruppar, Samantha Toews, Jessica McQueston, Elissa Lockman Turner
Through a series of research studies, we evaluated content in IEPs for students with extensive support needs (ESN). Findings from the studies yielded research to practice implications which have guided the topics for this interactive workshop. Participants in this workshop will develop strategies to produce and implement equitable and inclusive IEPs for students with ESN. The workshop is broken into sections pertaining to each component of the IEPs including: (a) writing strengths-based present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statements, (b) enhancing family and student involvement, (c) implementing supplementary aids and services to improve participation in general education, (d) using PLAAFP statements to determine the least restrictive environment by identifying necessary supports to increase general education access, and (e) creating measurable and inclusive goals. This workshop is designed for current educators, families, and teacher educators.

3:45-5:00 PM EST: Meaningful Access to Core Curriculum: IEP Goals, Modifications, Adaptations K-12
Presenter: Kathy Gee
This presentation will provide participants with key knowledge and skills related to understanding how children/youth with the most extensive support needs (ESN) can and should be involved in the core curriculum with their typical peers. The focus will be on process, cognitive scaffolding, IEP goal development, and strategies for supporting meaningful learning within the activities of general education core curricular units. Participants will be introduced to the core standards and how to pull the 'key ideas' and concepts from the standards in order to both develop goals and to provide learning support. Multiple examples will be provided for both elementary and secondary students. Activities will be used to engage participants in problem solving around case examples.

Presenters

Kathy Gee

Professor, California State University, Sacramento

inclusive education, meaningful access to core curriculum; augmentative communication; PBIS; elementary and secondary education; resaerch

Jessica McQueston

Assistant Professor, North Dakota State University

Katie McCabe

Doctoral Candidate, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Katie McCabe is a doctoral candidate in special education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As a former rural special educator, Katie’s work puts emphasis on supporting teachers to implement inclusive practices in rural areas for students with the most significant support... Read More →

Beth Carmody

Principal, Winnetka Public Schools District 36

Kurt A. Schneider

Superintendent, NSSED

Dr. Kurt A. Schneider is currently the Superintendent of the Northern Suburban Special Education District in Highland Park, Illinois, a metropolitan suburban district of Chicago that provides special education, related services, and other supports to 18 member districts. Previously... Read More →

Andrea Ruppar

University of Wisconsin-Madison

I'm an Associate Professor of Special Education at University of Wisconsin-Madison. I study educational decision making for students with extensive support needs.

Jennifer Kurth

Associate Professor, University of Kansas

Inclusive Education

Dr. Jennifer Sterpin

Executive Director of Special Education, Compliance and Grant Management, Lake Forest High School District 67 & 115

Alan Holdsworth

Director, DEE

I have been a disability rights advocate for 35 years organizing direct action in the UK and USA. I am also a well known Singer Songwriter.(Johnny Crescendo). Currently I am working on ending the stigma of disability in Education and spreading disability arts and pride throughout... Read More →

Joanna Ford

Asst. Superintendent for Student Services, Deerfield School District 109

Samantha Gross Toews

Assistant Professor, Cal State University Northridge

Samantha Toews is an assistant professor at California State University Northridge in the Special Education Department. She was previously a special education teacher at WISH Charter School. Her research focusses teacher preparation and professional development to promote inclusive... Read More →

Elissa Lockman Turner

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Kansas

Russell Johnston

Assistant Professor, California State University, Fullerton

Russell Johnston earned his Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Kansas in 2019. Prior to the Ph. D., Russell Johnston earned his B.A. in Communication Disorders in 2012 from California State University, Los Angeles and his M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from... Read More →

Kate Cavanaugh

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

11:15am EST

Track 3: Inclusive Education: An Inclusive Life Starts with an Inclusive Education: Views from School Administrators

12:45-2:00 PM EST: An Inclusive Life Starts with an Inclusive Education: Views from School Administrators
Presenter: Kurt A. Schneider, Jenny Sterpin, Kate Cavanaugh, Joanna Ford, Beth Carmody
This presentation aligns with the 2020 theme, "Feel the Power of Inclusion," by sharing the leadership and determination that school systems have demonstrated in order to pave the way for all people to have an inclusive life. The presenters will share their views on how school districts and individual schools in Illinois are eliciting and hearing the voices of people with disabilities to improve outcomes of students and their non-disabled peers. Presenters will describe their change processes, and how their districts and schools are evolving to develop relationships and networks to create a unified educational system based upon inclusive "TASH" values. The work of Theoharis and Causton-Theoharis (2008, 2014), Capper & Frattura (2008), and Schneider & Sands (2020) outlines a theory of how to create a vision for inclusive education and the related action steps. Through regional and individual district case examples shared, the alignment to such research will be highlighted.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

11:15am EST

Track 3: Inclusive Education: Challenging the Stigma of Disability in Education

11:15 AM-12:30 PM EST: Challenging the Stigma of Disability in Education
Presenter: Alan Holdsworth
The session will explore strategies and policies that educators and students can adopt to challenge the stigma of disability in K-12 and in college and university campuses. The focus will be on changing and challenging damaging stereotypes and attitudes that still remain in education. Participants will learn about useful resources and tools that they can use, and will learn about the concept of disability pride and how to introduce this into curriculum and college life and how the language that we use is important in how attitudes about people with disabilities are shaped. The session will be a mixture of presentation, group discussion and Q & A.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

11:15am EST

Track 3: Inclusive Education: Equitable and Inclusive IEP Development Workshop

2:15-3:30 PM EST: Equitable and Inclusive IEP Development Workshop
Presenters: Katie McCabe, Jennifer Kurth, Andrea Ruppar, Samantha Toews, Jessica McQueston, Elissa Lockman Turner

Through a series of research studies, we evaluated content in IEPs for students with extensive support needs (ESN). Findings from the studies yielded research to practice implications which have guided the topics for this interactive workshop. Participants in this workshop will develop strategies to produce and implement equitable and inclusive IEPs for students with ESN.

The workshop is broken into sections pertaining to each component of the IEPs including: (a) writing strengths-based present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statements, (b) enhancing family and student involvement, (c) implementing supplementary aids and services to improve participation in general education, (d) using PLAAFP statements to determine the least restrictive environment by identifying necessary supports to increase general education access, and (e) creating measurable and inclusive goals. This workshop is designed for current educators, families, and teacher educators.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

11:15am EST

Track 3: Inclusive Education: Meaningful Access to Core Curriculum: IEP Goals, Modifications, Adaptations K-12

3:45-5:00 PM EST: Meaningful Access to Core Curriculum: IEP Goals, Modifications, Adaptations K-12
Presenter: Kathy Gee
This presentation will provide participants with key knowledge and skills related to understanding how children/youth with the most extensive support needs (ESN) can and should be involved in the core curriculum with their typical peers. The focus will be on process, cognitive scaffolding, IEP goal development, and strategies for supporting meaningful learning within the activities of general education core curricular units. Participants will be introduced to the core standards and how to pull the 'key ideas' and concepts from the standards in order to both develop goals and to provide learning support. Multiple examples will be provided for both elementary and secondary students. Activities will be used to engage participants in problem solving around case examples.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

11:15am EST

Track 4: TASH Doctoral Students and Early Career Faculty Intensive Workshop

This year, the TASH Early Career Researcher Network is hosting an intensive workshop focused on topics that are essential for early career researchers. Nationally recognized faculty will lead five “mini-sessions” that address the following topics: early career grant writing, interviewing, achieving balance in academia, shifting a research agenda from early career to mid- career, and publishing manuscripts.

11:15 AM-12:10 PM EST: Achieving Balance: Research, Teaching, Service, and Work/Life Balance
Presenters: Jennifer Kurth, Andrea Ruppar

12:25-1:20 PM EST: Early Career Grant Writing
Presenter: Carly Roberts

1:35-2:30 PM EST: Tips for Publishing and Reviewing Manuscripts in RPSD
Presenters: Martin Agran, Stacy Dymond, Fred Spooner

2:45-3:40 PM EST: Interviewing for Faculty Positions: Virtual Interviews and the Job Search Process
Presenters: Shari Hopkins, April Regester, Jessica McQueston

3:55-4:50 PM EST: Developing and Sustaining a Research Agenda – Shifting from Early Career to Mid-Career
Presenters: Virginia Walker, Matthew Brock

Moderators

Alison Zagona

Assistant Professor, University of Kansas

I am a researcher and special education teacher educator, and I am passionate about advocating for inclusive educational experiences for students with extensive support needs.

Presenters

Matthew Brock

Martin Agran

Professor, University of Wyoming

Dr. Martin Agran is a nationally recognized researcher in the area of special education. He is an Emeritus professor and former department head in the Department of Special Education at the University of Wyoming. Additionally, he served as a professor in the Special Education Departments... Read More →

April Regester

Assistant Professor, University of Missouri - St. Louis

Stacy Dymond

Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Stacy Dymond is professor of special education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on curriculum issues related to educating secondary and transition-age students with severe intellectual disabilities in inclusive school and community settings... Read More →

Shari Hopkins

Assistant Professor, Western Oregon University

Virginia Walker

Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Child Development, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Virginia L. Walker, PhD, BCBA-D, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education and Child Development at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Walker began her career as a special education teacher of students with extensive support needs in Atlanta... Read More →

Fred Spooner

Professor, UNC Charlotte

Fred Spooner is Professor of Special Education at UNC Charlotte. Dr. Spooner has researched and written about instructional strategies for students with severe disabilities since the 1980s. Recently, he has focused on alternate assessment and linking both assessment and instruction... Read More →

Carly Roberts

Associate Professor, University of Washington

Hello! I'm an Associate Professor at the University of Washington in the College of Education in Seattle. Prior to working in higher education I was an elementary special education teacher in Fairbanks, Alaska. In my research I explore the school experiences of students with intellectual... Read More →

Jessica McQueston

Assistant Professor, North Dakota State University

Andrea Ruppar

University of Wisconsin-Madison

I'm an Associate Professor of Special Education at University of Wisconsin-Madison. I study educational decision making for students with extensive support needs.

Jennifer Kurth

Associate Professor, University of Kansas

Inclusive Education

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives, Early Career Research Network

11:15am EST

Track 4: TASH Doctoral Students and Early Career Faculty Intensive Workshop: Achieving Balance: Research, Teaching, Service, and Work/Life Balance

11:15 AM-12:10 PM EST: Achieving Balance: Research, Teaching, Service, and Work/Life Balance
Presenters: Jennifer Kurth, Andrea Ruppar

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

11:15am EST

Track 4: TASH Doctoral Students and Early Career Faculty Intensive Workshop: Developing and Sustaining a Research Agenda – Shifting from Early Career to Mid-Career

3:55-4:50 PM EST: Developing and Sustaining a Research Agenda – Shifting from Early Career to Mid-Career
Presenters: Virginia Walker, Matthew Brock

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

11:15am EST

Track 4: TASH Doctoral Students and Early Career Faculty Intensive Workshop: Early Career Grant Writing

12:25-1:20 PM EST: Early Career Grant Writing
Presenter: Carly Roberts

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

11:15am EST

Track 4: TASH Doctoral Students and Early Career Faculty Intensive Workshop: Interviewing for Faculty Positions: Virtual Interviews and the Job Search Process

2:45-3:40 PM EST: Interviewing for Faculty Positions: Virtual Interviews and the Job Search Process
Presenters: Shari Hopkins, April Regester, Jessica McQueston

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

11:15am EST

Track 4: TASH Doctoral Students and Early Career Faculty Intensive Workshop: Tips for Publishing and Reviewing Manuscripts in RPSD

1:35-2:30 PM EST: Tips for Publishing and Reviewing Manuscripts in RPSD
Presenters: Martin Agran, Stacy Dymond, Fred Spooner

Tuesday December 1, 2020 11:15am - 5:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Day 1 Intensives

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: Continue the Conversation - 2020 Employment Reception

After a full day of Intensive workshops on employment, let's come together and continue the conversation at this year's virtual Employment Reception. This reception is open to all conference attendees! Grab your favorite beverage and be prepared to learn about national employment initiatives supporting people with disabilities!

This event is hosted by the TASH Employment Committee. Each year, we look forward to hosting an informal, networking event for those interested in meeting others who believe in building inclusive communities through employment. This year, we will recognize the great work happening in the services industry and hear stories about jobs that have been secured through networking and relationships across the country.

Our agenda is simple:

Welcoming and Introductions
Stories and Features
Networking and Celebration

Please join us!

Presenters

Cesilee Coulson

Executive Director, Wise

Alison DeYoung

Project Manager, YES! Center | TASH

Tia Nelis

Self-Advocate Engagement Coordinator, TASH

Tuesday December 1, 2020 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: Early Career Researcher Business Meeting and Networking

Join the TASH Early Career Researcher Network for a virtual coffee break and happy hour! During this virtual networking event, we will get to know each other and discuss plans for the ECRN committee in 2021. Don’t miss this chance to connect with fellow early career researchers in a fun and inviting format! The Early Career Researcher Network is a TASH committee comprised of early career researchers (early career faculty and doctoral students) who are focused on promoting the development and dissemination of evidence-based practices aligned with the TASH National Agenda.

Presenters

Magen Rooney

Assistant Professor, University of Missouri- St. Louis

Magen is an assistant professor of inclusive education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her research focuses on the inclusion of students with significant support needs in work-based learning experiences.

Alison Zagona

Assistant Professor, University of Kansas

I am a researcher and special education teacher educator, and I am passionate about advocating for inclusive educational experiences for students with extensive support needs.

Tuesday December 1, 2020 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: State Chapter Meetings

This meeting will begin with a welcome and introduction from TASH’s new Executive Director, Michael Brogioli, followed by updates from our Chapter Leadership Co-chairs, Darrell Mattingly and Jean Gonsier-Gerdin. Then, participating chapters will transition to breakout rooms for their State meetings.

Participating States:

Florida TASH (LaQuita Montgomery, Leslie Lederer)
Starting a Georgia TASH Chapter (Cheri Mitchell, Ruby Moore)
TASH New England (Gail Fanjoy and Dina Traniello)

Presenters

Jean Gonsier-Gerdin

Professor, Teaching Credentials-Special Education, California State University, Sacramento

Michael Brogioli

Executive Director, TASH

Michael J. Brogioli joined TASH to serve as Executive Director in October, 2021. Michael (Mike) brings over twenty years of senior management experience in the nonprofit sector including past leadership positions as executive director of the Autism Coalition for Research and Education... Read More →

Darrell Mattingly

University of Kentucky

Tuesday December 1, 2020 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

11:15am EST

Opening Plenary Session: Creating a Culture of Inclusion: Why it’s Important

11:15 - 11:30 am ET: Welcome and Conference Overview (Michael Brogioli, Jennifer Lengyel)

11:30 am- 12:10 pm ET: Creating a Culture of Inclusion: Why it’s Important (Dr. Carol Quirk)
Truly inclusive communities intentionally seek to help others belong and become valued members of that community. But why is it important? The fields of psychology and neuroscience are beginning to build an evidence base that shows the long-term positive emotional, physical, and health consequences of inclusion. When people are included, they are happier, experience less stress and depression, increase academic performance and motivation, and experience more pleasure in life. Research shows that a sense of belonging helps give a sense of meaning to our lives. The power of inclusion is life-long and enduring; Dr. Quirk will share ways that our schools and communities can build an inclusive culture where each and every person “belongs” as a truly valued and accepted member.

12:10 - 12:15 pm ET: Closing Remarks (Michael Brogioli)

Presenters

Carol Quirk

Director of Special Projects, Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education

Dr. Carol Quirk is the founder, former Chief Executive Officer, and current Director of Special Projects for the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE). For the last 30 years, Carol has worked with States, districts, schools, and families to promote inclusive education... Read More →

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Michael Brogioli

Executive Director, TASH

Wednesday December 2, 2020 11:15am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

General Sessions

12:29pm EST

About Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Breakout presentations will be delivered virtually in a 45-minute "live streaming" format with time built in for interactive Q & A. On Days 2-9 of the virtual conference, there will be two concurrent tracks with 5 or 6-sessions per track. Registered attendees can select and add their preferred breakout session to their schedules at any time. Zoom links will be provided closer to the event date.

Wednesday December 2, 2020 12:29pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions

12:30pm EST

Communication and Self-Determination for Everyone

Individuals with disabilities cannot meaningfully participate in decision-making without adequate support for communication, and the ability to provide input and direction on one’s own life is a primary purpose for expanding communication skills. In this interactive workshop, several AAC users and other members of TASH’s Communication Access Community of Practice will address key features of supports that promote self-determination via communication access. Resources and ideas will be shared!

Presenters

Amy Hanreddy

Associate Professor, Special Education, California State University, Northridge

Amy Hanreddy is an associate professor in the Department of Special Education at California State University, Northridge. She teaches about inclusive and collaborative practices, with an emphasis on strategies that provide students with disabilities access to meaningful instruction... Read More →

Pascal Cheng

Education and Communication Specialist, Howard Center

I currently work for the Howard Center in Burlington, Vermont as an educational and communication specialist, providing training and consultation in the areas of augmentative/alternative communication, assistive technology and literacy for children and adults with developmental disabilities... Read More →

Judy Bailey

Consultant on Communication Access and Positive Supports, Judy C. Bailey Consulting

Judy C. Bailey, M.Ed., currently consults with individuals and families on using pointing, spelling, and typing to communicate, including work on FC Training and Rapid Prompting Method. Ms. Bailey is an endorsed Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Facilitator in Virginia. She is a member... Read More →

Cynthia Blasko

Director/Board Member, Roots of Inclusion

Ryan Duncanwood

SABE, The Arc. TASH. SCDD

fun, loving, caring, California Democratic party, in coming tash board member

Wednesday December 2, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes Self-determination
Tags Communication Access, Self-Determination, AAC, Decision-making
Format General

12:30pm EST

Instructional Alignment and Equity: Promoting Ethical Educational Systems for All

Students with extensive support needs (ESN) must have access to the general education curriculum (IDEA). Many school districts have adopted published curricula that market themselves as aligned to state standards but developed for this population. An alignment study was completed to determine the degree of alignment between three of these boxed curricula and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

Presenters

Diane Ryndak

Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Diane's work focuses on two areas. First, at UNCG she focuses on teacher and doctoral level preparation, with a focus on collaborative teams meeting the complex needs of students with significant intellectual and other disabilities through the use of evidence-based practices in inclusive... Read More →

Debbie Taub

Director, OTL Education Solutions

Jessica Apgar

Visiting Lecturer, Special Education, University of New Mexico

Wednesday December 2, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Common Core & Assessments
Tags Inclusive Education, Curriculum, Instruction
Format Research

1:30pm EST

Affirming Disability: Strengths-based Portraits of Culturally Diverse Families

Cultural competence and family collaboration have been emphasized in teacher preparation programs for decades, yet collaborative partnerships between culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families and school personnel remain elusive. Our multiyear collaborative research with CLD families resulted in strengths-based narrative portraits of six immigrant families with children with disabilities. Our findings highlight the importance of reframing disability and diversity to a strengths-based orientation, developing a stance of cultural humility, and identifying cultural brokers as critical to establishing and maintaining collaborative partnerships. To do so, we suggest teachers develop individualized action plans for purposeful and proactive change.

