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.

2:15pm CST

Impact of Ableism in Schools: Perspective of New Special Educators

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

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin A

The historical perception of disability as a defect or abnormality has led to negative stigmas and biases, impacting students with disabilities and special education teachers. Paradigm shifts are necessary to address societal and physical barriers, improve school systems, and support special education teachers, especially early career educators. Students with disabilities face limitations due to these barriers, contributing to teacher turnover and impacting student learning. The presentation will focus on addressing these barriers to attract and retain highly qualified special education teachers. Additionally, the presentation will address the expectations placed on special education teachers and suggest using a social model of disability framework to shift perceptions in educational settings. It also emphasizes the need for an inclusive culture that supports special education teachers from diverse backgrounds.

Presenters

Mina Chun

Assistant Professor, California Lutheran University

Tammy Bachrach

Associate Professor, Azusa Pacific University

Tammy Bachrach is a Professor of Special Education at Azusa Pacific University (APU) in Southern California. Prior to assuming her position at APU, Tammy was general and special educator for 18 years, working with both primary and secondary students with disabilities. Tammy grew up... Read More →

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

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes of Interest Discrimination & Ableism
Key Words Alternative Credentials, Early Career Special Education Teachers, Ableism
Presentation Type Research

2:30pm CST

Combating Ableism With Your POWER

Friday December 6, 2024 2:30pm - 4:30pm CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin E

Ableism can be defined as prejudice or bias based on a person's disability and fosters the belief that people with disabilities are inferior. American society values individualism and capitalism, which can promote ableism. Allies and advocates who work in various roles need to raise their consciousness and open their eyes to the ways in which oppression exists. The purpose of this article is to provide advocates, allies, educators, and service providers with tools to critically self-examine their own identity, positionality, and power to fight ableism within our society. This article will outline how to examine their own Positionality, Opportunity, Wokeness, Empathy, and Reflexivity (POWER) to act in advocacy and allyship dismantling ableism and fostering social justice.

Moderators

Christina Eagle

George Mason University

Friday December 6, 2024 2:30pm - 4:30pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin E Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes of Interest Discrimination & Ableism
Key Words Ableism, Positionality, Allyship, Advocate

2:30pm CST

Poetry And The Spectrum: Selected Readings By A Caregiver Parent

Friday December 6, 2024 2:30pm - 4:30pm CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin E

I'm a mom of two children with level 3 autism and also a poet. We live in Santa Cruz, California with their dad, and I'm their paid family caregiver. Recently I completed a chapbook of poetry entitled Wabe-sabe. Through these poems, I explore our lives and the impact that autism--and the people around us who observe but do not understand our family--have on us. My poems are through the lens of a mother, a caregiver, a Turkish-American Muslim, a guide to this world we live in. They are intended to invite you in and give you a glimpse of our experiences. In this TASH Talk, I will read a couple of my poems and invite audience questions.

Presenters

Filiz Buecher

Friday December 6, 2024 2:30pm - 4:30pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin E Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

TASH Talks

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes of Interest Discrimination & Ableism
Key Words Human Animal Bond, Suicide Prevention, Dogs
Presentation Type General

4:35pm CST

Neurodiversity Advisory: Advancing Affirming Practice Within TASH

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

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin B

Sparked at the 2022 TASH Conference, the Neurodiversity Advisory has been actively meeting and exploring neurodiversity and what it means for TASH. In this session, we will share resources like updated Terms and Definitions and Elements of Neurodiversity Affirming Practice. We will provide an update on what we're learning related to neurodiversity and ABA. Using the resources developed and insights gained through the work of the Advisory, participants will explore proposed recommendations for TASH to embrace neurodiversity and advance neurodiversity-affirming practice.

Moderators

Michael McSheehan

Owner/TA Provider, Evolve & Effect, LLC

Michael McSheehan’s life work has been at the intersection of disability and K-12 education. During his twenty years at the University of New Hampshire, he worked on projects for assistive technology, inclusive education, alternate assessment, RTI & PBIS, and MTSS. Michael helped... Read More →

Presenters

Deborah Taub

Owner/CEO, OTL Education Solutions, LLC

Mary Fisher

Professor, Lewis University

Leah Kelley

I am Leah Kelley, EdD, (she/her) an education consultant, writer, activist, parent, and teacher educator, who identifies as Neurodivergent and otherwise disabled. My research interests include connecting disability studies in education (DSE) to educational practice, strength-based... Read More →

Jean Gonsier-Gerdin

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

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

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes of Interest Discrimination & Ableism
Key Words Ableism, Neurodiversity, Affirming, Rights
Presentation Type General

5:45pm CST

Decrease SIB Behaviors with Students with Extensive Support Needs

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

3RD Floor - Storyville Hall

This poster defines what self-injurious behaviors are and how to modify behaviors to decrease these behaviors with students with extensive support needs. Students with Extensive Support Needs (ESN) often display self-injurious behaviors (SIB), which is defined as any occurrence where an individual engages in hitting or slapping themselves by making a connection with any part of their body with a closed or open fist or banging head to make an audible sound. This behavior also includes pinching, scratching, or biting, any instance where on the skin it leaves a mark or breaks the skin, causing bleeding. Understanding this behavior can lead to better support for students and opportunities for them to be involved in more inclusive educational settings.

