KU Center on Disabilities

The KUCD team gathered in Lawrence for our Annual Meeting, an opportunity to reflect on the past year’s progress and engage in strategic visioning for the future of our Center. Director Dr. Karrie Shogren shared, “It’s so exciting to see our team continue to grow and expand our reach and impacts. I am excited about our visioning for the future and our partnerships in the community that will help make this happen.” To learn more about our work, visit kucd.ku.edu!

Should people be paid less because they have a disability? Because of an 80-year-old law, there's no federal law limiting how little people with #disabilities may be paid. Kansas led the nation in adopting legislation to address this by promoting competitive integrated employment, and KU researchers at Kansas University Center on Disabilities are helping put this goal into practice. Learn more: https://loom.ly/bPtjM9A

Support builds confidence—choice builds independence. Supported Decision-Making (SDM) might sound like a new concept, but it’s something most of us already use every day. We turn to trusted people—family, friends, coworkers, or mentors—to help us understand options and think through important decisions. For individuals with disabilities, Supported Decision-Making ensures that same opportunity: the ability to make their own choices with guidance from a network they trust. Supporters are selected by the person with the disability. They can be family members, co-workers, friends, and past or present providers. The individual should select supporters who know and respect his or her will and preferences, and who will honor the choices and decisions the individual makes. Supporters help gather information and explore options, but the final decision always remains with the individual. SDM is flexible and evolves over time, empowering people to build confidence, independence, and self-determination. It’s not about taking control away—it’s about strengthening it. Learn more via KU Center on Disabilities - https://lnkd.in/e8zcenvs #SupportedDecisionMaking #DisabilityRights #SelfDetermination #Inclusion #Accessibility #IndependentLiving #Advocacy

Come work with us! We’re seeking a Research Project Coordinator to support our inclusive research projects and advance opportunities for people with disabilities and professionals who work with them. Apply by April 29th at bit.ly/rprojectcoord.

The State of the States project has released a new report in collaboration with ANCOR, Advancing Technology Access for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD): A Survey of IDD Services and Supports Providers. This report offers insights into how IDD services providers are spearheading innovation nationwide. Learn more by checking out the report at https://bit.ly/ancortech. The State of the States would like to thank ANCOR for a decade of collaboration!

New Hampshire is exploring becoming a "technology first" state! The State of the States project tracks states' adoption of technology first initiatives and progress toward supports and services for people with disabilities. The State of the States is a Project of National Significance (PNS), at KU Center on Disabilities, under the KU Life Span Institute. Learn more at stateofthestates.ku.edu Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gR-tXU-z

Dr. Shea Tanis, KUCD Associate Research Professor, was quoted in this article about potential Medicaid cuts in Colorado, discussing what we know from the data collected by the State of the States Project: "When states faced a federal Medicaid funding cliff following the Great Recession of the late 2000s, they almost uniformly cut back on waiver services to people with disabilities, increasing their waiting lists, said Shea Tanis, an associate research professor at University of Kansas’ Center on Disabilities." Learn more about the State of the States project here: stateofthestates.ku.edu https://lnkd.in/gJggUKqi

Project EARLY faculty and fellows presented at the Conference for Research Innovations for Early Intervention (CRIEI). They shared research about how to support children with disabilities and improve outcomes in the classroom and at home. Conferences are critical opportunities to distribute the knowledge generated by research and connect with colleagues across the country to share resources and develop collaborations. ☀️ Learn more about Project EARLY and other initiatives to support inclusive early education: kucd.ku.edu/kucd-kids

Last chance to apply! We’re still looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to support research on self-determination, transition, inclusive research and community engagement! Apply by April 5th at bit.ly/kucdpdoc.

Join Project MounTaiN — a fully funded, supportive 2-year master’s program in Early Childhood Unified at the University of Kansas! We’re now recruiting interested individuals who want to become early interventionists or early childhood special educators. Program begins in Fall 2026! Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/ehEXiJNK