Welcome to the official website for the 2026 TASH Conference!
Each year, the TASH Conference brings together our constituents to share resources and success stories, learn about field-driven best practices, and network within a community engaged in shared values. The Conference is attended by passionate leaders, experts, and advocates from every corner of the disability community. Conference attendees are influential in their fields and communities, and play an important role in the provision of services and supports for individuals and organizations around the world; and include professors and researchers from leading institutions; those involved in local, state, and federal governments and public policy; special and general educators, and school administrators; self-advocates, adult service providers; students, family members, and many others. This year’s conference theme is Liberty and Justice for All.
On this page you will find information about our Conference location, registration, reserving a guest room, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, and more! The full Conference schedule will be published in August. Registered attendees will receive an invitation to log in and create a personalized schedule.
Sign up or log in to add sessions to your schedule and sync them to your phone or calendar.
This poster presentation reports on an action research study examining the community-based implementation of an Ultra-Short-Time Employment model designed to expand employment opportunities for individuals with significant disabilities who are unable to participate in conventional work arrangements.The model enables individuals to engage in highly structured, task-specific roles for very short durations (e.g., as little as one hour per week), based on clearly defined job descriptions. A central component of the model is the role of a coordinator, who identifies unmet labor needs within local businesses, disaggregates job tasks into manageable units, and matches these tasks with individuals’ capabilities and support needs. These coordinators are commissioned by local governments, positioning the initiative as a formal public program.This study focuses on implementation processes across multiple municipalities in Japan, where the model has been introduced through cross-sector collaboration among local governments, service providers, and employers. Employing an action research framework, the project simultaneously sought to develop practical solutions while generating knowledge on effective implementation strategies.Data sources include administrative records (e.g., numbers of registered participants and employers, and job placements), logs of coordinator activities (e.g., time allocated to pre- and post-placement support), and qualitative observations derived from ongoing practice.Findings underscore the importance of proactive employer engagement by coordinators, systematic work analysis through direct consultation with employers, and the development of detailed job descriptions. The results further suggest that the model is particularly effective in reaching individuals who have historically been excluded from employment due to the intensity or inflexibility of standard work arrangements.This presentation contributes to the growing body of research on customized employment and offers practical insights for communities seeking to expand inclusive employment opportunities for individuals with significant support needs.
Friday December 4, 2026 5:45pm - 7:30pm EST Millennium Hall1200 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
