Think Inclusive

Since I started the podcast in 2012, I’ve always wanted to do a “best of” podcast!Today, we are highlighting five conversations that I had from the early years of the podcast.Paula Kluth talks about why some schools aren’t as inclusive as they think they are. Dan Habib discusses how Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) […]

In 2003, Cecil County Public Schools (CCPS) educated students with significant disabilities very differently than they do now. At the time, they were known as a “center school district,” meaning students with significant disabilities were bussed away from their neighborhood schools to attend specialized schools. “There was never even an idea that a child with […]

Today on the podcast we talk to Shelley Moore, inclusive education consultant and presenter extraordinaire! We talk about what her path looked like to become a special education teacher and why she cares about inclusive education so much. Also, we discuss the major differences between Canada’s educational systems and the United States are regarding special education. […]

One of the most common reasons people give as a barrier to inclusive education is funding. And it makes sense, right? If we want a genuinely inclusive education for our students, we have to pay for it. Except funding doesn’t have to be a barrier.  Inclusive education is about changing an educational system to be […]

Today on the podcast, Jennifer Spencer-Iiams, Assistant Superintendent for the West Linn-Wilsonville School District, talks to us about the transformation in her district toward inclusive practices. Her book, Leading for All: How to Create Truly Inclusive and Excellent Schools, shares lessons learned from years building district schools where all students are served in their neighborhood […]

Discussions around the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for students with disabilities are almost always tricky. For this episode, we attempt to make LRE a little more understandable. We interview Amy Langerman, special education advocate and attorney in California and Arizona. We discuss the difficulty of some parents seeking the Least Restrictive Environment for their child […]

Today on the podcast, my interview with Carol Quirk (CEO of the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education). We discuss what it really takes for school systems to move to a model where 90% of all students with disabilities are included in general education classrooms. It is not only a pipe dream.   This episode’s transcript can […]

For so many of us, whether you are an educator, parent, or both, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a strain on all of us. And in late March, when word got out that Betsy DeVos was going to possibly recommend waiving part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) because of the hardship that […]

Today on the podcast, we are going to talk about modifying curriculum. For my students back in Pasadena, CA, according to their IEP, the team agreed that this was the best way to access the curriculum. To take a part of the standards and then modify it down to where they were able to meaningfully […]

Today on the podcast, I interview Christina Samuels of Education Week.  We discuss Ed Week’s Special Report called Special Education: Practice and Pitfalls. It takes a look at the shortage of special education teachers, how co-teaching strategies enhance the effectiveness of education for all students, and how to encourage parents and students to advocate for […]