Think Inclusive Podcast

Today on the Think Inclusive Podcast, we interview Janice Fialka and Sara Jo Soldovieri, two passionate advocates for inclusive education.We talk about what we really mean by inclusive education, what might make the biggest impact to bring inclusive education to school districts, and how to talk to families who think segregated special education classrooms are really best for their child.This episode's transcript can be found here.Take our podcast listener survey: bit.ly/TIPodcast.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Support the podcast and become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we interview Emily Ladau, disability rights activist and author, about her new book Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally. We discuss why this book needed to be written, if there is only one model of disability that is valid, and we even play a little game called, “is it ableist?”This episode's transcript can be found here.Take our podcast listener survey: bit.ly/TIPodcastVisit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Support the podcast and become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we interview Genia Stephen, host of the Good Things in Life podcast. We talk about why she started the podcast, what some of the differences and similarities are with the educational systems in the United States and Canada, and if there is such a thing as perfect inclusion.This episode's transcript can be found here.Download our new resource, The Best Inclusive Education Links: 100 links to the best inclusion-related articles, videos, and media on the web.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Support the podcast and become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we talk with Eric Garcia, author of "We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation."We discuss the biggest misconceptions of autism, why simply existing is not inspirational, and what his dream for the future of a more inclusive world looks like. This episode's transcript can be found here.Download our new resource, The Best Inclusive Education Links: 100 links to the best inclusion-related articles, videos, and media on the web.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Support the podcast and become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we talk with Marilyn Friend, expert and author of numerous books and articles on co-teaching. We discuss what co-teaching is and what does it look like? Do schools have to provide a co-teaching service model? And how does co-teaching further the practice of inclusive education?This episode's transcript can be found here. Download our new resource, The Best Inclusive Education Links: 100 links to the best inclusion-related articles, videos, and media on the web.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Support the podcast and become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we talk with Sarah Wishart, filmmaker of Excluded, a documentary that features the stories and voices of students who have been excluded from school in the United Kingdom. We discuss why she was inspired to make the film by something she saw on Twitter and why she thinks exclusion isn’t good for anyone.This episode's transcript can be found here.Download our new resource, The Best Inclusive Education Links: 100 links to the best inclusion-related articles, videos, and media on the web.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Support the podcast and become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we talk with Maryland’s 2020 Teacher of the year, Wyatt Oroke about what it means to have an inclusive classroom. We discuss his perspective on how having high expectations for all of his scholars is essential and what his dream for the future of education is.This episode's transcript can be found here. Download our new resource, The Best Inclusive Education Links: 100 links to the best inclusion-related articles, videos, and media on the web. Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we talk with Melissa McCullough, Director of Early Childhood for the East Moline School District in Illinois.We discuss what a truly inclusive preschool program looks like and what they are doing to move past the outdated model of providing specialized services in separate places. This episode's transcript can be found here.Download our new resource, The Best Inclusive Education Links: 100 links to the best inclusion-related articles, videos, and media on the web.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we talk with Dr. Eddie Fergus of Temple University.We discuss the disproportionate number of students of color being identified in special education and what we can do about it. We review how restorative practices might be used in inclusive schools and how the biggest barrier to inclusion might be who we think can teach students with disabilities. Be prepared to unpack the shopping carts of our minds.Eddie Fergus is the author of the book Solving Disproportionality and Achieving Equity: A Leader′s Guide to Using Data to Change Hearts and Minds.Follow Dr. Fergus on Twitter.This episode's transcript can be found here.Download our new resource, The Best Inclusive Education Links: 100 links to the best inclusion-related articles, videos, and media on the web.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a pat

