My parents were ahead of their time. In 1969, they worked with the school board and local government to enable me to attend a “regular” school. Thanks to them, I attended my local elementary school alongside my friends, sharing the same classroom and coursework, just as my brothers and sisters had done. This experience set my path for life ahead. As I grew older, I continued to work and play in the community along with my siblings and my friends.
Programs supporting students with disabilities or learning differences are continuously being cut. While this might initially appear to be solely about budget constraints, it’s more of a decision regarding the model of education. Integration in classrooms is vital in preparing all students for their future. It fosters openness, acceptance, and diversity. This is the path we must continue to pursue.
In 1969, my parents couldn’t fathom a world where we could have hybrid classrooms, instant captioning, and universal design; they just didn’t want me to be left behind. But we live in a bigger and better world now, full of technology and long-standing, understood concepts of inclusion — we just need to put them to work for us.
