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.

Services and Programs

Family Outreach Center and Disability Services
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.
Next Step at Vanderbilt University - Postsecondary Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Education, social skills, and vocational training program for students with intellectual disabilities. Next step provides educational experiences for students beyond high school and awards 2-year certification at graduation.
Postsecondary Education for Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities
The Tennessee Task Force for Postsecondary Education for Students With Intellectual Disabilities was formed in May 2007 to increase awareness about the need for postsecondary opportunities in Tennessee, to gather information about postsecondary programs in other states, and to develop a pilot program on a Tennessee college campus.
Religion and Spirtuality Resources for people with disabilties and their families.
Religion and Spirtuality Resources for people with disabilties and their families.
Tennessee National Service Inclusion Advisory Team
Volunteer Tennessee, with technical assistance from the National Service Inclusion Project and in collaboration with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center is establishing a Tennessee National Service Inclusion Advisory Team. This team is designed to guide Volunteer Tennessee in eliminating community barriers and assisting people to live more independently. It promotes inclusion of individuals with disabilities in community volunteer activities. As a result, volunteerism will be available to all Tennesseans.

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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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