By Anna Marcus & Leann Springer Around the world, children are excluded from schools where they belong because of disability, race, language, religion, gender, and poverty. PEAK’s mission, as you probably already know, is to provide training, information, and technical assistance to equip families with strategies to advocate successfully for their children. As a result of these services children and adults will live rich, active lives participating as full members of their schools and communities. We know that an inclusiveRead more

“When your formative years include people with disabilities, as an adult you make decisions to include people with disabilities.” “Every student needs to hear, ‘We do not see you as a problem. We see you as an opportunity.’” “Membership in the regular class is directly tied to reading...Kids are not retained because of math scores.” “Focus on the solution, not the problem.” Above are some of the words from Doug Fisher that I jotted down at the 2018 PEAK ParentRead more

Shelley Moore’s research is rooted in one fundamental question: how can we find the value in the day-to-day practices in our classrooms in terms of inclusive education? The answer, Shelley argues, lies in the science of bowling. Yes, you read correctly, bowling. Who knew an understanding of bowling strategies could provide solutions to the limits of our existing education systems? First, here’s a little background on Shelley. Originally from Edmonton, and now based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Shelley Moore isRead more

Your child or student with a disability has been placed in the general education classroom. You may have concerns or hesitations about their learning and progress in this setting. How do we set them up for success? How do we make this work all day, in every subject, and in extracurricular activities? First, let’s review the concept of placement in IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) which emphasizes that children with disabilities are to be educated to the maximumRead more

How many of you have been on a trip where you've packed an empty bag inside your suitcase to bring home all the goodies, treasures, and keepsakes to remember your travels? Those of you who will attend the 2019 Conference on Inclusive Education will bring a lot of keepsakes home with you. These will be in the form of renewed perspectives, fresh ideas, an expanded toolkit, new resources, and a broader circle of friendship and community! You'll need to bringRead more

PEAK's 2015 Conference on Inclusive Education was a huge success, and two of PEAK's Parent Advisors, Shirley Swope and Missy Sieders, had the following lessons and reflections to share with you! Lessons and reflections from Missy Sieders There are so many things I love about working as a Parent Advisor at PEAK. Talking with parents and helping families advocate for their children so they can realize their dreams despite the challenges they face is very rewarding. Seeing the "A-ha’s," onRead more