Resources

Welcome! Here we’ll be posting resources and presentations, and links to practical strategies you can use to support students.

• Natural Supports Resource Guide

Fostering Self-Determination
Fostering Self-Determination Among Children and Youth with Disabilities - Ideas from Parents for Parents

Community Conversations
Launching Inclusive Efforts Through Community Conversations: A practical guide for families, services providers, and communities

Youth Employment
On the job: Stories from youth with disabilities - pdf document

Community Conversation Resources

Here are some resources you can use to plan and host your own community conversation. More to come this fall!

• Action Plan – doc
• Checklist – doc
• Commitment Card – pdf
• Choosing Questions – pdf
• Choosing Questions with Response – pdf
• Checking Questions – pdf
• Etiquette Table Tents – doc
• Evite – pdf
• Possible Participants – pdf
• Press Release – doc
• Reference For Table Hosts – doc
• Timeline Preparing for Conversation – pdf
• Sign In Sheet – doc
• Flyer – doc
• Table Host Responsibilities (Table Tents) – doc

Presentations

Promoting Inclusion and Relationships for Students With Significant Disabilities - handouts pdf

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Articles

• Promoting Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships Through Peer Support Interventions
• Friendship Matters: Fostering Social Relationships in Secondary Schools

The above articles were first printed in TASH Connections. Connections is a quarterly publication of TASH (www.tash.org), an international grassroots leader in advancing inclusive communities through research, education and advocacy. Founded in 1975, TASH advocates for human rights and inclusion for people with the most significant disabilities and support needs -- those most vulnerable to segregation and institutionalization. The inclusive practices TASH promotes have been proven through research to improve outcomes for all people.

Research Briefs

• Transition-Related Professional Development Needs of Wisconsin Special Educators

Guides

• High School Opportunity Map
• Leadership: A Guide to Promoting Leadership Skills in Youth with Disabilities
• CORE of a Good Life: Guided Conversations with Parents on Raising Young Children with Disabilities
• Self‐Determination Strategy Guide

Tip Sheets

• How to Start Your Own Natural Supports Event
• Strategies for Developing Extracurricular Activities
• Strategies for Developing Youth Leadership
• Strategies for Involving Youth in Service-Learning Activities
• 10 Things Employers can do to Support Youth with Disabilities
• 10 Things Social Organizations and Associations can do to Include Youth with Disabilities
• Tips for Working with Youth

Activities

Shared Activities (PDF) - Participation in shared activities is one of the building blocks for creating natural supports. School is one setting in which students with and without disabilities have the opportunity to engage in shared activities, whether it is in the classroom or in extracurricular activities. Use this activity to determine if shared activities are occurring in your school.

Valued Roles(PDF) - It is important that we are all given the opportunity to have a valued role in an activity and in life and see that we all have something of value to offer. Youth and adults may differ on their opinion of what is a valued role. Come up with roles that are important for your activity and write them down on cards.

Work Plans
Here, you can find a blank work plan (PDF) that you can use to further your project goals. You can also look at an example of a completed work plan (PDF) to help give you ideas for your own project.