I'm Sensitive

I'm about to go somewhere I've yet to go on my blog. I'm a little hesitant to do so because I don't want to mess up the carefully crafted balance. But, I feel the need to share because this situation really hurt my heart. It has to do with Wade and school. Please know that we have had a pretty decent experience this year. I LOVE the school that Wade attends. The halls are bright and cheerful, and the staff are amazing. Teachers and other staff members who don't necessarily "teach" Wade interact with him and call him by name. I have never once worried about his health, safety or well being. Wade absolutely beams when we get to his classroom, so I know he feels loved. So please don't read this thinking that I dislike anyone at the school. I don't. But sometimes when you're fighting so hard for what you think is best for your child, feelings get hurt, and people take things personally. It's nothing personal against anyone. I promise.

For almost a week now, I have not been able to get the lyrics to "I'm Sensitive" by Jewel out of my head.



Without going into too much back story, we are in the midst of completing an assistive technology evaluation for Wade so that we will all better understand what supplementary aids and services he needs to help him throughout his day. This ranges from positioning, to accessibility, to motor skills, to vision... I could go on and on. Basically, we need to find out what Wade needs to help him be the best that he can be. Whether he's playing on the playground or doing work in the classroom. Assistive technology can be something as simple as a grip for crayons and markers so that they're easier to hold to something as complex as a $10,000+ communication device.

Unfortunately, the first assessment that was done did not look at all of these areas. It was basically just a report stating that Wade needed an iPad for communication. Included with the report were new goals and objectives for the next year. I'll spare the details, but I'll just say that Wade has already "mastered" the proposed goals and objectives. What that told me was that no one really knows what Wade is capable of doing because of his physical limitations and lack of access. During that ARD meeting (IEP meeting for non-Texans), we decided on a new plan of attack. A new AT eval was recommended, along with some other assessments so that we could have a baseline of Wade's present levels of performance. It was agreed that we would not be using the assessments for formal scores and that the information gathered would not have to follow testing protocol. Meaning that Wade could answer questions and show knowledge any way possible--with his iPad, with pictures, symbols, yes/no choices, etc.

I'm a pretty sensible person. I've shed a lot of tears in our four year journey, but I think I'm pretty realistic about Wade's abilities. I don't live in denial, but I do have hopes and dreams about what Wade is going to accomplish. I try desperately to concentrate on the positives. No, he doesn't walk using his legs, but he's learning to operate his power wheelchair. He doesn't use his hands to activate the iPad, but he's pretty darn accurate using his forehead and nose. He doesn't always greet everyone with his version of "Hi," but he certainly lights up a room with a loving smile when you walk in. If I focused on everything he "doesn't" do, we'd never be able to leave the house. I guess that's why I was so blindsided when I received the Developmental Profile 3 in Wade's backpack last week. This is a tool to screen for developmental delays. (Which, for the record, we already know he has!!!) Here's a look at the questions that I was to answer "yes" or "no" to.











I got to the third set of questions and just started to cry. Then I got mad. It was a slap in the face to see these words in black and white glaring at me. In my opinion, it was a completely unnecessary assessment to send home. We all know just by looking at Wade that the answer to the majority of the questions are going to be "no". Again, we're not looking for formal scores here. We're trying to see what Wade knows and doesn't know and how to find out what he needs to help him access his environment. What information can possibly be gained from this assessment??? After I got over my sadness and anger, I composed an email asking this question and then requested that it be omitted from the evaluation. In response, I was told that they use the tool to get "additional academic information" but "it's not necessary for the particular assessment that we are doing with Wade". Really??? Then why send it home?

"So please be careful with me. I'm sensitive and I'd like to stay that way."~Jewel

*I'd also like to reference back to this post. I think it speaks volumes.

The Power of Emotions

Over the past week or so, my emotions have gotten the best of me in a few situations in regards to Wade, the fight for his education, and disability awareness in general. On a yahoo board I frequent, I was seeing way too many messages that made me angry. Not angry at what the parents were writing, but angry that we're even having to have these discussions. I decided to post a message on the board, and I'm sharing it here as well because there are a few articles I linked to that I really like.

I have been really sad for the past few days. I read a lot of these posts about "proving intelligence" and placement in schools and socialization and communication and... Sometimes I don't know whether to scream or cry. I go back and forth between anger and frustration and sadness. My emotions are NOT directed at anyone here on the group. We all have our own experiences which guide us and shape us. I am not judging anyone's decisions, as I know we all do what we think is in the best interest of our children. But to put it mildly, I'm pissed off at the system. Angry that we have to fight for our children to be included in something that is their God given right--to be part of society.  Angry that at age 3, my son knows what segregation is. Angry that something that should be as easy as going to school isn't because some people don't think he's "good enough" because he has a disability.

