Register by August 11 and save 15% with the early-bird rate! 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!  

Announcing the 7th Annual Summit - Performance Management in Vocational Rehabilitation! Join this year's summit September 8-9, at the Hyatt Regency Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky. The event is hosted by the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Kentucky Office for the Blind, Indiana Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, University of Kentucky Rehabilitation Counseling Program, TACE Regions 4 and 5, The Summit Group: Performance Management in Vocational Rehabilitation, and The Rehabilitation Program Evaluation Network (RPEN). Registrations are due by August 29, 2014.

This summer, are the young people you serve/teach/parent working or volunteering? According to the PACER Center, summer work and volunteer experiences can mean successful employment after high school for youth with disabilities.

The June 17, 2014 Promising Practices - Outreach to Transition Age Youth teleconference is now archived on the Virginia Commonwealth University National Training Center website.

Career Development: Preparation, Integration, and Collaboration by K. Webb, J. Repetto, J. Seabrooks-Blackmore, K.B. Patterson, and K. Alderfer (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(3), 231-238) examines the history, impact, models and essential components of career development, as well as how to integrate career development into academic and community arenas. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

Person-centered Planning for Transition-aged Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders by D. Hagner, A. Kurtz, J. May, and H. Cloutier (Journal of Rehabilitation, 80(1), 4-10) reports study findings suggesting that person-centered planning can be an effective tool for enhancing participation in transition planning by youth with ASD. Implications for rehabilitation counselors are discussed. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

School-to-work Barriers as Identified by Special Educators, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors, and Community Rehabilitation Professionals by T. Riesen, J. Schultz, R. Morgan, and S. Kupferman (Journal of Rehabilitation, 80(1), 33-44) reports 84 moderate-to-high impact barriers across 12 domains. Highest-rated domains included lack of student involvement/skills, parent/family involvement, and interagency collaboration. Highest-impact barriers included students' lack of employment skills, long-term supports, and students' and parents' unrealistic expectations for outcomes. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

Critical Program Elements in Transition to Adulthood: Comparative Analysis of New York State and the NLTS2 by A. Karpur, D. Brewer, and T. Golden (Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 37(2), 119-130) reports the findings of a study examining the contributions of various transition program elements to student postsecondary outcomes. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

The Washington Post Magazine published a letter written by Assistant Labor Secretary Kathy Martinez addressing how people with disabilities can return to the workforce. The letter includes links to a number of employment-related resources.

The Workforce Recruitment Program connects federal and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are seeking summer or permanent jobs.

The Northeast ADA Center is now offering tutorials for employers and service providers to help with accommodating employees and veterans with disabilities.

The National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision recently released presentations from its 2014 State of the Science Conference on Improving Employment Outcomes for Individuals Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired.

The Workplace Mentoring Primer was developed "for employers and employees interested in establishing formal mentoring relationships and offers specific strategies, tools and activities for implementation. The Primer is based on the premise that workplace mentoring is a strategy to increase the retention, job performance and career advancement of any employee, but it is especially critical in supporting the inclusion of employees with disabilities, women and minorities."

Should People with Disabilities Work in Their Communities? Or do they earn more from governmental subsidies? [PDF] reports that while people may lose some government subsidies as a result of being employed, they gain far more money than they lose. In addition, they realize a number of non-monetary benefits through employment.

Group Discovery Training: Making Connections is a guest post on the LEAD Center Blog. The post, written by Janet Steveley, a senior consultant with Griffin-Hammis Associates and a LEAD Center subject matter expert, discusses the LEAD Center's recent group discovery efforts in Kansas for its Customized Employment Initiative.

Leveling Up to Business-Focused Job Development by J. Royer (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(2), 131-136) explores aspects of business-based job development, such as striking the right tone, developing an elevator pitch, doing research, under-promising, and closing the sale. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

Research Brief: Employer Practices and Policies Regarding the Employment of Persons with Disabilities [PDF] summarizes the results of a survey designed "to assess human resource professionals' perceptions of barriers to the employment of individuals with disabilities as well as to measure the level of implementation of disability inclusive practices and policies in their workplaces."

H.R. 803, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), has passed the House and Senate and is headed to President Obama for his signature. The bill is intended to streamline and improve the nation's workforce development system. It includes an expectation of competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities and promotes greater emphasis on transition services for youth with disabilities.The June 26, 2014 issue of Disability Scoop featured an article describing some of the changes WIOA will bring to transition services.

The Supreme Court's Olmstead decision turns 15 years old this summer. Olmstead's Role in Community Integration for People with Disabilities Under Medicaid: 15 Years After the Supreme Court's

Olmstead Decision examines the role of the decision in helping people with disabilities gain access to services to support successful community living.

The State of Rhode Island has entered into a consent decree [PDF] with the U.S. Department of Justice to create integrated employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. The agreement may serve as a blueprint for other states.

From College to Careers: Fostering Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in STEM contains chapters prepared by four groups of invited authors exploring current issues and future directions for improving the academic success and career entry rate of postsecondary students with disabilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

The Faces and Facts of Disability is a Social Security Administration disability education and awareness initiative. Visit the initiative website to access videos, factsheets, and quizzes about Social Security Disability Insurance and disability in general.

Capti Narrator can be used to listen to news, blogs, and documents from browsers, Dropbox, Google Drive, clipboards, and Instapaper. Capti Narrator v1.6 offers both free and premium ($1.99-$4.99) synthetic voices speaking in multiple languages and accents.

BridgingApps provides caregivers and professionals with resources for choosing apps to enhance everyday life for people with disabilities. Their app review system focuses on skills rather than age, diagnosis or developmental level.

The Summer 2014: Self-Advocacy Edition of the AT Program News is now available.

The ADA Anniversary website houses an ADA Anniversary Tool Kit, which contains background and history on the ADA, information about the Supreme Court's Olmstead Decision prohibiting the unnecessary institutionalization of persons with disabilities, case law updates, and other resources.

The Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center (KTER) website offers information tailored to Vocational Rehabilitation practitioners and other employment support professionals.

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.