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KU Center on Disabilities
@kucdisabilities.bsky.social
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We aim to strengthen communities so that everyone can learn, work, feel included, and thrive. We do this by leading research, providing education and training, and building partnerships.
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kucdisabilities.bsky.social
Come work with us! KUCD is seeking an Assistant Research Professor to advance the research, services, dissemination, and training mission of KUCD, with a particular focus on implementing and scaling up effective practices.

Review begins December 19! Learn more and apply: bit.ly/kucd_assistant_prof
KUCD is seeking an assistant research professor: advance research, services, dissemination, and training mission of KUCD. Support implementation of current grants and seek future funding opportunities to advance research. Write and support development of technical reports, peer-reviewed articles, and other manuscripts. Apply by December 19. Find info and apply at bit.ly/kucd_assistant_prof.
November 20, 2025 at 4:49 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
KUCD Researcher and Roy A. Roberts Distinguished Professor of Special Education, Val Mazzotti, gave a keynote address at the NCSE Research Conference in Dublin, Ireland!

Learn more about our work to enhance post-school outcomes at kucd.ku.edu/STEPS
Val Mazzotti, a white woman with white hair and black glasses, speaks at a podium
November 10, 2025 at 10:08 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
🎉 KU Transition to Postsecondary Education has received a grant to increase access to college in Kansas for students with intellectual disabilities!

To learn more, visit loom.ly/3lpS24U
Five people wearing black caps and gowns smile at a graduation ceremony
November 6, 2025 at 9:32 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
🌻 We had so much fun visiting with everyone at the annual KUCD Fall Festival!!

People from across the community joined us to learn about our research, get connected with resources, and discover the many impacts our Center is having across Kansas and beyond.
A large group of people wearing KUCD shirts smile for a photo
October 28, 2025 at 4:19 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
Join Project MounTaiN — a fully funded, supportive 2-year master’s program in Early Childhood Unified at the University of Kansas!

Learn more at kucd.ku.edu/project-mountain
Recruitment flyer for Project Mountain, a fully funded master's in education at KU. Earn a Master’s in Early Childhood Special Education: Master’s program in Early Childhood Unified Education (INITIAL Birth-Kindergarten KS License) 2 year in-person program at Lawrence Campus Work full-time or hold an additional Project Fellowship Receive FINANCIAL SUPPORT from Project MounTaiN for... Full tuition coverage Health insurance Personal expense stipends May qualify for . . . Student teaching stipends or Work site fieldwork Additional research and leadership experience and financial support Learn from national experts to Meet the Need in: Serving young children with high intensity needs Intensive intervention strategies Collaboration Family-centered practices Evidence-based interaction Inclusion Apply and Join Us! Considering applications for Fall 2026 Visit https://kucd.ku.edu/project-mountain for more information Please email ProjectMounTaiN@ku.edu if you have any questions!
October 28, 2025 at 2:23 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
The KUCD team was honored to present at the annual SOAR Conference in Omaha, NE!

Communications Specialist Austin Myers and Research Assistant Ryan Henley presented the stories of self-advocates and led a group discussion about the importance of advocating for oneself and the barriers people face.
Six people pose for a photo in front of the SOAR conference banner. Two people sit in power chairs and four people stand.
October 8, 2025 at 4:00 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
Come work with us! KUCD is seeking an Office Manager to support the work of our research center. Learn more and apply at bit.ly/kucdofficemgr.
Come work with us! The Kansas University Center on Disabilities (KUCD) is seeking an Office Manager! Are you an experienced office professional who loves being a go-to problem-solver and enjoys providing top-notch customer service? We're looking for someone with excellent communication skills, strong attention to detail and organization, experience with microsoft office suite. Learn more and apply at bit.ly/kucdofficemgr. Application reviews begin on October 27th, 2025!
October 3, 2025 at 1:56 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
The State of the States team recently held the Technology First for Kansans (T1K) Think Tank.

The T1K Think Tank generated solutions to ongoing systemic challenges in technology access for people with disabilities across the state of Kansas.

