November 2021 News from the National Coordinating Center |
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Join our team!
We are hiring a program assistant! This position will report to the NCC project coordinator and work with all members of the team to support activities related to training, technical assistance, dissemination, project coordination, and grant management. Learn more and apply here! Application deadline is Nov. 27, 2021.
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Dreaming of a one-stop shop for accreditation resources?
You got it! ThinkCollege.net now has a page dedicated to accreditation workgroup activities and resources, including
- Workgroup member info
- News articles
- Related blog posts
- FAQ
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Website Feature: 4 Projects
As you may know by now, ThinkCollege.Net has recently been updated. We have new features (like a page for students) and build up existing tools (like topical resources). Each month, we will highlight some of our favorites in a short video. This month, we are starting with the basics… Click the image to discover what that is!
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Catch up on NCC webinars and Plan for the future!
Did you miss our November webinar? Tips from Faculty: Engaging Students with Intellectual Disability Enrolled in College Courses with Shakonda Diggs & Patrick McDermott. Luckily, we recorded it!
Save-the-Dates
Details and registration will be announced in December.
Innovative Approaches to Credentials in Inclusive Higher Education Programs
January 25, 2022, at 3-4pm ET
Presented by Nicole Attong, Florida International University
Who Does What? Optimizing Employment Services and Supports through Individual Planning for College Students with Intellectual Disability
March 31, 2022, at 2-3:30pm
Presented by Meg Grigal at NCC and Melissa Diehl & Amy Dwyre D'Agati at NTACT:C
Paying for College: Exploring Possible Funding Options
May 25, 2022, at 2-3pm
Presented by Cate Weir, NCC
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Another successful year at State of the Art (SOTA)!
Click here for SOTA conference highlights and recaps of the 6 presentations made by Think College staff. You can even download their presentation slides. We are very excited to announce Cate Weir was the recipient of the George Jesien Leadership Award at this year’s conference.
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"I have said many times that I have the best job in the world – being able to effect change by working alongside some of the best and most committed educators (and tenacious parents) there are. I am continually awed by your commitment to ideals of inclusion, diversity, equity, and social justice, as well as your generosity, collegiality, creativity and refusal to take no as an answer! To be even a small part of making these changes to higher education is a privilege."
~ Cate Weir, NCC Project Director
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THINK COLLEGE AFFINITY GROUPS |
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Upcoming meetings:
Registration not required.
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By Martha Mock
When you hear the word accreditation, what comes to mind? Perhaps you think about quality—or assurance. Assurance that if you’re signing up for a course that someone who has knowledge and expertise has looked at the content and structure—and agreed that it’s worth offering. “Yes, this is a course that is going to be worth my time, energy and money.” That’s what accreditation will provide to students with ID who attend college. Continue reading Martha’s blog post.
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By Michelle Mitchell
As important aspects of inclusion and diversity have been thrust to the forefront of everyone’s talking points, we must consider how colleges and universities support all individuals with disabilities on their campuses. For most students with disabilities, this is accomplished through disability support service offices. But what about students with intellectual disabilities (ID)? Continue reading Michelle’s blog post.
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NEWS FROM OTHER THINK COLLEGE PROJECTS |
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UMass Boston Transition Leadership program
Attention Transition Specialists!
The online Transition Leadership program at University of Massachusetts Boston is now accepting applications for the 2022 cohort for the online transition specialist training program. The program is approved by the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT). This is a fully-online program available to anyone. This is also an approved MA DESE course of study for those interested in pursuing the MA transition specialist endorsement.
Upcoming sessions
- Thursday, Nov. 18 at 12:00 PM ET
- Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 3:30 PM ET
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Future Quest Island-Explorations (FQI-E) |
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Future Quest Island-Explorations (FQI-E)
Exploring Skills and Careers
Inclusive postsecondary education can happen at a technical institute, vocational college, or trade school. Like traditional college, students develop skills and many of these can lead to careers with high paying wages, particularly since some trade jobs are in high demand. Future Quest Island-Explorations (a game-based curriculum that helps students in elementary school build self-knowledge and career awareness) is helping elementary students explore all sorts of careers including the top 25 in-demand careers in 2021. Visit the FQIE project page on ThinkCollehe.Net. Click here to learn more about the research behind FQIE.
