Agenda is subject to change.

From Barriers to Belonging: Promoting Inclusion and Relationships for Students with Autism
Erik Carter, Ph.D., Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities at Baylor University and Executive Director of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities

Students learn best and flourish most when assured of their belonging. Yet too many schools still struggle to become places of widespread and meaningful inclusion for children and youth with autism. In his presentation, Dr. Carter will share a powerful framework for reflecting upon and fostering belonging within our schools and classrooms. Together, we will explore the implications of this work on the ways we welcome, support, educate, and embrace students with disabilities.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Erik Carter's research addresses strategies for supporting inclusion and belonging in school, work, community, and congregational settings for children and adults with disabilities. He has published widely in the areas of educational and transition services, including more than 300 articles, chapters, and other publications. Read more about Dr. Carter's work here. 

Instructional Planning for Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Settings
Jennifer Kurth, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Associate Director of Interdisciplinary Training, Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities

To provide high-quality instruction to students with disabilities in inclusive settings, educational teams must plan ahead to identify instructional goals and priority learning targets for students to ensure instruction, supports, and assessments are integrated and purposeful. In this session, I will describe a simple process educators can use to facilitate student learning, using case studies and examples.

Speaker Bio: Jennifer Kurth, Ph.D. is a former teacher and current teacher educator, she prepares pre-service teachers to support students with complex disabilities in inclusive settings and her research centers on inclusive education and teacher education.

Supporting Inclusion in the Real World 
Torrie Dunlap, Ph.D., Executive Director of Kids Included Together (KIT)

Decades of research tell us that high-quality education and childcare programs can meet the needs of children with disabilities. We know what is required to make inclusion successful. However, two years of a global pandemic have made quality inclusion more challenging. Children’s needs have increased while the capacity of schools and programs has decreased. Staff shortages, burned-out adults, and a high turnover of caregivers are headwinds to inclusion. Leaders from Kids Included Together (KIT) will describe how they are approaching provider-centered support to meet the current needs and share data and examples from the international network of programs that KIT serves.

Speaker Bio: In 1998, Torrie Dunlap found her life's purpose when she taught a theater class for children that included a boy with Down syndrome. Kids Included Together helped her create a successful theater experience for this student and changed her worldview. She joined the KIT staff in 2003 and, in 2012, became KIT's Chief Executive Officer. Torrie is a nationally recognized leader in the inclusion movement. She has been published in various media channels and in October 2014, she delivered her TEDx talk, "Isn't it a Pity, The Real Problem with Special Needs.”

Special Olympics Michigan Unified Champion Schools State Youth Activation Committee Panel

• Aiden Yost
• Sam DeGain
• Max Hinga
• Kayla Helferich
   

Description: Students with and without intellectual disabilities from Special Olympics Michigan's State Youth Activation Committee discuss how inclusion has changed their school experience, their perception of self and others, and who they are as people.

Featured Video - Preview during the conference and available for a limited time following the conference

Just Give Him the Whale: Using Interests, Areas of Expertise, and Strengths to Include Autistic Students
Paula Kluth, Ph.D., consultant, author, advocate, and independent scholar 

Video Description: Do you know someone who loves whales? Or ceiling fans? Or elevators? Most of us do know learners with specific interests. However, these favorites of autistic students are often seen as problematic or in need of “extinction” rather than celebrated. In this presentation, Dr. Kluth will explore alternative perspectives and will focus specifically on how they can serve as supports, teaching tools, and inspirations in inclusive classrooms and beyond. Viewers will learn how honoring fascinations can help teachers calm, comfort, teach, and connect with students on the spectrum.

Bio: Dr. Paula Kluth works with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities and to create more responsive and engaging schooling experiences for all learners. She is a former K-12 special educator who has served as a classroom teacher, co-teacher, and inclusion facilitator. She is the author or co-author of 15 titles including Universal Design Daily, 30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom, Don’t We Already Do Inclusion?, and “You’re Going to Love This Kid!” She is the recipient of multiple awards for her work supporting inclusion.

Conference Information:

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