Name: Efforts to Improve the Inclusiveness of Faith Communities
Start: 2015-12-03T15:20:00-0800
End: 2015-12-03T16:10:00-0800

This year’s theme, “Celebrating 40 Years of Progressive Leadership,” acknowledges TASH’s 40 years of generating change within the disability community and anticipates a brighter, more inclusive future for people with disabilities in all aspects of life. Each year, the TASH Conference impacts the disability field by connecting attendees to innovative information and resources, facilitating connections between stakeholders within the disability movement, and helping attendees reignite their passion for an inclusive world.

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Efforts to Improve the Inclusiveness of Faith Communities LIMITED

Limited Capacity seats available

This presentation will focus on the experiences of five panelists who will describe their efforts to improve inclusion in faith communities. They will describe efforts to deter the practice of providing segregated classes and programs for persons with disabilities by influencing leadership in faith communities. The presentations will provide a combination of case studies and research studies. OBJECTIVES: As a result of this session, participants will develop strategies for influencing leadership in faith communities to promote inclusion of all persons in faith communities. As a result of this session, participants will be better able to advocate for inclusive environments for all members of a faith community. IMPORTANCE: Persons with disabilities and their families may discover a lack of inclusion in faith communities (Ault, Collins, & Carter, 2013a; Ault et al., 2013b; Ault et al., 2013c); thus, it is important that leaders of faith communities be better educated in inclusive practice and the use of natural supports. TRANSLATING TOPIC INTO NEW OUTCOMES:The presenters will describe their research on inclusiveness in faith communities and will share strategies that they have implemented to educate and better prepare faith community leaders (Baggerman, Ault, Collins, Spriggs, & Slocum, 2015; Collins & Ault, 2010). The research will come from two main contexts: (a) survey research with quantitative and qualitative data on perceptions of inclusiveness by persons with disabilities, their families, and leaders of their faith communities and (b) implementation studies to provide strategies on inclusiveness with faith community leadership.

Speakers

Melinda Jones Ault

Erik Carter

Professor, Vanderbilt University

Erik is Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Special Education at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He completed his doctoral work in the area of severe disabilities at Vanderbilt University and his undergraduate work in Christian Education at Wheaton College. His research... Read More →

Belva Collins

Department Chair and Professor, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

My background is in severe disabilities and teacher education. My research agenda has focused on systematic instruction for students with disabilities, distance education in teacher preparation, and inclusiveness in faith communities. I retired as professor and chair at the University... Read More →

Bree Jimenez

Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Dr. Bree Jimenez is an assistant professor of special education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. Jimenez has worked in the field of low-incidence disability for over 15 years. Dr. Jimenez designs and conducts research in the area of general curriculum access... Read More →