Learn more about T1K @ bit.ly/tech1ks.
State of the States team members Ski Adams, Shea Tanis, Gloria Gantt, Drew Rosdahl, Kaley Day, and Thomas Gottstein A whiteboard with the following solutions on it: BILLIONS OF EMAILS ONLINE SALES ECONOMIC BARRIER PEOPLE WI DISABILITIES HIGH INVESTMENT LESS & INCLUSIVE IN TABLETS ACCESSIBLE ALIGN TECH BASED COMPANION CARE REMOTE WORK TECH FIRST DIGITAL TECHISON THE RISE 13 STATES BILLIONS USE SOCIAL MEDIA & GLEARRING UT GATE KEEPER DIGITAL' DIVIDE "LOWER TECH ADOPTION WEARABLE TECH HIGH FOCUS ONMEDI CAID DATA COLLECTION HIGH INVESTMENT IN TECH LEVEL PLAYING -1% ON FIELD TECH SOLUTIONS RIGHT ROTZE TECHNOLOGY FIRST: GATHER NATIONAL TRANSFORMING SYSTEMS DATA CLEAR U COMMUNICATION SURVEY INCREASE CARE, PILOT PROGRAM WEARABLE ТЄСН USABILITY& USE WORTHY 个 一 VIDEO CONFERENCING DATA POST COVID LOW INVESTMENT IN PERSONALTECH LEGISLATION TWE NEED mORE CONSISTENCY MAINTAIN DEFINITIONS UPDATES MODERNIZE CHANGES HOW WE WORK ACCESSIBLE DESIGN TECHWON'T REPLACE HUMANS QUALITY OF WORK LIFE V CRISIS CAUTONOMY MODERNIZE KANSAS HARMONIZE TECHNOLOGY FIRST FOR KANSANS INCREASE EARLY EDUCATION → IN TRAINING TELEHEALTH → TECH & HUMAN SUPPORT EVOLVING → PILOT PROGRAM CHANGE STATE SYSTEMS ACCESS EFFICIENCY IN LIFE ink factory State of the States team member Gloria Gantt discussing technology solutions with the group State of the States PI Shea Tanis talking about technology solutions
October 2, 2025 at 7:46 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
2 members of The State of the States’ PA Tech Accelerator program recently gave testimony at State Representative Joseph Hohenstein's annual Disability Summit!

View their testimonies @ bit.ly/patechtestim..., starting at the 58:39 mark.

Learn more about Tech Accelerator @ bit.ly/patechaccel.
Nae Vallejo, a dark-skinned man in a blue shirt holding a tablet as he gives testimony. Chris Moore, a light-skinned man in a black button-down and gray tie, holding a phone as he gives testimony.
September 26, 2025 at 7:41 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
KUCD partnered with Kate and Jack, graduates from the University of Iowa REACH Program, to present "Self-Determination in Inclusive Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disability" as part of the Inclusive National Higher Education Forum - INHEF webinar series in Ireland!
A screenshot of a zoom meeting where people smile at the camera
September 25, 2025 at 5:34 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
This week, KUCD Assistant Research Professor Lauren Bruno, PhD, and Assistant Researcher Ben Edwards visited St. Louis and presented at the 20th annual Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Conference!
Ben, a white man with dark curly hair and glasses, sits at a table while giving a presentation to the audience Ben and Lauren stand in front of a large wagon at a museum
September 12, 2025 at 7:44 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
We're so proud of KUCD Research Aide Sean Tyree for sharing his story! Today, Sean testified on Capitol Hill before the Joint Social Security and Work & Welfare Subcommittee.

Sean shared about his own career journey and the importance of supports and services for people with disabilities.
A screenshot of a zoom meeting where people watch Sean Tyree, a man with glasses wearing a blue suit, give testimony.
September 9, 2025 at 7:25 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
Did you know that The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act) is the reason we have the many programs for people with disabilities to be included and thrive? This includes the UCEDDs and the Projects of National Significance (PNS).

Learn more @ bit.ly/sots_dd.
Progress Over Time... The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 What is the DD Act? In every state and territory, programs made possible by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) give individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families the power to help shape policies that affect them. This information was made accessible by self-advocates for self-advocates. What is the DD Act? DD Act programs lead important research and test new creative ways to provide services to people with DD. They work to bring the latest information and resources to those who can put it to the best use, including self-advocates, families, service providers, and policymakers. This information was made accessible by self-advocates for self-advocates. What is the DD Act? DD Act programs also investigate cases of abuse and may serve as legal advocates for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. This information was made accessible by self-advocates for self-advocates.
August 27, 2025 at 4:23 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
Do you receive adult Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) in Kansas? Do you want to help make technology accessible for everyone? Join the Technology First for Kansans (T1K) Advisory Council!

