September 2013

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TACE Talks Transition 
Monthly Transition Information from the Southeast TACE

TACE Training Archives

 

2010 - 2013 TACE webinar recordings, handouts and PowerPoint slideshows are archived and available for you to access at your convenience.
TACE Learning Community
 

The Asset Development Exchange (ADX) is designed to improve employment outcomes and retention through financial stability. Asset building strategies and information can sometimes make the difference between an unsuccessful closure and a successful employment outcome. SE TACE wants to ensure counselors have the information and resources they need to assist their clients in obtaining financial stability.

 

TACE's Job Development Exchange (JDX) provides vocational rehabilitation professionals with the information and tools they need to successfully engage employers and address a wide range of barriers to employment.

Upcoming Training Events

Career Development: Using Principles of Discovery and Career Enhancement

September 10-23, 2013

Cost: $159

This 2-week, 18-hour web training focuses on developing career paths through innovative vocational assessment, career development skills, and vocational profiling for youth and adults with disabilities. Topics include self-determination, the discovery process, and situational assessments. We also discuss entry jobs versus dream jobs, self-employment, career exploration strategies, self-presentation, and more.  

 

Ticket to Work: Free Support Services for Young Adults in Transition

September 12, 2013

3:00-4:30 PM ET

This informative session is ideal for young people (18 years or older) who receive disability benefits and are interested in tips, tools and resources that will help make the transition to employment a smoother one.

 

Technology and Health: Aging Safely and More Independently

September 17, 2013

1:00-2:00 PM ET

Learn how technology is being designed and tested to help older adults remain healthy and live independently. (Although the focus of this webcast is on seniors, many of the technologies discussed will likely be of benefit to younger adults with disabilities.)  

 

Lights, Camera, Access: Spotlight on Disability Inclusive Diversity
Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2013
Los Angeles, California

Attend the U.S. Business Leadership Network's 16th Annual Conference, where you will gain actionable knowledge to build a business case for your disability inclusion initiatives and develop robust strategies that align with your organization's goals to create culturally competent workplaces.

 

Marketing and Job Development

October 2-15, 2013

Cost: $159

Join this two-week course covering the key principles and hands-on tools for finding jobs for people with disabilities and other high-unemployment groups.

 

31st Annual Closing The Gap Conference  October 9-11, 2013

Minneapolis, Minnesota

This year's conference builds on a tradition of providing a comprehensive examination of the most current uses of technology by persons with disabilities and the professionals who work with them.

 

A Time for Change... Sheltered Workshop Conversion

October 22-23, 2013

Burlington, Vermont

Cost: $350  

Examine the issues of policy change, training, and culture-shift needed to foster the conversion of sheltered workshops to community-based employment services. State policy makers, Developmental Services, VR, Advocates, and Families are encouraged to attend.  

 

Innovative Research on Employer Practices: Improving Employment for People with Disabilities

October 22-23, 2013

Washington, DC

This state-of-the-science conference is hosted by the NIDRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employer Practices Related to Employment Outcomes among Individuals with Disabilities (EP-RRTC).

 

DCDT International Conference

November 14-16, 2013

Williamsburg, Virginia

The Division on Career Development and Transition will host its 17th International Conference. This year's theme will be "Leaders for Life, No Limits...No Boundaries."

 

Inclusive Higher Education: Moving from Good Ideas to Great Outcomes

November 16-17, 2013

Washington, DC

Cost: $190

This event will feature both general and concurrent sessions on topics such as Current Strategies, Lessons Learned, Policy and Legislation, Funding, and more. Come, learn, share, and stay to network with colleagues from across the country at the Inclusive Higher Education Reception.

 

A Movement United - 2013 TASH Conference

December 11-14, 2013

Chicago, Illinois

The TASH Conference connects attendees to innovative information and resources, facilitates connections between stakeholders in the disability movement, and helps attendees reignite their passion for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life.  

 

Other Learning Opportunities
Virginia Commonwealth University is offering a number of webcourses this fall. Visit the WorkSupport website for topics and registration information.

 

The archived webinar Promoting Employment - Discovering Your Potential: Using Discovery to Identify Your Employment Goals is now available from the LEAD Center.

 

 

Greetings!  

Welcome to the monthly electronic Southeast TACE Talks Transition! red-green-leaf.jpg We've gathered transition-related information from across the country to help you guide the young people you serve successfully into adulthood. 

 

We encourage you to let us know about your creative local practices, transition tips for VR Counselors, and Customized Employment success stories. Send an email to Kim Brown at brown@ruralinstitute.umt.edu and she'll schedule a telephone interview with you to learn more about what you are doing. The information will be written up and shared in a future TACE Talks Transition and on the TACE Transition Services web site.  
  