So, instead of responding to all of the posts separately, I just thought I'd throw out a few articles/books that have convicted me over the past few years.  Because as much as I hate to say it, I was one of those people who could be easily convinced that these "special" kids needed to be protected in a small little environment. After teaching in a self-contained special ed classroom, my views slowly started changing. After having my son, they started changing even more. And once more, now that he's in school, my views are changing still.  It's a never ending process of growing and learning.

The first article is titled "Why Inclusion Begins in Kindergarten...Or Doesn't".  It is written by Charlene Comstock-Galaghan. She changed my life a little over two years ago when she came to TX to lead a discussion on the documentary "Including Samuel". (A must see, by the way!) She's my inclusion guru, and I love her! You can get it by clicking on this link and choosing the article under "Education".

The next one is called "Outing the Prejudice: Making the Least Dangerous Assumption". You can find it here.  Our kids have differences, not deficiencies, and shouldn't we assume that all things are possible instead of assuming that they couldn't possibly do something because a doctor or teacher or friend told us they couldn't? If we pushed all these assumptions to the side and got over OUR fears--not our kids' fears--what could we accomplish? I didn't want to put Wade in school this year because I know all too well what goes on behind closed doors in special ed. But I had to get over MY fears in order for him to blossom and show everyone what he is made of. I can't keep him at home until I "get him ready" for school or until he "gets over" some of his "issues" with noise or commotion or until he learns how to communicate "better". I have to give him every opportunity to succeed or not succeed without standing in his way. It's dignity of risk. There's dignity in him trying something and maybe not succeeding. At least he was given the opportunity to make the choice on his own. There's a good article "Weighing theBenefits, There IS Dignity in Risk" here under "Awareness".

A dear friend who also has a child with a disability gave me a book to read, Out of My Mind by Susan Draper. It is a fictional book written for middle school aged children, so it is a very easy read. Although it is easy to read, it is still very powerful. It is about a girl with CP who is in a wheelchair and is non-verbal. It is written from her perspective. After reading the book, I truly do not look at Wade the same way. For me, communication is the most important thing. If Wade couldn't communicate with me, my world would crumble. Not to mention how trapped and frustrated he would be if I couldn't access his sweet soul. I knew that before reading this book, but the book challenged me to dig deeper and find out more.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. And for the record, no where in IDEA Law does it say that we have to prove our children's intellect in order for them to be given the opportunity to have access to the same education as everyone else. (I realize that wasn't the intent of the post, but there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding of the law because of what school districts "get away with" telling parents.) They have the right to be in the same classroom as everyone else because they were born!

Thankfully, some of my anger has subsided this week.  I don't think it's healthy to stay in a state of anger, but I do believe that anger can be beneficial when directed in a positive way.  I hope you can gain some insight from the above articles and that they speak to you and convict you of some things as much as they did me.  If anyone is interested in seeing "Including Samuel",  I have a copy you can borrow.  Or better yet, purchase your copy here.  It's well worth the 25 bucks!

On the Road Again

One of my favorite things to do is sleep. One of my least favorite things to do is get up. That's especially true when getting up comes early; like 3:30 AM early!!! But in order to catch another early fight, it's what I had to do on Sunday.

Since December, I have been quite the traveler. Wade and I flew to VA for two weeks at Christmas. In February, Curtis and I flew to FL for a week for a much needed vacation in Key West. The very next week, my friend and I drove to Austin for the Inclusion Works Conference for four days. A couple weeks after that, Wade and I boarded another plane bound for VA for two more weeks. That trip was for the amazing magnetic therapy. Here we are two weeks later on yet another trip. This time we've landed in New Jersey where Wade is participating in an intensive week of Medek physical therapy with the very talented Azriel Novogroder. Azriel came to us very highly recommended by some new friends we met while in VA Beach. You can check out their story here.