Presenters

Zach Rossetti

Associate Professor, Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development

Zachary Rossetti, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the Teaching and Learning Department at Boston University's Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. His research examines the social belonging and participation of people with intellectual and developmental... Read More →

Janet Sauer

Professor, Lesley University

Janet Sauer draws on her own experiences teaching young children, adolescents, and adults in multiple contexts to prepare educators for inclusive education. Her scholarship is based in the interdisciplinary field of Disability Studies and focuses on family engagement. She believes... Read More →

Wednesday December 2, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Diversity & Social Impact
Themes Family Support
Tags Family-school Partnership, Collaboration, Cultural Diversity, Linguistic Diversity, Portraiture
Format Research

1:30pm EST

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

The need for affordable, accessible, inclusive housing has never been greater. Too often, the state and federal government are considered as the primary solution for issues faced by individuals with disabilities and their families. Housing, quality of life, and community engagement have been viewed as government issues. These challenges, however, are too complex and too large for any group to address alone. Independent Futures and Collaborative Community Housing Initiative will share details about the current housing crisis for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and showcase how cross-sector collaborations benefit individuals and communities. We will highlight how specific collaborations involving individuals with disabilities, families, social service agencies, government entities, for-profit and not-for-profit businesses, real estate developers, and community associations are creating inclusive communities where people of all abilities thrive.

Presenters

Kathy Lyons

Director, New Futures Initiative, Center for Independent Futures

At Center for Independent Futures, I work with families and organizations to create inclusive housing solutions and build more inclusive communities. My experience in business, law, and education is combined with a passion for social justice. And, it's personal. As the mother... Read More →

Laurie Williams

Director, Collaborative Community Housing Initiative

Laurie is the founder and president of Collaborative Community Housing Initiative. Laurie and her husband Rick have one adult son Zachary, who inspired Laurie to form CCHI. Laurie is leading this grassroots movement for inclusive living options with a group of volunteer families and... Read More →

Wednesday December 2, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Housing
Tags Housing, Independent Living, Inclusive Communities
Format General

2:30pm EST

Journey to Building a More Inclusive Workforce

At PCG, we work with states across the country that support and serve people with disabilities. We help clients develop, implement, and evaluate evidence based, innovative employment programs for transition age youth and adults with disabilities; at the same time, we are working to build a more inclusive workforce at PCG. The goal of this presentation is to share challenges, strategies, and lessons learned from this initiative. Multiple perspectives of the key players that championed this journey will be shared, including Andrew's, a self-advocate who interned with PCG for ten months. His experiences and voice are essential to our journey to developing more individualized and integrated employment opportunities for people with disabilities. You will also hear from the Aspire Works Program at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), our partner organization that supported Andrew and PCG. This is a story of our understanding of the power of inclusion and our ongoing journey to get there.

Presenters

Jaymi Cohen

Consultant, Public Consulting Group, Inc. (PCG)

Ms. Jaymi Cohen is passionate about neurodiversity and full, meaningful inclusion, and she aims to increase employment and education opportunities for people with disabilities. As a Consultant with Public Consulting Group, Inc (PCG), Ms. Cohen works with various government health... Read More →

Andrew Marsh

Public Consulting Group

I'm a young, 26 year old man who interned at PCG prior to the COVID-19 Outbreak. I took on a variety of duties for PCG's Human Services and Legal Departments.

Wednesday December 2, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Supported Employment
Tags Employment, Journey, Strategies, Perspectives, Inclusion
Format General

2:30pm EST

Power of Inclusion in Data: Roadmap for Health Equity Data for Persons with IDD 2020-2030

Inclusion in surveys and the census of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is a civil right. Being visible in that data - that is, being identifiable as a distinct group by disability status - is essential in order for needs and inequities to be identified and addressed. The Roadmap for Health Equity Data for Persons with IDD 2020-2030 is a collaborative cross-agency and multi-stakeholder initiative led by the Administration for Community Living. Its vision is to build a robust health surveillance system for people with IDD that is used to inform policies, programs and projections. This presentation will report on progress of the past year in drafting the Roadmap based on multiple-stakeholders' input. Presenters will provide an overview of: 1) the Roadmap process and activities for the coming decade, including IDD identifiers for national health surveillance, 2) leveraging federal, state and private insurer administrative data, and 3) communicating findings.

Presenters

Tia Nelis

Self-Advocate Engagement Coordinator, TASH

Jennifer Johnson

Deputy Commissioner, Administration on Disabilities, Administration for Community Living

Katherine Cargill-Willis

Program Specialist, Administration on Disabilities, Administration for Community Living, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Katherine Cargill-Willis has been a Program Specialist at the Administration on Disabilities for almost twenty years. During her tenure, she has been a project officer for University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD), the... Read More →

Wednesday December 2, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Inclusion, Data, Health Equity, Communication, Civil Rights
Format Research

3:30pm EST

Fostering Friendships for All Abilities in All Activities

Together Including Every Student (TIES), a program of Starbridge, promotes the participation of students and young adults who have developmental disabilities in inclusive, organized, extracurricular and community activities, with the natural support of trained peer volunteers. The TIES Program Director and Manager will provide an interactive presentation and highlight a variety of topics. Some points we will refer to are the value of inclusive experiences for people with and without disabilities and how to start up TIES in your community and school district!

Please Note: We will be doing a short activity during our presentation that shows the value of inclusion. Please bring a piece of paper and a pen/pencil with you to the session, so that you can participate along with us.

Presenters

Kathy Costello

TIES Program Director, Starbridge

TIES (Together Including Every Student) provides opportunities to students and young adults who have developmental disabilities in inclusive extracurricular, recreational and community activities with the support of trained peer volunteers.

Sarah Salamone

TIES Program Manager, Starbridge

Take a look at our website to view our TIES Video!www.starbridgeinc.org/TIESprogram

Wednesday December 2, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Recreation & Leisure
Themes Facilitating Natural Supports
Tags Inclusion, Support, Choices, Recreation, Fun
Format General

3:30pm EST

Great Expectations: Vision and Planning for Transition to Adulthood

Transition to the adult world is an important milestone that takes vision and planning. While the school is legally responsible for helping a child move from public school to post school life, too often the vision is narrow and expectations are low. The outcome of students with significant disabilities living as thriving included members of their community can be realized with vision and planning. When given the tools and a chance to be heard, people with disabilities, along with their families and supporters dream big, envisioning meaningful and valued adult lives. Transition planning with high expectations includes substantive employment, postsecondary educational opportunities, adequate community living options and involvement in ordinary, everyday life events. We will share from both the parent and professional perspectives, things to consider, suggestions and resources that can help people build thriving, inclusive lives.

Presenters

LaQuita Spivey Montgomery

LS Montgomery and Associates, Inc.

I’m a TASH board member and co-chair of the Diversity & Social Impact Committee. I’m also the current president of the Florida TASH chapter. I’ve been in the field for over 20 years working primarily in home and community settings. I’m a board certified behavior analyst and... Read More →

Leslie Lederer

Vice President, Florida TASH

Leslie Martin Lederer was a Disability Rights Advocate for 2 Protection and Advocacy’s and worked with children and youth as a teacher, inclusion facilitator, counselor, residential supervisor and advocate. She presents workshops on a variety of topics including Special Education... Read More →

Wednesday December 2, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Transition
Themes High Expectations in Families
Tags Transition, Vision, Planning, Voice, Inclusive Lives
Format General

4:24pm EST

About TASH Talks (Part I)

This is TASH’s take off the popular “Ted Talks” - short 8- to 10-minute presentations on critically important topics facing the disability rights movement followed by a brief Q & A session.

A Sister's Perspective
Presenter: Sophie Lager
Real Talk - Conversations on Dating, Love, Relationships & Sex
Presenter: John Woods
What Are We Afraid of?
Presenter: Ashley Oolman
What's Intersectionality Got To Do With It?
Presenter: Alli Strong-Martin

Join us again for TASH Talks Part II on Wednesday, December 9th from 11:15 AM- 12:15 PM ET.

Wednesday December 2, 2020 4:24pm - 5:25pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

4:25pm EST

A Sister's Perspective

Moderators

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Presenters

Sophia Lager

Wednesday December 2, 2020 4:25pm - 5:25pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Diversity & Social Impact
Themes Family Support
Tags Sibling, Autism
Format General

4:25pm EST

Real Talk - Conversations on Dating, Love, Relationships & Sex

The recording for this session is located under the title, "About TASH Talks (Part 1). NOTE: TASH Talks are a take off the popular “Ted Talks” - short 8- to 10-minute presentations on critically important topics facing the disability rights movement followed by a brief Q & A session during the one-hour session.

Real Talk is a sexual health initiative aimed at folks with cognitive disabilities. Unlike many curriculum-based sex education programs, our primary aim is to de-stigmatize & encourage conversations on dating, love, relationships, and sex. People feel better personally and have better outcomes interpersonally when they have someone reliable in their life who they can talk to about these things. Our main activities include creating a library of videos featuring unscripted open, conversations on these topics, and hosting a series of workshops where people can practice having these conversations in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment. We also have workshops for supporters, helping them to develop the skills to be the other half of those conversations going forward. This presentation outlines the research that informed Real Talk, our current operations, and how people can engage with our free materials to support better sexual health outcomes.

Moderators

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Presenters

John Woods

Manager, Real Talk

Hi folks, I'm John Woods. In 2017 I founded Real Talk - a sexual health initiative aimed at adults with cognitive disabilities. Our goal is less about curriculum delivery and more about de-stigmatizing conversations on sexuality and relationships. To that end, we film videos where... Read More →

Wednesday December 2, 2020 4:25pm - 5:25pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Disability & Sexuality
Tags Sexuality, Education, Conversation, De-stigmatize
Format General

4:25pm EST

What Are We Afraid Of?

The recording for this session is located under the title, "About TASH Talks (Part 1). NOTE: TASH Talks are a take off the popular “Ted Talks” - short 8- to 10-minute presentations on critically important topics facing the disability rights movement followed by a brief Q & A session during the one-hour session.

This interactive session will lead participants through a discussion about how bias is a barrier to power for people with disabilities. People with disabilities are underrepresented in workplaces, and an outcome is a lack of leaders who identify as such. Discover more about the relatively recent phenomenon of executives publically disclosing their disability, and how this among other factors could be the catalyst to help breakdown misconceptions and stigma preventing people with disabilities from making their way to the top. The topic of this presentation is disability leadership, and an exploration of the lack of people with disabilities in positions of power. Together we will review workforce demographics data, press coverage of disability disclosure in the news, and best practices to ensure employees with disabilities are included in professional development initiatives at work.

Moderators

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Presenters

Ashley Oolman

Disability Inclusion Consultant, Lifeworks

Wednesday December 2, 2020 4:25pm - 5:25pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Disability Leadership
Tags Leadership, Disclosure, Power
Format General

4:25pm EST

What's Intersectionality Got to Do With It?

The recording for this session is located under the title, "About TASH Talks (Part 1). NOTE: TASH Talks are a take off the popular “Ted Talks” - short 8- to 10-minute presentations on critically important topics facing the disability rights movement followed by a brief Q & A session during the one-hour session.

Disability is a natural reflection of human diversity and variation. Disability is also inherently intersectional, so no two people have the same lived experience of disability. People with disabilities form the most intersectional of all identity groups, and we know that disabled people form the only identity group that any person (regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, class, religion, etc.) can join at any time in their life. In this short session, we will explore disability as a social identity and the ways in which disability interacts with our other identities. The presenter will draw connections to her own personal story of having the privilege of being able to choose whether or not she discloses that she has non-apparent disabilities - while unpacking the ways in which her other identities compound or diminish her overall social privilege. This TASH Talk will conclude by questioning whether or not important concepts such as privilege, oppression, and disability identity are investigated deeply enough by disability organizations and professionals.

Moderators

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Presenters

Alli Strong-Martin

Disability Inclusion Assistant, Lifeworks

Alli Strong-Martin holds a Master’s Degree in Human Rights from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Nonprofit Leadership & International Studies from Murray State University. Alli has experience working in many settings across the disability services... Read More →

Wednesday December 2, 2020 4:25pm - 5:25pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Diversity & Social Impact
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Intersectionality, Diversity, Identity, Inclusion
Format General

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: Let's Connect! Informal Gatherings

ATTN CONFERENCE ATTENDEES: Would you like to meet up with some like-minded friends and colleagues from around the country? Then, join this virtual opportunity and be part of one of the informal gatherings listed below:

Diversity & Social Impact: Facilitator: LaQuita Montgomery
Families & Siblings: Facilitator: Grace Francis and Raquel Rosa
Inclusive Education: Facilitator: Kathleen Becht and Mary (Molly) Sheppard
Self-Advocates: Facilitators:Tia Nelis and David Taylor
(NEW) Progressive Provider Network: Facilitators: Michael Kendrick and Jennifer Lengyel

Presenters

Grace Francis

Assistant Professor, Special Education, George Mason University

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Raquel Rosa

Program Analyst, National Disability Rights Network

Raquel is a lifelong disability advocate. Having grown up with several relatives with disabilities, Raquel’s commitment to disability advocacy strengthened in 2002 while providing direct supports to adults with significant disabilities, many of whom were previously institutionalized... Read More →

Michael Kendrick, PhD

Former Director of Supported Decision Making, Center for Public Representation

I have been very involved in person centered approaches that result in enriched lives for the person who is the focus. This interest has led to many associated questions such as values based leadership, defining and achieving quality outcomes, embedding people in valued roles in community... Read More →

Tia Nelis

Self-Advocate Engagement Coordinator, TASH

Mary (Mollie) Sheppard

LaQuita Spivey Montgomery

LS Montgomery and Associates, Inc.

Katie Dyner

TASH

Kathleen Becht, PhD

Director, Florida Consortium on Inclusive Higher Education, University of Central Florida

Talk to me about families and self advocates, inclusive postsecondary education and credentials for students with intellectual disability, our Florida Consortium on Inclusive Higher Education TPSID grant, or about gardening, historical fiction, and hiking!

Michael Brogioli

Executive Director, TASH

Wednesday December 2, 2020 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

11:29am EST

About Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Thursday December 3, 2020 11:29am - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions

11:30am EST

Building a Successful Youth Leadership Program

Schools often don't focus on self-advocacy/leadership skills; families are not always equipped or inclined to do so; and both may lack experience in the ideas of empowering and including youth/young adults with disabilities as equal partners. Youth Leadership Programs can address the need that high school students with disabilities have to discover their strengths, understand their needs and ways to express those needs. Self-advocates, who present the content to youth, are role-models, and empathize with issues faced by young people who have disabilities. The program provides opportunities to learn from community leaders and expand the participantsÕ awareness of the possibilities for their future. Hear from alumni of our successful youth leadership program about what they have accomplished since participating in the program, and how you can successfully build one in your area! Participants will receive access to all of the information and materials needed to replicate it.

Presenters

Jeanine Schultz

Erin Weierbach

Thursday December 3, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Self-determination
Tags Youth Leadership, Empowerment
Format General

11:30am EST

Outcomes of Inclusive vs. Separate Placements in One School District

This presentation will share a study focused on 15 pairs of children with extensive support needs, matched across 12 characteristics based on their first complete Individual Education Program (IEP) in the school district. One child in each pair was included in general education for 80% or more of their day from their first IEP to the most current IEP at the time of the study. The other child in the pair was placed in a separate special education class, and was served there from the first IEP to the last IEP. All children were observed over a typical school day with data collected on the types of activities, the contexts, and the types of engagement that occurred. In addition, outcome data from the first IEP to the most current IEP in the district was analyzed across three variables: communication levels, literacy levels, and numeracy levels. Results/outcomes will be shared and implications related to placement, disability characteristics, progress, and policy will be discussed.

Presenters

Kathy Gee

Professor, California State University, Sacramento

inclusive education, meaningful access to core curriculum; augmentative communication; PBIS; elementary and secondary education; resaerch

Mara Gonzalez

Thursday December 3, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Outcomes vs. Programs
Tags Inclusive Education, Detriments of Segregation, Communication, Literacy, Numeracy
Format Research

12:30pm EST

Researching Effects and Opportunities Associated with Different School Placements

Federal law requires school districts to provide students with disabilities access to general curriculum and to consider general education settings in placement decisions. Nevertheless, it gives districts wide latitude for making placement and curriculum decisions. In a 3-year nationwide study, funded by the Institute of Education Science, we have been comprehensively examining the settings, programs, instruction, and outcomes for students with severe disabilities associated with four setting levels of educational placement, from self-contained schools through inclusive settings. Although our research was impacted by the pandemic, we have been able to collect a considerable data set, which offers a much needed picture of what students learn and experience in different educational environments. This presentation provides a project description, preliminary findings, and a description of how our analysis will proceed. Future research and practice directions will also be discussed.

Presenters

Martin Agran

Professor, University of Wyoming

Lewis Jackson

Professor, University of Northern Colorado

Dr. Jackson is known for his advocacy for inclusive education, based on over thirty years of working with teachers, students, and families across all settings. He has been a teacher educator since 1985, but is now fully committed to research activities, examining the impact of setting... Read More →

Jennifer Kurth

Associate Professor, University of Kansas

Inclusive Education

Alison Zagona

Assistant Professor, University of Kansas

I am a researcher and special education teacher educator, and I am passionate about advocating for inclusive educational experiences for students with extensive support needs.

Thursday December 3, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Placements, Inclusion
Format Research

12:30pm EST

The Power of Presuming Competence and Having High Expectations

Families to the MAX is a group of PA families whose children receive special education services. Learn how the changing perspective of adults increase opportunities for successful outcomes for students. Listen to a parent as she shares her child's experiences using AT in the home, school and community. With presuming competence and raising expectations, her story will illustrate the infinite possibilities on how AT is creatively catered to an individual's needs. This presentation exemplifies the importance of collaboration as a parent-led effort that partners with PEAL (Parent Training and Information Center for PA) Pennsylvania Tranining and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN), Hispanics United for Exceptional Children (HUNE) and the Bureau of Special Education.

Presenters

Lorie Brew

SPDG Coordinator, PEAL Center

Lorie Brew is the PEAL Center’s SPDG Coordinator for Eastern Pennsylvania. Much of Lorie’s knowledge about disability-related issues come from individuals with disabilities themselves, families who support someone with a disability, as well as her own personal experience of raising... Read More →

Nicole Gilchrist

Tammi Morton

Thursday December 3, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes High Expectations in Families
Tags Presuming Competence, Assistive Technology, Inclusive Practices
Format General

1:30pm EST

Having a Voice in Your Health Care

Howard Center in Burlington, VT provides services to people who use a variety of methods of communication besides spoken English. These include augmentative communication (AAC), American Sign Language (ASL) and other languages besides English. In health care settings, these individuals may not always have access to their preferred method of communication or accommodations for receiving information about their medical care. This can prevent them from having a voice in decisions affecting their health care. A panel of members of the Howard Center Communication Team will share ideas on what agencies can do to provide people with the necessary supports to communicate effectively in health care settings and what health care providers can do to incorporate accommodations for different methods of communications in their patient care.

Presenters

Pascal Cheng

Education and Communication Specialist, Howard Center

Tracy Thresher

Washington County Mental Health Services

Tracy Thresher is a native Vermonter who lives and works in Vermont. Tracy began using Facilitated Communication in 1990 and was one of the first individuals with autism in Vermont to be introduced to the method. He has presented at local, statewide and national workshops and conferences... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes Self-determination
Tags Communication, Access, Accommodations, Inclusion
Format General

1:30pm EST

Learn to Advocate for Inclusive Schools and Inclusive Practice!

