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December 14, 2020
Whether in your program or through previous experiences, every member of your staff is likely to have had the opportunity to know and work with a student with a disability. But one or two experiences, while they may provide some valuable perspective, don’t provide enough knowledge to help you establish a truly inclusive program culture. Y4Y’s new course, Including Students With Disabilities, can help your program lay the foundation for a welcoming environment for all.
The host, Gail, will take you around the “All-In” Playground, where there’s something for everyone. Each jungle gym or playing field presents a different learning opportunity to build your program’s inclusion efforts. You’ll learn about six implementation strategies:
- Embrace inclusion as a core value.
- Know federal laws and guidelines on inclusion.
- Build a foundation for including students with disabilities.
- Build relationships with families and students.
- Design an inclusive program.
- Implement with fidelity.
Watch for helpful features throughout the course, such as a glossary, help line, menu, resources, inclusion guides and tips.
For more advanced learning, complete the Coaching My Staff section of the new course. Discover the three fundamental reasons for professional development around inclusion and advance your knowledge of the mechanics of developing or improving your inclusion efforts.
Don’t forget to peruse the comprehensive tools that accompany the new course. Just a few highlights include
- Including Students With Disabilities Planning Checklist to keep you on track
- Federal State Law Fillable Document to ensure your understanding of relevant state and local laws
- Activity Planner to compare possible design strategies
- Common Acronyms to familiarize yourself with much of the language around inclusion
- Family Engagement Activities Checklist to be sure you’re addressing unique needs of families.
As with any Y4Y course, you’ll earn a certificate of completion for each section, but be sure you’re logged into your account to save your progress! Besides that piece of paper, you’ll come away with confidence in your ability to make all students feel welcome in your program, a better understanding of how and why that’s possible, and best of all, the warm feeling of doing right by each and every student in your program.