Join professionals and advocates in the region for a one-day Regional Conference Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at the Loudermilk Center in Atlanta, Georgia, entitled Promoting Self Determined Futures.  This regional conference is cosponsored by Southeast TACE and the Georgia DD Council. Participants will learn the philosophy and values that guide practice; successful transition self-directed planning; employment experiences during high school and post-secondary options that lead to employment; and roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder. Participants will also hear from a mother and daughter team about their transition experiences through high school and into the community, and from an attorney about alternatives to guardianship that increase self-determination and empower people with disabilities to exercise their legal capacity. Each workshop during the conference has specific objectives that allow participants to take principles and apply them immediately to their schools and communities. Please spread the word!

NC TASH will be hosting its annual Summer Retreat for Families on Secondary Transition June 19-20, 2014. During this time, NC TASH will be inviting experts in the field of secondary transition and adult services to lead breakout sessions on a variety of topics. In addition, there will be a TASH Night Out held which will allow parents and advocates to mix and mingle while enjoying a night of great food and entertainment. These events will provide a wonderful opportunity for parents to network and become involved in advocacy efforts in North Carolina. Lodging will be provided on the campus of Western Carolina University. For more information, please contact Kelly Kelley.

The OSU Nisonger Center E-Mentoring Curriculum includes an emphasis on electronic and face-to-face mentoring in addition to the creation of a Transition Portfolio through technology literacy, career, and reading instruction.

The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute posted five "research snapshots" addressing autism-related topics including Supporting Independence in Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum and Equipping Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders for Adulthood: Promoting Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships.

A Comprehensive Approach to Transition was produced by members of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities to help people work together to support the self-determined transition of youth to adulthood and community life.

Does Providing Transition Services Early Enable Students with ASD to Achieve Better Vocational Outcomes as Adults? by R.E. Cimera, S. Burgess, and A. Wiley (Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 38(2), 88-93) reports study findings that individuals who received transition services by age 14 were significantly more likely to be employed than those who received transition services later (by age 16). They also appeared to earn more and cost less to serve. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
 

Transition Services for Youth with Autism: A Systematic Review  identifies qualitative research that addressed elements of potential successful employment placements for individuals with ASD. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

Employment First Across the Nation: Progress on the Policy Front is a Policy Research Brief using an interactive online map to show how states are adopting Employment First policies.

Is Supported Employment a Good Investment for Taxpayers? Or Are Sheltered Workshops Cheaper to Operate? [PDF] summarizes the results of several recent studies that attempt to answer these questions.

Employing People with Autism is a Washington Post article about a Virginia Commonwealth University research study based on the Project SEARCH model.

5 Ways to Keep Your Home-Based Business Running Smoothly suggests basic rules for running a successful business from home.

The State of the Science of Employment and Economic Self-Sufficiency for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities by D. Nord, R. Luecking, D. Mank, et al (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51(5), 376-384) examines the literature on the effectiveness of the current employment support system, employment-specific interventions, and more. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

Thousands of Disabled Oregon Workers Could Benefit from U.S. Settlement in Rhode Island describes legal efforts underway to move Oregonians with severe disabilities out of sheltered workshops and into the general workforce.

When Experience Pays: Paid vs. Unpaid Internships outlines the criteria that must be applied to unpaid internships under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The U.S. Department of Justice reached an American with Disabilities Act Settlement Agreement with Rhode Island. In the agreement, the state committed to overhaul its system of sheltered workshops and day programs for people with disabilities.

Working in the Community: The Status and Outcomes of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Integrated Employment [PDF], a National Core Indicators Data Brief, "describes the employment status of individuals supported by state ID/DD agencies and compares participating states in terms of proportions of service recipients in different types of community employment."

Individual Characteristics and Employment Outcomes among People with Disabilities: A Critical Review of the Literature presents an overview of the recent literature on employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities and how they vary by individual characteristics.

The American Association of People with Disabilities has released the 2013 Compendium on Disability Statistics.

The 6X15 Campaign, led by six national disability organizations, seeks to achieve six national goals by the end of 2015. Goals are in areas such as Transition, Employment, and Education.

Online Learning for College Students with Disabilities serves as a guide to distance learning for students with disabilities. Learn how to work with disability services, employ assistive technology, evaluate online programs, and succeed in the virtual classroom.

The AJ Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at UConn Health Center is seeking adults with autism [PDF] who are either current or past college students to participate in a study. The study will examine the experiences of college students with autism in order to identify novel ways to improve academic and social outcomes.

Making College Affordable: A Guide for Students with Disabilities addresses funds for post-secondary education, online colleges, job resources for graduates, and more.

Life at University with Asperger Syndrome: A Comparison of Student and Staff Perspectives by F. Knott and A. Taylor (International Journal of Inclusive Education, 18(4), 411-426) explores the challenges, barriers and supports to students' successful progress through one university. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

Working at Home in the Ticket to Work Program is a guest blog written by Lisa Seeley, a Ticket to Work Program Participant.  

What Are Your Options to Pay for Assistive Devices? [PDF] covers a variety of funding resources, including public and private health insurance, non-profit organizations, clinical trials and more.

ScanDo! is an app currently in beta testing that will allow individuals with cognitive challenges to scan a QR code and receive simple video or text instructions.

Using Tablets to Reach Kids with Autismis a CNN Tech article that provides real-world examples of how tablets can be used as tools for kids with autism and other disabilities.

Autism Q&A: Introduction to Alternative and Augmentative Communication defines AAC and then explores questions such as, "What are the most common forms of AAC?" and "What are the pros and cons of each?"

The Spring 2014 AT Program News focuses on cultural accessibility, including Proloquo4Text in Spanish and other app options for non-English AAC.

The newly reorganized Youth to Work Coalition website houses resources organized across eight work-based learning experience categories: career exploration, job shadowing, job sampling, service learning, internships, apprenticeships, paid employment, and mentoring.  Within each category, resources are organized for the following audiences: schools, businesses, youth service professionals, families, and youth with disabilities.

The Autism Now website includes a page of job-related subjects such as employment research and reports, supported employment, transition planning for job opportunities, vocational rehabilitation and more.

The Virginia Department of Education has launched the Center on Transition Innovations website. The site is designed to be a centralized statewide resource for educators and other stakeholders in the transition of youth with disabilities.

State Employment First activities and initiatives can be tracked on the Association of People Supporting Employment First website.

Easter Seals Project Action is a federally funded training and technical assistance center cooperative agreement between Easter Seals, Inc. and the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration. Congress originally commissioned Easter Seals Project ACTION in 1988 as a research and demonstration project to improve access to public transportation for people with disabilities.

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.