This course explores the historical and contemporary ways in which societies define and respond to individuals with a broad range of needs, abilities and disabilities, as it intersects with educational access and practice. Through an examination of diverse knowledge sources such as children's books, poetry, videos, social media, policy documents and academic research, students will learn about the lived experiences of exceptional learners, while promoting understanding, compassion, and pathways for change. Students will also be challenged to examine their own beliefs and practices to ensure they have the knowledge, dispositions, and confidence necessary to promote the success and inclusion of individuals with special education needs in a wide variety of settings. Strategies for adapting curriculum and the learning environment to promote the inclusion of individuals with specific disabilities are discussed. This course is The course builds an anti-oppressive praxis for working in diverse educational contexts, from classrooms and schools to state institutions and non-governmental organizations. The course approaches oppression as an outcome of interrelated structures co-constructed by race, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexuality, class, nationality, and age, focusing on the ways in which these intersect and influence one another. Students will develop and apply research skills in the design and implementation of a social action initiative relating to an equity, diversity, or social justice issue.
This course explores the historical and contemporary ways in which societies define and respond to individuals with a broad range of needs, abilities and disabilities, as it intersects with educational access and practice. Through an examination of diverse knowledge sources such as children's books, poetry, videos, social media, policy documents and academic research, students will learn about the lived experiences of exceptional learners, while promoting understanding, compassion, and pathways for change. Students will also be challenged to examine their own beliefs and practices to ensure they have the knowledge, dispositions, and confidence necessary to promote the success and inclusion of individuals with special education needs in a wide variety of settings. Strategies for adapting curriculum and the learning environment to promote the inclusion of individuals with specific disabilities are discussed. This course is The course builds an anti-oppressive praxis for working in diverse educational contexts, from classrooms and schools to state institutions and non-governmental organizations. The course approaches oppression as an outcome of interrelated structures co-constructed by race, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexuality, class, nationality, and age, focusing on the ways in which these intersect and influence one another. Students will develop and apply research skills in the design and implementation of a social action initiative relating to an equity, diversity, or social justice issue.