In this session, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Practice at Radford University will share what we have learned working with families in Virginia who have successfully advocated for their own child's inclusion but want to become part of the larger movement promoting inclusive practice for all PreK-12 students. The session will provide participants with a set of tools for advocating for inclusive schools in their own communities. This session will also provide support for those who want to advocate for a greater commitment to inclusive practice in their school divisions. We will share already prepared 3, 5 and 10-minute PowerPoint Presentations with talking points and handouts to be used to present to Building Teams, Special Education Advisory Boards, parent groups, or School Boards. We will work together to brainstorm the next steps each participant can take!

Presenters

Elizabeth Altieri

Professor, Radford University

I am passionate about inclusion. I have been an advocate and supporter of Inclusive Education and Community since the 1970s and first joined TASH in 1979. I have teaching and administrative experience with inclusive programs for school-aged students and adults with disabilities dating... Read More →

Karen Douglas

Associate Professor, Radford University

Karen H. Douglas, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at Radford University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in special education and supervises student teachers. Her research interests include using technology, literacy... Read More →

Amanda Raymond

Military Outreach and Family Support Specialist, PEATC

I am first and foremost a mother to two strong, resilient and amazing children with autism. They have very different support needs and have taught me so much - they have really made me a better person, as cliché as it sounds. I really wanted to help families who were living a... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Inclusion, Advocacy
Format General

2:30pm EST

Leading For Sustainable School Reform: Setting the Stage for Inclusive Education

Building equitable schools based on inclusive practices is a multi-leveled process that requires strong leadership. This session shares how a state team with district and school level leaders have made extensive progress toward meeting the needs of students on alternate assessments in general education classes through sustainable systemic change efforts supported by external coaches. This session is useful for district and school administrators/leaders who seek to develop and sustain inclusive and equitable practices for all students, but especially for students who historically have been marginalized. Such is the case for students who are on alternate assessments. This session will provide information that will assist district and school administrators/leaders in addressing implicit and explicit biases that result in continued segregation of students with severe disabilities.

Presenters

Diane Ryndak

Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Mark Turek

Equity Coach, Carroll County Public Schools

After 42 years in education, Mark retired three years ago. His work was not done, as he now works part time as an equity coach in a school district that is relatively new to inclusive practices. Mark has a background in speech/language pathology and assistive technology. He worked... Read More →

Amy Gromada

Marcella Franczkowski

Thursday December 3, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Inclusive Education, Sustainable Systems Change, Implementation Science, Administrators
Format General

2:30pm EST

Wearable Technology Plus Video Review: Physiologic Data Strengthens Communication Supports

To support the TASH theme, Feel the Power of Inclusion, we explore how communication approaches might evolve to consider previously ignored stressors that impact short and long-term communication outcomes. Students with complex communication needs are often also facing invisible physiologic barriers, such as high heart rate, sleep deprivation, GI issues, or sensory overload. Scientific research shows that brain processes needed for effective communication are impacted when the student is not in a calm state. Many students with communication disabilities have exposure to previous trauma and hyper-vigilance to threat, yet, these backgrounds are rarely considered in establishing baseline communication capability and future goals. When these elements are factored in, communication can be greatly improved. Wearable technology and video review can change the way we understand these hidden communication barriers and offers new insight to better coach students towards communication goals.

Presenters

Cynthia Blasko

Director/Board Member, Roots of Inclusion

Grant Blasko

My name is Grant Blasko and I am 20 years old. I am a nonspeaking autistic college student, and I use AAC full-time to communicate.I serve as an Advisory Council member for the civil rights organization, CommunicationFIRST, and I have been a member of the TASH Communication Access... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes Outcomes vs. Programs
Tags Technology, Inclusion, Co-regulation, Empathy, Communication
Format General

3:30pm EST

Audio Description as an Aesthetic Innovation

Audio Description (AD) is a translation of images to words - the visual is made verbal and aural and oral. Using words that are succinct, vivid, and imaginative, media describers convey the visual image from television and film content that is not fully accessible to a significant segment of the population (more than 26 million Americans experience significant vision loss) . The theory of inclusive design describes one common approach to accessibility. The main tenets are: 1) the designers consider as many different human abilities, limitations and needs as possible; and 2) these factors should be included from the beginning of the design process. Innovative practice suggests how access techniques can be incorporated within the development of a film. It is then not an "add-on" but an aesthetic innovation and an organic part of the work that can benefit all people.

Presenters

Joel Snyder

President--Director, Audio Description Associates, LLC

Dr. Joel Snyder is known internationally as one of the world’s first “audio describers,” a pioneer in the field of Audio Description, a translation of visual images to vivid language. Since 1981, he has introduced audio description techniques in over 44 states and 62 countries... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes Assistive Technology & Apps
Tags Audio Description; Blindness
Format General

3:30pm EST

Student Voice and Choice in Student Led IEPs

Students with IEPs are expected to attend their IEP meetings but rarely do they actually participate in a meaningful way. Student-led IEP curriculum such as ChoiceMaker can provide a checklist of instructional objectives to engage the student. Rehearsal of these curricula are limited, however. This study used the Mursion virtual reality simulator to provide students with a training platform to rehearse their student-led IEPs. Coupled with other EdTech like Nearpod, Plotagon and Google Education Suite, students are able to practice presenting their ideas in meaningful, accessible, and powerful ways.

Presenters

Daniel Roeder

Education Specialist, MCOE

I love meeting new colleagues and collaborators! Talk to me about intersections of music and education, advocacy, UDL, extensive support needs and edtech.

Aaron Koch

Assistant Professor, CSU, Chico

Ma’Keilah Stopher

Thursday December 3, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Autonomy
Tags Inclusion, Neurodiversity, Transition, VR, Self-Determination
Format Research

4:30pm EST

Disabled Student's Unite: Emphasizing the Need for a Disability Student Union at Every University

At colleges and universities all around the world, students with disabilities are underrepresented when it comes to navigating the social and academic waterways of college life. Most marginalized groups and minority groups on college campuses have student unions or student associations run by students within that marginalized or minority group for students within that marginalized or minority group on almost every college campus in the United States and around the world. All of the student unions and associations help students in that particular marginalized group feel the power of community and inclusion and help educate others and advance the rights of the group they represent. Often students with disabilities don't feel that same power of community and inclusion that other marginalized and minority student groups feel on almost every college campus. Let us show you how what we started at Maryland's Towson University can change this dynamic at other colleges and universities.

Presenters

Jake M. Goodman

Undergraduate Student Double Majoring in Political Science and Geography & Environmental Planning., Towson University

Nic Koski

Artist/Activist

I am a Disabled Queer artist/activist. While I was studying at Towson University, I organized with others primarily around environmental, disability, and queer issues. I am currently working on some new art projects that can be found on my website nickoski.com or Instagram page at... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Post-secondary Education
Tags Students, University, College, Disability, Inclusion
Format General

4:30pm EST

Self-Advocates Influencing Change and Speaking Up

A panel of self-advocates will share their efforts during the past two years to design and build a grass roots self-advocacy network in Georgia with grant support from the Georgia Council of Developmental Disabilities. The network (Uniting for Change) envisions a community where all people belong and are heard. A place where people are involved, speak out, make their own choices, are seen and treated as equal, and true to their destiny. Speakers will describe the development of the Leadership Collective and will tell participants about how Uniting for Change creating their mission, vision, mutual agreements, and roles for self-advocates, supporters, allies and family members.

Presenters

Danny Hoover

Ally/Supporter Behavior Consultant, Uniting For Change/ Diversified Enterprises

Standing beside and with people to lift our voices into spaces to change the current intrinsic and explicit biases in our society to an inclusive community where we value all people as equal in rights and responsibilities and where we treat all people with the dignity, respect, and... Read More →

Sheila Jeffrey

Thursday December 3, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Self-Advocacy, Self-Determination, Leadership, Influencing Change, Speaking Up
Format General

5:14pm EST

About Poster Presentations

Traditionally, poster presentations capture information about a particular topic in the form of printed text and graphics and this information is shared out during our networking reception. This year, approved poster presentations will be shared via five-minute videos by each presenter. We'll come together from 5:30-7:00 pm ET for discussion and Q & A with presenters.

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:14pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

5:15pm EST

A Preliminary Study on Teacher Agency for Inclusive Education: Narratives of Special Education Teach

The concept of teacher agency can serve as an important lens through which to understand teachers' everyday practices. It acknowledges both individual teachers' efforts in providing better inclusive education services and contextual factors' vital role in shaping such work. This preliminary study explores what personal and contextual factors affect teacher agency for teaching students with disabilities in an inclusive environment and how inclusion and justice-oriented special educators make sense of their professional agency. Preliminary analysis of the interview data from four special educators indicated that navigating the mismatch between the professional identity and school contexts, engaging in collegial collaboration, seeking principal support, and being in a leadership position were perceived as the major enabling and/or constraining factors. Furthermore, special educator's sense-making of agency demonstrated the multifaced, relational, and temporal nature of teacher agency.

Presenters

Lingyu Li

Graduate Student, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Teacher Agency, Inclusive Education, Developmental and Ecological Approach, Narrative Inquiry
Format Research

5:15pm EST

A Systematic Review of Mand Training Parameters for Students with IDD in Schools

Many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) fail to acquire manding repertoires (i.e., requesting) sufficient for success in a range of environments. Further, those without this essential repertoire may exhibit increased levels of problem behaviors to access reinforcers or escape aversive stimuli. Since school plays a critical role in the lives of most children with IDD, educators are responsible for ensuring all students receive adequate instruction in the use of mands. Unfortunately, many educators may be unfamiliar with procedures for implementing mand training and many may not see themselves as responsible for communication instruction. To more strongly advocate for the inclusion of mand training procedures in schools and teacher preparation programs, it is important to better understand literature related to mand training in schools. In the current poster, the presenters will provide data related to mand training for students with IDD in schools.

Presenters

Dr. Melissa Tapp

Assistant Professor

Dr. Melissa Tapp is an assistant professor of special education in the teacher education department and joined Catawba in 2022. Dr. Tapp completed her Ph.D. (2022) and M.Ed. (2010) in special education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Previously, she has worked in... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes Research to Practice
Tags Mand Training, Communication, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Research, School
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Best Practices in Service Delivery from the Field of Deaf-Blindness

Due to limited access to hearing and vision, individuals who are deafblind (DB) often need support from others to access their environment. Some professionals who provide that access are interveners and support service providers (SSPs). It is crucial for the success of DB individuals that education personnel, administrators, and agencies have an awareness and understanding of each role. These roles continue to develop as professionals better understand the needs of individuals who are DB. For example, the role of an intervener is still evolving and gaining recognition within the educational system as one that significantly enhances access to the general education curriculum for students who are DB. The role of the SSP, while not utilized within the school environment, is a vital role that supports independence and self-determined behaviors into adulthood. It is imperative that families and professionals understand these roles and convey this knowledge to others.

Presenters

Emma Nelson

Initiative Lead: Identification & Referral, National Center on Deaf-Blindness

As the previous Project Director for VT's OSEP Funded DeafBlind TA Project and as the current Initiative Lead for the National Center on Deaf-Blindness in the area of Identification and Referral, Emma has facilitated extensive training and coaching on topics related to identification... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Deaf-blind, Intervener, SSP, Access to General Education Curriculum, Community Services and Supports
Format General

5:15pm EST

Collaborative Teaming: Making Content Accessible for Students Who Take the Alternate Assessment

Grade-level standards-based instruction for all students has long been required, yet some schools and individuals struggle with how to implement it. Issues of personnel time and expertise have been identified as barriers. We will demonstrate how these schools have reconsidered the roles and responsibilities of collaborative teams to build accessible instruction. Through support of coaches and state and district level vision, the work showcased here provides practical examples of role structures and grade-level aligned content adapted for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Presenters

Debbie Taub

Director, OTL Education Solutions

Mark Turek

Equity Coach, Carroll County Public Schools

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Common Core & Assessments
Tags Content, Instruction, Collaboration, Adult Support, Inclusive Education
Format General

5:15pm EST

Curricular Areas in Which Students with Intellectual Disability Receive Instruction

This study examined the curricular areas and contexts in which students with intellectual disability (ID) receive instruction. Participants (N = 57) were high school special educators from Pennsylvania with at least one student with ID on their caseload that took the state's alternate assessment and received educational services for at least a part of the day at a public school that educated students with and without disabilities. Data were collected using an online questionnaire. Results indicated that all students received instruction in academic areas, most in functional areas, and slightly fewer in non-academic/functional areas. Instruction in academic and functional areas was primarily provided in special education classrooms. Students from urban/suburban areas were more likely to receive instruction in the school building than those in rural areas. Students with severe/profound level of ID were more likely to get instruction in the community than those with mild/moderate needs.

Presenters

Stacy Dymond

Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Julia Snider

Assistant Professor, Grand Valley State University

Julia is an assistant professor at Grand Valley State University. Julia’s passion is in promoting the meaningful inclusion of students with extensive support needs within the general education classroom through planning and preparing instruction. Her current research examines the... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Courses, Curriculum, Instruction, Inclusion
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Due Process, Expert Testimony and LRE: Who are the experts and what are they calling for?

This is presentation of the results of an examination of due process hearing results in five large states. We will discuss the role of expert witness testimony in LRE decisions. The discussion will include whether the expert's education and background (e.g. medicine, BCBA, special education) correlate to advocating for a more or less restrictive environment. Implication for parent training and professional development about inclusive practice will be discussed.

Presenters

Mary (Mollie) Sheppard

William Blackwell

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Due Process, Least Restrictive Environment, Expert Testimony
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Examining One State's LRE Data: Have We Reached the Ceiling?

Data were reviewed for one mid-Atlantic state that has 115 traditional school districts representing 100 county-wide districts and 15 city school districts. The state provides targets for the percentage of all students with IEPs educated within the (a) regular classroom for over 80% of the day, (b) regular classroom for less than 40% of the day, and (c) those taught in alternate settings (e.g. hospital, homebound, residential). According to the most recent state data (2018-2019), 39% of the 115 districts are not meeting the target for placement in regular classes for over 80% of the day. In fact, little movement has been observed across placements over the previous three school years. Researchers attempt to identify variables (e.g. SES, school and community population demographics, identified disabilities, professional development) that might correlate with the lack of movement toward less restrictive settings for all students with IEPs.

Presenters

Dale Baker

PhD Student LEAPS Scholar, UNCG

Doctoral Student, LEAPS Scholar UNCG

Somer Matthews

PhD Candidate, University of North Carolina Greensboro

My name is Somer Matthews and I am a fourth year doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Data & Placement Advocacy
Tags LRE Data, Dtate Targets, District Variables
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Expanding Vocational Education Perceptions: Positive Impacts for Students with Disabilities

This presentation will layout the steps taken to implement a statewide accountability program for Career Readiness Transition. Even with career readiness being an optional component for all students in our state, we saw the vast majority of 12th grade students eligible to participate the state's alternate assessment participate in the Career Readiness Transition Accountability program with great success. Our teachers were successfully able to find competitive and integrated work sites for participation. These placements led to the development of work "soft skills" necessary for employment. In addition to providing key concepts necessary to implementing this type of accountability program, we will look at trends in year one data.

Presenters

Karen Guettler-James

University of Kentucky

I work at the Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky. At HDI we work to promote inclusion, address inequities, and improve opportunities for individuals with disabilities. I am also a student at the University of Kentucky in the Educational Psychology program... Read More →

Jacqueline Norman

University of Kentucky

Jill Griffiths

Human Development Institute-UK

I am a retired Kentucky special education administrator. Prior to retirement I was a teacher, Director of Special Education, and a special education cooperative director. Since February of 2013 I have worked on projects involving students with significant cognitive disabilities at... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Post-secondary Transition, Systems Change, Accountability, Competitive and Integrated Work
Format General

5:15pm EST

Factors Influencing Employment Setting for Individuals with Intellectual Disability: A Review of the Literature

This poster will share findings from a literature review conducted to understand factors influencing the employment setting selected by individuals with ID and their families. Current literature will be summarized and gaps within the literature will be discussed.

Presenters

Stacy Dymond

Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Emily Malouf

Graduate Student, University of Illinois

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Self-employment
Tags Employment Opportunities, Home-based Business, Family Perceptions
Format Research

5:15pm EST

High School & College Peer Mentorship Models: Rethinking and Advancing Inclusion

Students with severe disabilities make more academic and social progress while educated in general education environments compared to isolated settings. Peer mentorship in inclusive high school and postsecondary environments is a cost effective, natural, and sustainable method to provide students with severe disabilities individualized support. Peer mentorship not only benefits the peer mentee by receiving high quality instruction and access to equitable social engagement but also promotes leadership, teaching, and advocacy development of the mentor through reciprocal learning. Peer mentoring provides the mentor with opportunities to understand the importance of inclusion of all individuals, regardless of disability, as valuable and contributing members of society. This poster will describe established high school and postsecondary peer mentoring models and best practices, tricks, and tips in instructing peer mentors to effectively implement individualized support.

Presenters

Kirsten Lansey

Doctoral Candidate, University of Arizona

Sarah Robison

Doctoral Candidate, University of Arizona

Research focus: peer mentoring, inclusive education, and teacher preparation.

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Facilitating Natural Supports
Tags Peer Mentoring, Inclusion, High school, Postsecondary, Training and Instruction
Format General

5:15pm EST

Inclusive Education and Students with Severe Disabilities: A Literature Review

This presentation/poster presents results of a literature review on inclusive education and students with severe disabilities. Results showed both students with and without severe disabilities had a mixture of perspectives on being placed in inclusive education settings. Research also indicated general education teachers lacked training before teaching in inclusive education settings. However, studies reported that students with severe disabilities in the inclusive settings had positive outcomes in social and emotional skills. In this session I will present results of a literature review on the inclusion of students with disabilities and suggestions for future research. I will discuss three themes that arose in my literature study: a) the perspectives of students with severe disabilities and students without disabilities b) teacher preparation programs and c) the social and emotional benefits of students with severe disabilities being placed in the inclusive education setting. Partic

Presenters

Shanika Bridges

Ph. D. Candidate, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

I am currently a Special Education Ph.D. candidate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I have been teaching special education at Charter Schools located in Nevada for 3 years. I have been self contained and resource room teachers for Pre/K-12th grade. My research focuses on supplying... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Research to Practice
Tags Inclusion, Education, Severe, Students, Teachers
Format General

5:15pm EST

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Inclusive of Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a framework that can be inclusive of all students with disabilities, including those with significant cognitive disabilities. MTSS provides an opportunity for integrating general and special education so students with significant cognitive disabilities access and progress in the general education curriculum in inclusive classrooms. However, often how MTSS is designed and implemented is not inclusive of all students. By isolating the instructional systems for students with significant cognitive disabilities, the concept that all students are general education students first and that special education is a supplementary service is virtually negated. This session provides a MTSS framework that is inclusive of students with significant cognitive disabilities with examples of how this could be implemented in schools.

Presenters

Jessica Bowman

Research Associate, University of Minnesota/ TIES Center

Gail Ghere

Research Associate, TIES Center / University of Minnesota

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Inclusion, MTSS, Systems Change
Format General

5:15pm EST

Paraprofessional Support in Inclusive School Settings: A Literature Review

The purpose of this review was to summarize single-case intervention studies involving paraprofessional-implemented interventions in inclusive school settings for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Studies were synthesized to summarize participant and setting characteristics, intervention characteristics, and the quality of the studies. Intervention effect across study participants also was calculated. Implications for practice, limitations, and areas for future research will be addressed.

