Reimagining Disability & Inclusive Education | Jan Wilson | TEDxUniversityofTulsa

Every single person is unique and has different skills, so why are students taught the same way? Jan Wilson explores the possibilities of a universal design for learning, and how every individual can benefit.

Dr. Jan Wilson is Wellspring Associate Professor of Women's and Gender Studies and History at the University of Tulsa. Her teaching and research areas include gender and disability studies, feminist theory, and United States Women's History. She enjoys using aspects of popular culture--vampire literature and films, the Harry Potter book series, and the television show Game of Thrones, for example--to teach students about gender, disability, and race in history and American society. She is currently at work on her second book titled The Zoey Journal, which draws on historical analysis, theory, and her personal experiences raising a daughter with autism to offer unique perspectives on concepts such as mothering, identity, intersectionality, the gaze, and the meaning of disability. She and her family are strong supporters of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the Autism Center of Tulsa, and Able Kids Therapy. An avid runner, Dr. Wilson is currently training for her first marathon.

[iancox]

(22 year old) I grew up in special ed and got out of that prison in 7th grade, and I learned some things that might be enlightening. I was in the ED department for the "Emotionally Disturbed". I remember going to weekly therapy sessions, and seeing a psychologist regularly. Having my blood drawn on a monthly basis for the risperidone I had been prescribed. The child psychiatrist couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, and neither could any of my therapists. so they put me on an anti-psychotic to subdue me and make their job easier. Not until this past year did I get a chance to speak to a psychiatrist, and within one session, he diagnosed me with ADHD, and put me on Ritalin. now school is 10x more manageable. This is the problem with special education. They treated me like I was inherently broken, and a problem for them. Not to mention the constant humiliation of having an aid come to each one of my classes, and the bullying from other students both in special ed, and in what was called "mainstream" at the time. I grew up feeling inherently other than, and I battle with an incredible amount of self hatred to this day. I believe the ED program just needs to end. The entire school system should be restructured around learning styles, not imposed "disabilities." therefore, all students would feel included. Imagine having great difficulty controlling your emotions, and then told by an all-powerful system that you're broken and need to fix yourself, and then being socially confined to interactions with students with virtually identical behavioral issues. It doesn't work. It also creates a false expectation about the real world for gen ed students. Kids being trained from early childhood to see the differently abled as a burden and something that should rightfully be kept separate from them. That isn't how the world works. You don't get to have a person with an anger management issue be kept separate from you at work, so why do we teach kids this? There is no good reason. Inclusion is the only answer.

[mariecait]

i wish this existed in school when i was younger. i got thrown out the day after my 18th birthday because i had panic attacks. cna folic school in 2007. in my 20s i struggled so bad and still do. high school messed me up so bad i’m on disability after a failed suicide attempt. thankful theres people making waves now

[dr.bhartisehta]

The biggest challenge is acceptance. We are unable to accept disability as difference. Thank you for short and sweet lecture.

[hartzaire]

This is very true even in college many colleges just want disabled students for a quota of numbers without thinking about how can we teach you. I know this personally because I have cerebral palsy.

[SamK]

I found this talk very engaging. I have Dyspraxia, and am trying to find ways to change constructs so that people can exist in the world together and doesn't look down on those with disabilities.

[dr.shuvojitmondal]

This discussion is highlighting the fact that Every single students is unique in nature and they have unique way of learning.

[dr.taniachakraborty]

A crucial aspect on how to accept the differently able students.

[aartipradhan]

Inclusive education ensures quality education for all students.

[OpentoEvidence]

Love if this was properly closed captioned :)

[sando]

In theory, a fantastic idea. However, additional funding needs to part of UDL learning. How is a solo classroom teacher able to provide personalized lesson plans throughout the school year for students with disabilities? In addition, specialty teachers, who see multiple classes can't provide UDL for each child. Small class sizes, multiple teachers, and support systems can make UDL possible.

[josephcatrambone]

Motivated me to rethink what I've done for over 25 years!

[Knightblade]

I agree that the way they treat people with disabilities is wrong, because I had to deal with this while I was in Elementary, Middle, and High School. I am glad though that I had Disabled Students and Program and Services while I was in Community College. It would have been nice had this been around when I was in school. I still deal with my disability of Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. It is sad that they didn't try harder to work with people who have disabilities. Thank you for showing and talking about the problem with how people who are disabled.

[madhushreemukherjee]

Inclusive Education for benefit of all.

[Jackie-rccj]

Spot on, as a mother of a special needs child this talk hit some very valuable issues right on the head. Thankyou

[GothicElf]

This was an incredibly insightful and informative video and I very much enjoyed this aspect of it. However, it was somewhat difficult to sit through due to the quality of the audio. I tried several times adjusting things on my computer, before I realized the problem as indeed the sound quality of the video.

[dr.rutvishah]

Very interesting session highlighting the fact that every single students is unique in nature and they have unique way of learning.

[dr.amalendusamanta]

Individual student based learning- great discussion

[tengeen]

i love your explanation about inclusive education

[dipankardas]

thank you for this very interesting discussion highlighting the fact that Every single students is unique in nature and they have unique way of learning.

[anweshabhattacharya]

Thank you for the introspective video on reimagining disability and inclusive education.