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.

4:35pm CST

Legislative Advocacy Among Disability Self-Advocates and Advocates

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

4TH Floor - Imperial 8

Legislative advocacy is a crucial channel for disability advocates to influence civil rights and disability-related legislation and policy, ultimately improving the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. We conduct a survey study to examine the legislative advocacy experiences of people with disabilities and family members of people with disabilities, and factors impacting their legislative advocacy. We analyze demographic characteristics, the causes they advocate for, organization membership and leadership, frequency of civic engagement, and level of agreements on how social and cultural factors impact their legislative advocacy. Findings of this study will enhance the understanding of the factors that influence legislative advocacy and identify strategies to enhance individual and collective advocacy efforts in the future.

Presenters

Wen Zeng

University of Missouri, St. Louis

Christopher Worth

1 University Blvd

Friday December 6, 2024 4:35pm - 5:30pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 8 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Self-Advocacy
Themes of Interest Voting & Civic Engagement
Key Words Disabilities, Legislative Advocacy, Self-Advocate
Presentation Type Research

11:15am CST

Correlates of Individual, Peer and Systemic Advocacy Among Parents of Children with Disabilities

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

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin F

Parents advocate in a variety of ways for their children with disabilities to access services and supports in inclusive settings. Given the importance of parent advocacy at every level, it is essential to understand the factors that influence parent legislative advocacy. This study aimed to identify the correlates of individual, peer, and systemic advocacy among parents of children with disabilities. Altogether, 78 parents of children with disabilities participated in this six-site study. Data were analyzed using baseline data prior to participants completing a civic engagement program. We conducted linear regressions to identify correlates of parent advocacy levels. We found that disability connectedness significantly correlates with individual, peer, and systemic advocacy. Additionally, moral conviction was a significant correlate of individual advocacy. The results highlight the importance of fostering disability connectedness and enhancing moral conviction to boost advocacy efforts

Moderators

Chak Li

Vanderbilt University, Peabody College

Presenters

Meghan Burke

Vanderbilt University

Zach Rossetti

Associate Professor, Boston University

Zach 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 →

Saturday December 7, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin F Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Human Rights
Themes of Interest Voting & Civic Engagement
Key Words Families, Advocacy, Disability Connectedness, Moral Conviction
Presentation Type Research

11:15am CST

Grassroots Supported Civic Engagement

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

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin B

Despite the 1999 Olmstead v. L. C. decision upholding the right to community integration and community living, the state of Illinois continues to operate seven state operated institutions for some Illinois residents with IDD. Going Home Coalition (GHC), formed in 2010, is an advocacy coalition comprised of a diverse statewide network of mostly self-advocates along with families, community providers, and allies whose mission is to advocate for systems change to transition away from institutional living and increase community supports. GHCâ€™s broadest accomplishment to effect systems change is through their civic engagement and collective action of bringing conversations into the public discourse. The purpose of this study is to understand how and to what extent members of the Coalition engage in civic engagement activities. In addition, we sought to understand the barriers and facilitators members with disability have in civic engagement.

Moderators

Kim Fisher

Assistant Professor, Illinois State University

Kim Fisher is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at Illinois State University. She studies how social networks and social capital promote community participation and social inclusion for adolescents and young adults with IDD and the role access to information... Read More →

Presenters

Sarah Ballard

Illinois State University

Saturday December 7, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin B Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Community Living
Themes of Interest Voting & Civic Engagement
Key Words Civic Engagement, Advocacy, Accessibility
Presentation Type Research