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.
In this interactive presentation, Inclusion Facilitators from New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education will guide participants through a thoughtful literacy planning process using the Universal Design for Learning framework. Participants will explore effective strategies for designing literacy instruction to meet the range of diverse learners in an inclusive general education setting. Participants will learn how inclusive design will enhance their teaching as well as how it will greatly impact student learning and progress. This session is applicable to all K-12 educators.
This qualitative research uncovers current and best inclusive practices in school-based transition programs for 18-21 year-old students with significant disabilities. Document analysis of published curricula, results of a mixed-method survey, and 24 semi-structured interviews offer multiple perspectives on the current status of transition programs as well as practices that uphold inclusivity, which are more likely to lead to inclusive adult life experiences. Findings show that many students expressed discontent with segregative aspects of transition programs and parents worked tirelessly to cobble together unique programs. Professional perspectives reveal that low-expectations often guided program decisions that led to segregative practices. Examples of promising and inclusive practices are also uncovered in the study. A review of the literature on inclusive transition programming and disability studies theoretical lens contextualize research findings.
Although research documents an association between low expectations and poor community living and participation (CLP) outcomes for individuals with ID, there remains a gap in understanding which factors most impactfully influence expectations; a gap that prevents an advancement of meaningful and effective policies and strategies in support of positive CLP outcomes. Further, research on CLP outcomes commonly excludes individuals with/family members of individuals with ID- thereby limiting an understanding of those most influential/impacted by low expectations and diminished CLP outcomes. Disentangling research on the factors that influence CLP expectations has the potential to enhance CLP outcomes by highlighting the factors that should be maximized to enhance expectations or addressed to minimize low expectations.
The 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known as ESSA, includes a 1% cap on state-level participation rates in the alternate assessment. Enforcement of this policy has required many states to revisit their alternate assessment participation criteria and implementation. Through engaging in processes to decrease alternate assessment participation, states have reported some push back from teachers as they navigate how to design effective school programming for students who have switched from the alternate to the general state assessment. State and district leaders need resources to support educators who are serving students who have shifted from the alternate assessment to general assessment. This presentation will showcase a series of newly-developed, research-based free resources that states, districts, and schools can use to ensure that all students with disabilities have equitable access to rigorous learning - no matter what assessment they take.
How can people with disabilities have access to a life on an equal basis with others without access to autonomy, communication and an ability to control their environment? Civil rights policy, legislation, and regulations mean very little without access to these basic principles and tools. Join us to learn how our Supported Decision-Making Project (SDM) discovered that supporting young folks to develop skills in one of these areas was mutually reinforcing in all areas. Gaining decision-making skills brings employment opportunities, greater social connections and higher self-esteem. SDM is an important component of a self-directed and self-determined life. Hear from young people with disabilities how attaining the role of ‘decision-maker’ required and relied upon the growth and development of additional skills. In addition, we will show that improvements in access to communication and other assistive technology can positively impact decision making abilities.
Dana Lloyd has been engaged in advocacy with people experiencing injustice on both a personal and professional level for over two decades. Dana currently serves as director of the Developmental Disabilities program at the Georgia Advocacy Office and coordinates the GA Supported Decision... Read More →
Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST
Imperial 5AHyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113