Free Transition Webinars About Youth with Significant Disabilities

[Guest guest]

Partners

In Transition, in collaboration with TASH, is pleased to announce a series of

webinars focusing on students with significant disabilities. All webinars

will take place on a Tuesday from 3:00 to 4:15pm EST.

To

register:

Please

send an email including your name and the webinar(s) in which you would like to

participate to thompsont@....

If you have any specific questions, or would like to see specific issues addressed

in the presentation, please include them in the email. To access the

webinar service, go to http://www.onlineconferencingsystems.com/iel/. Please allow a few

minutes to download and install necessary plug-ins. To access the call

line, dial the toll-free number: 1-; enter the Room number:

872-9146, and press #.

Webinar Topics:

"Transition 101" for Youth with Significant

Disabilities January 12

How are we preparing our students for life after school?

Are the skills we are teaching and the experiences we are providing

leading to productive outcomes for our students? Quality indicators for

success include employment and valued social roles; social relationships; post

secondary education; living in a place of your own (with the support you need);

and having the skills to navigate through and connect with local generic community resources and adult services. It's important to ensure that we

are providing both the education and experiences that our students need

throughout their school experiences to help them to transition seamlessly

and successfully. A basic overview of issues related to transition for individuals

with significant disabilities will be shared, including Federal Mandates, some

successful case studies, career planning, local and generic resources, social

security work incentives, and strategies to promote success.

Educational Supports and Person Centered Planning for

Youth with Significant Disabilities February 9

How do we utilize person centered planning strategies to

guide the IEP and ITP development process? What Post-Secondary

opportunities and supports are available to students with significant

disabilities and how do we connect them to these opportunities? How do we

know what educational areas and options to look at? Some of the

strategies we should be incorporating (an improving upon) within our own services

should involve promoting self-advocacy skills, self determination and autonomy

for our students. We should be looking at ways to do this throughout

their school years. Family involvement is an important part of this

process and is a key to ensuring success. We will share some person

centered planning strategies that will help guide us through this process and

look at educational options and supports for students with significant

disabilities.

Work-based Learning Experiences Employment Supports

for Youth with Significant Disabilities March 9

The only way to get people "ready" to work

is by actually working; helping people by giving them access to real jobs and

work based learning experiences. Work is not only a valued role that

provides an income, it is a societal expectation. The best way we can

promote career and employment success for the students we support is by

providing actual paid work experiences while they are still in school.

Areas we will cover: career planning; environmental matching;

positive behavior supports at work; job carving and job supports; collaborating

with families finding a job; building a resume; and social security work

incentives.

Navigating the Community for Youth with Significant

Disabilities April 6

What are the "Good things in Life?" Most

people would say that having valued social roles, healthy relationships, being

able to access the places activities you enjoy, and having a home of your

own would be a good start. But, how do we assist individuals with

significant disabilities to access these things? What community

living options are available? What supports are available? Can

someone live in their own place if they need 24 hour supports? What about

transportation? Healthcare? How about hobbies, recreation and

social FUN stuff? What about waiting lists? How are we involving

families, raising expectations, and promoting interagency collaboration in this

process? We will discuss all this and more in this session.

Meet the Presenters:

Shepard, M.A., Ed.

has 30 years experience supporting individuals with

developmental disabilities and their families. During that time he has

been involved in systems change for school and adult services, transitioning

from site based to community based with individualized and person centered

supports. He served as a State and National Trainer for National

Rehabilitation Research Training Center on Positive Behavioral Support

(RRTC) from 1988-2003 and developed Training Curriculum on Positive Behavior

Support for Direct Support Professionals through the California Department

of Developmental Services.

He is the current Chairperson of the Santa Clarita

Mayors Committee for the Employment of Individuals with Disabilities,

and teaches part-time at Cal State University, Northridge on courses

related to Transition issues for students with disabilities, Positive

Behavioral Support, and supervising and assisting student

teachers. 's full-time job is the Director of Avenues Supported

Living Services, a non-profit agency which provides Supported Living and

Individualized employment and day supports to people living in the North L.A.

County area.

Louis Rosenberg, Ph. D.

Whittier Union High School

Career Connection

received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin,

Madison in Behavioral Disabilities and Educational Administration. He has

had over 25 years of teaching and administrative experience. In addition,

has been a faculty member at California State University, Los Angeles

in the Education Department for the last 25 years and teaches a variety of

teacher preparation classes. Currently is the Lead Vocational and

Training Coordinator for Whittier Union High School District's Career

Connection. was selected the WUHSD Teacher of the Year for

2009-2010 school year.

