TransCen Webinar Resources

Title: Intentional Planning and Measuring Accelerated Growth for Students with Disabilities in the School Setting.

Presenter: Kathy Young, Special Education Consultant

Description: This webinar will address the importance of accelerated growth outcomes for students with disabilities and ways to measure, analyze and respond to student data.  Far too often, students with disabilities are expected to have lower performance and growth than their non-disabled peers.  Through experience, it has been observed that with intentional focus on strong instructional practices, examination of leading assessment results and modifications to instruction, accelerated growth does occur for students with disabilities.  The participants will walk away with a belief that this can happen and strategies to begin the work with their students, within their buildings and/or throughout the district.  This webinar will be introductory.

 Learning Objectives:

• The webinar will review the importance of having accelerated growth targets for students with disabilities.
• The webinar will discuss ways to measure growth for individual students. 
• The webinar will discuss how to analyze and improve, as relevant, individual outcomes.  

Title:
From Overwhelm to FLOW: Practical Strategies for Life, Organization, and Well-being Individuals, families, adult service providers

Speaker:
Dr. Aileen Doyle, MD, PhD Candidate, Brainspark and Kristien Smet, MA, Organice

Session Description:
Join Dr. Aileen Doyle, MD, PhD Candidate, from Brainspark and Kristien Smet, MA, from Organice as they introduce the FLOW framework – an empathetic, practical approach to supporting young people and young adults as they move toward independent living.

Young people and young adults often face significant challenges as they move toward independent living. Planning, organizing, and managing daily tasks can feel overwhelming—sometimes without a clear diagnosis, and sometimes connected to ADHD, autism, depression, anxiety, grief, or periods of intense stress. When traditional advice doesn’t fit, these struggles can lead to burnout, frustration, shame, and a sense of failure.

This webinar introduces the FLOW framework – a flexible, strengths-based model focused on Life, Organization, and Well-being. Rather than asking, “Why didn’t you?” FLOW encourages a more supportive question: “What happened?” The framework centers client autonomy and compassion while recognizing the real impact of energy, context, and capacity.

Participants will explore practical, real-world strategies grounded in universal design, including ways to simplify tasks, adapt environments, and shift mindset to support sustainable progress. The session offers an introductory overview of FLOW, with tools participants can begin using immediately. A follow-up webinar will dive deeper into more complex and layered situations.

This webinar is suitable for young people and young adults, family members and support networks, and professionals who support individuals navigating transitions to independent living.

After this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify common challenges faced by young people and young adults during the transition to independent living, including the role of executive functioning difficulties in daily life.
• Apply empathetic, collaborative communication strategies that shift conversations from blame to understanding, while supporting autonomy and motivation.
• Describe and use key elements of the FLOW framework to simplify tasks, adapt environments, and support progress that aligns with individual energy, boundaries, and context.
• Recognize how universal design principles can reduce barriers and support sustainable, personalized learning and growth./li>

Title:
AT in the Workplace

Speaker:
Alanna Raffel, Assistant Director, AT Community Engagement/TechOWL, Institute on Disabilities, College of Education and Human Development, Temple University

Session Description:
Many workplaces rely on standard tools, technologies, and environments that assume everyone works in the same way. For employees with disabilities these assumptions can create unnecessary barriers. This introductory webinar will describe workplace assistive technology (AT) devices for a variety of people with different needs and review universal design principles to improve accessibility for all. Participants will walk away with information about AT options, including examples of built in accessibility features, and knowledge of where to learn more and access additional resources.

Learning Objectives

• Define assistive technology
• Identify three (3) assistive technology devices that can be used in the workplace
• Describe one (1) built in accessibility feature that might be helpful for you or someone you know
• Analyze one (1) universal design principle and identify a specific way to apply it to increase accessibility in your own life or workplace.

Title:
Benefits Basics & Work Incentives

Speaker:
Kathy DiRusso, CPWIC, Director, National Jobs Operations-Best Buddies International, Inc.

Session Description:
This webinar will provide attendees with a practical overview of Social Security disability benefits, work incentives and the Ticket to Work (TTW) Program. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how work and earnings can impact SSI and SSDI, and why employment does not automatically mean “losing benefits.” The session will demystify common myths, introduce key work incentives that support employment and financial growth and independence, and explain how Ticket to Work fits into a supported employment framework.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Differentiate between SSI and SSDI and describe how earned income affects each benefit.
• Identify at least three key work incentives that support individuals working while receiving disability benefits.
• Explain the purpose and basic structure of the Ticket to Work Program and who it is designed to serve.
• Recognize common myths about work and benefits and apply accurate messaging when supporting individuals and families.
• Determine when to provide general benefits information versus when to refer to a certified benefits counselor or Employment Network.

Title:
Building Employer Partnerships That Last

Speaker:
Laura Owens + employer panel

Title:
The Real World, On Your Terms: A Self-Advocate’s Perspective

Speaker:
Sophia Gilson

Title:
Working Together to Build Inclusive Worksites

Speaker:
Sara Murphy, Senior Training Associate, TransCen, Inc.

Session Description:
Successful employment is about more than just job tasks—it’s about connection, belonging, and being part of workplace culture. Social inclusion plays a critical role in job satisfaction, retention, and long-term success, yet employers, supervisors, and job coaches often focus primarily on performance and productivity. In this webinar, we’ll explore how workplace culture can affect and sometimes confuse employees with disabilities; and how good coaching services and small, intentional actions can create a big impact. Sara Murphy will share practical tools and strategies to encourage peer engagement, manage interpersonal challenges and build natural supports and meaningful professional relationships. Let’s work together to strengthen teams and build truly inclusive workplaces.

Learning Objectives (3–5 measurable outcomes)

• Learn to assess workplace cultures and teach employees with disabilities professional interpersonal skills in employment settings
• Learn to build connections and professional friendships between co-workers with and without disabilities
• Learn ways to support employees and coworkers to address interpersonal challenges in effective, collaborative ways

Title:
ADA & Reasonable Accommodations: Practical Scenarios

Speaker:
Ann Deschamps, Director , Mid-Atlantic ADA Center

Session Description:
Coming Soon

Title:
Leaning Into Employment: Using Lean Model in Business Negotiation

Speaker:
Sara Murphy and Laura Owens, TransCen, Inc.

Session Description:
Coming Soon

Title:
Ethics – Part 1

Speaker:
Wendy Quarles

Session Description:
Coming Soon

Title:
Ethics – Part 2

Speaker:
Wendy Quarles

Session Description:
Coming Soon