Q&A
Implementation of universal design and inclusive education practices in schools
1:57:53
ยท
3 min
Council Member Dinowitz inquires about the DOE's efforts to implement universal design and inclusive education practices across all schools. DOE officials describe their initiatives and challenges in this area.
- DOE has trained over 7,000 related service providers on inclusive environments and universal design for learning practices
- Officials are working with the Division of School Leadership to spread these practices more widely
- Challenges include tracking implementation and assessing impact across all schools
- DOE emphasizes the importance of creating therapeutic classroom environments in specialized programs
Eric Dinowitz
1:57:53
Right.
1:57:54
And I and I ask about it in context of a program Right.
1:57:57
But it really should be just the way education is done.
1:58:01
Right?
1:58:02
Like, we speak a lot about universal design.
1:58:04
That's right.
1:58:05
Communication and what work is is your department doing with, you know, general teaching and instruction?
1:58:11
What work what collaboration is being done to ensure all of our public schools, our community schools are engaging in this type of education, which clearly benefits both students with disabilities and students without disabilities?
Suzanne Sanchez
1:58:24
So we are working as DIAL was formed, was born in very recently.
1:58:29
We are working closely with our partners in the division of school leadership, otherwise known as DSL, to ensure these practices are spread as widely as we can.
1:58:39
For example, we've trained over 7,000 related service providers on these tenants around inclusive environments and how to have universal design for learning practices.
Eric Dinowitz
1:58:50
What is the point that it shouldn't just be the related service providers?
1:58:53
It's everyone in the school community.
1:58:54
So first of all, is that being done?
1:58:56
And to both the general education teachers, guidance counselor, everyone in the school and in other schools?
1:59:02
And second is how are you or how is the DOE assessing whether that's being done and the impact of that work?
Suzanne Sanchez
1:59:11
So we we track all of our trainings and supports that are offered to school communities.
1:59:16
There are significant trainings by our central team around autism, behavioral supports, building inclusive environments that schools have the opportunity to participate in, and we do track that to see which schools have participated and which schools have not and follow-up accordingly.
1:59:32
But I wanna be very clear because the specialized program, what makes that so successful is that the classroom becomes the therapeutic environment, and it is designed as such.
1:59:44
And that is what makes this program successful is the preservice training, the investment and the design of a therapeutic environment, so that all the students' needs are met right there in their classroom, and there's a reason why that is successful.
1:59:59
And that's not replicable without investing and rebuilding in those programs.
Eric Dinowitz
2:00:04
But is is that public?
2:00:06
Right?
2:00:06
Like, does when when you are training a school, does the community know that this school is trained in these types of therapeutic environments?
2:00:15
Are there any incentives other than the goodwill of the principal or teachers there to ensure that these all of our schools are providing for our kids with disabilities?
Suzanne Sanchez
2:00:26
Yeah.
2:00:26
I think that in terms of incentive incentives for a specialized program, I think we have not needed any incentives.
2:00:33
Principals as as well as families
Althea Stevens
2:00:34
are asking for these programs.
2:00:34
Superintendents are asking for
Suzanne Sanchez
2:00:34
more specialized programs.
2:00:35
Asking for more specialized programs.
2:00:39
The incentive really is that it enhances your school climate and culture, and it improves student outcomes.
Eric Dinowitz
2:00:45
And how is the school being assessed on that?
2:00:49
Because what we always see is credit accrual, state tests
Althea Stevens
2:00:53
Right.
Eric Dinowitz
2:00:53
And that's kind of, like, it.
Suzanne Sanchez
2:00:55
Right.
2:00:56
We do our central autism team implements, family surveys every year to the families, and we're happy to share some of that with the council if it's helpful.
2:01:05
Like, what is the family's experience?
2:01:06
We're also tracking academic outcomes for students in the specialized programs and and have that data, available that we could share as well.
Eric Dinowitz
2:01:15
I I think the more we get into the direction of just ensuring every school community is designed to support as many learners as possible with with, you know, with exceptions, obviously, we're gonna we would see
Althea Stevens
2:01:27
a lot
Eric Dinowitz
2:01:28
more success.