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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Our research centers on historically marginalized families and their experiences during the IEP process, emphasizing the need for opportunities for advocacy and participation. School-based teams need to approach collaboration with families from an asset-based approach (Sauer & Rossetti, 2020) and educators can learn from practices associated with cultural humility to inform their relationships with diverse families (Trainor, 2010). We conducted semi-structured interviews with families and caregivers to gather first-hand accounts of their experience with decision-making and advocacy during IEP development. In particular, we asked participants how they were able to provide input on placements and services for their child. We will present our findings from a qualitative analysis and share the online resources that we developed to empower families by increasing their understanding of special education terminology, their rights under IDEA, and their confidence in advocating for their child.
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 →
Friday December 6, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin HHyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
We examined the social support networks of parents of adults with IDD, including members of their support networks, satisfaction with network members, and supports parents need to be effective caregivers for their adult son or daughter with IDD. Findings point to small social networks and the need for tangible support, social support, help navigating services, and future planning. Findings have important implications for research, practice, and policy.
Assistant Professor of Special Education, California State University Long Beach
Hello! My name is Kelli Sanderson. I am an Assistant Professor of Special Education at California State University, Long Beach. I am also coordinator of the Special Education graduate program and the Applied Disability Studies certificate. I am focused on advocacy and collaboration... Read More →
State developmental disability systems provide critical supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. But, many people with autism and medically fragile children may not qualify for services. Hear how North Dakota is partnering with self-advocates and families to redefine their approach to supports through the lens of the All.
The right to education in the least restrictive environment is at the foundation of IDEA. This research-based presentation examines how students with disabilities are losing this right and segregated through voucher programs. The study focused on three of the largest special needs voucher programs in the United States: those in Florida, Georgia and Ohio. These programs and the largest private special education schools within these states were found to be silent on the right to education in the LRE. Descriptions and analysis of how this occurs will show that special needs vouchers are manipulatively framed to undermine inclusive education. Neighborhood schooling and inclusion are rendered invisible and invalid through the “manipulative silences†of “choice†policy. This analysis draws connections between historical segregation, neoliberal ideology and the rhetoric of market choice. Implications regarding segregation, equity, and education policy will be discussed.
The transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities and their families can be challenging, as they learn to navigate new post-school environments, often without the necessary supports. Ideally, youth with disabilities connect to necessary post-school services while they are still in high school. However, families regularly report having limited information on post-high school options, & describe services as fragmented or unavailable (Gibson et al., 2017). The absence of strong post-school connections can inhibit community inclusion and may contribute to poor post-school employment, education, & community living outcomes (Prince et al., 2017; Sanford et al., 2011). To help further understand the personal networks and connectedness of youth, families, and transition team members, this research describes the use of egocentric network methodology and a data collection software to study the networks that families interact with as their youth gets ready to transition out of high school.
When it comes to securing competitive integrated employment (CIE), families may be an integral part of the process. Family members often provide support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across a variety of domains, including employment. For families to establish effective partnerships and help promote CIE outcomes, the field needs a more in-depth understanding of the current state of family involvement and its relationship with accessing and supporting employment outcomes. To fill this knowledge gap, a scoping review was conducted. The review revealed facilitators (i.e., advocacy, knowledge of supports and services, family expectations, contributing to obtaining employment, building a support network, and family member working), barriers (i.e., lack of family support, socioeconomic status, lack of knowledge, perceptions on abilities, and family challenges), support needs, and overall familial perspectives on employment outcomes.
A&M partnered with South Dakota to assess the Family Support 360 waiver and the Shared Living component of the CHOICES waiver, and to issue recommendations to maximize impact of these programs in helping to support South Dakotans with I/DD in the most interdependent settings possible. We worked with South Dakota Department of Human services to create a trajectory for the vision for developmental disabilities services. We used the Charting the LifeCourse trajectory tool to map out what was important for both people and their families, and the system. We started with the end in mind: the vision for DD services in South Dakota. Then, we partnered together to identify steps along the path to realizing the vision, including pitfalls to avoid.
Inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) is now a transitional opportunity for many students with intellectual/developmental disabilities. ThinkCollege, a national technical assistance, research, and evaluation center dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving higher education options for students with intellectual disability, now recognizes over 325 programs across the United States that provide these educational experiences. Transitioning to college from an IEP supported K-12 experience, students and families strive to engage in valued ways in higher education by finding the right fit of program for the interests and desires of the potential students and their families. Getting it "right" by preparing well during high school, growing in autonomous ways and developing a growth mindset are key. This session celebrates evidence of effectiveness for IPSE enfleshed with the experiences of a family and its members who qualify for IPSE sharing their preparation strategies.
This presentation discusses results of a qualitative study conducted with parents of children with disabilities enrolled in schools within an inclusive charter system. The purpose was to gain a better understanding of parent perspectives around how schools support a culture of belonging for families of students with disabilities, and to determine school practices which facilitate belonging. Data was collected from focus group interviews conducted with parents of elementary and middle school aged children with disabilities. Analysis was conducted using grounded theory methods. Implications of familial belonging and how schools can support family belonging will be discussed. By the end of the session, participants will be able to (a) understand the importance of familial belonging for families of students with disabilities and (b) identify key ways schools can promote familial belonging.
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
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 FHyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
