In this season of thanks, the Southeast TACE team would like to express our gratitude for everyone who has been a part of making the TACE a success. Sadly, federal funding for regional TACE centers ended effective September 30, 2014. Therefore, this will be the final TACE Talks Transition. All other TACE activities, including the networks, email distribution lists, webinars, etc. have been completed. Although the Southeast TACE website is "live" for now, content will eventually be distributed to states and to New Editions, which was awarded the Rehabilitation Services Administration clearinghouse contract.

We are proud of the work the Southeast TACE staff and you, our partners, have accomplished over the past five years. TACE staff were focused in their efforts and addressed the strongest needs they saw regionally and nationally. Toward this end, they conducted a needs assessment and identified two major areas of challenge: Employment of People with the Most Significant Disabilities and Transition. Then they devoted themselves to providing technical assistance and continuing education activities around these areas of challenge, striving to deliver services that would meet the strategic goals and program performance needs of state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies and community partners. To summarize a few of the highlights:

• Hosted monthly National VR Transition Network webinars and the network website. The information was specifically geared to VR, rather than to educators or families.
• Disseminated findings from work in the southeast at regional and national conferences.
• Hosted over 200 webinars.
• Established projects around Customized Employment, which finally gave states and agencies a viable option to work with people with the most significant disabilities. The goal had been to extend this practice throughout the region.
• In the area of Transition, the emphasis was on employment. TACE staff brought in subject matter experts from around the country on internship and other employment-related topics.
• Introduced Asset Development and Financial Literacy to the country as key topics in the employment of people with disabilities. Although TACE staff didn't get far with this project, they were able to pilot it in a couple of states and show what an important part asset development and financial literacy are of VR services. It takes benefits planning to a whole new level.
• Created, facilitated, and maintained networks (Transition, Job Development, Fiscal Operations, etc.) for collaboration and coordination.
• Created, facilitated and maintained an active Community of Practice (COP) with agencies using Customized Employment strategies.
• Both the networks and the COP provided forums for agencies to receive technical assistance in groups, share information, and bring in subject matter experts when needed.
• Because of the Southeast TACE team's strong commitment to evaluate our center's impact on state agencies, staff encouraged those agencies to continually evaluate and demonstrate the effectiveness of technical assistance, continuing education, etc.

Our TACE received a "no-cost extension" to fund wrap-up activities, particularly around Customized Employment. Staff members are currently working with programs to sustain the network and Customized Employment (CE) projects. Lots of time and effort went into the CE projects, so we are pushing to evaluate their effectiveness and identify ways for them to continue.

By following a business model of finding expertise where it already exists instead of building a big TACE staff, we have been fortunate to work with top-notch subject matter experts regionally and nationally. We have welcomed the opportunity to promote the Southeast's regional identity, both through facilitating connections within the region and through our visible efforts at the national level. We are thankful for your participation in the various TACE activities over the years, for your comments and critiques that encouraged us to continually improve and expand the services we offered, and for your commitment and dedication to helping people with disabilities achieve their dreams. It has been a great run!

Chip Kenney, Southeast TACE Project Director and Principle Investigator

Predictors of Successful Transition from School to Employment for Youth with Disabilities by P. Wehman, P. Adam, P. Sima, J. Ketchum, M.D. West, F. Chan, and R. Luecking (Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 2014) reports that employment training and work experiences in high school and high parental expectations are critical aspects of the transition process for youth with disabilities. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

Literature Review of Five Federal Systems Serving Transition Age Youth with Disabilities Final Report [PDF] released by the Office of Disability Employment Policy summarizes the role, extent of use, central programs, authorizing legislation, challenges and recommendations for the vocational rehabilitation, social security, juvenile justice, behavioral health and workforce investment systems.

The Council for Exceptional Children Division on Career Development and Transition produces Fast Fact Sheets on a variety of topics, including community experiences, parental involvement, goal setting, paid work and more.

NCWD/Youth recently published the Guiding Your Success Tool, which is designed to help youth and young adults think about and plan for the future. The guide follows the five key transition areas identified in the Guideposts for Success.

How Can We Get More People with Disabilities Employed in Their Communities? Decreasing Service Costs While Improving Employment Outcomes [PDF] emphasizes the importance of beginning transition preparation at an early age, along with offering volunteer opportunities and community-based transition experiences as stepping stones to employment.