Presenters

Virginia Walker

Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Child Development, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Jennifer Kurth

Associate Professor, University of Kansas

Inclusive Education

Kristin Joannou Lyon

Research Associate, University of Kansas

Megan Carpenter

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Kansas

Megan Carpenter postdoctoral researcher at the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Prior to her current work, she was a special education teacher for K-8 students with extensive support needs. Her research focuses on educator... Read More →

Amy Clausen

Doctoral Candidate, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

I am a doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. My research interests include general curriculum access for students with extensive support needs and personnel preparation, particularly preparing general education teachers to include students with extensive... Read More →

Elissa Lockman Turner

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Kansas

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags SWPBIS, Positive Behavior Supports, Severe Disabilities, Extensive Support Needs, Inclusion
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Presenters with Disabilities' Perspectives on Advocacy through Education

Learning about disability and education from people with disabilities who can teach from their personal and professional knowledge and experience has the potential to contribute educational and cultural value to the study of disability and education. This case study examines the perspectives of people with disabilities that delivered presentations in an introductory special education course. I will describe the ways in which the presenters engaged in disability advocacy in their presentations and how they perceived the potential impacts of learning about disability topics from people with disabilities.

Presenters

Oscar Hughes

Doctoral Student, Boston University

I am interested in supporting self-advocacy and self-determination, understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, and promoting access to sexuality education.

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Self-advocates as Educators
Tags Teaching, Learning, Education, Disabilities
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Professional Development and Performance Feedback to Support Inclusive Literacy Instruction

We describe a professional development and coaching package that supporting general and special educators to implement inclusive small group literacy instruction. In this multiple baseline across skills study, three teachers received professional development and ongoing performance feedback to integrate a multicomponent shared reading intervention into small group literacy center rotations that included one student with extensive support needs (ESN) in general education classrooms. All teachers implemented engagement strategies, systematic instruction, and accurate data collection on student responses with high fidelity the following professional development package. There was no negative impact on student comprehension and teachers reported the lessons were meaningful to all students. Attendees leave with examples accessible books, professional development materials, and coaching strategies they can implement in their practice. Implications for practice and research are shared.

Presenters

Jennifer Kurth

Associate Professor, University of Kansas

Inclusive Education

Samantha Gross Toews

Assistant Professor, Cal State University Northridge

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Professional Development, Literacy Instruction, Shared Reading, Inclusive Education
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Providing Remote Services to Students with ASD and Their Families in China During the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study used qualitative research methods to investigate parent and teacher perceptions and experiences regarding the remote instruction that is being provided currently in China. Since students with ASD need support in learning, instruction at home has relied heavily on parents and caregivers, like in other countries. This study focused on the format of instruction; the recipients (children and/or parents); how it has helped in maintaining and continuing children's learning; and existing and potential challenges of this new approach. Parents and teachers also shared suggestions regarding ways to further ensure continued education for students with autism in unusual circumstance such as the present situation.

Presenters

Helen McCabe

Associate Professor, Daemen College

Tian Jiang

Doctoral Student, University of Rochester

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes International Issues
Tags Autism, International, China, Parents, Online Instruction
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Reimagining Community: Building Connections and Inclusion through Shared Experiences

Kudoz is an experience platform that connects people with and without disabilities to delightful experiences across communities. Connections aren't based on a support or charity model, but rather a focus on strengths and shared interests. Kudoz will share how to curate a splendid learning experience and catalyze community members to share their passions in order to build networks and independence, grow a sense of self and build skills, all while shattering stigma around what it means to have a disability. Participants will be prompted to share their passion, develop an experience, and utilize reflection materials to apply to their own context. Kudoz believes that part of living a full life is having access to opportunities to explore all facets of ourselves. People with a disability are no different in having a multitude of interests, but often lack the opportunity for exploration. We intent to spark participants to engage and mobilize their own community for social change.

Presenters

Stephanie Koenig

Service Designer, Kudoz/CoMakeDo

Fawziah Bhatia

Lead Coach, Kudoz

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Self-determination
Tags Community, Independence, Inclusion, Learning, Opportunities
Format General

5:15pm EST

School Leadership for Inclusive Education

This presentation will present an overview of research on school leadership practices to support inclusive schools and the development of a strategic plan designed to support inclusive schooling. The plan is founded on research-based leadership strategies. The foundation for building an inclusive school includes four tenets: environment, vision, professional learning, and instructional leadership. These four tenets are supported by the fifth; community and family partnerships. Strategies to address each of the tenets are presented and discussed in relation to inclusive schooling. SMART goals in each of the four major areas are presented along with a method of assessing objectives and monitoring progress.

Presenters

Rene Hauser

Associate Professor, St. Bonaventure University

Dr. Rene' Hauser has been an educator for over 30 years. Formerly a P-12 special education teacher, she has been teaching in higher education since 2004. She is an associate professor at St. Bonaventure University in Western NY where she also serves as the Assessment and Accreditation... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Principals; Strategic Planning; Research-based Practices; School Leadership
Format General

5:15pm EST

State Policies that Impact Inclusive Higher Education

Increasingly, young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have the opportunity to achieve a life-long goal of attending college (Cook et al., 2015). Federal and state laws addressing education for K-12 learners mandates college and career readiness for all students; however, there are limited post-secondary opportunities for individuals with IDD. While federal policy does not mandate colleges offer post-secondary programs to young adults with IDD, many colleges across the country have developed programs for these individuals. This review aims to investigate how state policies address post-secondary education for students with IDD.

Presenters

Shari Hopkins

Assistant Professor, Western Oregon University

Kimberly Patton

Instructional Assistant Professor, Illinois State University

Julia Snider

Assistant Professor, Grand Valley State University

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Transition
Themes Post-secondary Education
Tags Post-secondary, Inclusion, Higher Education, Policy
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Students with Severe Disabilities and SWPBIS: Educator and Administrator Perspectives

To explore how schools include students with severe disabilities in school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS), we interviewed 15 school administrators, special educators, and general educators from schools implementing SWPBIS during the 2019-2020 school year. We asked all school members to describe how students with severe disabilities were included in SWPBIS systems procedures, practices, and data collection. In addition to identifying specific strategies for promoting and barriers that hindered inclusion within SWPBIS, educators also described their willingness to implement evidence-based practices to promote inclusion in SWPBIS. In this presentation we will present themes that emerged from qualitative analysis and implications for research and practice pertaining to the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in SWPBIS.

Presenters

Virginia Walker

Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Child Development, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Kristin Joannou Lyon

Research Associate, University of Kansas

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic PBIS
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags SWPBIS, Positive Behavior Supports, Severe Disabilities, Extensive Support Needs, Inclusion
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Supporting Intentional Communication Skills for Children with Profound and Intellectual Multiple Disabilities

Excluding communication situations pose problems for an increasing number of children with pre-symbolic communication skills and profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) (Brady, Snell, et al., 2016). In consequence of insufficient development conditions, some children with PIMD experience difficulties in establishing intentional communication (IC) with their social environment (Bernasconi & Bšing, 2017). Despite the steady increase in numbers of these children, there is a lack of pedagogical models to support these children in the development of IC (Endres, 2018). Against this background, the purpose of the study is to explore conditions of the development of IC for children with PIMD in pedagogical situations in Germany. To explore these conditions, I chose a Reflexive Grounded Theory Methodology (RGTM) framework (Breuer, Muckel & Dieris, 2018). First results indicate that the engagement of reference persons is a central component in the intervention.

Presenters

Annika Endres

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes Supported Decision-making
Tags Intention Communication, PIMD, Intervention, Children
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Teacher Perceptions of Preparedness for Working with Students with Chronic Medical Conditions

Students with significant medical conditions are being included in curriculum, schools, and classrooms like never before (Macini & Layton, 2004). However, supporting students with medical diagnoses requires ranging interventions that teachers may feel unprepared for due to a lack of training and systems of supports (Macini & Layton, 2004). This study presents teachers' reported perceptions of preparedness for working with students with chronic and significant medical diagnoses based on a review of the current research. In total, 15 surveys conducted from 2000-2020 were analyzed to determine teachers reported training, supports, and perceptions of students with chronic and complex medical diagnoses. Results indicate that overall teachers feel unprepared to support students with significant health needs, report a lack of preparation and training for work with this diverse and unique population, and desire additional and more focused training.

Presenters

Kyleigh Ivory

Instructor, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kailey Smith

Student, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

I am a senior at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania studying Special Education and Elementary Education.

Robin Smith

Student, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Research to Practice
Tags Inclusion, Health and Medical Conditions, Teacher Preparedness, Teacher Training, Research
Format Research

5:15pm EST

Teaching AAC Device Users with Autism to Switch Languages

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices are used to provide individuals with a mode to communicate. AAC devices are typically programmed in the language used at school. For students who are dual language learners, this may limit their ability to communicate within their home, family, or community. Therefore, it is imperative that educators and service providers consider the linguistic diversity of students in the implementation of communication interventions involving AAC devices. One way to acknowledge linguistic diversity of dual language learners is to teach students to switch between their native language and language spoken in the school environment. A multiple-baseline across participants design will be used. It is hypothesized that including the home language in the programming of AAC devices may increase the likelihood of the device being used in the home environment.

Presenters

Kendra Antill

Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes Assistive Technology & Apps
Tags PECS, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dual Language Learners, AAC
Format Research

5:15pm EST

The Parenting Burdens & Family Support Needs of the Mothers of the Children with Severe Disabilities

This study aimed to investigate the parenting burdens experienced by the mothers of young children with severe and multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy and also to find out what family supports are needed for them. Data collection was conducted through individual in-depth interviews with research participants, and a semi-structured interview was prepared for the interview and the transcription data were analyzed according to the constant camparison method, which is a qualitative analysis method. The results were as follows. First, participants in the study were struggling with their experiences in their children's disability diagnosis process, the burdens of parenting, & the loneliness. Second, participants asked to provide chils care services to families of children with severe & multiple disabilities & to provide information about the support systems according to their children's growth cycles. The implication for future direction of family support programs was discussed.

Presenters

Byoung In Lee

Lee Byoung-In, Ed.D is professor of special education in the department of special education and also has served as the dean of the Graduate School of Special Education at Dankook university . He received his B.A. in special education from Brooklyn college, and M.A. from New York... Read More →

Hyeonju Jung

Doctoral Student, Dankook University

Hello? I am a special education teacher for young children with disabilities. I have been teaching for 20 years in the area of early childhood special education. I am a doctoral student currently, at Dankook University in Korea. Nice to meet you.

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Family Support
Tags Parenting Burdens or Stress, Family Support, In-depth Interview
Format Research

5:15pm EST

The Path to Mindfulness Education

The field of education is searching for new paradigms that embrace the latest discoveries about the biological underpinnings of processes related to teaching and learning. What has been ignored for a long time is the neurological connections in the social nature of human behavior and learning. The interpersonal relationship between neurobiology, educators, and students is still a new perspective and is embedded in a simple practice in mindfulness. Teachers need to learn simple skills for peace and productivity in the classroom. This presentation will inform how to embrace mindfulness in the school. This study investigated the effects of short-term mindfulness training in a group home for the mentally ill, at-risk adolescents with mild to moderate disabilities. Disruptive behavior causes challenges in any setting. This presentation will also explore different mindful tools that can be implemented in both elementary school and middle-higher secondary schools

Presenters

Sujata Norman

Special Education Teacher, Albertville High School

I have been a teacher for nearly 25 years. I have taught in three continents and five countries. I have been handling students with behavioral issues and reading on mindfulness and yoga. I have conducted a pilot study using a specific mindfulness based intervention and will be conducting... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic PBIS
Themes Managed Care
Tags Mindfulness, Neuro-psychology, Breathing Techniques, Self-help, Self -care
Format General

5:15pm EST

The Power of Parents Helping Pre-service Teachers Understand Inclusion

This session addresses the topic of inclusion with particular focus on the importance of seeking parent input and perspective in our efforts to include children with disabilities in the general education classroom. Pre-service teachers interview parents of children with disabilities and collaborate on ways to create programs that engage all students in meaningful activities that promote student success in the inclusive classroom. The descriptive results suggest that parents of children with disabilities offer a great deal of knowledge and wisdom on ways to successfully include students when given an opportunity for their voices to be heard.

Presenters

Randy Seevers

Associate Professor, University of Houston-Clear Lake

Randy Seevers received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Special Education from The Ohio State University. His experience includes working with a wide range of learners across the life span. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling, Special Education, and... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Inclusion, Family-centered, Pre-service Teachers
Format General

5:15pm EST

Transition Planning Experiences of Latino Families: A Systematic Literature Review

Family involvement in transition planning has been attributed to positive postschool outcomes for youth with severe disabilities. Yet, families are often relegated to passive roles in transition meetings and experience multiple barriers to transition planning. Barriers are often exacerbated for Latino families-- the fastest-growing minority group (U.S. Census, 2010). This systematic literature review sought to explore the transition planning experiences of Latino families of youth with severe disabilities. In total, 37 studies were included in the review. Results indicated families were either highly involved (e.g., providing natural supports) or limitedly involved in transition planning (i.e., families were relegated to passive roles). Families either had high or limited knowledge of transition planning. Further, results demonstrated Latino familiesÕ experiences were similar to other families except for three unique barriers. Implications for practice are discussed.

Presenters

Janeth Aleman Tovar

Graduate Student, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Diversity & Social Impact
Themes Family Support
Tags Family Engagement, Transition Planning, Latino Families, Parent Involvement
Format General

5:15pm EST

Why Don't You See Me?

Research by Lindsey et al. (2015) shows that while youth with disabilities face several barriers to employment on an individual level, they are often linked to higher level social and environmental barriers. Using video testimonials and other interactive media, this presentation addresses the unique challenges faced by two youth, one with a noticeable disability and one with a hidden disability, working in the same environment. These young workers faced unique social, psychological and physical challenges which, over the course of five months, were successfully addressed using strategies endorsed by Dr. Paul Wehman of Virginia Commonwealth University including the use of visuals, on-site and off-site training. By the end of their intervention, both youth were integrated into the workplace and working independently. The societal expectations that created the barriers faced by both youth will be addressed to create awareness of the effect our thoughts and opinions can have on others.

Presenters

Taylor Markell

Team Lead, Learning Employment Action Plan (L.E.A.P.), CBI Consultants

I lead a team of Employment Specialists to support youth aged 15-30 with barriers to employment in obtaining paid inclusive employment through CBI Consultants Learning Employment Action Plan (L.E.A.P.). In our first year implementing the program, L.E.A.P. has seen 100% of transitioned... Read More →

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:15pm - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Supported Employment
Tags Disability, Diversity, Employment, Inclusion, Support
Format General

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: Poster Presentation Discussions and Q&A with Presenters

Traditionally, poster presentations capture information about a particular topic in the form of printed text and graphics and this information is shared out during our networking reception. This year, approved poster presentations will be shared via video. Please preview the videos attached with each poster presentation and join us from 5:30-7:00 pm for a discussion and Q & A with presenters.

Presenters

Jennifer Kurth

Associate Professor, University of Kansas

Inclusive Education

Thursday December 3, 2020 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

Primary Topic Inclusive Education, Self-Advocacy, Human Rights, Transition

11:29am EST

About Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Friday December 4, 2020 11:29am - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions

11:30am EST

Healthy Relationships are in Your Power: You Make the Decision

The workshop "Healthy Relationships are in your Power: You Make the Decision" draws on the experience of a group of women with disabilities who have been a part of a collaboration for over seven years. Through this collaboration the women have learned how to create and maintain healthy relationships and want to share this valuable information with other self-advocates. They have been part of a collaboration that developed a training curriculum to share with other women to support their search for healthy relationships. The signs of a healthy relationship is different for relationships between family and friends and paid service providers.

Presenters

Thelma Green

Treasurer, Project ACTION!

Thelma Green is the Treasurer and Past Co-President of Project ACTION!, the District’s self-advocacy coalition of adults with developmental disabilities. Green is a strong self-advocate who has trained locally and across the country on a variety of topics including supported decision-making... Read More →

Kara Jones

Executive Member, Project ACTION!

Kara Jones is a strong self-advocate and trained facilitator. She has presented locally and nationally on a variety of disability topics. She is a member of People on the Go and Project ACTION! She is also a member of the Women's Knowledge Group, a group of #ProjectPeer. #ProjectPeer... Read More →

Phyllis Holton

Deputy Director, Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities

Phyllis Holton is a passionate disability leader working with self-advocates to be the "Leaders and Change Agents" that they are. I work with Project ACTION!, a self-advocacy coalition of over 125 adults with disabilities in the Washington-metropolitan region. I work for Quality... Read More →

Germaine Payne

Judith Karsevar

Project Coordinator, Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities

Judith Karsevar has over three decades of practical field-based experience in applied policy development in the area of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IADD) field including private, public, and government sectors. Judith has participated in the development and implementation... Read More →

Friday December 4, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Healthy Relationships & Advocacy
Tags Self-advocacy, Advocacy, Relationships, Self-determination
Format General

11:30am EST

ODEP's Initiatives to Increase Competitive Integrated Employment

The presentation will focus on ODEP's efforts to increase competitive integrated employment (CIE) through its National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network (NEON) and other initiatives. The presentation will discuss the five National Provider Organizations (NPOs) participating in NEON, as well as their Local Provider Organizations (LPOs) that are receiving direct technical assistance to transform their service delivery models and expand their ability to offer more CIE options to the individuals they serve. In addition, the presentation will discuss the NEON Quarterly Meetings that were held during Year One, and the findings from the Final Report that was produced from the discussions held at the meetings.

Presenters

Richard Davis

Policy Advisor, Office of Disability Employment Policy

Rachel Pollock

Rachel Pollock is a senior program advisor, and formerly chief operating officer, at Job Path Inc.,a an innovative provider agency in New York City. She has over twenty years experience overseeing individualized and community based employment, day and residential programs with a... Read More →

Friday December 4, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Agency Transformation
Tags Competitive Integrated Employment, Employment First, Provider Transformation
Format General

12:30pm EST

Adapting in Times of Crisis

COVID-19 hit the disability community hard and required providers and supporters of services to look at how we can provide quality support in a different way. How can an agency focusing on individual supports to build relationships, obtaining and maintaining competitive employment, connecting people to their local communities and activities they enjoy continue with a "Stay at Home Order"? How can we keep people safe but offer training, support and new ideas to staff, many of whom are not technology literate? The answers to these questions and more have altered in a positive way how we do business now and in the future. We are excited to share our experiences, success and failures, and give a picture of where this is all heading.

Presenters

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Nanette Vanderford

Total Living Concept

Friday December 4, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Person-Centered Practice
Tags COVID-19, Agency Change, Person Centered, Technology
Format General

12:30pm EST

Competitive Integrated Employment: Customizing Employment Opportunities

We're sorry. No recording is available for this session. Customized employment is a strategy that provides individuals with disabilities with the tools to gain employment, with options for employment beyond "off the shelf" jobs. This approach to employment offers individuals previously thought to be unemployable, opportunities to obtain integrated employment. Using an individualized processes, customized employment identifies job seeker passions and interests, and build opportunities to develop employment opportunities that are tailored to the individual and valuable to the employer. Customized Employment identifies a job seeker's passions and talents as well as the needs of the business. Using these strategies, we are able to match job seekers with business to create unique opportunities for both. This session will discuss the components and essential elements of customized employment using the The Competitive Integrated Employment Toolkit developed with NTACT, and provide examples of how CE successes.

Presenters

Laura Owens

President, TransCen Inc.