As usual, the journey to New Jersey was quite an adventure. As mentioned, my day started way too early. When traveling with a child who has a disability, it is always wise to get to the airport early, and is also very important to make sure the gate agent is aware of the disability so that you can board first with assistance. In the past, I've been really good about this. For some reason, I chose to "wing it" this time. This wasn't my brightest idea considering it was a full flight on a HUGE plane. Not to mention that when I booked the flight, the system did not sit my three year old in the same row as me! When flying, I always bring Wade's Childrite seat with us so that he can sit up properly in the seat. It's also a lot easier to carry through the airport instead of a car seat, and I can also use it as a booster at restaurants. (It's a bigger version of the popular Bumbo for babies. Of course it has a bigger price tag too since it's designed for children with disabilities!) The seat belt on the plane fits around it just fine. I'm sure it's not FAA approved, but I have NEVER had an issue. In fact, many of the flight attendants have even commented on how great it is. Well of course since I had been up since 3:30 and had a massive headache, this would be the instance that the flight attendant would choose to follow guide lines and tell me that Wade couldn't use it. I told her he has a disability and won't be able to sit up in the seat then. She finally agreed to let him sit in it during the flight, but I had to hold him in my lap during take off and landing. I really don't see how that is safer, but anyway...

Now to the fun part! Navigating through Newark airport with a huge suitcase, Wade in his adaptive stroller, his Childrite seat, and a carry on bag. For those who don't know, you get your baggage from the ground floor, then you have to go to the third floor to catch an airtran over to the rental car area. Thank goodness for nice people at the airtran station! Once at the rental car area, I had to figure out how to install the carseat properly and become creative in an effort to fit the heavy stroller and huge suitcase in a Dodge Caliber. Once loaded, we were off to find our way to the hotel. Thank goodness for GPS on the iPhone!!! The roads in this area are quite unique and interesting to navigate, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. And the biggest surprise? This southern gal really likes it up here! The little towns are quaint, and the houses are cute. The cultural diversity intrigues me. The diversity is one thing I miss living in Texas.

Wade and I are in the hotel relaxing for a bit before we go back to the clinic for his second session today. I'll be taking some video and pictures to post on my next update. But for now, I'll just let you know that this is some amazing stuff!!! Although we've only had three sessions so far, Wade absolutely loves it. When we pull into the parking lot, he starts giggling! At least I know my 3:30 AM wake up was worth it:-)

Eyes Wide Open

Do you ever have moments where you meet someone and you just know God put them in your path for a reason? I think it actually happens quite often, but sometimes we don't see it because we're not looking. Thank goodness my eyes were wide open in January when Wade and I were flying home from VA after Christmas.

While waiting in line at airport security in Norfolk, VA, I couldn't help but stare at a guy in a wheelchair who was struggling to put his belt back on after his turn. As Wade's future flying situations flashed through my mind, I made a mental note to never have Wade wear a belt when flying. It's just one more thing to deal with. It just so happened that this guy and his dad were on our same flight, and they sat right in front of us. Once on the plane, we had a brief exchange of how he got down the aisle, but that was it. Once we landed, we rode the elevator down together to baggage claim. Again, no exchange of words. As fate would have it, their ride was parked next to our van in the parking garage. As we were loading Wade in, the dad (Phil) came up and asked if Wade had cerebral palsy. He proceeded to tell us that his son (Adam) had just undergone some "magnetic treatment" in VA Beach, and he thought it might be something we'd be interested in.

Long story short, Phil directed us to a facility where his brother (Dr. John Williamson) is a doctor. Come to find out, Adam had suffered a spinal cord injury and was a quadriplegic...four years ago!!! As of today, Adam can wheel his own manual wheelchair, drive his own truck, feed himself, take care of himself, etc. Absolutely amazing!!! While I think there is a fine line in trying to "fix" Wade versus improving his functionality, I thought we should give it a shot. After a little research and conversations with the doctor, we set up an appointment and booked our flights.

Wade and I stayed at AMRI of Virginia for two weeks. In order to get the best results, Wade had to stay under the strong magnetic field for 200 hours. It was a lot easier to log hours than I anticipated. The majority of the hours added up overnight, then we got a few hours in during the day while napping or just watching TV. Thank goodness Wade loves TV and can lay in the same area without wanting to move too much! I was also able to stay up on the bed with him if he wanted me to. During the day, I would sometimes nap with him or read while he was sleeping. At night, I typically slept on the very comfy day bed! Once Wade's asleep, he stays in one place, so I wasn't worried about him rolling off.

 

 

Magnetic Molecular Energizer treatments are still experimental, therefore not FDA approved. Which of course means insurance does not cover! However, I wholeheartedly believe it is worth every penny! In layman's terms, the theory behind the treatments (with neurological issues) is that the magnets stimulate immature stem cells to actually fix damaged nerve endings (which science says can't happen) or at least cause the brain to form new routes. There is no way to actually prove what is happening, but quite honestly, I don't really care. All I know is that Wade is able to do things he wasn't able to do a month ago!