Asset Development Exchange 30-Second Trainings:

Pooh Bear and Money Pot Cartoon

 

The Southeast TACE wants to help counselors have the information and resources you need to assist your clients in obtaining financial stability. Toward that end, we are producing 30-second trainings and posting them on the Southeast TACE Asset Development Exchange (ADX) webpage. This month, learn about Asset Development: Debt Considerations in Vocational Planning.

 

TACE News:

Visit the TACE Transition Services Network webpage for news highlights from the world of Transition.  

 

Transition:

Project SEARCH for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Increasing Competitive Employment on Transition from High School by Wehman, Schall, McDonough, Molinelli, Riehle, Ham, and Thiss (Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 15(3), 144-155), uses case studies to describe and illustrate how Project SEARCH was used to support youth with autism spectrum disorder become competitively employed. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
 

The Soft Skills to Pay the Bills video series and discussion guide are now available on DVD. The Soft Skills to Pay the Bills curriculum focuses on teaching workforce readiness skills to youth.

 

State Differences in the Vocational Rehabilitation Experiences of Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities [PDF] reports the findings of a study of transition-age youth with disabilities who applied for VR services from 2004 through 2006. Researchers sought to answer three questions:

  • "To what extent does each state's population of transition-age youth with disabilities apply for VR services?
  • Among those who apply, how likely is it that a transition-age youth will receive services?
  • What proportion of youth who receive VR services have their cases closed with an employment outcome, and how does that compare with the employment rate for the state's entire population of transition-age youth with disabilities?"
Announcements: 

The Youth Action Council on Transition (Youth ACT) seeks youth who want to develop leadership and advocacy skills, and professionals or organizations who want to increase the youth voice, leadership, and youth-adult partnerships. Youth ACT is a national project to get more youth involved as leaders and partners with adults and youth-serving organizations to improve youth transition outcomes. NCWD/Youth will select four teams consisting of two emerging youth leaders (youth, ages 12-25, who have disabilities or are allies of the disability community), one adult partner, and a sponsoring organization to participate in this four-year initiative. Applications are due by September 13, 2013. For more information, contact NCWD/Youth at farrj@iel.org or by calling 202-822-8405, Extension 145.

 

Employers, human resource professionals, and all others with expertise and insight into disability employment issues are invited to join the online What Can We Do? Conversation for Change September 9-11, 2013. This Employer Dialogue will center around the question, "What services do you need to facilitate the hiring, retention and advancement of people with disabilities?" Participants may submit ideas and comments and/or vote on others' ideas and comments. Registration is required.

 

Trends in Employment Outcomes of Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Eight States, 2004-2011 [PDF] summarizes the employment and economic outcomes for young adults with intellectual disabilities based on data from the American Community Survey, the Rehabilitation Services Administration 911 dataset, and the National Core Indicators.  Data are provided for the eight states participating in the Partnerships in Employment project: Alaska, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

 

Employment:

Case Studies of Emerging/Innovative Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Practices in Improving Employment Outcomes for Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities summarizes four promising VR employment practices for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

 

The U.S. Business Leadership Network® and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce held a disability employment summit in July. Prior to the summit, business leaders were asked to share their successful disability inclusion practices and those practices were captured in the report Leading Practices on Disability Inclusion.

 

Understanding the Competencies Needed to Customize Jobs: A Competency Model for Customized Employment by Harvey, Szoc, Dela Rosa, Pohl, and Jenkins (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, Volume 38(2), Pgs. 77-89) describes the development of a customized employment competency model. The verified model contains 31 tasks grouped into four Customized Employment components, and 83 KSAOs (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics) grouped into nine competencies. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)   

 

Dale DILeo's latest blog post, Mixed Marketing: How Job Development Can Be Hindered by Typical Agency Communications, offers marketing tips for job development agencies.

 

Flex-Time & Contract Work Are Very Accommodating explains what flex-time is and which industries are most likely to offer it. The blog post also talks about contract work and how both this and flex-time can be options for people with disabilities or health issues that are difficult to accommodate in the traditional workplace.

 

Services and Supports People with Disabilities Need to Stay Employed [PDF] explores the services, supports, and accommodations workers with disabilities use and how they obtain these services and supports.

National News: 

In late August, the U.S. Department of Labor announced two new rules that will be published shortly in the Federal Register and will take effect 180 days later. The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) rule requires federal contractors to establish an annual hiring benchmark. The Section 503 (of the Rehabilitation Act) rule establishes a hiring goal for federal contractors and subcontractors that 7 percent of each job group in their workforce be qualified individuals with disabilities. 

 

What Were the Top Outcomes of State Medicaid Infrastructure (MIG) Grants? [PDF] reports the findings of a 2012 Mathematica survey of 44 states that received MIG funding in 2011.

