Independence, Inc.

03/06/2026

Are you age 18+ with an Autism diagnosis (even if self-diagnosed!) and able to read English? Congratulations! You qualify to participate in an important Kansas University research study to evaluate group differences and accurate measurement of autistic individuals' experiences with camouflaging, social relationships, and overall well-being. A mouthful to say but so easy to get involved!
You can:
✅scan the QR code below

✅Follow this link: https://kusurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_afw7FmAtBJxgHt4

✅or contact Alyssa Brewer: alyssa.brewer@ku.edu for more information.

03/06/2026

For our KC friends and consumers! Don't miss this great opportunity to learn and ask questions about the supports, services and process of getting connected with your local Community Developmental Disabilities Organization! (CDDO)

🎉 Don't miss the next KCKPS SPED Parent Information & Q&A Session! This month's webinar is presented by your local Wyandotte County CDDO where they will give an overview of their program and provide a Q&A for all of your important questions! Waivers, waitlists, supports and more. 2 sessions to choose from!

EVENT DATE
📅March 26th

🕐 Session 1
1:00 – 2:30 PM

🌙 Session 2
6:30 – 8:00 PM
(Attend the session that works best
for you!)

https://wycokck.zoom.us/j/83354785810?pwd=dDcKa2bV0PlRdcO1AhJmVx3seueowZ.1

🆔 Meeting ID: 833 5478 5810
🔐 Passcode: 724950

✨ Learn. Ask Questions. Get Connected.
Contact the SPED Department with any questions 913-627-5600

ID: 3 darker skinned people with brown hair, including an adult male and an adult female, posing and smiling at the camera with their arms around a younger female in the middle, wearing a bright floral shirt and white pants. The backg

03/03/2026

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month!

This month and *every month* SACK works to make sure that the voices of people with developmental disabilities in Kansas are heard and the values of self-determination, independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion are acessible to all.



[Image description: Brady Bunch style boxes with SACK staff around a square containing the SACK logo + text: CELEBRATES DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AWARENESS MONTH]

02/26/2026

Parents of elementary-age youth with disabilities - your participation in this study would be greatly appreciated!

What a fabulous opportunity for parents, families or other guardians of children with disabilities, to offer perspective and insight into your lived experience with asessing and activating self-determination skills in your elementary-aged children.
This volunteer opportunity will involve a 30-45 minute one-on-one virtual interview between a parent and researcher fromthe KUCD - Kansas University Center on Disabilities, to discuss your thoughts and experiences on your child's self-determination journey, that may help shape culturally diverse and relevant supports.

Interested? email altin@ku.edu for more information or to register as a participant.


Image Description: Informational flyer with a bright blue background with a logo for the Kansas University Center on Disabilities, an icon-style image of an adult holding the hand of a child. The headline reads: Are you the parent of an elementary school child with disabilities? Text on the flyer includes all of the information listed above in this post.

02/26/2026

It's with great sadness that we share our condolences and personal loss over the passing of a dear colleague and friend, Brian Ellefson. Brian was a kind and gentle man who was fully invested in the disability community, the independent living movement and the rights of people with disabilities. He was a strong leader, mentor, volunteer and advocate who served tirelessly and invested deeply in all he did and in those he knew. What a legacy and what a loss. You will be missed.

Celebrate the life of Brian Ellefson, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of McGilley & Hoge.

02/23/2026

Need information about your enforcement options under the employment part of the ADA? Check out our fact sheet here to learn more: https://adata.org/factsheet/enforcement-options-employment-provisions

02/23/2026

Nine states are once again trying to weaken Section 504 and roll back our right to live in the community.

In Texas v. Kennedy (2026), Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, South Dakota, and Texas are asking the court to say that updated Section 504 rules are unlawful.

At stake is the integration mandate that codifies the right of disabled people to live in their community with needed supports.

Join us to learn what this lawsuit means and how we can fight back.

Wednesday, February 25, 2026
10:30 am PT / 1:30 pm ET

Register here: https://dredf-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Q1oN3icfRrCY36saLlwgJA #/registration

02/23/2026

Please. Please stop using this word.

02/23/2026

Black history is disability history.

Black disabled people navigate racism and ableism at the same time — in healthcare, education, employment, and beyond. That layered reality is called intersectionality, and it’s why representation matters.

This Black History Month, we’re honoring 10 Black disability rights leaders whose activism, art, and advocacy reshaped civil rights and accessibility in America.

Their stories remind us: justice must be inclusive.

Read the blog here: bit.ly/4aUoIwi

02/23/2026

Dyscalculia is one of the lesser-talked about and misunderstood disabilities - yet it affects an estimated 507% of people - affecting a person’s ability to understand, process, and remember math concepts, numbers, and quantities. Learn how to recognize the signs!

02/23/2026

I see people with disabilities every day. I see their needs and their hopes and dreams. Let's make their lives easier, not harder