Reimagining Special Education: Using Inclusion as a Framework to Build Equity and Support All Students

"As the COVID-19 era continues to expose inequities, inefficiencies, and areas of need across our education system, leaders and educators have a unique opportunity to press pause and reimagine school. Now is the time to take the lessons of 2020 and turn them into action: by closely examining the "old ways," letting go of practices that don't serve students, and creating new routines and environments that meet the needs of every learner. Education professionals need to investigate critical questions: Which established routines and practices have always worked in school? Did those practices really work for all students? What hasn't worked so well? What would it look like to rethink school in a way that eliminates practices that keep some students struggling while others thrive? Explore the answers to these questions-and more-in this forthcoming release, a visionary guide to the reimagined school from inclusion experts Jenna Rufo, Ed.D., and Julie Causton, Ph.D"--
As schools reopen their doors and students return to the classroom, what will the &;new normal&; of special education look like? The pandemic exposed educational inequities and areas of urgent need&;and now, schools have a unique opportunity to press pause and reimagine their practices. This book helps K&;12 school leaders and educators take the lessons of the COVID-19 era and turn them into action: by closely examining what worked during distance learning, letting go of practices that keep some students struggling, and planning new routines and environments that meet the needs of every learner. A visionary call to action from inclusion experts Jenna Mancini Rufo and Julie Causton, Reimagining Special Education guides readers in creating more equitable schools and services, through practical strategies teachers can use right away and thought-provoking, big-picture questions for administrators to tackle. Readers will explore how inclusive educational practices can address each student&;s unique needs as schools reopen and bridge learning gaps for students who struggle. Throughout the book, vignettes and anecdotes spark lightbulb moments for educators and show what recommended practices look like in real classrooms. Essential reading for administrators, classroom teachers, and other education professionals, this is the forward-thinking guide every school needs to reimagine the possibilities for special education, support authentic inclusion, and help learners with and without disabilities thrive in a changing world. DISCOVER HOW TO:Re-story students by focusing on their gifts and strengths rather than their deficitsRedesign instruction and assessment to be more flexible and better meet students&; unique needsRestructure intervention frameworks to move away from sorting and labeling students and toward a flexible model that provides access to all Revitalize co-teaching with tools and strategies for serving students with and without disabilitiesRealign service delivery through inclusion facilitation and consultative supportsRethink equity by creating a culture of belonging, dismantling exclusionary programs, and tackling individual and institutional biases