Human Development Institute

Communities of Practice: Training Innovation Project (TIP)

Apr 28, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Communities of Practice (COP) are groups of people who come together because they care about improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities.Members share ideas, solve problems, build skills, and create practical tools that support competitive integrated employment. The COP is meant to grow naturally over time and will eventually be led by its members, giving participants the chance to shape discussions and activities aroundwhat matters most to them and their work.

Setting the Record Straight About Hiring and Retaining Disabled Workers: Debunking Myths. A Training Innovation Project (TIP) Master Class

Jun 24, 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Objectives: Discuss the progress made in making the American workforce more inclusive and accessible to the disability community. Describe persistent concerns on the part of employers about hiring and accommodating workers with disabilities. Provide empirical evidence that workers with disabilities often prove equal to the task in comparisons with non-disabled workers, suggesting that within the disability community lies a valuable labor resource. Presenter:

Assistive Technology (AT) and Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC): Lunch & Learn

Mar 24, 2026, 12:30 – 1:30 PM

This event will feature Christina Espinosa and Jacqui Farmer Kearns from the Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky. Christina will discuss assistive technology resources available through the Kentucky Assistive Technology Services Network and share information about the Housing Futures Project, which focuses on improving accessible housing and home modifications. Jacqui will highlight resources and strategies related to Augmentative and Alternative Communication and her work supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities.

Introduction to the Training Innovation Project (TIP)

Feb 24, 2026, 1:00 – 1:45 PM

Join Kathy Sheppard-Jones and Beth Potter for a 45-minute virtual introduction to TIP and learn how we’re building practical, high-impact training, tools, and skill-building strategies for vocational rehabilitation professionals. Attendees will discover how TIP is designed to equip vocational rehabilitation professionals with the necessary training, tools, and skills to enhance their service to people with disabilities. The project also focuses on supporting professionals in their efforts to engage effectively with employers.

Housing Futures Project Open House

Feb 3, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Join us for more information on the Housing Futures Project, funded by the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities. Many Kentuckians with disabilities have a hard time finding housing that is affordable and accessible. The Housing Futures Project is working to expand housing options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by creating homes that are affordable, accessible, and usable.

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Human Development Institute

Communities of Practice: Training Innovation Project (TIP)

Setting the Record Straight About Hiring and Retaining Disabled Workers: Debunking Myths. A Training Innovation Project (TIP) Master Class

Assistive Technology (AT) and Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC): Lunch & Learn

Introduction to the Training Innovation Project (TIP)

Housing Futures Project Open House

The Courts and ADA Cases Shaping the Law: 4th Thursday ADA Talks 2026

Accessible Parking and Public Rights of Way: 4th Thursday ADA Talks 2026

Artificial Intelligence and Disability Access: 4th Thursday ADA Talks 2026

ADA in Higher Education: 4th Thursday ADA Talks 2026

ADA and Accessible Lodging: 4th Thursday ADA Talks 2026