Inclusion of persons with disabilities

Inclusion refers to fully including people with disabilities, regardless of the type or severity of disability, in their communities so that they experience no physical or attitudinal barriers as they pursue their personal goals in education, housing, employment, and all other activities of daily living.

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Services and Programs

Family Outreach Center
Disability-specific programs associated with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and other organizations at Vanderbilt provide a broad range of treatment, research, technical assistance, education, and outreach services.
Access Nashville
Access Nashville is a service learning training project at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. Disability awareness and "accessibility-friendly" training are provided in a college classroom setting and students are given a specific restaurant to survey as an assignment.
April is Autism Awareness Month
A time for learning, educating, and advocating
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) refers to a common group of neurodevelopmental disorders that affect social interaction, language and communication, and behavior. Although these areas of challenges are common to ASD, this brain-based disorder affects individuals in different ways.
Disabilities, Religion, and Spirituality
This program provides training and supports for individuals with disabilities and families, faith communities, and disability service providers .
Employment of Persons with Disabilities
Employment matters. We promote meaningful work for youth and adults with disabilities through model service programs and technical assistance, training, research, and information sharing.
March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
A time for learning, educating, and advocating
Next Steps at Vanderbilt University - Postsecondary Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Education, social skills, and vocational training program for students with intellectual disabilities. Next Steps at Vanderbilt provides educational experiences for students beyond high school and awards 2-year certification at graduation.
Research Family Partners
Research Family Partners is a program that helps families connect with Vanderbilt Kennedy Center research studies in which they may be interested in taking part.
Tennessee Alliance for Postsecondary Opportunities for Students With Intellectual Disabilities
The Tennessee Alliance for Postsecondary Opportunities for Students With Intellectual Disabilities functions to increase awareness about the need for postsecondary opportunities in Tennessee and to encourage the development of more programs on Tennessee college campuses.

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Printable Resources and Materials

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Links and Resources

Community Intergration
This Annotated Bibliography on Community Integration, Third Edition lists many of the best available resources on community integration for people with developmental and other disabilities. It is meant to be a resource for people with disabilities, parents and family members, advocates and friends, direct service providers, administrators, and policy makers who are interested in promoting the participation of people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of community life.
Consortium on Inclusive Schooling Practices
The Consortium on Inclusive Schooling Practices was funded to help bridge the gap between our knowledge base and the state of the practices in the area of inclusive schooling.
Going to College: A resource for teens with disabilities
provides video clips, activities, and resources that can help students get a head start in planning for college. Video interviews with college students with disabilities offer a way to hear firsthand from students with disabilities who have been successful. Modules include activities that will help students explore more about themselves, learn what to expect from college, and equip them with important considerations and tasks to complete when planning for college.
Including Your Child
All children can succeed with the right support. Being a parent of any child is not always easy. You can often feel overwhelmed and confused. If your child has special needs, these feelings may seem even stronger. You have many questions and you may not always know where to go for answers. Sometimes you might not even know what to ask. This booklet may lead you to people who can help.
ThinkCollege.net
Resource regarding postsecondary education options for people with disabilities.
TOP Soccer of Tennessee
An outreach program of the TN Soccer Association; provides athletic opportunities for children and teens with mental and physical disabilities interested in soccer.

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Video, Podcast and Images

Practical Approaches to Creating Inclusive Congregations
Keynote lecture by Becca Hornstein, Executive Director, Council For Jews With Special Needs , at the 1st Congregational Inclusion Conference held in October, 2010.
Sacred Storytelling: Inclusion Begins With (Y)our Stories
Keynote lecture by Mark Crenshaw, Executive Director, Interfaith Disability Network, at the 1st Congregational Inclusion Conference held in October, 2010.

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