When we arrived, we were told that we would probably notice some slight changes around 100-140 hours under the magnet. I have to say, once we hit 100, I started to have a little doubt. I wasn't really noticing anything, and I was hoping we weren't wasting our time and money. However, between 140 and 150 hours, things started changing. The first major accomplishment was when Wade picked up a soda cup between his fists, lifted it off his tray, and got the straw directly in his mouth! It caught me by complete surprise. I just set the cup down on his tray to walk off and do something. I knew that it would stay where I placed it because he's never been able to reach anything off that tray. Imagine my surprise when I turned around and saw this!

 

 

After that, I started paying a little more attention to his movements. His trunk control was a lot better. He was able to sit on the couch and lean forward and maintain his balance. When he started to fall to the side, he would brace himself with his arm. Before this, he never even attempted to break his fall. He also started bearing weight when I attempted to have him stand. Prior to the treatment, his knees would always buckle beneath him. He also started having more mouth control, moving food around better when attempting to chew, and also a lot more vocalization. His neck control improved, as did his total body alignment. At first, I really thought I was imagining the results. But, there was also another patient at the facility, and she and her mom reveled in the changes. My parents live in the area, so they were able to come over and visit throughout the two weeks. They too started seeing the changes.

 

 

The biggest confirmation that the treatment worked was when we went to therapy when we got back in town. PT, OT, and speech all commented on the changes. I didn't tell them what I noticed. I let them work with him and had them tell me the changes they saw. Thank goodness their reaction was positive. I was afraid of being the crazy mom who had her son sleep under magnets!

The great thing about the treatment is that it is permanent. Since it "fixes" or "reroutes", it is not temporary. In fact, we should see continued improvement over the coming months. Wade had botox treatments about a week and a half before we went to VA. Had I thought more about it, I would've canceled the appointment. I'm hoping that when the botox wears off, we'll see even more movement because the muscles that have been "frozen" will have the ability to work differently now. Also, I think there is muscle activity that has been "triggered" but Wade has to learn how to use. Those leg muscles that he's now bearing weight on haven't worked in a long time! He's going to have to build up the strength in them before we see full results.

Below is a picture of Wade standing completely upright in the KidWalk. In the past, in order for his to have that upright trunk control, he would need to have his Benik vest on. This picture is of him holding himself up on his own! No vest needed!!! His little "girlfriend" Mallie loves helping him! The bottom picture is of her feeding him a marshmallow!

 

If we see continued results, we'll probably go back for another round in about six months. If anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me. I'd love to help out in any way I can. I can't speak for any of the other facilities, but I absolutely loved the one in VA Beach. In fact, I didn't want to come home! It was such a nice "vacation" not having to worry about school and therapy and doctor appointments. Not to mention house cleaning and cooking and errands!

Angels Among Us

Wade and I have been in VA for the past two weeks. He's been doing some experimental treatment that I'll blog about in a few days. It has been a very nice and relaxing escape from reality. While staying here, we're able to come and go as we please, so we took the opportunity on Friday afternoon to enjoy the beautiful spring weather.

The first stop on our stroll was Walgreen's Pharmacy. Wade was already a little fussy because he was ready for lunch. As I was trying to console him at the end of an aisle, I looked up to the sound of a girl saying, "Hi. What's your name?" Wade was immediately mesmerized by her. He instantly stopped screeching, his eyes sparkled, and his frown turned into a shy grin. The girl continued to talk to him as she signed "I love you" over and over. She asked where he went to school, and I informed her that we were from TX. She said she had gone to a special school, but she wasn't able to go to college. She was so well spoken and polite and totally enthralled with Wade. She then blurted out, "Don't believe the doctors. They don't know what they're talking about." I said, "Yeah I know. They aren't God, are they?" She proceeded to tell me that the doctors told her mom that she wouldn't ever walk or talk, but she learned to do both at age 4 or 5. "So don't believe those doctors," she said.

After a few more "I love you's" and small chit chat with Wade, she reached out her hand to me and said, "I'm Amy. What's your name?" I was really struck by how mannerly and polite Amy was. There was an odd feeling surrounding me during those brief few minutes. While she was talking, my mind was swirling as I watched this beautiful interaction between her and Wade. "Don't believe the doctors" kept playing through my head as I was calmed by her presence.