In his special education administrative position,

coordinates vocational and career support for all students with special

education needs for five high schools and provides technical assistance for

adult agency, supported employment and supported living services.

has worked for a number of years with interagency systems change grants linking

education, rehabilitation, and developmental disabilities services at the local,

state, and national levels.

Kirk G. Hall

VR Transition Administrator

Kirk has 17 years experience assisting individuals with

disabilities achieve meaningful careers. He has provided vocational counseling

in Kentucky and Florida where he served as liaison to organizations

representing individuals with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries,

mental health and transition services. As an advocate for interagency

collaboration he helped establish an on-site Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)

presence at Eastern Kentucky University and multiple mental health

centers. During his career he has supervised VR counselors and managers,

provided conflict resolution, and conducted a seven-county quality assurance

program.

In his current position as VR Transition Administrator, Kirk

provides technical assistance to approximately 260 VR transition staff and the

67 Florida school districts, including the Florida School for the Deaf and the

Blind. He also helps to develop agency policy for transition services,

represents the agency on state committees, initiates outreach, and identifies

or develops resources to assist youth in transition.

Please note: additional presenters may be included

according to their areas of expertise.

To register:

Please send an email including your name and the

webinar(s) in which you would like to participate to thompsont@.... If you have any

specific questions, or would like to see specific issues addressed in the

presentation, please include them in the email. Information, additional

materials, and any 'homework' will be sent approximately a week prior to the

event. If you have any other questions or need materials in alternate

formats, contact Tara at thompsont@...

or . To access the webinar service, go to http://www.onlineconferencingsystems.com/iel/. Please

allow a few minutes to download and install necessary plug-ins. To access

the call line, dial the toll-free number: 1-; enter the Room

number: 872-9146, and press #. You will be placed directly into the

meeting if the moderator has already joined. If the moderator hasn't joined,

you will be placed on hold for up to 10 minutes. All webinar materials

will be posted on www.PartnersInTransition.org

afterward.

~||~

[Guest guest]

From: Florida

Developmental Disabilities Council

Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 4:37 PM

To: denisekarp@...

Subject: Free Transition Webinars About Youth with Significant

Disabilities

Partners In

Transition, in collaboration with TASH, is pleased to announce a series

of webinars focusing on students with significant disabilities. All

webinars will take place on a Tuesday from 3:00 to 4:15pm EST.

To register:

Please send an email including

your name and the webinar(s) in which you would like to participate to thompsont@....

If you have any specific questions, or would like to see specific issues

addressed in the presentation, please include them in the email. To

access the webinar service, go to http://www.onlineconferencingsystems.com/iel/. Please

allow a few minutes to download and install necessary plug-ins. To

access the call line, dial the toll-free number: 1-; enter

the Room number: 872-9146, and press #.

Webinar Topics:

" Transition 101 " for Youth

with Significant Disabilities January 12

How are we preparing our students for

life after school? Are the skills we are teaching and the

experiences we are providing leading to productive outcomes for our

students? Quality indicators for success include employment and

valued social roles; social relationships; post secondary education;

living in a place of your own (with the support you need); and having the

skills to navigate through and connect with local generic & community

resources and adult services. It's important to ensure that we are

providing both the education and experiences that our students need

throughout their school experiences to help them to

transition seamlessly and successfully. A basic overview of

issues related to transition for individuals with significant disabilities

will be shared, including Federal Mandates, some successful case studies,

career planning, local and generic resources, social security work

incentives, and strategies to promote success.

Educational Supports and Person

Centered Planning for Youth with Significant Disabilities February

9

How do we utilize person centered

planning strategies to guide the IEP and ITP development process?

What Post-Secondary opportunities and supports are available to

students with significant disabilities and how do we connect them to

these opportunities? How do we know what educational areas and

options to look at? Some of the strategies we should be

incorporating (an improving upon) within our own services should involve

promoting self-advocacy skills, self determination and autonomy for our

students. We should be looking at ways to do this throughout their

school years. Family involvement is an important part of this

process and is a key to ensuring success. We will share some person

centered planning strategies that will help guide us through this process

and look at educational options and supports for students with

significant disabilities.

Work-based Learning Experiences &

Employment Supports for Youth with Significant Disabilities March

9

The only way to get people

" ready " to work is by actually working; helping people by

giving them access to real jobs and work based learning experiences.

