Center on Disability and Development Five-Year Core Grant Application - The CDD's five-year work plan addresses two emphasis areas (Education and Early Intervention and Community Quality of Life) and four overarching goals (core functions): (a) Interdisciplinary Pre-service Training; (b) Community Services, Training, and Technical Assistance; (c) Research; and (d) Information Dissemination. The Interdisciplinary Pre-service Training efforts will be accomplished through 10 objectives. These include partnerships with the TAMU Special Education Program to offer master's degree and to provide specialized and advanced training to doctoral students. The CDD will also provide postsecondary education training to young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and provide internship and training to doctoral student trainees representing multiple disciplines. The CDD's efforts in the Community Services, Training, and Technical Assistance will be accomplished through 10 objectives. These include: best practices in transition services, leadership and advocacy skills, support for high school completion and pursuing postsecondary education, independent living skills, best practices in supporting students with behavioral challenges, person centered planning, direct support professionals, accommodations and adaptations in farming, trainings to families of individuals with disabilities, and service to schools and service providers in rural communities. The CDD's research efforts will be accomplished through seven objectives. One line of research examines effective practices for emergency management and disaster preparedness. Another line of research identifies effective practices to improve academic, socio-behavioral, and postsecondary outcomes for students with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities. As an effort to fill the gap between research and practice, the CDD will engage in capacity building effort to help education agencies and vocational rehabilitation agency to collaborate in providing seamless transition services to students with disabilities. These include pre-ETS preparation of employability skills and career development activities. The information dissemination efforts will be accomplished through four major objectives. These include engagement in an array of strategies to disseminate the CDD's work broadly, and engagement in specific activities to educate and disseminate information to state legislators and members of Congress.
