What is your educational background?

B.S.E. - University of Kansas,
M.A. - University of Kansas, Speech Pathology, and
CCC-Sp (Certificate of Clinical Competence - Speech - ASHA)

What other experiences, or staff development has prepared you for inclusion?

I started in 1992 with staff development/team building/role release type training with the LEEP Inclusion Model (LIM) through the Circle of Inclusion Project at the University of Kansas. I was a speech therapist with the Lawrence Public Schools.

What is your job role?

I am a speech therapist, consultant, teacher, helper, paraprofessional, occupational therapist, early childhood special educator, physical therapist, vision teacher, and hearing teacher (I do a little of everything)!

What is your role regarding the inclusive component of the program?

I provide information, demonstrate strategies to implement Individualized Education Program (IEP) objectives, provide therapy, and work as a team member.

How has your role changed or have you adapted your role as it related to the inclusive program?

My role has changed because the profession knows that we are not the only "person" that can effectively implement therapy techniques to meet IEP objectives. Especially in Early Childhood, the parent is our best therapist, advocate, and enthusiast! I have been involved in more consulting, checking progress, and suggesting changes.

What were you biggest concerns about participating in an inclusive program?

That a child, placed in an inclusive setting, would be unhappy and be unable to participate because the team could not adapt the curriculum or materials to meet the child's needs.

What were your experiences related to these concerns once inclusive services were implemented?

My concerns or problems never materialized- as a team, you can always find a way for a child to participate in various activities. You need to be willing to try different strategies if you are not meeting with success initially.

What do you see as the benefits of moving toward inclusive services?

A child can be in a typical environment just like his friends. Many competent professionals can be involved with implementation of IEP objectives. Great generalization of skills since objectives are taught in a natural environment.

Can you offer one or more anecdotes which illustrate the benefits of inclusion?

This may sound funny, but the "best" inclusion is when you walk into a preschool classroom and you cannot "find" the special needs child (he is equally participating in an activity) and you don't know who appears to be the teacher in the classroom (all adults are working with the children). Service providers (speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, vision teachers, and hearing teachers) don't look like service providers but perhaps another teacher or adult helper.

Peers are wonderful teachers and learn quickly. I sometimes bring in target articulation cards to help with more focus on certain sounds. We play a "memory" or matching game. Usually peers "take over" the activity and once a child said to me, "Here, let me show you how to play this game!"