What We Do

Information Dissemination

 

Career and Technical Special Populations Training and Resource Education Center (CTSP Center) | Contact: Rick Peterson, 979-845-3850
 Providing career and technical/special education information to Texans.
Operating since 1977, the CTSP Center is geared toward career and technical education (CTE) teachers, parents, and professionals working with special populations. The CTSP Center is managed by Texas AgriLife Extension Service and funded by the Texas Education Agency. With a few simple clicks on the CTSP Center website, interested educators, parents and professionals can find a wealth of information about topics pertinent to special populations currently enrolled in or educated in CTE classrooms. Offerings include a database of over 2,300 publications available for check-out from the Educational Resource Library. These materials cover categories such as law, instructional strategies, career development, life skills, self-advocacy, assistive technologies and more. Materials are available in video, book and resource guide formats. The CTSP website also provides webcasts, newsletters, parent resources and a searchable, up-to-date database of all materials in the library. Web visitors can also access a directory of helpful external links to other resources on the web or chat live with a staff member who can answer general questions. A special feature of the website is the addition of instructional online training and support modules for teachers addressing principles and strategies of accommodating a broad range of special population student needs, including legal issues, transition, behavior management and instruction.

 

Directory of Community Resources in Texas
Contact: Amy Sharp, 979-845-4612
 Add, edit and search disability resources in Texas.
The Directory of Community Resources (DCR) is a dynamic, locally-
referenced directory of disability resources in Texas. Available online at
disabilityresources.tamu.edu, the DCR allows users to locate resources in their area as well as contribute resources they know of and/or edit existing listings by filling out a simple form. The community’s ability to interact with the content ensures that the directory stays as up-to-date as possible. Users can search by keyword, zip code or agency name. Supports and services are also searchable by region or by these functional categories:

 

  • Advocacy and Support Groups
  • Assistive Technology
  • Communication
  • Daily Living Support
  • Early Intervention and Early Childhood Education
  • Employment and Financial Assistance
  • Health and Medical Services
  • Housing
  • Mobility and Transportation
  • Primary, Secondary and Postsecondary Education Services
  • Psychological and Counseling Services
  • Recreation and Leisure

 

Public Policy and Advocacy | Contact: Linda Parrish, 979-709-7264
Forwarding disability policy initiatives to improve services and supports.
 The Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University is involved in local, state and national disability policy issues. Since 2005, we have been a member of the statewide Disability Policy Consortium (DPC) which consists of over 25 disability organizations. Together, with these organizations, we assist in the preparation of issue briefs in the areas of:

 

  • Long-term services and supports
  • Housing
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Healthcare

Given the reality that Texas ranks in the bottom percentile nationally in almost every aspect of services for people with disabilities, it is critical that public policy initiatives be throughly researched, written and presented in a way that is accessible for all public policy makers and the corresponding agency personnel who implement the legislation that affects people with disabilities. Staff in our Center have the capacity to produce and disseminate such public policy initiatives. Since joining the DPC, Center staff have taken lead roles in the policy areas of community living and education and have provided support for other areas. Our goal is to impact public policy in such a way that it directly translates into better and more inclusive services for people with disabilities and their families.