About the Guest(s): Lou Brown is the co-founder of TASH (The Association for People with Severe Handicaps), an advocacy organization focusing on the rights and inclusion for individuals with significant disabilities and support needs. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, where he made significant contributions to the disability rights movement and inclusive education practices. Lou has been an influential figure in advocating for the deinstitutionalization and comprehensive inclusivity of individuals with severe disabilities in regular societal functions.

Episode Summary: In this eye-opening episode of The Think Inclusive Podcast, Tim Villegas discusses the ongoing challenges and progress in inclusive education with Lou Brown, a formidable advocate for disability rights and inclusion. Tim highlights a personal experience that encapsulates society's resistance to inclusive education, emphasizing the urgent need for a paradigm shift in how educational systems treat students with disabilities. 

The discussion with Lou Brown dives deep into the historical context, from the institutionalization era to the fight for these students' rights to an inclusive education. The episode elaborates on various systemic barriers, emphasizing the persistent segregation and homogeneous grouping of students with disabilities. Lou shares his vision and strategies for genuine inclusion, emphasizing the necessity of increasing environments where people with disabilities can function and the critical need for heterogeneous groupings in educational settings. This profound conversation sheds light on the crucial changes necessary to foster a truly inclusive educational system.

Transcript: https://3bd6e695-b492-4878-afa9-f79d8b09e0c4.usrfiles.com/ugd/3bd6e6_99bb3ea16486409fa64db7339c5ea928.pdf

Key Takeaways:

• Inclusive Education's Historical Context: Lou Brown elucidates the historical evolution from institutionalization to more inclusive practices following significant legislative advancements like the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975.
• Systemic Barriers: Identifying ongoing issues such as the tendency toward segregated classrooms and a lack of proper resources for inclusive practices in educational institutions.
• Effective Inclusion Practices: Importance of increasing functional environments and avoiding homogeneous groupings to promote better educational outcomes for students with significant disabilities.
• Characteristics of Effective Education for Disabled Students: Emphasizing the need for teaching essential and appropriately difficult skills, practice to prevent forgetting, and strategies to foster skill generalization.
• Advocacy and Progress: Highlighting the incremental yet significant progress in institutional closures, inclusive work environments, and the necessity of maintaining targeted advocacy for those most affected.

Resources:

TASH: https://tash.org/

MCIE: https://mcie.org/

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