A new school year provides so much potential for new growth opportunities – use the school year to help students develop into compassionate teammates.

FOSTERING INCLUSIVITY BEGINS BY CELEBRATING ALL ABILITIES

BY DR. JOANNE HILL POWELL, PHD, BCBA-D

Twelve years of schooling can go by quickly, and with the brief time that students are in the classroom, it's the perfect time to teach them about inclusivity and creating a welcoming classroom environment for their peers – no matter what their ability level. As parents, teachers, and friends, it is important to: understand that every learner is different, help each learner meet their educational goals, and ensure that their environment encourages mutual support. Ability-inclusive classrooms benefit all students.

Everyone is unique and has different learning styles, physical abilities, and personal histories that play a role in how we conduct ourselves in a classroom setting. There are also a variety of concrete intellectual and developmental disorders (IDDs) that exist. Each IDD is different

and presents differently in each individual. In this article, I will discuss autism in particular, given the prevalence of diagnoses across the country, but the approach to celebrating different learning abilities is applicable to all classrooms and all disabilities.