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.

11:15am CST

Understanding Family Experiences with Section 504 For Their Autistic Children

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

4TH Floor - Imperial 9

Extant literature has focused mainly on access to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) without addressing Section 504 of the American Rehabilitation Act. Over 1.38 million students are served by Section 504 in schools, yet little is known about their experiences. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of families of autistic children with Section 504 in schools. Altogether, 21 families participated in individual interviews about their initial experiences accessing Section 504, their input into the Section 504 plan, and the implementation of the Section 504 plan. The few families who reported positive experiences with Section 504 reported having supportive school professionals. Unfortunately, most participants reported negative experiences including the school being unwilling to provide accommodations. Implications include the need to develop and test an advocacy program for families and youth with disabilities to improve access to Section 504.

Moderators

RaeAnne Lindsay

Coordinator for Section 504 project, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College

I am a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Illinois. I received a Masters Degree from the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I am a Disability Advocate and the reining Ms. Wheelchair USA 2024-2025. I currently work at Vanderbilt University in... Read More →

Presenters

Meghan Burke

Vanderbilt University

Friday December 6, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 9 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Inclusive Education
Themes of Interest Other
Key Words Family/Caregivers, Autism, Section 504, Education System
Presentation Type Research

4:35pm CST

12 Strategies For Facilitating Transportation to Work-Based Learning Sites!

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

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin F

Work experience, whether paid or unpaid, enables students with disabilities to learn job skills in the real world and clarify their career path. Despite the benefits of work experiences, many educational programs struggle to provide work experiences in the community due to issues surrounding transportation. In this session we will share 12 creative strategies for transporting students with disabilities to community-based work sites and provide tips to consider when selecting strategies. Come join us to discuss this important topic and share your creative solutions for obtaining transportation!

Moderators

Stacy Dymond

Professor, University of Illinois

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 →

Presenters

Melanie Phelan

Training Specialist, Illinois Center for Transition and Work - UIUC

I am a training specialist for the Illinois Center for Transition and Work at the University of Illinois. My background is mostly in transition to work for people with significant disabilities. I am passionate about finding paid employment for youth with disabilities where they can... Read More →

Jessica Sipovic

Training Specialist, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Jessica Sipovic is a training specialist for the Illinois Center for Transition and Work through the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She has over 15 years of experience working with children and adults with diverse needs in school, home, and community settings. Most... Read More →

Nicole Birri

Training Specialist, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Employment
Themes of Interest Other
Key Words Transportation, Employment, Transition, Work Experiences, Strategies
Presentation Type General

4:35pm CST

How to Communicate Disability Policy Accessibly with Your Faith Community

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

4TH Floor - Imperial 9

Through the principles of universal design and plain language communication, this presentation will share with participants strategies for communicating disability policy within one's faith community. Faith communities can be an essential support system for disabled people. Building disability policy knowledge in faith communities improves the quality of care faith-based direct service agencies provide. Faith communities can better support fellow members with disabilities in their community when they are informed on disability policy. Join Rev. Ben Bond who Co-Chairs the Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition in Washington DC. and Corey Himes, Policy Manager, who has been a long-time policy activist in the New Orleans community to learn how to effectively communicate disability policy in your faith community.

Presenters

Benjamin Bond

Friday December 6, 2024 4:35pm - 5:30pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 9 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Diversity and Social Impact
Themes of Interest Other
Key Words Universal Design, Plain Language, Disability Policy, Faith Communities
Presentation Type General

5:45pm CST

Inclusion of Individuals with Intellectual Disability in Qualitative Research

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

3RD Floor - Storyville Hall

This presentation will focus on practical methods researchers can use to include individuals with intellectual disability in qualitative research. This requires reconceptualizing the communication difference. Some challenges impede the inclusion of those individuals in qualitative research that mainly uses interviewing. For example, expected methodological issues and challenges include sampling, informed consent, and participant fatigue, as well as the quantity and quality/credibility of the data. Solutions to address these challenges will be discussed point by point. Additionally, strategies to facilitate hearing voices from participants with intellectual disabilities will be covered, including dyadic interviewing, visual/audio methods, and accessible focus groups. Finally, helpful tips for interviewing people with intellectual disabilities will be presented, focusing on building rapport and trust, effective questioning, triangulation, and interview scheduling.

Presenters

Geonhwa Kim

Doctoral Student, University of Kansas

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 Self-Advocacy
Themes of Interest Other
Key Words Inclusion, Qualitative Research, Intellectual Disability

11:15am CST

Embracing Intersectionality and Advocating for Asset-Based Pedagogies in Special Education

Saturday December 7, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 5A

Intersectionality is defined as the ways in which multiple systems of oppression interact to impact individuals who have been marginalized across their multiple identity markers (Crenshaw, 1989). DisCrit (Annamma et al., 2013) centers the intersection of race and dis/ability, but this has only been minimally explored relative to individuals with IDD (Kover et al., in press), as research often equates the experiences of all individuals with IDD (Goethals et al., 2015). Similarly, many clinicians and practitioners overemphasize intellectual ability and underestimate how intersectionality shapes an individual's experiences across health, educational, and social domains (Kover et al., in press). This structured discussion will explore how integrating frameworks of asset-based framings (LÃ³pez, 2017), community cultural wealth (Yosso, 2005), and presumptions of competence into educational settings can be used to disrupt barriers and reimagine opportunities for students with IDD.

Presenters

Alison Wilhelm

Doctoral Student, University of Washington

Hello! I am a current doctoral student at the University of Washington in Special Education. I was previously a teacher in a variety of placements in Nashville, Tennessee. My interest areas include reading development, instruction, and family literacy practices. I am currently working... Read More →

Saturday December 7, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 5A Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Diversity and Social Impact
Themes of Interest Other
Key Words Intersectionality, Asset-Based Pedagogy, Inclusive Education
Presentation Type General

11:15am CST

Voice is A Civil Right!!!!!

Saturday December 7, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST

2ND Floor - Foster 1

We all agree that communication and the ability to communicate is an essential part of our lives. Everyone communicates somehow. Too often with people with disabilities we hear staff say "I understand what they mean" or "When he/she does this, I know it means that" However, all too often we as support/advocates stop there and do not encourage the person to increase their communication so that others can understand also. What we need to understand is when people do not have communication/a voice that is understood by many they are vulnerable and at risk for abuse, exploitation, segregation and institutionalization. As providers, advocate and supporters, it is our responsibility to support people to develop and grow their voice and use it to advocate for themselves. We as providers, supporters and advocates cannot remain the interpreters and voices for others. We are exploring ways to support people to develop their voices and be their own advocates.

Presenters

Ryan Duncanwood

SABE, The Arc. TASH. SCDD

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

Jennifer Lengyel

Executive Director, Total Living Concept

Saturday December 7, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
2ND Floor - Foster 1 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Communication Access
Themes of Interest Other
Key Words Communication, Civil Rights, Person Centered
Presentation Type General