Assumptions that Hinder Inclusive Education for Students with Complex Access Needs

[MUSIC PLAYING] Main assumptions that get in the way of people feeling supportive and acting supportive of inclusive education. And I think the first one is an assumption that disability means that students are in some way broken or defective, and that in order for them to be included, they need to get better. Now we all want all of our students to continue to improve in their skills. But setting a bar that a student with complex access needs needs to meet before they can gain the benefits of an inclusive classroom, I think that's an attitude and a practice that gets in the way. The second attitude that I think-- or assumption that I think gets in the way of support for inclusive education is this idea that intelligence is one thing and that it can be really accurately measured when, in fact I believe, that there are all kinds of different intelligence and strengths and attributes that students with the label of disability can bring to a general education classroom even if they're not the best reader, the best mathematician, the best scientist. So a broader understanding and appreciation of students' gifts and talents and a healthy skepticism about IQ tests I think is needed as that counterpoint to that attitude that can be a barrier. I think the third attitude that people have that can get in the way of inclusive education is that all students need to reach the same level of achievement in order to be eligible and appropriate to be in general education. I think it's really important that people understand that alongside the general ed standards that we want typical students to achieve, the alternate assessment standards are really closely aligned with those. And that for any general ed standard that a general ed teacher wants to teach, I can show you an alternate assessment standard that would be appropriate for the student who's participating in the alternate assessment who has complex access needs. And I can also show you an instructional technique that will enable even students who may be working towards achievement of slightly different standards to be working together as a learning community.