#sol24 March 22 Can You Be Inclusive?

A little about me: 

I am a special education teacher and literacy specialist, 

I spent my career working with learners who struggle;

Now, I work with teachers who are or will be 

Working with students who struggle.  

Yesterday, I was part of a workshop about adapting instruction, on a college level, to meet the needs of diverse students. It was 90 minutes immersed in recognizing the need for and learning ways to adapt materials, instructions and assessments to make higher education learning available to all.  There were teachers on the undergraduate and graduate levels. 

I was interested on multiple levels. I embrace the diversity of learning and the roles of all learners.  Recently, some of my graduate students have identified themselves as having IEPs, and or needing supports and modifications. 

I teach classes in awareness of, assessment of, and differentiating of instruction to meet diverse needs.  THUS, while I really did not learn anything new at this workshop, in those 90 minutes, I was reminded of level of discrimination that persists in education and the need to embrace a Universal Design for all.  

I left the workshop aware of the need for all teachers, on ALL levels, to be aware of how to adapt instruction, projects and assessment to be more inclusive.

Can you teach from a wheelchair? Of course you can.

Can you teach while hearing or visually impaired? Of course you can.

Can you teach while having a learning disability? Of course you can.

Can you teach if you are identified with dyslexia? Of course you can.

Can you teach while having and ASD diagnosis? Of course, you can.

Can you teach when you are blind? Of course you can!