Laura A. Owens, Ph.D., CESP, has over 30 years of experience as a national leader in the transition and disability employment field. She is currently a Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (UWM) and the President of TransCen... Read More →

Friday December 4, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Employment First
Tags Competitive Integrated Employment, Customized Employment
Format General

1:30pm EST

Everything You Need to Know about Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) exists in every state and territory to assist people with disabilities prepare for and secure jobs of their choosing. Yet too often, individuals are denied the assistance they need to reach their goal. Learn about VR services from the people who train advocates across the country. Hear about all the services VR can pay for and provide to individuals, even those with the most significant disabilities. Don't let a counselor deny you services or put down your dream goal again. Learn everything you need to know about VR but didn't know to ask. Then, you can become your own best advocate.

Presenters

Cheryl Bates-Harris

Senior Disability Advocacy Specialist, NDRN

I am all about work - the full employment of people with disabilities. I am a Senior Disability Advocacy Specialist for National Disability Rights Network where she has worked for almost 25 years. My experience and expertise working with people with disabilities has always involved... Read More →

Friday December 4, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes High Expectations in Families
Tags Employment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Poverty, Skill Development, Self-determination
Format General

1:30pm EST

Person-Centered Practice: Envisioning a Good and Inclusive Life

Person-Centered Practices (PCP) are methods of planning, providing, and organizing services and supports rooted in listening to what people want and helping them live in their communities based on their choices (NCAPPS, 2019). Inherent in PCP is the emphasis on the voice of the individual with a disability. This presentation will briefly review the principles of PCP and share two stories of the use of PCP tools to plan for a positive future. One story will highlight the use of the PATH to encourage parents of young children with autism to dream big in developing a vision for their child's future. Parent's voices on the process and the impact of using the PATH to see past the label of disability and dream about what they want for their child's future will be highlighted. Other stories will describe the use of the Charting the Life Course to guide young adults with disabilities and their families to plan for a future that represents the "good life".

Presenters

Katherine Holman

Associate Professor, Towson University

Katherine Holman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at Towson University and a Certified Speech-Language Pathologist. Dr. Holman has been a UDL University Coach for the past two years and consulted to school programs on implementation... Read More →

Friday December 4, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Person-Centered Practice
Tags Inclusion, Person-centered Planning, Good Life
Format General

2:30pm EST

How to Get a Job With a Disability

In society today, people are getting jobs easier than ever before, but people with disabilities are not getting the same opportunity to work. Why is that? It is because companies do not know how to make accomodations for people with disabilities. This presentation will talk about how everybody can work.

Presenters

Christopher Lenart

Disability Awareness

I am Chris Lenart and am a blogger and a public speaker. I am currently in Partners in Policymaking in Illinois (2019-2020). I was a programmer analyst at HSBC (1994-2009). In 2008, I received my Master's degree in Software Engineering from DePaul University.

Friday December 4, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Employment First
Tags Customized Employment, Employment First, Jobs
Format General

2:30pm EST

Living & Thriving with Person-Centered Supports: Moving Beyond COVID-19

Find out how and why Person-Centered supports promote the re-integration of people into their essential community routines, employment & volunteerism, safely and responsibly in a COVID-19 world. While programs that provide congregate (and often segregated) services to adults with I/DD continue to have difficulty resuming direct services and supports to people due to the restrictions and dangers posed by COVID-19, we will demonstrate how and why person-centered services and supports have made it easier assist people to LIVE and THRIVE as they move back to essential routines, employment and volunteerism. Person-centered services also enabled agencies like ours to continue to provide direct Coaching and supports to keep people safe as they have continued to work at essential jobs throughout COVID-19, while many employment agencies discontinued all direct supports during COVID-19.

Presenters

Scott Shepard

Director, Avenues Supported Living Services

Scott Shepard is the Executive Director of Avenues Supported Living Services, a non-profit agency which provides community living and personalized day supports to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in North Los Angeles County. With Avenues SLS, we had the opportunity... Read More →

Melanie Miles

Friday December 4, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Person-Centered Practice
Tags Person-Centered Practices, COVID-19, HCBS, Employment, Volunteerism, Inclusion, Community
Format General

3:30pm EST

Segregated into Poverty - The Need for Real Options and Supports for Real Employment

Hear the story of two People. First the story of Cheri, who got off of social security and went to work full time. Second Bernard who wants to get off of social security. You will hear about their successes and failures and why they want to work real jobs fulltime. You will learn: About Ticket to Work program What resources are available to help you work. You will learn about what Medicaid buy-in is. You will get the answer to questions so that you can decide if fulltime work is an option for you.

Presenters

Cheri Mitchell

Advocate, GA Advocacy Office

Cheri Mitchell is first and foremost a Self-Advocate. She has spent the last twenty years working on behalf of people with disabilities and people who are elderly, and mentoring and supporting self-advocates across Georgia and the nation. She is dedicated to helping people get out... Read More →

Friday December 4, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Real Pay for Real Jobs
Tags Real Jobs, Making Real Money, Poverty, Full-time Employment
Format General

3:30pm EST

Supporting Families Through COVID-19: Lessons Learned for Systems Change

When the pandemic hit, MD relied on learning from its Supporting Families Community of Practice to ensure health and safety, while making sure people could stay connected and informed about systems change. While the timing meant that there was a public input process, MD relied upon information from ongoing relationships with stakeholders. Recognizing that providing goods and services is just one piece of what people and families need, the DDA developed ways to communicate directly with people receiving services and their families to help navigate the changes. During this interactive session, MD will share the lessons learned from the pandemic, replicable tactics for family engagement, and plans for systems change; and facilitate a conversation with audience members about what worked and didnÕt work in their own states, including their ideas and thoughts about what system change is needed to build resilience and connectivity, given the new challenges we face in light of COVID-19.

Presenters

Erin Leveton

Director, Alvarez & Marsal

Nicole LeBlanc

PAL Group Coordinator, HSRI

My areas of expertise are Policy, Disability Employment, Long Term Care, How work affects Benefits, ABLE Act, Person Centered Planning, Dignity of Risk, Plain LanguageMy consulting rate is 35-50 an hour,

Mary Anne Kane Breschi

Friday December 4, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Supporting Families, Systems Change, COVID-19
Format General

4:30pm EST

Inclusive Employer and Employee Panel

The unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities continues to remain around 80%. As many organizations, advocates and employment specialists work to change this percentage, another big advocate needed to change this number are businesses. There are many employers that have hired individuals with disabilities and made it their mission to spread the message and importance of inclusive employment. Our field needs to continue to give inclusive employers the platform to raise awareness to other business owners, continue to educate others about Employment First Policies and advocate for people with disabilities to be included in the workforce. Business owners need to be a part of this change and support job seekers with disabilities to thrive in the careers that match their interests, skills and passions. It is time that businesses help lead the way to a more inclusive workforce. Learn how to put on an Inclusive Employer and Employee Panel to make this change!

Presenters

Nicole Rabinowitz

Founder, Inclusive Networking

Nicole Rabinowitz grew up in Minneapolis, MN, and graduated from the University of Kansas. She was trained in Customized Employment through Marc Gold and Associates (MG&A) and currently is an MG&A associate who trains and certifies those seeking Discovery Certification. Nicole is... Read More →

Friday December 4, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Advancing Employment First
Tags Employment First, Inclusive Employment, Customized Employment, Inclusive Networking, Inclusive Business Owners
Format General

4:30pm EST

Self-Advocacy for Survival: Disabled Students' Mental Health Access & Parity in Higher Education

Students with cognitive, developmental, neurological, and learning disabilities experience higher rates of mental health disabilities, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Yet most universities do not provide meaningful, affordable, or long-term mental health services. As a result, undergraduate and graduate students often must advocate for campus-wide access and parity. In this session, current and recent students will discuss their work to engage campus partners and advocate for improvements. Importantly, their work offers strategies for disability researchers, scholars, and professionals to engage with and support students in higher education who are already leading advocacy on campus.

Presenters

Lydia X. Z. Brown

Founding Director, Fund for Community Reparations for Autistic People of Color's Interdependence, Survival, & Empowerment

Lydia X. Z. Brown is an advocate, educator, and attorney addressing state and interpersonal violence targeting disabled people living at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, faith, language, and nation. Lydia is Policy Counsel for Privacy & Data at the Center for Democracy... Read More →

Elayne Otstot

Community Outreach, Invalid Corps Film

Elayne Otstot is a recent graduate and aspiring attorney/public health policy professional from the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area.She is passionate about emergency management and disaster preparedness; disability access and inclusion; and health disparities affecting rural... Read More →

Kenna Chic

Alumni, Georgetown University

Kenna Chic is currently a paralegal at a health law firm. She graduated from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, where she studied Foreign Service with a minor in Disability Studies. Her greatest passion is disability policy and advocacy, especially as it relates... Read More →

Natalia Rivera Morales

Jess L. Cowing

Alumni, College of William & Mary

Friday December 4, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Post-secondary Education
Tags Higher Education, Mental Health, Self-advocacy, Student Advocacy, Disability Inclusion, Mental Health Parity
Format General

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: Friday Night Film Festival

In addition to the many outstanding presentations, conference attendees also have an opportunity to experience the fine art of film making at the 2020 TASH Conference - Virtual Edition!

Hearts of Glass follows the tumultuous first 15 months of operation of Vertical Harvest (VH), a multi-story, state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse that grows crops while providing meaningful, competitively-paid jobs for people with disabilities. The film weaves the story of VH’s launch with the personal journeys of several employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Innovation and inclusion create a fertile environment for people and plants to grow.

VH is a vertical farm on 1/10 of an acre at an elevation of 6,237 feet in Jackson, Wyoming, a mountain town with extreme seasonal fluctuations in weather, population, and demand for goods and services. The employees with disabilities, part of an underestimated, underemployed and vulnerable population, are a vital and visible part of this community-based business.

Hearts of Glass is an intimate portrait of social entrepreneurship at the intersection of disability rights and sustainable, local food production.

Thank you to this year's film festival sponsor, The MENTOR Network!

Moderators

Donald Taylor

Manager, Membership & Communications, TASH

Donald Taylor has been with TASH since 2014, where he is the Manager of Membership & Communications, responsible for membership and chapters, data systems and communication, and collaborates closely with other staff to make sure TASH systems support their work. Donald comes from a... Read More →

Presenters

Alison DeYoung

Project Manager, YES! Center | TASH

Jen Tennican

Filmmaker | Director, Hearts of Glass, JenTen Productions, LLC

Ms. Tennican began her documentary career in the late 1990s working on NOVA science programs for WGBH with independent producers in the Boston area. Since moving to Wyoming in 2002, she has focused on local subjects. Her films explore identity, inclusion and community, and although... Read More →

Kyle Burson

Packaging Associate, Vertical Harvest

Kyle Burson is originally from Manistee, Michigan. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Accounting and came to Wyoming in the late 80s to work for a concessionaire in Yellowstone. He got burned out figuratively and literally during the fires in 1988. Since then, he’s lived... Read More →

Friday December 4, 2020 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

11:29am EST

About Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Saturday December 5, 2020 11:29am - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions

11:30am EST

Supporting Preservice Teachers' Development through Inclusive Community-Based Experiences

In this session we share how our institution changed the teacher preparation program to include early and continuous field experiences in both inclusive community agencies and school settings. We intentionally redesigned these experiences to provide teacher candidates with unique experiences working in formal and informal settings with a diverse student population, including those with disabilities. We will engage participants in a discussion on how we structured the experiences and share preservice teachers stories so that others may replicate at their institutions.

Presenters

April Regester

Assistant Professor, University of Missouri - St. Louis

Lindsay Athamanah

Assistant Professor, University of Missouri - St. Louis

Saturday December 5, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Teacher Preparation
Tags Inclusive Teacher Preparation
Format General

11:30am EST

What Some Families Have Learned From Supported Decision Making

This session will be an overview of what families have learned through their family's experience of practicing supported decision making. This session will share the stories of five families as they explored the practice of supported decision making in their lives. They will share what they have learned, what benefits and challenges have come with taking up the practice of supported decision making, what benefits they think their family member's practice of supported decision making has created, what those involved have learned and what advice they might have for others.

Presenters

Michael Kendrick, PhD

Former Director of Supported Decision Making, Center for Public Representation

Saturday December 5, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Supported Decision-Making
Tags Learning about the Experience of Supported Decision-making, Family's and Parents Perspectives and Learning
Format General

12:30pm EST

Advancing Inclusion in Middle School Science: A Mixed Methods Study

This presentation will share findings from a four-year, mixed methods study focused on advancing inclusion for middle school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The project was focused on supporting a general education science teacher and special education teacher in increasing student participation and learning in general education science. The study involved a series of single-case interventions, paired with teacher professional development focused on inclusion and collaboration, over a four-year period. Data sources included single-case intervention data on student academic outcomes and engagement, teacher and student interviews, and classroom observations. The presentation will include a discussion of teacher and student outcomes as well as the ways mixed methods approaches can enhance understanding of classroom context and student learning.

Presenters

Carly Roberts

Associate Professor, University of Washington

Elizabeth Saliba

Teaching Associate, University of Washington

Saturday December 5, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Inclusion, Science, Mixed-method, Teachers, Partnership
Format Research

12:30pm EST

Oppressive Phenomena: Until I am Free, You are Not Free Either

Disability advocates have often ignored/avoided the dynamic interaction of race and disability in the lives of people who experience both. The concepts of racism and ableism are commonly addressed separately but they are inextricably linked, and this presentation will work to highlight these connections. This presentation will examine the unique intersection of racism and ableism through the lens of social role valorization. Advocacy cannot be effective without understanding the intersectional nature of devaluation. The presenters will guide attendees to raise their consciousness while offering an opportunity to gain language and skill in navigating this space.

Presenters

Dana Lloyd

DD Program Director, Georgia Advocacy Office

Leslie Lipson

Educational Equity Strategist and Attorney, Lipson Advocacy

Leslie Lipson is an attorney and a self-described inclusionista. She has been deeply involved in advocacy for and with people with disabilities for over 20 years and currently offers advocacy solutions using general educational and special education law, from a values-based foundation... Read More →

Saturday December 5, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Diversity & Social Impact
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Intersectionality, Racism, Ableism, Advocacy, Devaluation
Format General

1:30pm EST

A Call to Researchers: Investigating Math Interventions for Students with Extensive Support Needs

Special education is most effective when evidence-based practices (EBPs) are utilized. Unfortunately, for students with extensive support needs (ESN), relatively few EBPs have been identified, particularly in more complex academic areas, such as math problem solving. In this presentation, we will share our process to evaluate the evidence base for one mathematics intervention, modified schema based instruction (MSBI). Our findings suggest that MSBI is not yet an EBP, not because of a lack of effectiveness, but because of a lack of investigation. This presentation serves as a call to researchers to continue replicating experiments with diverse populations in diverse regions in order to provide practitioners with much needed information regarding EBPs for students with ESN.

Presenters

Fred Spooner

Professor, UNC Charlotte

Dr. Melissa Tapp

Assistant Professor

Amy Clausen

Doctoral Candidate, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Saturday December 5, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Common Core & Assessments
Tags Research, Evidence-Based Practices, Standards-Based Instruction, Mathematics
Format Research

1:30pm EST

Y'all Means All -Including All Students in the Race Conversation

In light of the death of George Floyd, the World turned its attention to race relations. Protests were held, Marches were held and demonstrations in all areas of life raised awareness of race relations. Students discussed these topics in online meetings. Often students with moderate to severe disabilities are left out of the conversation. Fear of the reaction of the students and families limit their participation in this matter.

Presenters

Eva Jane Brotherton

Education Specialist, San Diego Unified School District

Saturday December 5, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Diversity & Social Impact
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Anti-racism, Equality, Inclusion, Education
Format General

2:30pm EST

Inclusion Not Seclusion: Reducing and Eliminating the Use of Restraint and Seclusion in our Schools

Restraint is a hold that immobilizes or reduces the ability of an individual to move their torso, arms, legs, or head freely. Seclusion is the involuntary confinement of an individual alone in a room or area from which they are physically prevented from leaving. While these might sound like law enforcement strategies they are in fact techniques used to manage challenging behaviors in schools across the country. Restraint and seclusion should not be viewed as acceptable educational or behavioral practices. Rather, they are aversive interventions that are used by school personnel who do not know how else to manage challenging behavior. These practices are used disproportionately with students with disabilities, students of color, and boys. This session will focus on the experiences of a parent, a self-advocate, and an attorney related to the use of restraint and seclusion and how we can work together to promote systemic policy change at the local, state, and federal levels.

Presenters

Guy Stephens

Founder and Executive Director, Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint

Guy Stephens lives in Southern Maryland with his wife and two amazing children. He is the Founder and Executive Director of The Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR), a nonprofit he started in 2019. AASR is a community of over 25,000 parents, self-advocates, teachers, school... Read More →

Alexander J. Campbell

Keeping All Students Safe Act Campaign Director, Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint

Alex Campbell is a self-advocate for students with disabilities who is honored to serve as the Keeping All Students Safe Act Campaign Director for the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint. Alex was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was 3 years old. When he was in... Read More →

Leslie Margolis

Managing Attorney, Disability Rights Maryland

Leslie Seid Margolis is a managing attorney at Disability Rights Maryland, Maryland’s protection and advocacy agency, where she has worked since 1985. In her practice at DRM, she handles individual special education cases and engages in special education policy work at the local... Read More →

Saturday December 5, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Seclusion, Restraint, Discipline, Behavior, Disproportionality
Format General

2:30pm EST

Utility of Modified Grade-level Non-Fiction Books During Inclusive Literacy Instruction

Attendees will 'feel the power of inclusion' through this description of an effective inclusive literacy instructional strategy and suggestions for application in the field. Modified books are frequently used as literacy supports for students with extensive support needs (ESN), despite limited evaluations of their effectiveness. The efficacy of book modifications to support comprehension during non-fiction shared reading in general education classrooms was evaluated in this single case design. Student comprehension was higher after reading modified grade level, non-fiction books compared to similarly matched non-modified books. These findings support existing research showing students with ESN can access grade-level books in general education settings with appropriate adaptations, rather than relying on special education curricula for literacy instruction. Implications for practice are provided with examples of materials and planning strategies to support implementation.

Presenters

Jennifer Kurth

Associate Professor, University of Kansas

Inclusive Education

Samantha Gross Toews

Assistant Professor, Cal State University Northridge

Saturday December 5, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Research to Practice
Tags Shared Reading, Inclusive Education, Literacy Instruction, Book Modification
Format Research

3:30pm EST

Grading Students with Intellectual Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms

There are many aspects of an inclusive classroom that need to be addressed when students with the most significant cognitive disabilities are included in the classroom. Grading for assignments and report cards is one aspect that often creates a barrier to a successful inclusive classroom experience for all involved Ð teachers, parents, and students.

