PEAC’s Eastern PA Annual Inclusion Conference & 20-year Anniversary Celebration Dinner

Session 1a: The True Friendship Project: Friendship for All

Join members of the True Friendships Project (TFP), a grant funded by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council, whose focus is on creating opportunity and capacity for friendships for all. This project aims to break down barriers and support building meaningful friendships for people of all abilities. It is a step towards creating a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and truly valued as friends and peers. In this presentation, we will share how schools can be more inclusive to support people with disabilities in making friends as we have learned from people with disabilities, their families, and the professionals who serve them.

Session 1b: The Framework for Access and Belonging (FAB)

The Framework for Access and Belonging (FAB) replaced the Supplementary Aids and Services (SAS) Toolkit. This session provides an overview of FAB and outlines the similarities and differences between the new process and the former toolkit. It also explains how to initiate the FAB process and provides insight to the three stages of this facilitated process. The mission of FAB is to identify an inclusion priority for individual learners and remove barriers within the general education environment with the use of Supplementary Aides and Services and Universal Design for Learning strategies to foster meaningful inclusion with strong collaboration between schools and families.

Session 1c:  Early Intervention and Inclusion. (Description coming soon)

Session 2a:  The Disability Inclusive Curriculum

Disability Equality in Education wants to change how disability is viewed as a natural part of human diversity by reaching young people K to 12th grade, and by infusing lessons around disability in all subjects for all students in the general education classrooms. We can change attitudes toward people with disabilities, address stereotype and stigma and ensure all kids have a sense of belonging.

The Disability Inclusive Curriculum is a historic groundbreaking legislation taking place in Pennsylvania right now. This session will address that missing piece in education: Disability so that the next generation of citizens can grow up in a more inclusive equitable society.

Session 2b:  AT and Education

This session will cover:

• Assistive technology (AT) to help students with classroom and other activities.
• Opportunities for incorporating these tools into the IEP.
• The role of AT in transition.
• Identifying Pennsylvania resources.

Session 2c: Empowered Encounters: Making Connections with Yourself and Others

An interactive workshop on healthy relationships, consent, and sexual self-advocacy. We will discuss why consent is crucial for our daily lives and give attendees concrete tools to practice every day. Sexual Self Advocacy is a term developed by Green Mountain Self Advocates that is about speaking up and honoring the right to one’s healthy sexual feelings, identity, and relationships in order to live and thrive in society. Everyone’s journey to sexual self-advocacy is different. All are welcome to share and learn together!

Lisa Aquila serves as the board Vice chair of Disability Equality In Education and is the education outreach specialist for the organization. She is co-founder of the Coalition on Disability Inclusive Curriculum. The Coalition goal is to build awareness and support for Pennsylvania’s Disability Inclusive Curriculum Legislation and is building a movement beyond Pennsylvania to create policy in order to include disability into education practices and to ensure disability is included in all Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) discussions and initiatives.

Amy N. Jedele is the Project Director of the True Friendships Project. She works for Values Into Action as the Director of Projects & Innovation. Amy helped kickstart the NJ I/DD Youth Transition Conference with Values Into Action, the state’s now premier go-to resource for transition into adult services. Amy also helps to lead the NJ Self-Direction Conference.

Izzy Kaufman, (she/they), M.Ed works at Temple University as an Assistive Technology Program Coordinator at the Institute on Disabilities with TechOWL and the Health Equity team. At TechOWL they facilitate the Technology Champions program where young adults from PA learn about accessible technology and how to use it more in their daily lives. Izzy provides comprehensive sexuality education to people with disabilities and their support networks of professionals and family.

Jamie Lisberger is a Co-Coordinator of the True Friendships Project’s Advisory Work Group.  She graduated high school in 2010 and attends classes at DCCC. Jamie likes animals, reading comic books, and watching movies/ TV shows. She hopes to inform and help educate people about all different types  of disabilities. Jamie would like to help people with or without disabilities build connections.

Beth Lopez is an educator with 25 years of experience in the classroom and as a principal and special education director both in the United States and in Venezuela. She is works as a bilingual family advisor for HUNE and helps English and Spanish families both in the Philadelphia Hispanic community and others.

Nova McGiffert, (she/her), B.A. is the Healthy Sexuality Project Coordinator on the Health Equity Team at the Institute on Disabilities. She provides holistic sexuality education for self-advocates, families, caregivers, and providers using a disability justice lens. Nova facilitates a statewide network of sexuality educators, trainers, and disability service providers to improve positive sexuality education for Pennsylvanians with disabilities. 

Sandi McNally is Assistant Director of Assistive Technology (AT) Programs at the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University. Her current responsibilities include working with TechOWL’s eight subcontracted AT Resource Centers (ATRCs), as well as Pennsylvania’s statewide AT Lending Library, providing technical assistance to ensure quality implementation of statewide activities.

Dr. Lisa Russo (she/her) is an Educational Consultant at PaTTAN East, where she leads the east office in key initiatives in Secondary Transition, and Inclusive Practices and is part of the mathematics state team. Dr. Russo also serves as one of the project leads for the Framework for Access & Belonging (FAB).  She strongly believes that by presuming competence, applying inclusive instructional practices, every learner can have equitable access to the curriculum and experience a true sense of belonging in educational settings.

Kristina (Tina) Steinbacher is the Co-Coordinator of the True Friendship Project Advisory Workgroup with Robert and Jamie. She’s been with Values into Action for 6 years as a Supports Broker and most recently as the Associate Director of Participant Directed Services.

Shaun Tomko is a music and clue master. Shaun specializes in a fun mix of upbeat music for you to guess and enjoy!  Shaun graduated high school in 2008, and worked on his IEP goals at Lehigh University for 4 years. He started working part time a law firm in 2012, and added volunteering at the Quakertown library two years later. This year he has started volunteering at PBS with a plan to move to a paid position. His passion is the history of animation, which includes artists, studios, writers, producers and others.

Mia Rodriguez is on a mission to change the world one song at a time! With an incredible gift for singing and a larger-than-life personality, this unstoppable 15-year-old with Down syndrome is already bringing joy to the world with her voice. Mia has performed alongside Grammy Award-winning singer and guitarist Mark Tremonti and members of the Frank Sinatra band, and has shared the stage with stars from Broadway. Most recently, she garnered the attention of world-renowned vocal coach Cheryl Porter, who flew in from Chicago to coach and encourage Mia for her performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at the iconic Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park during New York City’s National Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk. Mia has been a proud member of the West Chester Children’s Chorus, in residence at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, for the past six years. She also performs with the internationally recognized Spotlight Kidz ensemble, which features some of the country’s most talented young performers and she is also a active member of her Honors Chorale in her high school.

Ben Hartranft is a 26-year-old young man who was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 2.  At that time, he knew only 20 words and everything was a safety issue. His early years were marked by uncertainty and challenges, but he has surpassed all expectations and is strengthened by his faith in God and the people He has placed in Ben’s life. Ben’s story is not one of defeat, but rather of resilience, determination, and unwavering faith.  He received his diploma, works part-time for Philadelphia Eagles Game Day Staff, earned his driver’s license and treats everyone he meets like a rock star. Ben has had some extraordinary opportunities that you won’t believe until you see!  Ben loves being an advocate for Autism Awareness and wants to take awareness to action. You can learn more about Ben and his story at Benergy1.com