When it comes to the education of their children, parents of disabled students often face an uphill battle. Despite the many benefits, inclusive education is still not the norm in our schools. Too often, disabled students are segregated into self-contained classrooms.
In our recent live show, Tim Villegas, Director of Communication for the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education and host of Think Inclusion podcast shared his experiences and insights in creating systemic change to support inclusive education.
To see the full live training, click on this link.
Here are some of the highlight from our conversation with Tim Villegas:
* Develop a shared vision of inclusive education at the school district level.
* Start forming a critical mass of proponents of inclusive education (Families of disabled and nondisabled students, self advocates and classmates of disabled students, educators, administrators, school board members, community members, legislators, neighbors, relatives, and others).
* Use Person-Centered Planning to understand the student's hopes and dreams and to develop specific steps the student, school community, and others can take so the student reaches their goals.
* Have special educators and general education teachers share in the responsibilities of instructing all students.
* Ensure the school is using natural proportions when assigning students to classrooms (if 10% of the school population has a disability, no more than 10% of the students in a general education classroom would have a disability.
* Create time for collaboration between the staff working with students so the adults and students are supported and successful.
* Have structures in place to resolve conflict, consistently communicating how to be thinking about all learners.
* Advocate at the school board level by attending board meetings and speaking up, communicating with school board members, gathering your critical mass of supporters.
* The importance of student placement, membership in a general education class versus being a visitor, active participation, and actual learning with classmates.
* Listen when having conversations with parents that want their children in special education classrooms. Addressing their concerns of safety, student learning, additional adult support, etc.
* Dispel myths of inclusive education.
* Change practices from the top down and the bottom up.
* Re-envision the physical spaces in our schools and re-examine the roles and responsibilities of some staff members.
* Create flexible groupings, services, and interventions.
We know the sum of our actions toward shared goals of inclusive education is greater than any one individual action!