For more information, contact Kaley Day at kaleyday@ku.edu!
Do you receive adult HCBS services in Kansas? Do you want to help make technology more accessible for everyone? Join the Technology First for Kansans Advisory Council! The Technology First for Kansans (T1K) Advisory Council will learn about accessible content and design to share information about technology access for people with disabilities across Kansas. Meeting Dates: Wednesdays from 10am-12:30pm central • September 17th • October 15th • November 19th • December 17th Meetings will be hybrid. You can attend in-person at the KU campus in Lawrence or online using Zoom. Members will receive a stipend for attendance and reimbursement for travel costs. Interested? Contact Kaley Day at kaleyday@ku.edu ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY State of the States an une cousend bara Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services Technology First for Kansans is a partnership between the State of the States in I/DD and Assistive Technology for Kansans. Funding provided by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services using American Rescue Plan Act funds.
August 20, 2025 at 4:29 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
Want to learn more about technology access in Kansas? Check out these virtual training sessions from the Technology First for Kansans (T1K) Project!
You can learn more and sign up for these webinars at rockcha.lk/t1ktcm!
Training and Community of Practice for Targeted Case Managers Training Dates and Topics Community of Practice Register for Trainings: https://rockcha.lk/t1ktcm Join T1K for a series of virtual trainings and a facilitated Community of Practice to expand your knowledge and improve access to technology solutions for Kansans with disabilities! • Tuesday, September 16th, 1-2:30pm CT • Tuesday, November 25th, 1-2:30pm CT • Tuesday, December 16th, 1-2:30pm CT • Tuesday August 19th, 1-2:30pm CT The Self-Directed Model for Identifying Technology Solutions for Goal Attainment • Tuesday October 21st, 1-2:30pm CT Innovative and Emerging Technology Solutions for Domains of Living • Tuesday, November 18th, 1-2:30pm CT Kansas Resources for Technology Acquisition • Tuesday, December 9th, 1-2:30pm CT Technology Resilience, Agility, and Literacy Questions? Contact Kaley Day at kaleyday@ku.edu *Technology First for Kansans is a partnership between the State of the States in I/DD and Assistive Technology for Kansans. Funding provided by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services using American Rescue Plan Act funds. A Place for Networking, Sharing Resources, Ideas, and Promising Practices. Register for Trainings: https://rockcha.lk/t1ktcm
August 19, 2025 at 3:40 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
Today, the KUCD team trained partners from the Kenya Network of Women and Girls with Disabilities on the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI)!

This ongoing collaboration is part of Elizabeth Ombati's partnership with Evan Dean and KUCD through the Professional Fellows Program
A screenshot from a zoom meeting, people smile and wave at the camera.
August 12, 2025 at 4:29 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
The State of the States and Assistive Technology for Kansans (ATK) projects recently received a $1 million supportive technology grant by KDADS.

Learn more @ bit.ly/tfirstks.
Learn about State of the States @ stateofthestates.ku.edu.
Learn about ATK @ atk.ku.edu.
A woman helping a person in a blue shirt with a communication device
August 5, 2025 at 4:43 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
The annual Capacity Building Institute (CBI) brings together Community Teams and Transition Councils from across the state of Kansas!

🌻 This event provides professional development, networking, and collaborative planning to improve post-school outcomes for youth with disabilities.
A young man speaks into a microphone in front of a large audience seated at round tables. Three women smile at the camera, they are seated at a round table.
July 30, 2025 at 5:29 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
Principal Investigator Dr. Shea Tanis of the State of the States team presented at the 2025 Provider Alliance Conference, discussing wearable technology, wellness, Smart Homes, and accessible communities.

Learn more @ bit.ly/tpacon.

Learn about State of the States @ stateofthestates.ku.edu.
The Pennsylvania Tech Accelerator Provider Technology Solutions Readiness Assessment: A Self-Administered Evaluation for Disability and Aging Service Providers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cover TPACon 2025: Intersections Where Policy, Practice, and Possibility Converge conference program cover
July 29, 2025 at 4:48 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
KUCD Director Karrie Shogren and Research Aide Sean Tyree were invited to join Governor Laura Kelly and leaders in the disability community from across Kansas to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
A group of people with disabilities posing with Kansas Governor Kelly to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
July 25, 2025 at 6:35 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
This week, disability advocate Liz Weintraub, author of All Means All: My Life in Advocacy, joined KUCD’s Lunch and Learn Series to discuss her book and experiences as part of AUCD’s disability policy team.

