2024 TASH Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to the official website for the 2024 TASH Conference!

Each year, the TASH Conference brings together our constituents 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 leaders, experts, and advocates from every corner of the disability community. Conference attendees are influential in their fields and communities, and play an important role in the provision of services and supports for individuals and organizations around the world; and include professors and researchers from leading institutions; those involved in local, state, and federal governments and public policy; special and general educators, and school administrators; self-advocates, adult service providers; students, family members, and many others. This year’s conference theme is Celebrate Together: Let the Good Times Roll!

Click on the "Registration and More" tab for additional information about our Conference location, registration, reserving a guest room, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, and more! The full Conference schedule is now available for viewing. Registered attendees will receive an invitation to log in and create a personalized schedule.

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2:15pm CST

Navigating Inclusive College-Successes and Challenges

Friday December 6, 2024 2:15pm - 3:10pm CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin F

This presentation documents the experiences of students with intellectual disabilities who participated in an inclusive college program in a university in western United States. The students will share their experiences in various classes, both academic and social. They will discuss the support provided by peer mentors, faculty, and other staff and the challenges they faced during their college experience. Additionally, they will offer their input to improve the program.

Presenters

Sudha Krishnan

Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education, San Jose State University

Sudha’s research is focused on how literacy practices using pedagogies based on socio-cultural theory like multiliteracies provide challenging and empowering education for students with disabilities. She is interested in interrogating the deficit thinking surrounding students with... Read More →

Friday December 6, 2024 2:15pm - 3:10pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin F Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest Post-Secondary Education
Key Words Inclusive College; Post Secondary Programs; Designing Support for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Presentation Type General

3:25pm CST

Prepare With Us: Self Advocates Educating Teacher Candidates

Friday December 6, 2024 3:25pm - 4:20pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 11

This presentation will describe study results from a recent research project. The purpose of this study was to examine how teacher candidates were impacted by learning from individuals with disabilities through a Self-Advocate Guest Presenter Series. After attending the semester-long Presenter Series, 17 teacher candidates shared their perspectives through semi-structured interviews. During this presentation, we will share the main themes that resulted from our analysis as well as future implications for research and practice.

Presenters

Amy Andersen

Associate Professor, Winona State University

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 →

Friday December 6, 2024 3:25pm - 4:20pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 11 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes of Interest Post-Secondary Education
Key Words Self-Advocacy, Teacher Preparation, Anti-Ableism, Perceptions
Presentation Type Research

4:35pm CST

Community Conversations: A Tool For Campus Collaboration, Inclusion and Action

Friday December 6, 2024 4:35pm - 5:30pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 11

One complexity of inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programming is fostering campus-wide collaboration to enhance inclusion. In response to this, the Office of Inclusive Postsecondary Education (OIPE) at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, has adapted and employed the World Cafe Model as a formidable tool to facilitate community conversations. The World Cafe Model brings together stakeholders to explore a current barrier, elicit solutions, and potential action steps. During this presentation, OIPE will describe how they facilitate these community conversations, ensure inclusive representation, and share outcomes of key community conversations around employment, academic engagement, and inclusive practices in Title IX and Conduct processes on campus.

Moderators

April Regester

Department Chair, Associate Professor - Inclusive Education, University of Missouri, St. Louis

Presenters

Sharon Spurlock

Director of Family Supports & Quality Enhancement, St. Louis Arc

I'm passionate about helping self-advocates and family create the lives they dream about. I believe that my work is enhanced by an ability to listen deeply and build trusting relationships. I like to talk about family supports, self-determination, post-secondary education, peer supports... Read More →

Jonathan Lidgus

Director of Office of Inclusive Postsecondary Education, University of Missouri - St. Louis

Lindsay Athamanah

Assistant Professor, University of Missouri - St. Louis

Katelend Davis

University of Missouri - St. Louis

Cooper Howard

Friday December 6, 2024 4:35pm - 5:30pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 11 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest Post-Secondary Education
Key Words Inclusive, Post-Secondary Education, Community, Conversations, Collaboration
Presentation Type General

4:35pm CST

Reimagining Teacher Preparation: Forging A New Path

Friday December 6, 2024 4:35pm - 5:30pm CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin G

The stagnant rate of inclusion placements for students with significant support needs remains alarming. Teacher educators play an essential role in preparing teacher candidates to shift outdated practices and implement inclusive practices. As teacher educators, we experience numerous barriers in preparing teacher candidates (Olson & Roberts, 2017). However, teacher educators must be creative and resilient as they work to persist past barriers (Olson & Roberts, 2020). Instead of focusing on the barriers, we sought to envision another way to prepare teacher candidates. The purpose of this study was to learn about what special education teacher educators can do in their role to help shift how teacher candidates are being prepared to include students with significant support needs in K-12 schools. We conducted a focus group with special education teacher educators, who are new to teacher preparation, to gauge their perspectives on avenues for change and steps to get there.

Presenters

Amy Andersen

Associate Professor, Winona State University

Friday December 6, 2024 4:35pm - 5:30pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin G Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest Post-Secondary Education
Key Words Teacher Preparation, Inclusion, Systems Change
Presentation Type Research

5:45pm CST

Employment Preparation Activities Across Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Programs

Friday December 6, 2024 5:45pm - 7:15pm CST

3RD Floor - Storyville Hall

We conducted a survey examining the effective strategies for promoting employment readiness among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) attending inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs. Analysis of data from 59 programs reveals the importance of person-centered planning and specialized instruction. However, while paid employment significantly predicts post-graduation success, only a minority of programs offer these opportunities. Collaboration with vocational agencies and career centers is also vital, yet partnerships are lacking in many programs. Addressing these gaps in support can significantly contribute to facilitating successful transitions from postsecondary education to meaningful employment for individuals with I/DD.

Presenters

Amy Clausen

Assistant Professor, Winthrop University

Dr. Amy Clausen (she/her) is an assistant professor of special education at Winthrop University. Her focus is preparing teachers of students with extensive support needs. Amy is committed to ensuring her students have access to literature featuring diverse and representative char... Read More →

Friday December 6, 2024 5:45pm - 7:15pm CST
3RD Floor - Storyville Hall Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Poster Presentations

Primary Topic Transition
Themes of Interest Post-Secondary Education
Key Words Inclusive Postsecondary Education, Employment Readiness, Survey