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: ANTONIO CONTRERAS\
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Congratulations to our January 2020 Student Spotlight: Antonio Contreras!
We were very excited to hear Antonio received the Laura Lee Self-Advocate Leadership Award at this year’s SOTA conference. Antonio was interviewed in our January 2020 newsletter during his first-year at Georgia Tech EXCEL. Want to know more about him? Click here to read his spotlight interview.
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WHAT'S GOING ON IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN THE US |
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Webcast: Creating Transition Portfolios
Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, 3-3:45 PM CST
What do you know about creating transition portfolios? A visual resume? Join Transition Tennessee’s webcast to learn the process and how they can help students move into adult life. Save your seat by clicking here.
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YOU can help students develop job interviewing skills |
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Aggie ACHIEVE is holding a Virtual Mock Interview Fair. They are seeking volunteers to meet with 1-4 students to ask job interview questions and provide feedback on how the student can improve their interviewing skills. Interviews will take place January 27 and 28. Each interview will last about 15- to 20-minutes via Zoom. Click here to sign up. Email kngipson@tamu.edu for more information.
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2021 TASH Conference: Celebrating Community and Connections (Virtual)
Dec. 1 – Dec. 5, 2021
The TASH Conference brings together individuals with significant disabilities and their allies to share resources and success stories, learn about field-driven best practices, and network within a community engaged in shared values. Click here for more info.
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It’s college application season!
Here’s info on just a few. If you're in a college program and want us to share an announcement for you, contact Sheila at sheila.johnson@umb.edu.
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Transition & Access Program (TAP) |
The Transition & Access Program (TAP) at the University of Cincinnati, an inclusive college certificate program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is now taking applications for the 2022-2023 school year. Deadline is February 15, 2022. Click for more info.
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ROAR (Responsibility Opportunity Advocacy and Respect) |
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What do you know about our good friends at NTACT:C?
The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C) is funded by the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs and Rehabilitation Services Administration. This partner center to NCC is focused on improving education, training, employment, and community integration outcomes for all students and youth with disabilities.
NTACT:C’s website transitionta.org has an amazing collection of transition-related resources including recorded webinars, research-based publications, training, and more. And you can sign up for a free account that allows you to track documentation of completed training, access recorded and upcoming webinar materials, and quickly locate previously “bookmarked” resources and “followed” content. Don’t forget to follow #transitionta on Facebook and Twitter.
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Final AHEAD Fall Webinar!
November was chock-full of AHEAD webinars and the final session is this Thursday!
Substance Use Disorder, Collegiate Recovery, and Student Accommodations
Thursday, November 18, 3:00 - 4:30 pm ET
In this webinar, information regarding the complex relationship between substance use disorder and federal disability protections will be shared and recommendations for creating more recovery-supportive policies and procedures will be suggested. Click here to register.
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AUCD Launches New Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Hub
AUCD is excited to launch the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Hub. This new hub expands the former Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit, to now host a broad array of existing resources related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competence. Visit the Hub.
AUCD Network Narratives - Podcast Episode 1: The Road to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the AUCD Network
AUCD has a new podcast! The podcasts share real stories from AUCD network members who are working to change systems and structures that impact people with disabilities. Learn more.
The #AUCD2021 Virtual Hill Visit Toolkit provides possible topics to discuss, such as education, healthcare, and employment. We have also provided a sample script that you may individualize to set up meetings with member offices. Find all Virtual Hill Day resources here.
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Do you have news or an update to share?
It could appear in the next newsletter.
Please get in touch!
Sheila Johnson
Knowledge Translation Associate
Institute for Community Inclusion
University of Massachusetts Boston
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Stay Connected with Think College |
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