 

The National Governors Association released A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities - Blueprint for Governors [PDF]. According to Delaware Governor Markell, NGA Chair, "This blueprint focuses on the employment of people with disabilities and the role of states in assisting businesses." The report discusses five key areas policymakers should consider when determining how to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities:

  • Make disability employment part of the state workforce development strategy.
  • Support businesses in their efforts to employ people with disabilities.
  • Increase the number of people with disabilities working in state government.
  • Prepare youth with disabilities for careers that use their full potential, providing employers with a pipeline of skilled workers.
  • Make the best use of limited resources to advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
 
Post-Secondary Education:

graduates-sm.jpg  

Profiles and Promising Practices in Higher Education for Students with Intellectual Disability identifies and describes promising postsecondary education programs serving students with ID.

 

The Transition Activity Calendar is an online transition tool created to help students with visual impairments prepare for postsecondary education. The tool covers middle school through the summer before college.

 

Navigating College: A Handbook on Self Advocacy Written for Autistic Students from Autistic Adults is now available for online purchase.

 

The Think College website features a series of personal College Stories related to postsecondary education for students with intellectual disabilities.

 

How Studying Abroad Boosts Employability of Students with Disabilities on the Global Career Compass Blog suggests that study abroad may be one way to reduce the education and employment gap between people with and without disabilities.

Social Security:

The Social Security Administration recently published a final rule [PDF] announcing it will start using the term "intellectual disability" instead of "mental retardation." 

 

Technology:

The Fall 2013: Assistive Technology (AT) for Learning - Success Story Smackdown! features articles about dyslexia and AT, classroom teachers learning and implementing AT, eye-friendly text-to-speech software, and more.

 

Tablet-based Video Modeling and Prompting in the Workplace for Individuals with Autism by Burke, Allen, Howard, Downey, Matz, and Bowen (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 38(1), 1-14) reports the findings of a study conducting worksite testing of computer video modeling and prompting software for individuals with autism.  (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

 

Visual Supports for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders by Newton, Eren, and Ben-Avie (Journal of Special Education Technology,  28(2), 53-56) reports the findings of a pilot study in which the iPrompts v.t.2.1 software app was used to create customizable visual supports for participants. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

 

In her August 9, 2013 Disability Is Natural online newsletter, Kathie Snow features "Ordinary Needs," a thought-provoking article about assistive technology.

 

Websites:

Power Up! Apps for Kids with Special Needs and Learning Differences is a website listing a number of educational apps in six categories: Communication, Social Interaction, Organization, Reading, Mathematics and Motor Skills. Apps are also grouped according to their level of difficulty (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced).

 

The new WorkSupport.com website provides information, resources and research about work and disability issues.

 

The Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology in Post-Secondary Education website includes tools and resources for "both higher educational institutions to improve assistive technology service delivery, as well as student directed resources to increase self-advocacy skills and increase successful integration of assistive technology in the new environment."

 

Visit the NICHCY website to find helpful organizations in your state or to search the National Organizations Gateway.

 

The Friendship Circle App Review allows you to search through over 1000 apps categorized by platform, category and price.

 

Have you accessed your Portal today?

Visit the TACE Transition Services web site. In the "Login For" section on the left-hand side of your screen, select "Counselor" or "Coordinator." This will take you to the "Login to MyTACE Account" page. You will use your MyTACE Account to register for available events, seek applicable credit, and access your specialized portal - Transition Services Counselor or Coordinator. 

 

Attended a TACE Webinar? You may already have created a MyTACE Account. If you have a MyTACE Account, email tacesoutheast@law.syr.edu and request to join the TACE Transition Network. If you don't already have a MyTACE account, follow the instructions to "Create a New MyTACE Account" and also apply for Portal access.

Please forward this TACE Talks Transition to others. Invite them to subscribe by joining the Southeast TACE Transition Listserv. To join the listserv, they simply visit the Southeast TACE Transition Services web site and follow the Transition E-Mail-List link . We'll take it from there!  
 
If you have any questions about TACE or would like to request technical assistance, please contact Civa Shumpert at norciva@gmail.com.

For questions about the Southeast TACE Transition Listserv or the monthly Southeast TACE Talks Transition, please contact Kim Brown at brown@ruralinstitute.umt.edu

Sincerely,
The Southeast TACE Transition Team
Meet the Southeast TACE Transition Team
 
Chip Kenney, Project Director & Principal Investigator
Jill Houghton, Deputy Director
Norciva (Civa) Shumpert, TACE Transition Consultant
About the Southeast TACE Talks Transition:
This free service is being sponsored by Southeast TACE, the Technical Assistance & Continuing Education (TACE) Center for Region IV. TACE is a partnership of academic, governmental, and community expertise that provides technical assistance and continuing education activities to meet the training and organizational development needs of State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies and their partners in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Southeast TACE supports VR, Community Rehabilitation Programs, Centers for Independent Living, Client Assistance Programs, and other agencies to enhance employment outcomes, independent functioning, independent living and quality of life for persons with disabilities throughout the eight states in the Southeast Region IV.
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