Presenters

Susan Gollihugh

Doctoral student, Sam Houston State Universtiy

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 Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest Discrimination & Ableism
Key Words Inclusion, Specifically Designed Instruction, IDEA, Differentiation, Diversity

5:45pm CST

Voices Not Yet Heard: Implementation of a State Instructional Mandate on Disability History and Awareness

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

3RD Floor - Storyville Hall

Survey findings about implementation of a state instructional mandate on disability history and people with disabilities indicated that, while participants (irrespective of general or special education assignment) believed this instructional content was critical for K-12 students, they were not aware there was a mandate and required significant resources to meet this mandate and ensure that disabled people were involved in content design and implementation. Suggestions for change with a particular focus on including people with complex learning needs in curriculum development and implementation are provided.

Presenters

Mary Fisher

Professor, Lewis University

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 Diversity and Social Impact
Themes of Interest Discrimination & Ableism
Key Words Ableism, K-12 Curriculum, Personel Prep
Presentation Type Research

3:00pm CST

Breaking Barriers: Addressing Inequities in Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for People with Disabilities

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST

2ND Floor - Foster 1

This presentation sheds light on the pervasive disparities faced specifically by womxn with disabilities in accessing sexual and reproductive health care services. Despite advancements in medical technology and healthcare policies, significant barriers persist, hindering their ability to receive essential screenings and treatments. Drawing from personal experiences and community insights, this presentation will examine the multifaceted challenges encountered by people with disabilities when seeking proactive health screenings, such as mammograms, ultrasounds, or pap smears. Key barriers include physical obstacles, such as inaccessible exam tables and weight scales, which prevent individuals from undergoing necessary screenings. Moreover, systemic ableism perpetuates discriminatory attitudes among healthcare providers, leading to the dismissal of preventive medicine as a viable option for people with disabilities.

Presenters

Leah Smith

Associate Director, The National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST
2ND Floor - Foster 1 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes of Interest Discrimination & Ableism
Key Words Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, Healthcare Inequities, Disabled Womens Health
Presentation Type General

3:00pm CST

Neurodiversity Advisory: Grappling with Implications For Practice

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin H

The TASH Neurodiversity Advisory has created a resource articulating the Elements of Neurodiversity Affirming Practice. In this session, participants will use the Elements resource to reflect on current issues in education, employment, communication access, human rights, and community living. We will explore what our practice looks like and doesn't look like when we embrace neurodiversity and advance neurodiversity-affirming practice.

Moderators

Michael McSheehan

Owner/TA Provider, Evolve & Effect, LLC

Presenters

Deborah Taub

Owner/CEO, OTL Education Solutions, LLC

Mary Fisher

Professor, Lewis University

Leah Kelley

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 →

Robyn Reagan

Vice President of Special Education Services, Villa Esperanza Services

Robyn has been improving systems and supports for children, youth and families for over 25 years. Her first role model was Annie Sullivan, teacher and friend to Helen Keller. She is a lifelong advocate for children who struggle to make their gifts and needs known.Robyn’s experience... Read More →

Jean Gonsier-Gerdin

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

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin H Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes of Interest Discrimination & Ableism
Key Words Ableism, Neurodiversity, Affirming, Rights
Presentation Type General

3:00pm CST

You Don't Look Autistic: Racism, Sexism, and Autistic Communities

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST

2ND Floor - Foster 2

Autism as originally defined by Dr. Sukhareva, and later, Dr. Asperger, was understood as a condition that could be found in any segment of the population, discriminating by neither sex nor ethnicity. However, when Leo Kanner redefined and codified autism diagnosis in the United States, his definition explicitly leaned on then-contemporary sexism, and implicitly on racism and classism, to define â€œrealâ€ autistics. This talk will explore this history and discuss its impact on autistics in the generations since, ranging from ongoing differential access to formal diagnosis, to disproportionate pathologization and violence against BIPOC autistics in institutional settings, to how ideas about "female autism,â€ race, and wealth pervade debates about self-diagnosis. We will then open into a discussion about intersectionality, implicit and explicit bias, and promoting autistic advocacy that centers the concerns of historically marginalized groups.

Presenters

Algernon Lutwak

Northern Light Health

Corissa Pittman

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST
2ND Floor - Foster 2 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes of Interest Discrimination & Ableism
Key Words Ableism, Racism, Sexism, Diagnostic Accessibility, Advocacy
Presentation Type General