Sign up for Liz’s plain language summaries @ bit.ly/aucddpn.
KUCD staff meeting with Liz Weintraub via Zoom KUCD staff meeting with Liz Weintraub via Zoom KUCD staff meeting with Liz Weintraub via Zoom
July 11, 2025 at 6:16 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
This week, during KUCD’s Lunch and Learn Series, we were joined by disability advocate Liz Weintraub, author of the book, All Means All: My Life in Advocacy.
Check out Liz’s story @ bit.ly/lweintraub.
The cover of Liz Weintraub's book, "All Means All, My Life in Advocacy". KUCD staff meeting with disability advocate Liz Weintraub via Zoom. KUCD staff meeting with disability advocate Liz Weintraub via Zoom.
July 10, 2025 at 8:41 PM
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Join the ELEVATE Transition Doctoral Fellowship program, study with leaders like Dr. Val Mazzotti and Dr. Karrie Shogren, and earn your degree at a #1 ranked university in Special Education!

Find more information and apply at: kucd.ku.edu/elevate
A graphic with the text "Elevate Transition: Doctoral Fellowship Program in Special Education" with bullet points: Transition-focused, fully funded, number one ranked program in special education, personalized mentorship. The graphic features a photo of adult students in a classroom. Below the photo is the text "Apply now! www.kucd.ku.edu/elevate"
July 7, 2025 at 4:42 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
KUCD staff recently attended the 2025 AAIDD Conference in Washington, DC!
We presented on several KUCD projects and the impacts of our work. Gina Kim also received the AAIDD Student Award - congrats, Dr. Kim!
Learn more about the AAIDD conference @ bit.ly/2025_aaidd.
Ryan Henley presenting on inclusive research Gina Kim receiving the AAIDD student award Gloria Gantt presenting on the State of the States Karrie and Aziz presenting on the SDI’s global impact
July 1, 2025 at 4:42 PM
kucdisabilities.bsky.social
Did you know that the State of the States project, housed at KUCD, is a Project of National Significance (PNS)?

Learn more @ bit.ly/sots_pns.
What are the Projects of National Significance (PNS)? What are the PNS? PNS allow a rapid response to the most pressing issues affecting people with disabilities and their families. The PNS create and enhance opportunities for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) to contribute to and participate in all facets of community life. PNS support and address critical issues facing the disability community. Supports people with I/DD and their families to improve planning and address their own needs, goals, and preferences Empowers youth with I/DD to direct their own healthcare transitions from pediatric to adult models of care Provides support to organizations to make their information accessible to people with I/DD Supports people with I/DD in gaining Competitive Integrated Employment and community living Supports youth with I/DD in moving away from guardianship to Supported Decision-Making (SDM) Advocates for embedding disability-related content into the health education Develops and tests new approaches for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) for people with I/DD Current Ongoing Projects Bridging the Aging and Disabilities Networks Empowering Youth with I/DD to Manage Their Healthcare Transitions Self-Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center (SAR-TAC) Community Collaborations for Employment Alternatives to Guardianship Youth Resource Center Strengthening the Healthcare Workforce and Addressing Health Disparities among People with I/DD Living Well What are the Ongoing Longitudinal Data Collection PNS? The projects provide unique data that cannot be found anywhere else from the 50 states, District of Columbia, the U.S. Territories. This project investigates federal, state, and local spending and program trends in I/DD services and supports. Visit stateofthestates.ku.edu to learn more. Visit thinkwork.org/statedata to learn more. Visit risp.umn.edu to learn more. This project investigates day and employment services for people with This project investigates data on Medicaid-funded residential and in-home supports for people with I/DD. The State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Works Cited StateData: The National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes The National Residential Information System Project (RISP) Tanis, E.S., et al. (2024). The State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Life Span Institute, University of Kansas. www.stateofthestates.ku.edu. Living, A. f. C. I/DD Longitudinal Data Collection Projects. https://acl.gov/programs/idd-longitudinal-data-collection-projects Living, A. f. C. Projects of National Significance. https://acl.gov/programs/strengthening-aging-and-disability-networks/projects-national-significance
June 27, 2025 at 5:02 PM