When we think back to our favorite teacher it’s often not what the person said or did that we remember, but how that person made us feel. The best teachers lift us up, show us our worth, and make space for us to truly belong. For Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to lift up and show our gratitude to inclusive teachers. Those that go out of their way to do the hard work of including all learners together. What Makes a Teacher Inclusive? Inclusive Teachers are explicit about belonging. So, you successfully advocated for your child to be in the regular classroom for most of the day, but when yo ..read more

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and Disability History Month in the state of Washington. As my journey with my own son with Down syndrome has evolved I realize that I want more than awareness. I’d love for our society to move from awareness and acceptance to true inclusion. I think it’s important that we move past simple awareness campaigns to something that persuades actual action. But how? How do we raise awareness and persuade people to truly accept people with disabilities for who they are? Outside of the classroom, there’s many small, yet powerful actions you can take. Advocati ..read more

Having your student with Down syndrome included in the general education classroom with proper supports can often seem like a pipe dream. Just look at the statistics: only 16% of our loved ones with intellectual disabilities (ID) are included in general education classrooms most of their school day. But the research and federal law back up full inclusion with support, so how do we get there? Well, I was lucky enough to find inclusion expert, Nicole Eredics from The Inclusive Class. This amazing inclusion teacher has created a huge database of resources to support full inclusion for even s ..read more

Everything is still possible in kindergarten, even for students with significant disabilities. Inclusion should come naturally, because all the students enter kindergarten at different levels. With the use of accommodations that changes “how” students with disabilities learn, many students with intellectual disabilities can meet the same kindergarten standards. Still, expectations have changed a lot since I was in kindergarten 30 years ago. Writing journals, addition math problems, and mandatory reading levels are an actual thing now. I’m blown away by the standards kindergarteners must meet ..read more

Here’s a refrain we hear all too often in special education: “Johnny’s LRE is the Autism Program. This program is 30 minutes away from his home school and is separate from the general education classroom, but Johnny has Autism so this really is the best program in the least restrictive environment for him.” This statement can be heard in IEP meetings, found in blog posts, even written in scholarly articles. But the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and case law dispels the myth that the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is individualized or unique for each child. It is not ..read more

“I have a dream. It’s a dream deeply rooted in the American dream…”-Martin Luther King I have a dream one day our sons and daughters with disabilities will be valued as equal members of their community. I have a dream teachers and principals will set high expectations for our children, realizing the value of inclusion with their typical peers. I have a dream those non-disabled peers will one day become employers and community leaders who provide adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) the opportunities they deserve to fulfill their true potential. That those typical peer ..read more

Whether your child with a disability is going back to in-person learning, a hybrid model, homeschooling with itinerant services at home, or completely virtual our back-to-school checklist will be the same. It won’t include the typical 3-ring binder and box of crayons. Instead, it will require vigilance and continued advocacy on the part of parents and students. Below the checklist you will find a list of resources specific to learning during the pandemic from numerous disability rights organizations. Back-to-School Checklist during the Pandemic: Take the First Step: Don’t wait for your child ..read more

More than 54 million American school children are learning at home right now. Seven million of those students have disabilities. Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus in March, 45 states have ordered schools closed, and 15 states are keeping schools closed until the end of the school year. That list will surely grow as the virus peaks (find an updated list here). In two weeks, Department of Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, is set to offer guidance to Congress on whether or not to issue waivers that could postpone or eliminate school districts’ responsibility to provide a free and appropriate ..read more

The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) can be an intimidating document. It can also make or break a student’s experience in special education. Parents often sit passively in IEP meetings where pre-written goals are recited to them. It can often feel like you have no input, but it doesn’t have to. Parents are often their child’s best advocate. Use your expertise to become the mastermind of your child’s IEP. Don’t leave it to school staff to write the IEP from their perspective. Interject your wants and needs for your child. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) gives parents t ..read more

Extended School Year (ESY) is an under-used and misunderstood part of special education. I’ve struggled to get my own son with Down syndrome meaningful ESY services. I was told that ESY was just for students who have fallen behind. At the time, my son was in his first year of preschool and the school district argued that he hadn’t yet fallen behind. After reading the law myself I realized my son was eligible for ESY services in order to received a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE). I learned that I didn’t have to wait for my son to regress to get ESY services. Extended School Year is ..read more