Presenters

Jessica Bowman

Research Associate, University of Minnesota/ TIES Center

Debbie Taub

Director, OTL Education Solutions

Sheryl Lazarus

Director, National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)

Sheryl Lazarus, Ph.D. is the Director of the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). In this position she addresses special education policy issues related to the inclusion of students with disabilities, English learners (ELs), and ELs with disabilities in assessments.. Her... Read More →

Terri Vandercook

TIES Center, University of Minnesota

I have worked with and learned from individuals with extensive support needs, their families, and team members for over 40 years. Themes throughout my career have been the active belonging, participation, and learning (inclusion!) of each child in her or his community. My areas of... Read More →

Martha Thurlow

Sr Research Associate, University of Minnesota

Gail Ghere

Research Associate, TIES Center / University of Minnesota

Saturday December 5, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Grading, Inclusive Classrooms
Format General

3:30pm EST

Healthcare Accessibility in Rural Pennsylvania

This session presents the Rural Healthcare Access Project, an initiative by the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council. This project is designed to improve healthcare accessibility for people with disabilities living in rural Central Pennsylvania. During 2019, we held public listening sessions in 10 counties in rural Central Pennsylvania for people with disabilities and family members to talk about their experiences with the healthcare system. We have been successful in supporting those who attended these sessions in taking the next steps in advocacy.Those who attended these sessions formed into regional teams in order to identify and address local healthcare accessibility issues by providing feedback to healthcare providers, training healthcare providers in disability competency, and advocating for policy changes.

Presenters

Casey Pegg

Community Organizer, PA Health Access Network

Originally from Greensburg, PA, Casey graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006 with a double major in Philosophy and Psychology. They then went on to complete a Masters in Religious Studies at the University of Kent. Casey has done extensive organizing work in Central PA... Read More →

Saturday December 5, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Rural, Healthcare, Systemic Change, Self-Advocacy
Format General

4:30pm EST

Inclusion of Students with Extensive Support Needs in SWPBIS Tier 2

School-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) is a tiered framework designed to support the behavioral needs of all students in a school (Horner et al., 2010). All students should receive Tier 1 supports, including direct teaching of behavioral expectations and a school-wide reward system (Horner et al., 2010). It is expected that some students will need additional Tier 2 support (Horner et al., 2010). Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) is a research-based Tier 2 support based on behavior report cards and reinforcement (Crone et al., 2010). Although there is a substantial research base supporting the positive effects of CICO to date, there is limited research on the effects of CICO for students with ESN (Maggin et al., 2015). This is critical because CICO is efficient to implement and can be effective in reducing challenging behavior and increasing positive behavior (Hawken et al., 2015).

Presenters

Virginia Walker

Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Child Development, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Megan Carpenter

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Kansas

Dr. Melissa Tapp

Assistant Professor

Saturday December 5, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, SWPBIS Check-in/Check-out, CICO, Inclusion, Elementary
Format Research

4:30pm EST

Managing Type 2 Diabetes: A Self-Management App

Managing one's diabetes is typically an overwhelming and frustrating process for anyone, but it can be especially problematic for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD). Data shows us the people with disabilities are three times more likely to have diabetes then the general population and do not have access to appropriate diabetes self-management health education materials, classes or resources. In response to this epidemic, the Oregon Office on Disability and Health and Cognitopia, (an app developing company in Oregon) worked together to develop a cognitively accessible self- management web application for people with I/DD. The "app" helps people with cognitive disabilities advocate for, and be more independent in, self managing their diabetes. It also allows their caregivers to provide better and appropriate support. The "app" was pilot tested with several users with I/DD who have Type 2 diabetes and is currently part of a more extensive trial.

Presenters

Angela Weaver

Program Manager, OODH

I work for the Oregon Office on Disability and Health in Portland Oregon. We conduct health promotion and access to health care activities for people with disabilities. We are funded by the CDC.

Julie Henning

Marketing Manager, Cognitopia

Julie Henning has been with Cognitopia since 2015. In that time, she has been involved in customer support, training, marketing, documentation, social media, and data collection. Some of her favorite projects have been mentoring our videographer intern, Nate, and weekly classroom... Read More →

Saturday December 5, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Assistive Technology & Apps
Tags Apps, Diabetes, Providing support, Self-determination, Independence
Format General

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: #2020TASHbash Dance - A Celebration of Inclusion

TASH’s #2020TASHbash Dance - A Celebration of Inclusion is without doubt the most exciting, energizing, and fun event at the TASH Conference. This year will be no exception as conference attendees come together to show off their rhythmic moves in a real-time virtual video “dance off”.

Join us as we dance the night away to some of our favorite tunes with some of our favorite people!

Please submit your song requests here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuCFc6aJV-U

Presenters

DJ Will Gill

DJ Will Gill is an American DJ and entertainer. He is known for his performance at The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019), Super Bowl LIV (2020), and The Voice (2011). He worked as a crowd warm up emcee and DJ at both live events and studio audience recordings at Warner Brothers and Univ... Read More →

Saturday December 5, 2020 5:30pm - 6:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

11:14am EST

About Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Sunday December 6, 2020 11:14am - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions

11:30am EST

A Self-Advocates Guide to Transformative Leadership

Leadership opportunities are lacking for people with disabilities. This presentation will talk about the ways to use prior leadership as a transferable skill . It will also talk about how to develop leadership and will use the Leadership challenge as a model.

Presenters

Will Fried

Accessibility Services Graduate Assistant, Fort Hays State University

Will Fried is currently a Grad Student in the Higher Education and StudentAffairs Master’s Program at Fort Hays State University in Hays , Kansas as well as aFulbright Alternate to Finland. While being a full-time student he is the GraduateAssistant in the Accessibility Services... Read More →

Luke Barber

Sunday December 6, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Employment First
Tags Transformational Leadership, Self-Advocacy, Overcoming Obstacles
Format General

11:30am EST

To Support or Not to Support:That is the Question!

We all look to others for various supports in each area of our life. Our relationships with our colleagues are significant. Working together, collaborating and traveling together often leads to a shift in relationships leading to trust and friendship. These relationships are especially important in work between people with disabilities and their nondisabled peers. EVERYONE benefits when there is mutual respect and support! We all have support people in different parts of our lives. It is important that the support person and individual with a disability feel comfortable working together and the supports provided allow the individual maintain their independence and autonomy. This presentation will talk about how individuals can choose the right support person in different situations, how the support person can provide appropriate support and the importance of communication between the individual and their support person.

Presenters

Laura Owens

President, TransCen Inc.

Tia Nelis

Self-Advocate Engagement Coordinator, TASH

Sunday December 6, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Self-determination
Tags Independence, Support, Self-advocacy
Format General

12:30pm EST

Household Tasks and Parent Expectations for Employment

Transition-aged youth (i.e., ages 14-22) with intellectual disability (ID) who engage in household tasks and have parents with high expectations for employment have increased odds of employment after exiting school (Carter et al., 2012). A survey study of 118 parents from 28 states investigated the extent youth involvement in household tasks was correlated with parent expectations for post-school employment. A significant moderate relation was found between increased youth household task participation and high parent expectations for employment. Additionally, correlates of youth household task participation were identified. Specifically, youth with profound ID were significantly less likely to participate in household tasks. Youth with increased engagement in community-based activities and previous paid employment experiences had increased participation in household tasks. Limitations of the study and implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Presenters

Stacy Dymond

Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Kimberly Patton

Instructional Assistant Professor, Illinois State University

Sunday December 6, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Transition
Themes High Expectations in Families
Tags Household Tasks, Employment, Parent Expectations, Transition, Intellectual Disability
Format Research

12:30pm EST

Well, THAT will never work!

Parents who barrier-busted obstacles to ensure full inclusion throughout their adult daughter's lifespan, discuss John's recent admission to Kathy about his early lack of faith in their ability to break down those barriers. He never shared this before because he wanted to be supportive of her vision and efforts. This presentation shows how our own attitudinal barriers can be as impactful as the systemic barriers that face people who have disabilities. His thoughts eventually evolved into a paradigm shift as successes accumulated. Barrier-elimination became the norm. Alexa benefited by attending regular classes in schools, accessing needed technology, a wheelchair lift on the regular bus, skating in her chair at the ice rink, using a power beach chair, being a statistician of a girls ice hockey team, attending college, becoming employed, owning a vehicle and home of her own. Stories, steps taken, and lessons learned, and how other families can do the same will be shared.

Presenters

Kathy Brill

Owner, Brill Consulting LLC

Alexa Brill

John Brill

Parent

Sunday December 6, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Self-determination
Tags Self-determination, Inclusion, Community Living, Parenting, Civil Rights
Format General

1:30pm EST

Come Join the Employment First Movement and Advocate for Real Jobs

Come learn how to advocate for Real Jobs for Real Pay, also known as CIE. CIE stands for Competitive Integrated Employment. We believe that people with developmental disabilities have a right to work in jobs in the community. We believe that everyone deserves equal pay for equal work. I believe in Employment First. Work will be the most important service for all working age people with developmental disabilities. I believe that fears about closing workshops can be reduced if we promote self-advocacy. Sheltered workshops are NOT a thing of the past. There are many sheltered workshops. In this presentation, I will provide information about Employment First and Real Jobs for Real Pay. We will introduce the SARTAC Disability Employment Policy 101 Guide. This was created by Nicole LeBlanc who was a SARTAC Fellow in 2018-2019. The tool kit has information to help self-advocates and their allies advocate for policies that support Real Jobs for Real Pay.

Presenters

Erin Leveton

Director, Alvarez & Marsal

Nicole LeBlanc

PAL Group Coordinator, HSRI

Sunday December 6, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Employment First
Tags Competitive Integrated Employment
Format General

1:30pm EST

Increasing the Availability of Typical Housing for People with Disabilities

Having a place to call home is central to one's overall well being. It is closely connected to our sense of autonomy, control, independence, and identity. Unfortunately, finding a place to live that is truly affordable, accessible, integrated and socially valued comes with a frustrating array of financial, physical, and bureaucratic barriers for people with disabilities. Join this panel as we discuss the importance of integrated housing, some of the common obstacles people with disabilities face in securing a home, home ownership options, modifications for live-in support, and strategies to increase the availability of typical housing for people with disabilities.

Presenters

Hope Leet Dittmeier

Executive Director, Mattingly Edge

Maegan Pirtle

Housing Solutions Project Manager, Mattingly Edge

Sunday December 6, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Housing
Tags Housing, Community Living
Format General

2:30pm EST

Peer Navigation Supporting Parents with Disabilities

Parents with disabilities often are required to interact with professionals from child welfare and from service agencies. When they can be supported by other parents who experience disability either themselves or in their families, they quickly build trust and are strengthened in their belief in their ability as parents. This presentation describes 2 such successful programs, in VT and in Washington, DC, where parents were able to keep custody of their children. This presentation will also describe training available to accompany the use of Peer Supports with parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Presenters

Susan Yuan

President, The Association for Successful Parenting

I am the mother of a 45-year old man who has Angelman Syndrome and who types to communicate, with me as his primary facilitator. My academic field is Psychology, with emphasis on Family Support. In the past 2 decades, I have been very involved with advancing the rights of parents... Read More →

Bernadette Irwin

Sunday December 6, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Family Support
Tags Peer Support, Parents with Disabilities, Self-efficacy Perception, Supervision
Format General

2:30pm EST

The Collection and Analysis of Data to Inform Work-Based Learning

Work-based learning programs operate under a clear goal - to build workplace readiness skills for their students, and advance their employment opportunity. The challenge for these programs is knowing if they have been successful in achieving that goal. How do we know if our students have truly learned the skills they need to achieve their career ambitions? The collection and analysis of data allows us to track student progress in real time, and communicate that progress, whether to stakeholders like VR counselors or to the students themselves. Data provides an opportunity for both clarity and accountability, and is a key element of any practice. In this session, we will explore a few different types of data collection in the context of work-based learning. After this introduction, we will focus on a method for collecting data easily and unobtrusively on a job site, and best practices for displaying and analyzing that data.

Presenters

Chris Parthemos

Career Training Specialist, VCU Center on Transition Innovations

I am a licensed Behavior Analyst (BCBA), practicing in supported employment. I work for the Center on Transition Innovations at Virginia Commonwealth University, an office committed to pioneering and disseminating evidence-based practice in transition for individuals with intellectual... Read More →

Sunday December 6, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Supported Employment
Tags Employment, Data, Work-based Learning, Accountability, Evidence-Based Practice
Format General

3:30pm EST

Let Me Vote

Many groups come together to educate and support voters with developmental disabilities (DD) about voting. Valuable work is done by these groups and includes registration campaigns, education programs, legal resources, voting accessibility and supporting voters. Every one of them does important work but is their effort really helping voters with DD and increasing the number of voters with DD. This session will present the findings of the SABE GoVoter Project's Voter Experience Survey. The uniqueness of this survey is the first-hand information gathered directly from the voters. Join us to learn what voters with DD tell us about the 2020 Election and the impact the pandemic had on their voting experience.

Presenters

Tia Nelis

Self-Advocate Engagement Coordinator, TASH

Essie Pederson

Partnership Liaison, SABE GoVoter Project

Esther Lee “Essie” Pederson is a past national advisor for Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) and currently serves as SABE GoVoter Project’s Partnership Liaison. SABE is a national advocacy organization run by people with disabilities for people with disabilities. Her... Read More →

Teresa Moore

Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE)

Sunday December 6, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Self-determination
Tags Voting, Civic Engagement
Format General

3:30pm EST

Preparing Businesses for Integrated Employment: Strategies for Developing Quality WBL Environments

This session equips attendees with a research-based model for establishing meaningful and quality work-based learning (WBL) experiences for businesses and individuals with disabilities through the implementation of a disability awareness training program for businesses prior to participating in work-based learning programs. Using nationally reported data, research on the perceptions and challenges companies encounter when hiring individuals with disabilities along with the exclusion of disability as a topic in diversity and inclusion awareness programs, and input from professionals coordinating these learning experiences in secondary and postsecondary settings, this presentation will convey the importance and impact of educating businesses through disability awareness training programs. Additionally, this session will equip attendees with a research-based model for establishing and implementing a disability awareness training program for businesses participating in WBL experiences.

Presenters

Lauren Perry

Special Services Director, Satsuma City Schools

Lauren Perry recently accepted a position at Satsuma City School System as their Special Services Director where she coordinates and oversees the Special Education, Gifted, English Language Learners, and 504 programs. She previously worked with the University of South Alabama’s... Read More →

Sunday December 6, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Advancing Employment First
Tags Employment, Disability-awareness Training, Work-based Learning, Community Partnerships, Business Partnerships
Format General

4:30pm EST

Taking Charge of My Health Care Toolkit - Advocacy and Healthcare

The "Taking Charge of My Health Care Toolkit" aims to increase the skills of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to manage and advocate for their health and health care. The free on-line toolkit is also great for families, caregivers, direct support workers, teachers, health care providers, etc., and can be used on an individual basis, in group settings, classrooms, or to conduct a workshop. The toolkit is comprised of nine modules and each modules includes a several page booklet/module with a corresponding worksheet, PowerPoint, and video. A leader's guide, fact sheets and supplemental materials are also available. Currently, the toolkit is being translated into Spanish.

Presenters

Erin Taylor

Health Promotion Coordinator, Oregon Office on Disability and Health and University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at OHSU

Hello! I am the health promotion and outreach coordinator for the Oregon Health & Science University Oregon Office on Disability and Health and the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). My work focuses on creating accessible, universal, and age-appropriate... Read More →

Michael Steen

Hello - While I've enjoyed a career in banking, most recently as a small business portfolio manager for Beneficial State Bank for the past 10 years, my pursuits outside of work are far more interesting. I'm engaged in various community activities such as: Rotary, serving on United... Read More →

Sunday December 6, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Self-determination
Tags Self-Advocacy, Health Care, Toolkit, Rights
Format General

4:30pm EST

Ways to Exercise Your Power: Vocational Rehabilitation, Due Process & Advocacy

Are you or a loved one a person with a disability who's interested in going to work? Have you applied for and/or been determined eligible to receive services from your state's Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program? Has navigating their process been difficult or overwhelming? For those who've been determined ineligible for VR services, received a Notice of Change letter denying a specific service, suspending, reducing, or terminating a current service and/or found their VR case suddenly being processed for closure - it may feel as if they have no options. But they do & so do you! This session will cover topics such as Vocational Rehabilitation's Core Competencies, VR's modalities of Due Process and The Client Assistance Program - an agency established to advise and inform clients, client applicants, and other individuals with disabilities of all the available services and benefits under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and of the services and benefits available to them.

Presenters

Stephanie Woods

Advocate/Counselor, Georgia Client Assistance Program

Prior to joining The Georgia Client Assistance Program as an Advocate/Counselor, my years in the field of rehabilitation were spent with two different state VR programs -- Missouri VR & The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitaton Agency. During my time with MOVR, I held various caseloads... Read More →

Sunday December 6, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Client Rights & Advocacy
Tags Employment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Client Rights, Advocacy, Client Assistance Program
Format General

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: Teacher Community Gathering

Calling all pre-service and practicing teachers! Join us for an informal gathering to network, share ideas and resources for inclusive education!

Presenters

Jennifer Kurth

Associate Professor, University of Kansas

Inclusive Education

Sunday December 6, 2020 5:30pm - 6:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

Primary Topic Inclusive Education

11:14am EST

About Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Monday December 7, 2020 11:14am - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions

11:30am EST

Inclusive School Transformation: It's Not Just About Minutes!

When schools decide to improve their inclusive practices, they often consider how to increase the time that learners with disabilities spend in general education settings, or consider which classes might be a good match based on how teachers deliver instruction. This results in increased 'minutes' of general education placement, but does not necessarily increase 'inclusion' aka membership, meaningful participation and learning aligned with grade level standards. In these partial participation scenarios, students with disabilities are not equitably accessing general education. In this session, the presenter will describe a comprehensive approach to school-wide planning that begins with developing a shared understanding of inclusion, reflection on current practices, intentional targeting of grades for intensive student planning for full participation as valued members and learners.

Presenters

Carol Quirk

Director of Special Projects, Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education

Monday December 7, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Transformation, Inclusion, Outcomes, Collaboration, Membership
Format General

11:30am EST

Self-Advocacy Partnerships: Influencing Systems Change

People with disabilities are in the best position to identify what is and is not working in the programs and systems that provide them with support. Therefore, it is very important that self-advocacy groups are represented at places where decisions are being made. Project ACTION! leaders from DC's self-advocacy coalition have served on over 30 boards, committees, workgroups and systems change initiatives to improve supports and services. Join this interactive session to hear about how Project ACTION! members identified places on which they wanted to be represented and why they are always invited to be part of discussions about systems change. Presenters also will share strategies for getting support prior to and at meetings so that they can fully participate; advocacy for accommodations; different ways to get on a board; and partnerships with government and elected leaders and other allies. Presenters will engage the audience in sharing their experiences in creating partnerships.

Presenters

Ricardo Thornton

dcpl

Rebecca Salon

Project ACTION!

Friend and supporter of Project ACTION! for more than 30 years. Employed at Natio nal Disability Institute on the LEAD Center and a NIDILRR research project. Working as a Contractor for DC's Department on Disabiity Services. Former Executive Director of Kennedy Institute in Washington... Read More →

Thomas Mangrum, Jr.

Co-President, Project ACTION!

Thomas Mangrum, Jr., is a strong communicator and self-advocate who is passionate about helping others to be the best they can be. He loves learning new information and sharing it with other self-advocates, his friends and neighbors. He is an excellent presenter having trained locally... Read More →

Andrew Reese

Director, Department on Disability Services

Monday December 7, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Self-advocacy, Rights, Systems Change, Leadership, Partnerships
Format General

12:30pm EST

An Inclusionist's Manifesto: Strategies for Subverting a Segregated Education System

For families and educators alike, authentic examples of inclusive education are scant in the United States. As an educator who was exposed to inclusive philosophies in education early in my career, I've been able to apply them in my 15+ years of working in public schools but have not seen the kind of systems change that I desire. We need a community of advocates to work together to promote inclusive education using a strategic game plan. The presentation will draw directly from my experience as an inclusion advocate for my students, as the Founder of Think Inclusive, and most recently as the Director of Communications for MCIE. Attendees will hear the story of how I became an inclusionist and create an inclusion plan that they can use immediately to move toward a more inclusive school system for their children and students.