Transition from School to Adulthood for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: What We Know and What We Need to Know by P. Wehman, C. Schall, S. Carr, P. Targett, M. West, and G. Cifu (Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 25(1), 30-40) reviews key elements of the transition to adulthood for youth with ASD and offers recommendations for policy and practice. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

Does Providing Transition Services by Age 14 Produce Better Vocational Outcomes for Students with Intellectual Disability? by R. Cimera, S. Burgess, and P.L. Bedesem (Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 39(1), 47-54) reports study findings that youth from states requiring transition services to be addressed by age 14 were more likely to be employed by the time their cases were closed than students from states requiring transition services to be addressed by age 16. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

Employing People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is a recently released report from the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp). According to i4cp, the report "provides compelling data and inspiring success stories to showcase this talented pool of workers that are exceeding expectations in driving business results from companies that are household names." (Free registration is required to download the document.)

The 2014 National Study of Employers - Including the Talents of Employees with Disabilities [PDF] by the Families and Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management reviews workplace characteristics that promote inclusion of employees with disabilities, including: workplace flexibility, employee resource groups, and formal staffing plans.

Thinking Outside the Employment Box: Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Share Their Self-Employment Success Stories [PDF] introduces readers to Iowa entrepreneurs who have found creative ways to leverage their skills, talents, abilities, resources, and social connections into creating their perfect job.

Evolving Views on Disability Disclosure in the Workplace, a report from the Certification of Disability Management Specialists Commission, discusses a number of issues related to workplace disability disclosure.

Vermont Closed Workshops for People with Disabilities; What Happened Next? by Halle Stockton reports the findings of a PublicSource investigation into the after-effects of Vermont's sheltered workshop closures more than a decade ago.

Getting a Job, Keeping a Job: Services and Supports That Promote Employment among People with Disabilities [Video], a September 2014 Mathematica Policy Research webinar, is archived and available for viewing. Presenters discussed:

• Factors associated with achieving return-to-work milestones among SSDI beneficiaries
• The effectiveness of programs by state vocational rehabilitation agencies
• Services, supports, and strategies used by people with disabilities to find and keep work
• Lessons learned that can inform the design of future programs to foster employment

The WIOA Resource Page provides information and resources for states, local areas, non-profits and other stakeholders to assist with implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

In October, the LEAD Center released Summary of Major Policies Included in Titles I and IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a policy brief summarizing major amendments to Titles I and IV of the Workforce Investment Act from a disability perspective.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy has launched a web page for the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities. Visit the page to learn about committee meetings, reports and resources. The committee consists of both federal officials and private citizens from specific groups identified in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) legislation.

The September 2014 LEAD On! quarterly e-newsletter includes articles about the WIOA, workplace flexibility, return-to-work strategies, and more.

In September 2014, Senator Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, released Fulfilling the Promise: Overcoming Persistent Barriers to Economic Self-Sufficiency for People with Disabilities [PDF]. The report examines barriers people with disabilities face as they strive to work their way out of poverty.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy website houses a Workplace Flexibility Toolkit, which includes case studies, fact and tip sheets, issue briefs, reports, articles, websites, other toolkits, and frequently-asked questions.

The 2014 edition of the National Disability Policy: A Progress Report from the National Council on Disability focuses on seven key areas: the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, employment access and inclusion, subminimum wage, education outcomes, Medicaid managed care, mental health care, and data trends in disability policy.

The Collaboration to Promote Self-Determination recently released an issue brief [PDF] on the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. The brief shares the background and current status of the bill.

An Inclusive Rural Post-Secondary Education Program for Students with Intellectual Disabilities by S.M. Ryan (Rural Special Education Quarterly, 33(2), 18-28) describes Think College Vermont, a transition program for students with intellectual disabilities attending a rural postsecondary education program. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)

In 2015, monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will increase by 1.7%. For Social Security beneficiaries, the increase will start in January; for SSI beneficiaries the increase will begin on December 31, 2014.

To Siri, With Love is an article from The New York Times about a 13-year-old boy with autism who has become best friends with Siri, Apple's "intelligent personal assistant" on his iPhone.

Bridging Apps is a free newsletter from Easter Seals of Houston. The newsletter strives to bridge the gap between technology and people with disabilities.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Clearinghouse for Labor Evaluation and Research has included a Disability Employment Policy topic area that "focuses on research determining which programs have been most effective at improving direct labor market outcomes such as employment and earnings; improving education and health status, which may affect a person's ability to work; and decreasing federal disability benefit receipt."

PEATworks.org is a web portal spearheaded by the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology. The site houses accessible technology tools and resources.

The Center on Technology and Disability (CTD) recently launched the CTD Institute website, which houses the CTD Library, Café (moderated chat), and Learning Center.