Norton Series on Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities – Serie

In this inaugural book in their Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities series, Michael L. Wehmeyer and Jennifer A. Kurth explore central, defining questions for the field of special and inclusive education: who, what and where do we teach; what works in inclusive education; and where does inclusive education go now?Arguing that the concept of disability for the past fifty years has emphasised students as incapable and incompetent, the authors propose instead to build on a growing understanding that students with disabilities can be successful and meet high expectations, and that educators have the knowledge and skills to achieve this. From this strength-based perspective, the presumption is that disability is part of, and not apart from, typical human functioning.Using this lens, Wehmeyer and Kurth describe effective practices to guide instruction in inclusive settings—practices that begin with a consideration of each student’s strengths and capacities, rather than with a diagnosis.

The difficulties that students with individual education plans (IEPs) encounter in general education classrooms are rarely impossible to overcome. What is required to help them succeed is figuring out the individualised supports they need, whether that involves accessing technology, receiving assistance from a peer or adult, or curricular and assignment adaptations.In this comprehensive handbook, James R. Thompson synthesises the work of a team of experts to provide a roadmap for that problem-solving process. The Systematic Supports Planning Process is structured around three central questions that lead to identifying different types of support:"What to teach?"—curricular adaptations"How to teach?"—instructional supports"How to promote participation?—participation supportsPacked with easy-to-follow guidelines, as well as implementation tools and examples, this book is a one-stop reference for planning, delivering, monitoring and evaluating the supports that students with IEPs require.

Educators all over the country are waking to a collective realisation: The hope and compassion they have for their students is not enough to counteract the inequitable policies and practices of the school system. Students and communities who have been historically disenfranchised along lines of race and disability continue to face predictable barriers to opportunity and independence.In Build Equity, Join Justice, the authors present a new path forward that leads away from deficit-focused policies and toward strengths-based practices. The authors’ ten equity-advancing principles, based on the ground-breaking work of the SWIFT Education Center in multiple school districts, are designed to address the learning needs and social concerns of all students without requiring them or their advocates to “ask permission” to be included. Complete with practical tools and reflective activities throughout, this book empowers educators at every level to transform their schools into equity-advancing, justice-centred institutions.