Presenters

Tim Villegas

Director of Communications, Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education

Throughout his sixteen-year career as a special education teacher, Tim advocated for the inclusion of students with significant disabilities in general education classrooms and systems change in schools and districts. Tim spent thirteen years as a classroom teacher and three years... Read More →

Monday December 7, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Inclusionist, Advocacy, Significant Disabilities, Systems Change
Format General

12:30pm EST

Systemic, Sustainable Change for Inclusive Education: A District's Story

This phenomenological study investigated the multi-year experience of one school district in a southern state as they facilitated the development of inclusive education services for students with significant disabilities. The researchers interviewed personnel in one county-wide school district to study how they approached achieving systemic, sustainable change in their education services, and the outcomes of their work. Information was gathered through the use of open-ended interview questions, historic documents, and data on student placement, services and outcomes. Information across these sources was analyzed for emerging themes. Insight was gained regarding their experiences, expertise required, any practices/tools/instruments/resources they used, and overall reflections on their process and outcomes.

Presenters

Diane Ryndak

Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Kristin Burnette

Ph.D. Candidate, UNCG

Monday December 7, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Inclusive Education, Sustainable Systemic Change
Format Research

1:30pm EST

Understanding and Disrupting Systems that Perpetuate and Maintain Educational Segregation

Many believe that special education placement decisions made for students with extensive support needs (ESN) are based on the learning needs of each individual student and their 'readiness' for general education contexts; however, placement data suggest these decisions are based on factors other than individualization (e.g., disability label, communication style, geographic location, race). This presentation will: a) describe how patterns in our educational institutions influence the beliefs education team members hold about students with ESN and their educational services, which impact their decisions about placement; b) explain why these beliefs and decisions perpetuate the segregation of students with ESN, even after years of research on students with ESN making more progress in inclusive general education classes; and c) discuss practical ways that team members can disrupt this reinforcing systemic pattern of segregation at the classroom, school, district, and state levels.

Presenters

Diane Ryndak

Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Kirsten Lansey

Doctoral Candidate, University of Arizona

Kristin Burnette

Ph.D. Candidate, UNCG

Monday December 7, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Inclusive Education, Systems Change, Advocacy, Placement, Educational System
Format General

1:30pm EST

You BETCHA!: Evaluating the Use of Online Literacy Professional Development

Students with extensive support needs (ESN) are often educated away from their peers (Morningstar, Kurth, & Johnson, 2017) and persistently lack access to comprehensive literacy instruction (Toews & Kurth, 2019). This study examined the effects of an online shared reading professional development (PD) session on the self-efficacy of teachers of students with ESN regarding instructional planning. Special and general educators were taught the "BETCHA" strategy as a way to plan for students with ESN to participate in general education classes and curriculum using shared reading. Findings indicate that participants were able to design instructional plans for their students and had higher self-efficacy after participating in the online PD session. Understanding how teachers' participation in an online PD session affects their self-efficacy in planning instruction may contribute to discussions about how students with ESN may better be included with their typically developing peers.

Presenters

Jessica McQueston

Assistant Professor, North Dakota State University

Andrea Ruppar

University of Wisconsin-Madison

I'm an Associate Professor of Special Education at University of Wisconsin-Madison. I study educational decision making for students with extensive support needs.

Monday December 7, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Research to Practice
Tags Literacy, Inclusive Education, Professional Development
Format Research

2:30pm EST

Accessing Education in the Time of Coronavirus

This qualitative phenomenological study investigated the experiences of COVID-mandated distance learning for educators of students with significant support needs. From April to October 2020, a team of researchers facilitated on-going semi-structured interviews with approximately 20 special educators. Interviews focused on the county guidelines to implement instruction to students with significant support needs, communication with families, resources and support for teachers, teacher perception of student/family needs, and recommendations to better support teachers during periods of non-traditional classroom learning. Preliminary results indicate that this period of online instruction highlights significant needs (age-appropriate and accessible resources and consistent communication and expectations), as well as specific success strategies (teacher rapport with students/families, incorporating 21st century technological skills, and high expectations). Additional findings will be shared.

Presenters

Grace Francis

Assistant Professor, Special Education, George Mason University

Alexandra Reed

Graduate Research Assistant, George Mason University

Alexandra Raines

Monday December 7, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Research to Practice
Tags Distance Learning, Participation, Inclusion, Accessibility, Teacher Support, Family Support
Format Research

2:30pm EST

Disabled People Count: The COVID-19 Congregate Setting Case Tracker

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network will describe its efforts to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the members of the disability community by tracking the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths in congregate settings. Congregate settings are places where people with disabilities live while clustered together and isolated from the community. They include nursing homes, group homes, psychiatric hospitals, developmental centers, ICF/IIDs, and many more locations. These locations have some of the highest rates of infection and death from COVID-19 in the country. Although demographic data is limited, reports indicate that settings with higher numbers of people of color also have a disproportionate share of cases and deaths. ASAN has created a tracker which tracks the number of resident infections and deaths by individual setting, by county, and by state. Attendees will learn how the tracker works, how they can add to it, and the importance of determining the impact of COVID-19 on PWDs.

Presenters

Kelly Israel

Policy Analyst, Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Kelly Israel is a Policy Analyst at ASAN’s national office. She, under Samantha Crane, works to advance the legal, legislative and administrative policy objectives of ASAN. She is a graduate of American University, Washington College of Law and served as student attorney in its... Read More →

Monday December 7, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Systems Change Advocacy
Tags Coronavirus, Data, Congregate, Community, Health
Format General

3:30pm EST

Experiences of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities During COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has aggressively and critically impacted individuals worldwide, with over 7.3 million cases and 413,000 deaths as of early June 2020. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are an especially vulnerable population during this pandemic, particularly related to receiving services and supports for daily living, employment, and health needs. In this qualitative study, researchers gathered information on the experiences of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Pennsylvania during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants shared their stories of the physical, mental, and emotional impacts of COVID-19 and accompanying changes to services, supports, employment, and social activities and interactions. Researchers identified common trends across the experiences of participants and will share implications and recommendations for the field to ensure policy, services, and supports are informed by data directly from those impacted.

Presenters

Kathryn Burke

Assistant Professor of Research, Temple University

Dr. Kathryn M. Burke received her doctoral degree from the University of Kansas in Special Education with a Minor in Research Design and Analysis. Her research focuses on promoting self-determination across the lifespan for people with disabilities. Dr. Burke was formerly a special... Read More →

Monday December 7, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Emergency Preparedness
Tags COVID-19, Pandemic, Experiences, Supports
Format Research

3:30pm EST

Tips for Successful Distance and Hybrid Education

This session presents a framework and processes for supporting students with significant cognitive disabilities during distance and hybrid education that aligns across school and home. The session highlights several distance learning resources filled with practical tips, and includes suggestions for creating inclusive school communities during distance and hybrid education.

Presenters

Jessica Bowman

Research Associate, University of Minnesota/ TIES Center

Debbie Taub

Director, OTL Education Solutions

Sheryl Lazarus

Director, National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)

Terri Vandercook

TIES Center, University of Minnesota

Gail Ghere

Research Associate, TIES Center / University of Minnesota

Monday December 7, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Distance Education, Inclusive Classrooms
Format General

4:30pm EST

Tactile Teaching from a Distance: A Guide to Supporting Students with VI through Virtual Learning

As school systems across the country develop virtual learning opportunities for their students, many of our students with low vision and blindness who learn through more tactile methods are being left behind. In order to make sure school leaders and educators are considering our students with visual impairments and blindness, we must develop collaborative models for differentiation and inclusive practices even in online learning platforms. This presentation will include basic strategies for considering our tactile learners and provide collaborative models for engaging school IEP teams in supporting our students with visual impairments and blindness in virtual instruction. Digital work completion will continue to be a critical part of the learning expectations for our students.This session will help school teams create inclusive plans for distance learning for students with visual impairments and blindness.

Presenters

Megan Smith

Doctoral Student, Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired, George Mason University

Megan Smith, MAT, is a Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired in Northern Virginia and currently pursuing her doctoral degree at George Mason University with a specialization in Special Education and Educational Leadership. Ms. Smith’s research focus is on improving transition... Read More →

Monday December 7, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Accessibility, Virtual Learning, Low Vision, Blindness
Format General

4:30pm EST

The Story of Supported Decision Making in Five Jurisdictions in Canada and the US

Supported Decision Making, while emphasizing the individual practice, is itself also a collective movement involving many groups and organizations. As such, it has its own history in each State or Province in terms of what has been attempted, what has succeeded, what are the challenges remaining to be faced, what leadership was needed and why and similar other questions common to social movements and collective action. The intent is to link such collective action to the emergence and sustaining of the practice of supported decision making for persons with disabilities, but also potentially for others such as the elderly and those with mental health needs.

Presenters

Michael Kendrick, PhD

Former Director of Supported Decision Making, Center for Public Representation

Monday December 7, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Self-determination
Tags History of Organizing and Supporting SDM, Leadership, Collective Action, Change Strategies, Empowerment
Format General

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: AAC Meet and Chat

This is an informal "Meet and Chat" for those who use devices, keyboards and letterboards to get to know others from around the country, and have discussions together!

Presenters

Amy Hanreddy

Associate Professor, Special Education, California State University, Northridge

Monday December 7, 2020 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: TASH Committee Meetings

This meeting will start with a welcome and introduction from TASH’s new Executive Director, Michael Brogioli. Then, participating Committees and Communities of Practice (CoPs) will transition to breakout rooms for their individual meetings.

Participating Committees and Communities of Practice include:

Community Living Committee (Jennifer Lengyel)
Diversity and Social Impact Committee (LaQuita Montgomery, David Taylor)
Employment Committee (Cesilee Coulson)
Inclusive Education Committee (Kathleen Becht, Mary (Mollie) Sheppard)
Inclusive Practices Editorial Board Meeting (Jennifer Kurth, Andrea Ruppar)
TASH Research and Publications Committee (Jennifer Kurth)

Presenters

Michael Brogioli

Executive Director, TASH

Monday December 7, 2020 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

11:14am EST

About Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Tuesday December 8, 2020 11:14am - 5:30pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions

11:30am EST

Teachers' Perceptions of the Benefits and Barriers to School and Community Work-Based Learning for…

We're sorry. A recording is not available for this session. Student participation in certain types of work-based learning experiences (WBLEs), such as paid work, have been found to relate to students' post-school employment outcomes (Mazzotti et al., 2016). Although research suggests that students benefit from participating in WBLEs, there is limited understanding of teachers' perceptions of the benefits and barriers to WBLEs. This presentation will share the results of a survey study that investigated teachers' perceptions of the benefits and barriers to school and community work-based learning experiences (WBLEs) for students with intellectual disability. Additionally, the relation between teachers' perceptions and (a) type of WBLE (e.g., school or community), (b) students' support needs (e.g., mild/moderate, severe/profound), (c) teachers' experiences (e.g., type of licensure, experience with work-based learning), and (d) school level variables (e.g., urbanicity, size of school) will be discussed.

Presenters

Stacy Dymond

Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Magen Rooney

Assistant Professor, University of Missouri- St. Louis

Tuesday December 8, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Transition
Themes Employment First
Tags Work-based Learning, Transition, Intellectual Disability, Teachers' Perceptions
Format Research

11:30am EST

Utilizing Virtual Employment Supports: Before, During and After COVID-19

The use of technology provides opportunities to address many of the challenges of staff shortages, limited resources, and geography often experienced with supported and customized employment services. This type of service delivery is even more relevant today during the COVID-19 pandemic, as evolving to a virtual supports platform is essential to meet the needs of supported workers, the businesses who employ them, the job coaches providing assistance, and the providers who are struggling with traditional service reimbursement models. With funding from the Kessler Foundation, a multi-state collaborative came together to develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of real time training and technical assistance to support workers, employers, and job coaches. Virtual supports included the use of cell phones, iPads, and GoPro cameras to provide training and support for job coaches, behavioral interventions on the job, and long-term job coaching services and supports.

Presenters

Julie Christensen

Executive Director, APSE

Tuesday December 8, 2020 11:30am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Advancing Employment First
Tags Employment First, Virtual Technology, Remote Supports, Supported Employment
Format Research

12:30pm EST

Changing Lives of Youth with Multiple Disabilities Through PBS and Customized Employment

Research from the Canadian disability survey (2017) found that one in ten Canadian youth have a disability and youths with severe disabilities are the most likely group to be either unemployed or employed earning a low wage. To address this significant gap, this presentation highlights how PBIS and Customized Employment help people with disabilities to access sustainable employment opportunities. Case study one demonstrates the journey of a young man who is deaf and has down syndrome. A son of Chinese immigrants, he began his transition from high school without a diploma or means to communicate with the outside world. Case study two highlights a young man from an indigenous community who had to leave his home in Northern British Columbia to access necessary healthcare in Vancouver. In less than six months of participation in our CE program, both young men achieved "Real Work for Real Pay" positions, earning above minimum wage.

Presenters

Mike Bote

Executive Director, CBI Consultants Ltd.

Mike joined CBI Consultants as Executive Director on October 1, 2018. His involvement in the community living sector started when he became a homeshare provider for two individuals with developmental disabilities. With the desire to provide meaningful contributions to the sector... Read More →

Olivia MacNeill

Self-Determination & Customized Employment Team Lead, CBI Consultants Ltd.

Olivia MacNeill, BSc. (Psych.) [University of Victoria] is the Self-Determination & Employment Specialist at CBI Consultants Ltd. Her work over the years has focused on supporting individuals with achieving employment, help increase self-determination, and promote an overall better... Read More →

Tuesday December 8, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Supported Employment
Tags Customized Employment, PBIS, Multiple Barriers to Employment, Cultural Sensitivity, CBI's Lifestyle Development Process
Format General

12:30pm EST

Rep Payee Program 101

A representative payee is a person who acts as the receiver of Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income for a person who is not fully capable of managing their own benefits. Unfortunately, government investigations have uncovered representative payees who have stolen or misused funds, exploited, neglected, and even abused the people with disabilities they were supposed to be helping. In March 2018, legislation was passed by the U.S. Senate to increase oversight and protection for some of our nation's most vulnerable citizens. The bill, called the Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act, increased independent oversight of the Social Security Administration's Representative Payee Program. This will be an interactive session that will include the basics of this project; the roles and responsibilities of rep payees and the protection and advocacy network; community access and support; and how to identify and get out of a bad rep payee situation.

Presenters

Raquel Rosa

Program Analyst, National Disability Rights Network

Renée Pruitt

Program Analyst, National Disability Rights Network

Before joining NDRN in September 2019, Renée worked at the Georgia P&A, the Georgia Advocacy Office, for over six years. During her time there, she was an advocate before becoming the Director of the Developmental Disabilities Program. She worked on the first iteration Representative... Read More →

Danielle Whetton

Senior Program Analyst, National Disability Rights Network

Before coming to NDRN, Danielle Whetton began her career in disability rights issues first as a Fellow for Mental Health America-Los Angeles in 2011. She spent the first portion of her career working as a case manager in Los Angeles, CA, specializing in mental health and affordable... Read More →

Tuesday December 8, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Supported Decision-Makng
Tags Social Security Benefits, Self-determination, Protection and Advocacy, Self-advocacy, Families
Format General

1:30pm EST

10 Basic Financial Steps for Special Needs Caregivers

This session will discuss 10 basic steps to help caregivers get started in preparing for the financial future of their dependent with special needs. As a caregiver of a dependent with special needs the single most important issue on your mind, regardless of the age of the dependent, is what will happen to my dependent after I'm gone. There are some needs that will always be present and they must be carefully considered and planned for appropriately.

Presenters

Jerry Hulick

MassMutual

Kelly Piacente

Tuesday December 8, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Family Support
Tags Financial, Government benefits, Planning, Future
Format General

1:30pm EST

Preparing Students for the Future: Pre-ETS Needs Assessment

Nearly two-thirds (ACS, 2018) of all working age people with disabilities are not in the labor force. The unemployment rate for people without disabilities is triple compared to their peers. We must figure better prepare people for work and align systems to support employment. The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) supports youth with visual impairments and blindness through Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Public Consulting Group (PCG) and MCB collaborated to identify the needs of youth who are blind and visually impaired. MCB & PCG conducted a systematic research study that included data gathering, extensive stakeholder engagement, analyzing data, and providing results and recommendations. Panelists will share experience and strategies for stakeholder engagement and how to engage a broad spectrum of voices. Panelists will also discuss how results of the study impacted MCB programming and services, and lessons learned for broader application.

Presenters

Maya Cox

Consultant, Public Consulting Group, Inc.

I'm passionate about employment and supporting individuals living their good life. My passion is both professional and personal. My career is committed to making systems and services better for individuals with disabilities and their families. I also have a sister with developmental... Read More →

Christine Newhall

Senior Advisor, Public Consulting Group

Christine Newhall is a Senior Advisor with Public Consulting Group, Inc. She brings over 15 years of extensive knowledge and experience managing in complex environments including state government and academic medical centers, as well as Board of Director experience at non-profit organizations.Ms... Read More →

Mark Noyes

Research Supervisor, Public Consulting Group

A data expert; data collection, research, and analytical techniques for evaluating human services programs and effectiveness.

Tuesday December 8, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Research to Practice
Tags Youth, Pre-ETS, Employment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Research
Format Research

2:30pm EST

Great Beginnings: The Power of Peer Support for Parents of Infants with Intellectual Disabilities

When a baby is born with Down syndrome, medical providers often connect the parents with local resources. For these parents, there are many unknowns and they rely on peers and professionals for accurate information on the diagnosis and advice on caring for their new baby. Local Down syndrome organizations often provide an array of programs for new families, including pairing them with the family of an older child. The session presenters are both parents of children with Down syndrome and human service professionals. As parents, we know the weight of early voices in the development of expectations for our children. As professionals, we know how difficult it can be to talk with parents about considerations for fostering a full life for their child as an adult. This presentation will describe an effective parent peer support program and strategies for discussing the importance of inclusion, self-determination and high expectations with parents of infants with intellectual disabilities.

Presenters

Kari Alberque

Mahala Turner

Family Support, North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance

I have twelve years of experience as a special education teacher as well as a school psychometrist with a both my graduate and undergraduate degrees in special education. Currently, I am the Family Support Specialist for the North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance (NCDSA) providing... Read More →

Tuesday December 8, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Early Intervention
Tags Parent Support, Parent Peer Support, Self-Determination, Early Childhood
Format General

2:30pm EST

Partnering with Early Childhood Childcare to Promote PBIS and Inclusion

This presentation will describe a multi-university, Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Inclusion project designed to improve the practices of childcare providers and special education teachers in diverse urban settings. Presenters provided professional development (PD) to early childhood daycare and preschool personnel to improve practices that support PBIS and inclusion. Participants will learn about the rationale for the project, the PD model and preliminary/baseline data.