All of a sudden, almost as quickly as she had appeared in front of us, she said, "Well, I have to go. I'm sorry to have bothered you. It was nice meeting you." I replied that it was a pleasure and not a bother at all. As she started to walk off, she turned back to us, held up her finger and said, "What's his name again?" I said, "Wade." She said, "Oh yeah. Well, I'll be praying for you." Then she kind of ran down the aisle and left.

As we turned to walk, I looked around to see if I could tell who Amy was with. I was intrigued by Amy and her ability to connect with Wade so easily. But there was no sign of anyone. Maybe someone was outside waiting for her. Maybe she walked to the store on her own. Or maybe she was my angel on Earth sending me a message to keep pursuing different avenues for Wade and to remind me that there's always hope. Because we all know that doctors don't know everything.

What's So Special About Being "Special"?--Day 2 Part 2

As usual, I'm a little behind on posting. Life is crazy though. Back to the inclusion conference...

The first session after lunch started out a bit rough. I decided to go to the session entitled Conflict Resolution Skills Leading to More Effective Parent-Professional Collaboration.  I thought it would be a great way to for both parents and professionals to try to understand where each party is coming from. I should have known it would be a complete waste of time when the 29 year veteran teacher next to me got irritated when I asked her if she could scoot over one seat so that Kelly could sit down. From that point on, the lady did.not.shut.up!!!!

SIDEBAR--For the record, teachers can be the rudest audience! And I'm allowed to say that because, up until last year, I was a teacher:-) For those professionals reading, if you really don't want to go to a conference and listen, stay at work. I understand it's a day--or three--out of the classroom, but if you're going to be closed minded and talk throughout sessions, please just stay at work. Or better yet, take a personal day and let your district use their precious funds for something else.  And to the teachers that do want to take information back, we parents REALLY appreciate you. We did meet a few amazing professionals! Sorry.  Just had to get that off my chest.--RANT OVER

Needless to say, I didn't gain much from those two hours. The presenter actually had some good information, but others in the room chose to ramble about their own personal beliefs/stories, so I think things went in a different direction than what was intended. The presenter was from an organization called CADRE, which is The National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education. Basically, an organization that tries to mediate between school and family in an effort to stay away from due process. The main point was that both parties really need to collaborate together to meet the needs of the child. We need to separate the people involved from the problem. Each party (school and parent) is going to take a position, but in order to effectively come to an agreement, you need to know what interests and reasons are driving that position. Ask questions. Powerful, open ended questions. Delve deeper into what's really going on. Personally, I think the biggest mistake we all make is assuming we know the reasons behind the positions. If there is open dialogue, there is less room for assumptions.

The last session of the day challenged my thinking in ways I didn't expect. The name of the session was Politically Correct or Just Common Sense? I'm against the use of the "R" word. I stand up for Wade and push for what I think is best. I'm educated--to a degree--in special ed law. If I don't know the answers, I know where to look and who to go to. And considering I was at an inclusion conference, I totally believe in inclusion. During this session Laura Buckner, an absolutely fabulous person and mom to a son who has a disability, really convicted me of the language I use and the way I describe Wade to others.

People First Language--the idea of putting the person before their disability--is something I've embraced over the past couple of years. It comes pretty easily to me now. For instance, instead of saying, "That boy is autistic," you would say, "That boy has autism." Just a slight difference in the wording can make a huge impact. A person is so much more than their disability. By saying "autistic" instead of "has autism" almost implies that the person isn't capable of doing/being anything else except "autistic"!  In fact, a couple of days before leaving for this conference, the vet called to tell me that my dog is diabetic. I thought to myself, "No she's not. She HAS diabetes." It's become so ingrained in my language that I find myself cringing whenever someone doesn't use People First Language, especially when they're referring to their own child.

The use of the "R" word--retard--is also something else that I feel strongly about. I understand that it is a medical term to describe a delay. However, when the word is being used in a derogatory manner, I find HUGE issue. By saying a situation is retarded or by calling someone acting goofy a retard, you're essentially ridiculing someone who has an intellectual disability. I realize the majority of the people using the word mean absolutely nothing by it. But when you have a child with a disability, the word hits a little close to home. Words hurt. Period. As far as it being seen as just being politically correct? Well, when a group of people who "are" that word stand up to say it's wrong and that they would like to see the word disappear, then it goes way beyond political correctness. The people who are hurt the most--the people who have a disability--are asking for us to stop using the word. It's the same thing with the word "gay" or the "N" word. A group of people who "are" that word stood up and demanded that the language change. Not out of political correctness, but out of respect.

