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UNH's Institute on Disability is a Proud Sponsor of the 2004 International TASH Conference

RENO – When goals and visions are shared, community ties increase in strength. That is why the Institute on Disability/UCED (IOD) at the University of New Hampshire is proud to be a sponsor of and participant in the 29th International TASH Conference, set for Nov. 17-20, 2004 at the Reno Hilton in Nevada.

This year’s conference showcases innovative strategies, research, and empowering stories highlighting inclusive community practices. TASH is an international association of people with disabilities, their family members, other advocates, and professionals fighting for a society in which inclusion of all people in all aspects of society is the norm.

Key topics for this year’s conference includes: inclusive education across the life span; transition, community living, and employment; and values, advocacy, and ethics.

The IOD will conduct workshops and special daylong sessions. IOD staff member Cheryl Jorgensen and other IOD associates will host “Accessing General Education Curriculum - Rationale, Process, and Examples for Including Students with the Most Significant Disabilities.” This daylong event will help participants learn: 1) why students with significant disabilities should learn general education curriculum content as opposed to narrow life skills curriculum; 2) a process to plan student participation and supports; 3) specific examples of student participation and learning at elementary and secondary levels; and 4) methods to conduct ongoing authentic assessment of student learning.

Another session, “The Role of the Facilitator in Person-Centered Planning,” will be presented by IOD staff member Patty Cotton and Pam McPhee of the UNH Browne Center. The interactive session will explore how effective facilitation can help maximize a team's ability to actively pursue a shared vision over time.

Keynote speakers at the 2004 TASH Conference include:

Laura San Giacomo, known to television and movie viewers as "Maya" in the hit comedy series Just Shoot Me or as Julia Roberts' best friend in Pretty Woman. But Laura feels her most important role yet is being Mason's mom. Mason is fully included in The Chime School, a charter elementary school in California, of which Laura is a founding member. Laura will share her struggles as a mom, and lessons learned about having a full life for Mason and her family.

Paula Kluth is a dynamic inspirational speaker and long-time member of TASH. She will focus on inclusive schools. Paula's professional and research interests center on differentiating instruction and supporting students with autism and significant disabilities in inclusive classrooms. She is the author of "You’re Going to Love This Kid:" Educating Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms and the lead editor of Access to Academics: Critical Approaches to Inclusive Curriculum, Instruction, and Policy.

 

Don Bartlette is a successful author and international speaker. Don communicates a message of hope and courage those who support, teach or care for or about children. His presentations are an autobiographical profile of his social, psychological, and educational experiences as a Native American Chippewa child growing up with emotional, speech, and physical disabilities in an environment of poverty, family and school violence, racism, and alcoholism.

For more information about the TASH 2004 Conference, visit www.tash.org.

The IOD advances policies and systems changes, promising practices, education and research that strengthen communities and ensure full access, equal opportunities, and participation for all persons. For more information, visit www.iod.unh.edu or call (603) 862-4320.

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The IOD advances policies and systems changes, promising practices, education and research that strengthen communities and ensure full access, equal opportunities, and participation for all persons.