Presenters

Mary (Mollie) Sheppard

Samantha Riggleman

Tuesday December 8, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Early Childhood Inclusion, Professional Development, Urban, Under-resourced Areas
Format Research

3:30pm EST

Breaking the Stigma: Adolescents with Disabilities and Co-occurring Mental Health Needs

Adolescents with disabilities often have co-occurring mental health needs, which negatively impact their ability to perform in school, interact with peers, and take care of their own personal needs. An added challenge is the public stigma around mental health conditions, which makes it difficult to talk openly about needs and access appropriate treatment. These adolescents require specific supports and strategies to address these mental health needs. Unfortunately, there is a very limited body of research documenting these individuals' mental health needs and effective supports and strategies. This panel presentation will focus on the perceptions and experiences of adolescents with disabilities and mental health needs, their families, and professionals who work with them in the field of special education. Panel members will describe disempowering and empowering experiences, the impact of disability and mental health on families, and recommendations for families and professionals.

Presenters

Grace Francis

Assistant Professor, Special Education, George Mason University

Jodi Duke

Associate Professor, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Jodi Duke, Ed.D is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the College of Education and Human Development in the School of Education at George Mason University and serves as the Academic Program Coordinator for the Autism Spectrum Disorders Graduate Program. In these roles... Read More →

Megan Fujita

Alexandra Raines

Tuesday December 8, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Transition
Themes Mental Health
Tags Adolescents, Mental Health, Families, Professionals
Format General

3:30pm EST

Publishing in Inclusive Practices, the New TASH Practitioner Journal

Come meet the Editors of the new TASH practictioner journal, Inclusive Practices! In this session, we will discuss how to publish in Inclusive Practices, a peer-reviewed practitioner journal that speaks directly to front-line workers to improve the lives of people with severe disabilities. This session is designed for anyone interested in writing a research-to-practice article, or aspiring to write a practitioner-friendly article in the field of severe disabilities. The session will provide an overview of the types of manuscripts published in Inclusive Practices, the peer review process, followed by time for participants to ask questions and obtain input on their publication ideas.

Presenters

Andrea Ruppar

University of Wisconsin-Madison

I'm an Associate Professor of Special Education at University of Wisconsin-Madison. I study educational decision making for students with extensive support needs.

Jennifer Kurth

Associate Professor, University of Kansas

Inclusive Education

Tuesday December 8, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Inclusive Education, Diversity & Social Impact, Community Living, Communication Access, PBIS, Human Rights, Transition, Self-Advocacy, Recreation & Leisure, Employment
Format Research

4:30pm EST

Difficult Conversations About Disability Between Parents and Their Children

Few of us want to engage in difficult conversations: conversations that are challenging emotionally, or that leave us feeling as though we don't have an answer. Parents that seek to support and guide their children with disabilities wrestle not only with the typical questions about life, love, work, and 'growing up'; but also face situations that are complicated by their children's disabilities and the impact they have on their day-to-day lived experiences. Having a disability presents challenges that are attendant to the disability itself and also that are the consequence of the perceptions and expectations of others. In many cases the barriers faced by children with disabilities are exacerbated by a lack of honest conversation about disability, or by the child's or the parents' fear. When is it appropriate to intercede on behalf of your child or to let your child manage a difficult situation themselves? This presentation presents a range of difficult conversations.

Presenters

Karen Guettler-James

University of Kentucky

Jacqueline Norman

University of Kentucky

Tuesday December 8, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes Family Support
Tags Self-advocacy, Parents, Communication
Format General

4:30pm EST

Supporting Transition to Employment with the Americans with Disabilities Act

Every student with a disability who has received special education services needs to plan and prepare for transition to life after high school. It is important to understand the significant changes that lie ahead. No longer will teachers, parents, or other adults assume responsibility for identifying disability related needs; the young adult with a disability must be ready to speak up, initiate requests for accommodations in the workplace, and be a full and active participant in ensuring their needs are met. This presentation will help professionals inform, assist, and support youth with disabilities and their families as they prepare for transition to the workplace. The session will focus on how the ADA differs from special education law and the importance of understanding these differences in order to ensure a more effective transition to adult life.

Presenters

Laura Owens

President, TransCen Inc.

Ann Deschamps

Vice President, TransCen Inc.

Looking forward to talking about how the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to people with significant disabilities in the workplace.

Tuesday December 8, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Employment
Themes Americans with Disabilities Act
Tags Legislation, Work, Accommodation, Americans with Disabilities Act
Format General

5:30pm EST

Community Meet Up!: TASH's 2020 Awards Ceremony

Each year, TASH honors those whose contributions have advanced equity, opportunity and inclusion for people with disabilities, and whose actions set a high standard for human rights every day. We look forward to acknowledging this year's award recipients during our 2020 Awards Ceremony. It will be an event to remember!

Congratulations to this year's award winners::

Poster Presentation Awards (Research, and Lit Review/Program Description): To be announced
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Award: Daniel Crimmins, PhD
Early Career Researcher Award: Matthew Brock
Alice H. Hayden Emerging Leader Award: Katie M. McCabe
Larry J. Brumond Supportive Relationship Award: It's a surprise!
Marc Gold Employment Award: Hope Leet Dittmeier
Ralph Edwards Diversity and Social Impact Award: Tawara D. Goode
Barbara R. Trader Leadership Award: Ruby Moore
TASH's Lifetime Achievement Award: To be announced

Presenters

Jean Gonsier-Gerdin

Professor, Teaching Credentials-Special Education, California State University, Sacramento

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Michael Brogioli

Executive Director, TASH

Tuesday December 8, 2020 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Community Building

11:14am EST

About TASH Talks (Part II)

This is TASH’s take off the popular “Ted Talks” - short 8- to 10-minute presentations on critically important topics facing the disability rights movement followed by a brief Q & A session.

Wednesday December 9, 2020 11:14am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

11:15am EST

Experiences with Remote Learning During COVID-19 for Students with Disabilities

The recording for this session is located under the title, "About TASH Talks (Part II). NOTE: TASH Talks are a take off the popular “Ted Talks” - short 8- to 10-minute presentations on critically important topics facing the disability rights movement followed by a brief Q & A session during the one-hour session.

In this literature review, I explored the experiences of students ages birth-22 with disabilities and their families with remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. I considered two features of the remote learning experience: implementation of remote learning for students in special education by state and families' initial experiences with remote learning during the pandemic. I found that remote learning special education guidance and implementation varied widely by state and shifted throughout the pandemic. Reports of initial experiences with remote learning for students with disabilities indicated that parents had concerns with their children having access to educational curriculum, related services, and their support needs being met in the remote learning environment. In my discussion, I considered examining exemplar state-level guidance and families' experiences navigating remote learning to be possible mechanisms for strengthening future inclusive educational practices.

Moderators

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Presenters

Estyr Bomgardner

Wednesday December 9, 2020 11:15am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Remote Learning, Inclusive Practices, Access
Format General

11:15am EST

Family-Professional Partnerships in Teacher Preparation: Uncovering the What, Why, & How

The recording for this session is located under the title, "About TASH Talks (Part II). NOTE: TASH Talks are a take off the popular “Ted Talks” - short 8- to 10-minute presentations on critically important topics facing the disability rights movement followed by a brief Q & A session during the one-hour session.

Despite policy and research support for meaningful family-professional partnerships (FPPs) in schools, reported school practices demonstrate that such partnerships often do not come to fruition. One paramount barrier to FPP involves limited teacher preparation in university special education programs. The purpose of this qualitative study, therefore, was to report data from a nationally representative sample of special education faculty about (a) how they defined FPP, (b) the FPP knowledge and skills they targeted in their courses, (c) why they targeted specific skills, and (d) how they taught targeted FPP skills.

Moderators

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Presenters

Grace Francis

Assistant Professor, Special Education, George Mason University

Wednesday December 9, 2020 11:15am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Family Support
Tags Family, Partnership, Collaboration, Professional Development, Teacher Preparation
Format Research

11:15am EST

The Intersections of Inclusive Education in Schools: A Teacher Case Study

The recording for this session is located under the title, "About TASH Talks (Part II). NOTE: TASH Talks are a take off the popular “Ted Talks” - short 8- to 10-minute presentations on critically important topics facing the disability rights movement followed by a brief Q & A session during the one-hour session.

This presentation uses Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to discuss the socialization experiences of one middle school special education teacher, whose focus was on inclusive education for students with disabilities within her school. In the midst of advocating for inclusive education and supporting students in a variety of school settings, a context of racism was apparent and troubling to the work of inclusive education. Three themes will be discussed: teacher socialization, responding to racism, and schools as political. Finally, a new vision of the work of secondary special education teachers emerges as existing activity systems are reconceptualized as sites of opportunity to disrupt exclusion and oppression in schools.

Moderators

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Presenters

Courtney Wilt

Doctoral Student

Wednesday December 9, 2020 11:15am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Teacher Work
Tags Inclusive Education, Race, Teaching
Format Research

11:15am EST

Understanding Inclusion Through a Personal Narrative

The recording for this session is located under the title, "About TASH Talks (Part II). NOTE: TASH Talks are a take off the popular “Ted Talks” - short 8- to 10-minute presentations on critically important topics facing the disability rights movement followed by a brief Q & A session during the one-hour session.

In this talk, I would like to highlight my experience as a student, educator and policy maker across two countries and embracing multiple stakeholders. As a blind student growing up in India, I had a very different idea of inclusion. This idea has been reshaped after I came to America for graduate school. Although America has a policy infrastructure that is extremely developed in comparison to India, the belief systems, point of view in schools and other institutions remain the same. Using examples, highlighting policy gaps, I would like to talk about my experience as a student, doctoral research assistant and a policy advocate in two different settings. A good example is the Reasonable accommodation claws within the ADA. While a lack of policy holds back inclusion and employment in India, interpretation of the law holds it back in the US. How do we combat systemic issues that hold us back from inclusion and equity within all spheres of life.

Moderators

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Presenters

Suman Rath

Doctoral Student, University of Kansas

Wednesday December 9, 2020 11:15am - 12:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Autonomy
Tags Diversity, Inclusion, Change, Systems Change, Policy Change, Personal Story
Format General

12:29pm EST

About Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Wednesday December 9, 2020 12:29pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions

12:30pm EST

Friends Matter: An Analysis of Student Interactions in Inclusive Classrooms

Friendships are valuable social relationships that result in personal benefit and also provide a vehicle for developmental gains. Families and educators value the development of friendships between students with and without severe disabilities in and out of school. Yet, friendships between students with and without severe disabilities remain infrequent. Interventions to promote friendship typically focus on the social and behavioral skills of students with disabilities, but friendships involve two (or more) people interacting in specific contexts. Thus, we conducted structured observations of classroom interactions using an interval recording protocol for a student with severe disabilities and a peer comparison student without disabilities in four inclusive early elementary classrooms. Findings indicate that inclusion alone may not be sufficient to promote social interactions and friendships with peers. We highlight specific interventions and implications for practice.

Presenters

Zach Rossetti

Associate Professor, Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development

Oscar Hughes

Doctoral Student, Boston University

Wednesday December 9, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes Friendship
Tags Inclusive Education, Friendship, Elementary School, Social Interactions
Format Research

12:30pm EST

The Paraeducator's Role in Increasing Meaningful Engagement Among Students who Use AAC

This study was designed to investigate the effects of a paraeducator-implemented intervention for a student with autism who used an AAC device. A multiple probe design was used to evaluate the communication intervention. Following training, data from each paraeducator indicated an increased rate of the communication support, and as a result, the student displayed an increase in initiation.

Presenters

Natalie Andzik

Associate Professor, Northern Illinois University

Dr. Natalie Andzik is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special and Early Education at Northern Illinois University. Natalie's research interest grew from her experiences as a special educator in California. There, she worked with students with mild to significant disabilities... Read More →

Wednesday December 9, 2020 12:30pm - 1:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes Self-determination
Tags AAC, Paraeducator, Training, Communication
Format Research

1:30pm EST

Developing an Online Parent Training for Diverse Parents of Minimally Verbal Toddlers

We will discuss the development of and initial feasibility and acceptability of a brief 6-module online training for parents of young children who may be at increased risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and are not yet using language functionally. The culturally-informed training called, "Helping Optimize Language Acquisition" (HOLA) combines information on developmental milestones and signs of ASD as well as evidence-based naturalistic strategies to encourage social communication. The intervention will next be refined and translated into Spanish in preparation for an initial efficacy trial with funding from the Organization for Autism Research.

Presenters

Robin Dodds

Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Special Education, California State University Los Angeles

My primary research interests focus on supporting families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related Developmental Disabilities in two ways; through Parent to Parent social support and through parent-mediated interventions for social communication. Additionally... Read More →

Jessica Cruz

Doctoral Student, California State University, Los Angeles & University of California, Los Angeles

I am very passionate for the current and future work that needs to be done in Special Education. I initially acquired knowledge of Special Education through my siblings who have an Intellectual Disability and a Specific Learning Disability. Now, as a mother of two young children with... Read More →

Wednesday December 9, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Diversity & Social Impact
Themes Early Intervention
Tags Autism, Diversity, Parents, Intervention, Online Training
Format Research

1:30pm EST

When the Rubber Hits the Road: Inclusion and Transition

What do we know about creating a meaningful life after high school? The presenters discuss their personal and professional perspectives around transition for their sons who were successfully included during their school-age years. Although both presenters hold doctorates in special education and have spent much of their professional lives teaching about and advocating for inclusive education, neither were prepared for the challenges faces as their sons left school and transitioned into the adult world. The presenters will discuss what they learned on their journey to expand inclusive opportunities and provide recommendations for illuminating the path forward.

Presenters

Dina Traniello

Visiting Professor, Fitchburg State University

Dina Traniello consults with schools and families to support students with significant disabilities, learning differences and challenging behaviors in general education settings. She presents workshops/professional development on evidence-based practices around inclusion, conducting... Read More →

Janet Sauer

Professor, Lesley University

Wednesday December 9, 2020 1:30pm - 2:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Transition
Themes Capacity Building for Inclusion
Tags Transition Process, Promising Practices, Family Perspectives
Format General

2:30pm EST

Beyond the Classroom: Inclusive Transition for Students with Significant Needs

Despite coordinated transition plans, students with (SSN) are often overlooked in the targeted transition process. Beyond the Classroom (BTC) is a strategic plan of inclusive transition beginning in early childhood and focusing on post-secondary outcomes for the individual. BTC is a framework of goals-strategies-inputs-outputs and outcomes by incorporating all stakeholders in early planning. Utilizing the systematic template, all stakeholders can ensure not only individualized and coordinated transition programs but plans that include the student in all areas of school environments. Thus, giving voice to the most important stakeholder - the student. Through backward design, the model determines the goals of each participant. Strategies are developed to meet the goals including collaborative meetings with stakeholders, joint professional developments, and continued support of professional developments. Desired outcomes are an inclusive school community and a recognition of potential.

Presenters

Heather Fitzpatrick

Doctoral Candidate, University of Northern Colorado

Elizabeth Osborne

Sped Instructional Coach, Frisco ISD

Elaine Osborne - I am currently an Instructional Coach and Department Chair of a high school in Texas. I have been an IC supporting secondary teachers and students for 8 years. During this time I completed my doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado in special education... Read More →

Wednesday December 9, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Transition
Themes Person-Centered Practice
Tags Transition, Significant Support Needs, Person-centered
Format General

2:30pm EST

They Tell Us We Have These Rights But Then They Say "No" When We Try To Do What We're Told We Can Do

Self-advocates are told we have the same rights as everyone else. We're also told we have rights because of their disabilities. When we talk to each other, though, we find out that many of us are having our rights violated. We're told we have a right to the staff support we need to live in the community but staff don't show up on time or at all. We're told we have a right to love anyone we want but we are not allowed to date people we think we like. We're told we have a right to communicate but our phone calls and zoom meetings are shut down by behavior plans. When we do have contact with other, our privacy is violated because we're always being watched. We want to work but no one will hire us. There are many more examples. We want to talk to other self-advocates to see if this is happening to them and make some noise so we can have the rights we're told we have!

Presenters

Jossie Torres

Kelly Dorsey

Self Advocate Coordinator, MidState Arc

Self Advocacy

Linda Rammler

DD Network Coordinator, UConn UCEDD

I have been involved with TASH since 1987 and remain active in the TASH New England Chapter. I currently am responsible for a number of projects on such diverse topics as Charting the LifeCourse, Self-Directed Services, Supported Decision-Making, Customized Employment, post-secondary... Read More →

Anne E Knauff

TASH Ambassador

Hi Im anne knauff self adovate of connecticut .I work for Tash chapter new england as a ambassor ..

Wednesday December 9, 2020 2:30pm - 3:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes Self-determination
Tags Human Rights, Self-Advocacy, Self-Determination, Inclusion
Format General

3:30pm EST

More than the Paralympics: The Intersectionality Between Disability and Sport

Did you enjoy sports as a child a lot and have lots of joyful memories? Then, it is time for you to come hear and learn about two people with disabilities that stayed involved in sports even after finishing with athletic careers in their childhood and teenage years. Our disabilities did not define us, and we have coached sports in competitive and recreation leagues. In this talk we will also discuss inspirational stories from famous athletes with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities. We will also provide tips and strategies for how to get better involved in sports as a person with a disability. As well as, provide tips on strategies on how to coach others in sports and to better work with neurotypicals and able bodied individuals in coaching. Come hear our story and leave with a passion to be more involved in sports. There is always room for more champions.

Presenters

Jake M. Goodman

Undergraduate Student Double Majoring in Political Science and Geography & Environmental Planning., Towson University

Will Fried

Accessibility Services Graduate Assistant, Fort Hays State University

Wednesday December 9, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 2

Primary Topic Recreation & Leisure
Themes Sports
Tags Sports, Champions, Abilities, Athlete, Coach
Format General

3:30pm EST

Navigating the Journey to Independence: Assistive Technology at its Best

The current system for supports for people with intellectual and development disabilities (IDD) and other disabilities is unsustainable. There are nationwide waiting lists for services and the costs keep growing. The major funder for IDD services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has released a final rule with new expectations for independence and inclusion by 2022. This session will give attendees the ability to rethink services and will provide resources and tools to build capacity in order to increase independence for people with IDD and other disabilities through the successful implementation of assistive and smart home technologies. Case studies and implementation strategies will be shared. AT solutions presented will include artificial intelligence wellness systems, voice-activated systems, medication management, cooking safety, GPS monitoring, and more, and we will discuss how family members/caretakers are able to get remote feedback through these systems.

Presenters

Pamela Fields

CEO, Assistive Technology Training Center of CT/MidState Arc

Pamela Fields, the Founder and CEO of the Assistive Technology Training Center.Pam is a leader in the field of assistive technology for independence, ….. especially in devising new approaches to independence for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her pioneering... Read More →

Amy Rubin Mindell

Director of Community Outreach & Assistive Technology, Assistive Technology Training Center of CT (ATECH)

Wednesday December 9, 2020 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

Breakout Sessions, Track 1

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes Assistive Technology & Apps
Tags Assistive Technology, Independence, Inclusion, IDD, Community
Format General

4:30pm EST

Closing Plenary Session: Songs and Words of Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination

Everyone's favorite, Chester Finn, will perform songs he has written and played over the years under the theme: "Songs of Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination". His songs tell the stories of people with disabilities taking charge of their lives and changing the ‘systems’ that support them. The line of one of the songs he sings says it all, "In my own home, I’m the King, I can walk and talk and dance and sing”.

Presenters

Jenny Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Chester Finn

Individual and Family Advocate, Office for People with Developmental Disabilities

Chester Finn is employed by the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (NYS OPWDD). He served three terms as National President of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE ) and he has been a past President of the Self Advocacy Association of New York State... Read More →

Michael Brogioli

Executive Director, TASH

Wednesday December 9, 2020 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
Virtual Platform Online

General Sessions

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