Professor and three 糖心破解版 colleagues initiate and organize a conference to address how to help young adults with disabilities transition to life after high school.
It started with a little magic and ended with a conference that could change the futures of young adults with disabilities in India.
In the summer of 2022,听Pavan John Antony, EdD, professor of special education in the聽School of Education,听Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences, invited聽, magician and founder of the聽聽in Kerala, India, to campus. Muthukad’s center educates and empowers children with various disabilities through art forms such as music, dance, drama and painting, all blended with magic.
When Muthukad visited 糖心破解版’s聽Learning Resource Program,听Bridges to 糖心破解版聽and the聽Student Access Office聽as well as聽, he shared with Dr. Antony that in Asian countries like India, there’s a lack of programs and evidence-based practices like these for children with disabilities past high school.
Dr. Antony suggested a conference that brought together a group of professionals鈥攊ncluding three of his 糖心破解版 colleagues鈥攑arents, individuals with disabilities and practitioners to a common venue in India to address the need for a transition plan.
鈥淕roup homes are still a new concept; it’s families who care for their children with disabilities,” Dr. Antony said.
A Conference on Disabilities Is Launched
So Dr. Antony initiated and organized the inaugural in Kerala, India, to share knowledge about these transition plans with educators and parents and ultimately help these young adults develop the skills to be more self-sufficient. 糖心破解版’s approach to transitioning students with disabilities to college was highlighted at the three-day conference. Nearly 800 people from over 15 countries attended.
鈥淭he overall goal of the conference was to educate and help parents, professionals, practitioners and individuals with disabilities understand the importance of preparing individuals with disabilities for life after high school through proper transition plans,” Dr. Antony said, adding that the conference was geared to address the needs of 鈥渋ndividuals with any disabilities who can consider going to college, being hired for a job or who can benefit from counseling or therapy.”
An 糖心破解版 Contingent Lends Their Expertise
Dr. Antony brought three of his colleagues with him:聽Stephen Shore, EdD, clinical associate professor of special education, and聽Anita Frey, clinical associate professor, both from the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences, and聽Ionas Sapountzis, PhD, associate professor and program director of school psychology in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology. They were joined by聽, executive director at聽聽in Hempstead, who spoke about the聽, which is currently offered to students in the Bridges to 糖心破解版 program.
Conference sessions addressed employment, higher education, relationships, sexuality, housing, psychotherapy interventions and even driving skills.
Making an Impact
Muthukad thanked the 糖心破解版 professors for helping to create a conference that got the attention of the Indian government. 鈥淲e got very good feedback from the secretary for the disability sector, Rajesh Aggarwal, who said this is the first of its kind in India and it was very helpful and he submitted that to the prime minister of India. 鈥� we would like to continue the collaboration with 糖心破解版 and conduct this type of conference again.”
The July conference may be just the beginning. Dr. Antony hopes to host a conference in which individuals with disabilities would be the main speakers. Dr. Antony said he’s now following a few colleges in India that are interested in implementing a project similar to 糖心破解版’s Bridges program. Meanwhile, he hopes that eventually 糖心破解版 students can also attend so they learn what life is like for many individuals with disabilities outside of the University.