Hanging On: A Special Educator's Journey into Inclusive Education

Hanging On: A Special Educator's Journey into Inclusive Education

Join this CollabCast where we talk with a former colleague from New Delhi, India, Kanwal Singh. Kanwal will be talking about the book she published in 2020, Hanging On: A Special Educator's Journey into Inclusive Education. This book even though written in the Indian context, is relevant across any context and as we talk today, you will see why. The book presents a compelling argument for transformation within the realm of special education. Bold and unabashedly forthright, the book confronts typically skirted topics, including the tensions between inclusive theory and practice, the stronghold of traditional 'expertise', the creeping in of commercial interests, and educator burnout.

Importance of Collaborative Planning

This CollabCasts theme is Collaboration and more specifically the importance of collaborative planning. Join us as we speak to Dr. Bill Henderson and Danielle Merdin as they share their experiences in developing collaborative practices and systems. As a principal Dr. Bill Henderson was able to set up systems in his school that supported collaboration between multiple stakeholders. Danielle was one such stakeholder, a teacher and instructional coach in the same school, she will share what these systems allowed her as an educator to accomplish and also how she continues to use and build on those lessons learned.

From Why to the How of Inclusion

Join us as we talk with Dr. Shelley Moore and explore with her, her own journey as an educator with a deep commitment to inclusion and together learn about her five guiding conditions for how to build inclusive communities, both inside and outside of classrooms and schools. Based in British Columbia, Canada, Dr. Shelley Moore is a highly sought-after inclusive education researcher, teacher, consultant and storyteller. She has worked with school districts and community organizations around the world. Her research explores how to support teachers to design for all learners in grade level academic classrooms that include students with intellectual disabilities using strength based and responsive approaches.

DefectCraft: An Interdisciplinary Framework to Analyze and Address the Stratifying Force of Disability

Dr. Alfredo J. Artiles introduces the concept of "defect craft" to explore how ideologies about disability intersect with racial disparities in education, particularly in the overrepresentation of students of color in special education. He argues that disability has a dual role: while it can offer protection, it has historically been used to marginalize and stratify certain groups, especially racial minorities. Defect craft challenges the view that these disparities are solely due to individual deficits, instead highlighting how cultural assumptions, institutional practices, and historical factors contribute to systemic inequalities. By examining how "othering" practices deny marginalized groups their full humanity, Artiles urges a more nuanced, intersectional approach that incorporates race, socio-economic status, and historical context. His research in a suburban school district shows how oversimplified explanations of racial disparities overlook the complex ways that policies, space, and resources are distributed, reinforcing cycles of disadvantage for socioeconomically deprived and racialized groups.

Presumed Competence: Let's Invite Everyone Into the Field

DJ has also shared visuals that go along with the content he discusses. To access the visuals click here [https://youtu.be/PPTkGkFyJnE?si=HGbvDq3m4Ipy4Vv9] to go to the youtube version of this podcast.