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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11:15am CST

Benefits of Collaborative, Multidisciplinary Approaches to AAC Training in Schools

Friday December 6, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin A

A multidisciplinary approach involving speech-language pathologists, educators, occupational therapists, and other professionals leads to improved communication outcomes for individuals using Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) systems (McNaughton & Light, 2013). Despite this knowledge, AAC training opportunities for school staff often focus only on SLPs and less frequently on the direct support professionals assisting students on a daily basis. Our session focuses on the benefits of a multidisciplinary training approach, which facilitates the generalization and maintenance of communication skills across different settings and communication partners. This collaboration promotes communication and inclusion in a wider range of contexts (Millar et al., 2019). Multidisciplinary collaboration provides valuable opportunities for professional development and knowledge exchange among team members, enhancing AAC service delivery in educational settings (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013).

Moderators

Lisa Mihalich Quinn

Executive Director, Reach Every Voice

Lisa Mihalich Quinn, M.A / M.Ed. is a licensed special educator with more than 15 years of experience making academic content accessible for neurodiverse students and learners who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). She is a former Maryland Public Schools teacher... Read More →

Presenters

Edlyn Peña

California Lutheran University

I am a professor in the Educational Leadership doctoral program at California Lutheran University. I am also the Director of the Autism and Communication Center. Proud mom to an autistic teenager and book author, Diego.

Julie Sando

Director, Communication for Education

My colleague Lisa and I will be presenting in a breakout room about text-based communication in educational settings. We will share about our experience with Communication For Education, where we help parents and educators learn how to support non-speaking, minimally-speaking, or... Read More →

Friday December 6, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin A Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes of Interest Capacity Building for Inclusion
Key Words Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Teacher Training, Multidisciplinary Approach, Professional Development
Presentation Type Research

3:25pm CST

From Experience to Empowerment

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

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin A

This session includes a collaborative presentation with a self-advocate and a teacher educator. The session will begin with a first-hand account of the educational experiences of a non-speaking and Autistic individual in both inclusive and self-contained settings, in both a specialized school and in public schools. These educational experiences have informed a list of suggested practices for general educators, special education teachers, and paraeducators on how to best include and challenge students with complex communication needs in the general education classroom. The session will conclude with information on how to leverage voices from the local disability community by inviting self-advocates to present in university courses that are aimed to prepare inclusive-minded educators.

Moderators

Katie McCabe

Assistant Professor, Buffalo State University

Katie McCabe is an Assistant Professor in the Exceptional Education Department at Buffalo State University, with a Ph.D. in Special Education and a minor in Qualitative Research Methods from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A former special education teacher in rural Upstate New... Read More →

Presenters

Karrie Frank

Kaylie Clinton

Friday December 6, 2024 3:25pm - 4:20pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin A Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest K-12 Education
Key Words Autism, Non-Verbal, Inclusion, Teacher Training, Education
Presentation Type General