TASH: Advocates for Equity, Opportunity & Inclusion for People with Disabilities
For more than 35 years, TASH, an international leader in disability advocacy, has been a leading advocate for human rights and inclusion for people with significant disabilities and support needs – those most vulnerable to segregation, abuse, neglect and institutionalization.
Their website, TASH.org, offers a variety of information and resources for parents of children with disabilities, families and self-advocates.
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TASH’s Goals:
- Promote the full inclusion and participation of children and adults with significant disabilities in every aspect of their community.
- Eliminate the social injustices that diminish human rights.
The organization’s strength comes from the collaborative efforts of its members, including self-advocates, families, professionals, policy-makers, advocates and many others who seek to promote equity, opportunity and inclusion.
TASH: Advocate for Users of Facilitated Communications
Among other issues they advocate, TASH supports the efforts to recognize Facilitated Communication as a viable augmentative and alternative communication technique for non-verbal autistics. In support of Facilitated Typing, issues TASH fights for include:
- Regard access to alternative means of expression as an individual right.
- Encourage people to become informed about the complexities of facilitated communication training and practice; and to stay informed of new research and practice throughout the facilitated communication training process.
- Encourage rigorous and ongoing training for people who decide to become facilitators.
- Urge adequate allocation of funding to train facilitators, ensure adequate compensation, and provide mechanisms for ongoing support.
- Urge the certification of facilitators as a mechanism to ensure quality and oversight.
- Request national organizations that focus on speech and communication to accept the right to communicate, and to endorse Facilitated Communication as a valid option for alternative and augmentative communication.
“It is important not to silence those who could prove their communication competence while using facilitation or any other method of expression.”
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TASH Advocacy & Issues
TASH has been at the forefront of a variety of disability rights advocacy, and has been a pioneer on key issues impacting equity, opportunity and inclusion for people with significant disabilities. Get more information about the advocacy issues TASH endorses, including Inclusive Education, Community Living, and Diversity & Cultural Competency.
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