Today on the podcast, we talk with Megan Gross and Nancy Brundrett of the Poway Unified School District in Southern California. They tell us how their district has changed how they educate students with significant disabilities and their role in supporting Poway schools with inclusive education.Megan Gross is the author of the books The Inclusion Toolbox: Strategies and Techniques for All Teachers and ParaEducate.This episode's transcript can be found here.Download our new resource, The Best Inclusive Education Links: 100 links to the best inclusion-related articles, videos, and media on the web.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we talk with Dr. Jenny Kurth, professor of special education at the University of Kansas. We discuss preparing for and implementing participation plans for students with complex support needs to be included in general education. And why we should all carry around pocket-sized versions of IDEA.Jenny Kurth is the author of the book The Inclusion Toolbox: Strategies and Techniques for All Teachers and the article Preparing for and Implementing Effective Inclusive Education With Participation Plans.This episode's transcript can be found here.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, we have a very special SUPERSIZED conversation with Alfie Kohn, prolific speaker and author, on human behavior, education, and parenting. We discuss whether bribes or positive reinforcement are really the same things and answer the question…should educators abandon behaviorist ideas altogether?Mr. Kohn is the author of several books, including:Punished by Rewards: Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other BribesThe Schools Our Children Deserve: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and "Tougher Standards"We also reference Autism and Behaviorism: New Research Adds to an Already Compelling Case Against ABA.This episode's transcript can be found here.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted o

Today on the podcast, a conversation with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) expert, Katie Novak. We talk about some common misconceptions of UDL, how UDL works with students with more significant disabilities, and what it is was like to lead her school district to implement inclusive education.Katie is the author of several books, including:Equity by Design: Delivering on the Power and Promise of UDLUnlearning: Changing Your Beliefs and Your Classroom with UDLThis episode's transcript can be found here.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.Click here for audio transcripts.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast, a rare solo episode about why I call myself an inclusionist.For some, the word "inclusionist" has a negative association. I make the case that there is more to the word than just believing that we should get rid of special education or that inclusion only counts if it is "100%."I tell the story of my inclusion journey and how it led me to what I am doing now, advocating for the full and authentic inclusion for students with disabilities.Thanks for your time and attention!TVThis episode's transcript can be found here.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.ResourcesWhy Would a Special Education Teacher Advocate for Inclusive Education? (Noodle)Fully Included: Damian (Think Inclusive)Special education teacher explains why she wants to be called 'accessibility specialist' (GMA)CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inc

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) looked for one high school. Julie Causton explains why her research project, called Schools of Promise, shows why inclusion works for all students. Nicole Eredics gives one important strategy for inclusive classrooms. And Scott F shares what it is like to have students with significant disabilities included in his classroom.Thanks for your time and attention!TVThis episode's transcript can be found here.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsIntro Music - Clap Your Hands by Jahzzar / Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-S

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. And what is all this fuss about baked potatoes? And how do they relate to strategic planning for students in the classroom? Check out her book: One Without the Other: Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion to learn even more.This episode's transcript can be found here.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 school and classrooms with their general education peers.This episode's transcript can be found here.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 and how services are delivered in both states. Next, we have Amanda Selogie and Vickie Brett from the Inclusive Education Project (which is a fantastic podcast if you don’t already know about them). We also discuss LRE and strategies that you can take to help advocate for inclusive education wherever you are on your inclusion journey.This episode's transcript can be found here.Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.usFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.CreditsThis podcast is a production of MCIE. Become a patron of the Think Inclusiv

About the Guest(s):Carol Quirk is the CEO of the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE), which she has been involved with since the 1990s. With extensive experience in disability rights and inclusive education, Carol has worked with prominent organizations like TASH and the National Council on Disability. Her career spans efforts to integrate students with significant disabilities into general education settings and She has contributed significantly to national projects funded by the US Department of Education focused on disability inclusion.Episode Summary:In this episode of the Think Inclusive Podcast, host Tim Villegas speaks with Carol Quirk, an advocate for inclusive education and CEO of the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education. This meaningful discussion reveals the intricacies involved in promoting inclusive education for children with disabilities across the country. Tim and Carol delve deeply into the practices that bring educators, parents, and disability rights advocates together t

About the Guest(s):Juanita Pritchard is an esteemed former intellectual disability specialist with a rich career spanning teaching, community instruction, and assistive technology. Starting her special education journey in 1977, Juanita has been at the forefront of educational trends and innovations, especially in supporting teachers within classrooms designed for students with intellectual disabilities. Although now retired, she provides consulting services and curates educational materials tailored to older students with intellectual disabilities. Her impactful work can be explored further through Wise Dragon Education Support, where she continues to shape inclusive education practices.Episode Summary:In this episode of the Think Inclusive podcast, Tim Villegas dives into the vital topic of inclusive education, underscoring its importance for all students, regardless of disability. Through a comprehensive discussion with Juanita Pritchard, an expert in intellectual disabilities, this episode unravels the in