Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity

Pac Rim has been attracting diverse audiences for more than 30 years, and Pac Rim 2019 is no exception. We invite individuals with disabilities, their families, service providers, researchers, educators, employers, deep thinkers, change agents, policy makers and social entrepreneurs to join us in March 2019. By coming together and sharing we can energize one another and create opportunities to enhance our future.

Register Now for the 2019 Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity

The 2019 Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity will return to the Hawai‘i Convention Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i on March 4th and 5th. 

Just steps from Waikiki, the Hawai‘i Convention Center is an event destination like none other — a stunning marriage of form and function, open to sky and sun between the shade of terraces and lanais, graced with courtyards, waterfalls and fishponds to create a meetings and convention backdrop that is at once tranquil and invigorating.

National PTA and Safe and Supportive Schools

The National PTA has created two resources for both parents and families regarding school safety. The resource Safe and Supportive Schools: 20 Questions Every Parent Should Ask provides parents and families with actionable steps they can take to advocate for safe and supportive schools for their children based on  Framework for Safe and Successful Schools by the National Association of School Psychologists. The resource advises parents on which questions they should ask regarding school safety policies and student support services and provides "tips" and answers to expect based on best practices.

The  second resource  Safe and Supportive Schools: Mobilizing Family Stakeholders educates families on how to become active advocates for safe school environments. The three steps advised:

1. Get in the Know - be a proactive learner when it comes to educating yourself about school safety;
2. Ask Questions - speak to school administrators about the safety plan; and
3. Take Action - get involved.

Helping Youth with Disabilities Transition to Employment

Young people with disabilities, particularly those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), face unique challenges as they transition into adulthood. Even with targeted support services, they often fall behind their peers in their educational and economic attainment as adults. This issue points to the need for a stronger evidence base of promising initiatives that can improve employment and other adult outcomes for young SSI recipients.

Through the SSI Youth Recipient and Employment Transition Formative Research project, Mathematica has contributed to this evidence base by identifying:

• Promising programs and policies for youth receiving SSI, including potential research questions yet to be answered
• Intervention models or strategies that could be tested for assisting young SSI recipients with the transition to sustained and gainful employment

Resources developed from this project were informed by input from a panel of experts from federal and state agencies, practitioners, researchers, consumer groups, and other stakeholders, collectively known as the Community of Practice. With input from the Community of Practice, Mathematica produced several new resources for policymakers and program practitioners, including a series of webinars that explored important topics related to serving youth SSI recipeints.

Article Link

Unique Transition Issues for Youth with TBI

Details:

Janet Williams, founder and president of Minds Matter, LLC and Community Works Inc, will share her experience educating and supporting children with traumatic brain injury and families of those affected by TBI.

For Registration, click here

Contact Information

NTACT
ntactmail@uncc.edu

Inclusion Tips for the General Education Teacher

Most teachers in general education – elementary and content-area secondary programs – are only given one survey course in special education and very little practical instruction in how to address the needs of all their students.

As a result, many feel overwhelmed with trying to reach all of the children in their courses. Ensuring all students can learn is the ultimate in equitable education. This article is the first in a series about how to attempt to reach and teach the diverse learners in a general education classroom.

This article discusses ways to make the content-area, general education classroom socially and emotionally welcoming to students with learning differences