Work is not only a valued role that provides an income, it is a

societal expectation. The best way we can promote career and

employment success for the students we support is by providing actual

paid work experiences while they are still in school. Areas we will

cover: career planning; environmental matching; positive behavior

supports at work; job carving and job supports; collaborating with

families & finding a job; building a resume; and social security work

incentives.

Navigating the Community for Youth with

Significant Disabilities April 6

What are the " Good things in

Life? " Most people would say that having valued social roles,

healthy relationships, being able to access the places & activities

you enjoy, and having a home of your own would be a good start.

But, how do we assist individuals with significant disabilities

to access these things? What community living options are

available? What supports are available? Can someone live in

their own place if they need 24 hour supports? What about

transportation? Healthcare? How about hobbies, recreation and

social FUN stuff? What about waiting lists? How are we

involving families, raising expectations, and promoting interagency

collaboration in this process? We will discuss all this and more in

this session.

Meet the Presenters:

Shepard, M.A., Ed.

has 30 years experience

supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their

families. During that time he has been involved in systems change

for school and adult services, transitioning from site based to community

based with individualized and person centered supports. He served

as a State and National Trainer for National Rehabilitation Research

& Training Center on Positive Behavioral Support (RRTC) from

1988-2003 and developed Training Curriculum on Positive Behavior

Support for Direct Support Professionals through the California

Department of Developmental Services.

He is the current Chairperson of

the Santa Clarita Mayors Committee for the Employment of Individuals with

Disabilities, and teaches part-time at Cal State University,

Northridge on courses related to Transition issues for students with

disabilities, Positive Behavioral Support, and supervising and assisting

student teachers. 's full-time job is the Director of

Avenues Supported Living Services, a non-profit agency which provides

Supported Living and Individualized employment and day supports to people

living in the North L.A. County area.

Louis Rosenberg, Ph. D.

Whittier Union High School

Career Connection

received his Ph.D. from the

University of Wisconsin, Madison in Behavioral Disabilities and

Educational Administration. He has had over 25 years of teaching

and administrative experience. In addition, has been a

faculty member at California State University, Los Angeles in the Education

Department for the last 25 years and teaches a variety of teacher

preparation classes. Currently is the Lead Vocational and

Training Coordinator for Whittier Union High School District's Career

Connection. was selected the WUHSD Teacher of the Year for

2009-2010 school year.

In his special education administrative

position, coordinates vocational and career support for all

students with special education needs for five high schools and provides

technical assistance for adult agency, supported employment and supported

living services. has worked for a number of years with

interagency systems change grants linking education, rehabilitation, and

developmental disabilities services at the local, state, and national

levels.

Kirk G. Hall

VR Transition Administrator

Kirk has 17 years experience assisting

individuals with disabilities achieve meaningful careers. He has

provided vocational counseling in Kentucky and Florida where he served as

liaison to organizations representing individuals with traumatic brain

injuries, spinal cord injuries, mental health and transition services.

As an advocate for interagency collaboration he helped establish an

on-site Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) presence at Eastern Kentucky

University and multiple mental health centers. During his career he

has supervised VR counselors and managers, provided conflict resolution,

and conducted a seven-county quality assurance program.

In his current position as VR

Transition Administrator, Kirk provides technical assistance to

approximately 260 VR transition staff and the 67 Florida school

districts, including the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.

He also helps to develop agency policy for transition services,

represents the agency on state committees, initiates outreach, and

identifies or develops resources to assist youth in transition.

Please note: additional

presenters may be included according to their areas of expertise.

To register:

Please send an email including your

name and the webinar(s) in which you would like to participate to thompsont@....

If you have any specific questions, or would like to see specific issues

addressed in the presentation, please include them in the email.

Information, additional materials, and any 'homework' will be sent

approximately a week prior to the event. If you have any other

questions or need materials in alternate formats, contact Tara

at thompsont@...

or . To access the webinar service, go to http://www.onlineconferencingsystems.com/iel/.

Please allow a few minutes to download and install necessary plug-ins.

To access the call line, dial the toll-free number: 1-; enter

the Room number: 872-9146, and press #. You will be placed

directly into the meeting if the moderator has already joined. If the

moderator hasn't joined, you will be placed on hold for up to 10

minutes. All webinar materials will be posted on www.PartnersInTransition.org afterward.

~||~