When I tell people about Wade or describe him to others, I typically mention that he has cerebral palsy. Not because this defines him, but I think it will help answer questions about him when they see he doesn't walk or talk or doesn't do other things a typical three year old does. I tend to focus on the things he can't do when talking about him. After the session I really had to do some soul searching about this one. The biggest reason I can come up with is because of my own insecurities. I feel like if I tell people he has cerebral palsy up front, then we avoid any embarrassing situations. If I tell people he has cerebral palsy, I don't have to explain why he can't respond to their greeting. If I tell people he has cerebral palsy, I don't have to step out of my comfort zone. But if I continue telling everyone he has cerebral palsy as a basic introduction, I'm skipping over the most wonderful and amazing and cheerful and energetic and happy-go-lucky little boy I've ever met. I'm still working on it, but this session has definitely challenged me to find a way to describe Wade in a positive light, leaving out everything he "can't" do.

Then we get to the word "special". There has always been a little part of me that has cringed when saying my son has "special needs". I've never really been able to describe why, but "special" just seems kind of belittling to me. But, I've used the term because everyone else does. What else am I supposed to say? Well, Laura let us all know that she doesn't like it either. Through her I finally got a grasp on why I dislike the term so much. Basically, it invokes pity. Almost every time I tell someone that Wade has special needs, in response I get, "I'm sorry." Or, "God gave him to you because you're the perfect mom." Or, "You're so strong." Or, "It takes a special person to raise a child with special needs." Or the best yet, "I could never do that." Never do what??? Raise your own child to the best of your ability??? Really??? But it's in those statements that I know what people are really saying. "Glad it's you and not me." Along with all of those comments comes the sad look. The look of pity. So really, what's so special about being "special"? I don't want to be special. I don't want to be an outsider. I don't want to be looked at differently. I don't want to be put up on a pedestal. And I sure has hell don't want anyone to view Wade as "special". He has a disability. That's it. Because like Laura said, being "special" at age 20 just isn't as cute as it is at age 2.

 

Universal Design for Learning--Day 2, Part 1

The Inclusion Works Conference is geared for parents and professionals, with a pretty strong emphasis on professionals. Math is not my strong suit, but if I were to guess, I'd say the big ball room consisted of about 75% professionals, 25% parents. I was strongly encouraged to attend as a parent because knowledge is power.  If I know what teachers are being taught about inclusion, I am better equipped to help guide my own school district.

The mornings started out with a general topic over breakfast for an hour. Afterward, we were able to choose the breakout sessions that we wanted to attend. There was one session before lunch and two sessions after lunch. I ended up opting for sessions that could really benefit professionals and parents. While co-teaching is exciting, I really didn't want to sit through a session on how to implement it in the classroom since I'm no longer a teacher:-)

Thursday's breakfast session was an "Eavesdrop on the Experts". While eating some yummy, cheesy egg casserole, three amazing women in the field talked amongst themselves about some things they are excited about in regards to teaching and inclusion. If you aren't familiar with Dr. Paula Kluth, Dr. Wendy Murawski, and Dr. Lisa Dieker, I highly recommend looking them up. And if you ever have the opportunity to hear them speak, you should go! We also received a copy of the not yet released book Collaborate, Communicate, and Differentiate! by Wendy Murawski and Sally Spencer. It focuses on increasing learning in students across the board, including those with special needs.

The first breakout session I attended was "Universal Design for Learning: Providing Access to the General Curriculum for ALL Students", facilitated by Kirk Behnke. I think the most important information I walked away with from that session is that in order to modify the curriculum, you have to accommodate the student. That student is not necessarily a student with disabilities. The bottom line is, we all learn differently. Some of us are visual learners, others are auditory. Some of us need to move around while we work, some of us need peace and quiet. In order to be an effective teacher, the material needs to be presented in multiple ways. In effect, the knowledge of the students needs to be assessed in multiple ways. By doing this, teachers are creating an atmosphere in which every student can be successful. It's the essence of UDL.  To me, it's the perfect way to include kids with disabilities in the general ed environment.  To get a better understanding of what I'm trying to say, look here.  

I also think technology plays a HUGE role in classrooms today.  Educators need to accept and incorporate technology into the curriculum.  Technology is such an easy accommodation for kids with disabilities.  And how exciting if everyone in the class has the same accommodation???  Then the students with disabilities don't stand out like a sore thumb!  The following video spoke volumes.  It was kind of like my "a-ha" moment in how to successfully integrate students of every ability level in one classroom.  We're all different.  Why are we all expected to learn the same way?

 

*  Handouts for all of the sessions from Inclusion Works can be found here.