Free Transition Webinars About Youth with Significant Disabilities

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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.

Sponsored by United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities and the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.

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