Ability Allies

10/14/2026

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month ( )! The theme for 2026 is “Celebrating Value and Talent.” Learn more about NDEAM here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/ndeam/

10/11/2026

Thanks to everyone who visited with us at the Ascension St. Vincent Fishers Trunk-or-Treat on Saturday! It was great to make lots of new friends and hand out candy and treats!

10/06/2026

Thank you for having us!

🌟 A Big Thank You to Our Amazing Participants! 🌟

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who joined today's session! Your energy and insights made it a success. 🙌

Special shoutout to our amazing speaker: ✨ Margaret Jones! Thank you for your engaging presentation!

🎤 Kristin Fiumara we appreciate your expertise on the panel. 📝Erica Bushnell & Kelli Spires-Thank you for sharing an insightful case discussion.

🗓️ Mark Your Calendars!

Join us for the next session in our Education Series: 📅 Friday, October 9th ⏰ 12:00-1:30 PM EST

Topic: Transition Aged K-12 Students with Jamie Springer!

🎟️ Don't miss out – Register for FREE here: https://iu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b2usIWtbcHiDuR0

Indiana University Indiana Institute on Disability and Community at Indiana University Project ECHO Indiana Resource Center for Autism - Indiana University CBSInnovation Magical Moments ABA Therapy Ability Allies

09/30/2026

See our executive director, Margaret Jones, at this Friday!

Register now and be a part of the conversation!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C1ugKUSRk/

09/28/2026

Parents often don’t realize their child’s diagnosis won’t automatically mean their child qualifies for an IEP. Their child’s condition must meet the eligibility criteria of at least one of the 13 specific eligibility categories listed in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Additionally, their child’s disability must adversely impact their educational performance.
To learn more about this, The Progress Center has developed a self-paced module for parents and professionals.
If you need assistance with IEP eligibility issues, complete the Ability Allies application for services on our website.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1F8HedUgM6/

09/22/2026

Indiana has an Education Scholarship Account program and a Choice Scholarship Program (aka voucher program). ProPublica takes a deep dive into how students with disabilities are often left out of these programs. It’s worth the time to read or listen.

To give voucher programs a toehold in state legislatures, politicians touted how students with disabilities would gain access to private education. But those students’ families often have the hardest time finding schools that will accept them.

09/22/2026

Ability Allies attorney Mimi Huybers will provide helpful information as a panelist discussing How to Advocate in an IEP Meeting. The presentation and panel discussion is this Friday, 9/25, and is part of the Hands in Autism Developmental Disabilities & Autism ECHO Education Series.

🚨 Mark your calendars for Friday, September 25, from 12:00-1:30 PM EST! 🚨

We’re excited to bring you the next session in our Education Series! 🎉

This time, we're diving deep into How to Advocate in an IEP Meeting, featuring insights from Meg Amarante of the Indiana Department of Education.

✨ Bonus? It’s completely FREE to attend! ✨

Whether you're a caregiver, educator, or community advocate, you won't want to miss this! 🙌

🔗 Register now and be a part of the conversation! https://iu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b2usIWtbcHiDuR0

Indiana University Indiana Institute on Disability and Community at Indiana University Project ECHO Ability Allies Levy Grant

09/14/2026

Ability Allies’ clients sometimes share that they’ve used AI to navigate the special education process. AI can be useful in some situations and problematic in others. Most importantly, parents should be extremely cautious about ever using any identifiable information about their child.

Recently, the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE) has issued a helpful guide for parents – A Parent’s

Guide to Using AI for Advocacy. The guide is available in multiple languages and even for families who children are involved early intervention services (ages 0-3 years).

https://cadreworks.org/resources/cadre-materials-for-family-members/ai-guides-for-special-education-and-early-intervention

09/11/2026

On September 24th, Margaret Jones and Mimi Huybers will present Student Discipline: Using Resources to Navigate the Discipline Process at Indiana Family to Family’s Heart to Heart virtual conference. The presentation will cover information you won’t want to miss:
- School’s authority to discipline students for violating school rules.
- Special discipline protections for students with disabilities, including protections for students who have not yet been identified as a student with a disability.
- Understanding the purpose of and preparing for manifestation determination case conference meetings.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19gcZwsL3b/

08/31/2026

Working towards solutions with school staff can be difficult when you disagree with your child’s IEP or 504 Plan, but it is important. Parents have rights under the special education laws. However, we recommend first trying to collaborate and communicate with the school.

To find out how, read our article in August’s Indy’s Child magazine, which is also on our blog – Allies Digest: https://abilityallies.org/blog/protecting-the-education-of-students-with-disabilities

If you have concerns or a disagreement about the education of your child with a disability, complete our application on our website: https://abilityallies.org/apply