Description

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Picture a school that's welcoming, respectful, engaging, and safe for each and every learner. This book presents a bold new plan for bringing that vision to life in any learning environment, from kindergarten through postsecondary education.

Going far beyond the fundamentals of Universal Design for Learning, this planning guide shows educators the secret to truly inclusive schools: braiding UDL concepts together with culturally responsive pedagogy and collaborative teamwork. Inclusion and UDL expert Patti Kelly Ralabate lays out not just the why behind this equity-focused approach but also the what and how teachers need to put it into action. Through research-based guidance and classroom-ready strategies, educators will build a sense of belonging and promote true inclusion by "designing to the edges"--intentionally planning instruction that meets the needs of every learner in today's diverse classrooms.

Ideal for collaborative teams, professional learning communities, and preservice courses, this innovative guide will help educators create unbiased, culturally responsive, and truly inclusive environments where all students learn and belong.

READERS WILL:

• Examine their values and beliefs and develop a new understanding of diversity
• Debunk the myths that limit how they view their students' potential
• Learn and apply evidence-based, equity-focused teaching practices aligned with the UDL framework
• Collaborate with other professionals and families to foster an authentically inclusive learning climate
• Support school leaders in building a system that values shared leadership
• Engage diverse families and community leaders, ensuring that inclusion goes beyond the classroom door

PRACTICAL MATERIALS: Extend your knowledge with examples of teaching strategies in action, authentic vignettes, resource tables, and reflection questions. Plus, get downloadable self-assessments and exercises, including a Values and Beliefs Self-Reflection Survey, Core Values and Shared Vision Protocol, Assessment of Current Cultural Aspects and Practices, and Checklist of UDL-informed Inclusive Community Strategies.

About the Author

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Patti Kelly Ralabate, Ed.D., joined CAST as Director of Implementation in September 2011 and currently teaches bilingual and special education policy courses for The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Previously, she served as a Boston College postdoctoral fellow-inresidence at CAST, working on universal design for learning leadership issues. As Senior Policy Analyst for special and gifted education for the National Education Association, she was Principal Editor of The Puzzle of Autism, an educator guide on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She also worked for 25 years with many students with ASD as a speech-language pathologist in Connecticut public schools.