Think Inclusive

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Jay Ruderman is the President of the Ruderman Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to inclusion, diversity, and social justice. A lifelong social justice activist, Jay has championed disability rights and worked to hold the entertainment industry accountable for authentic representation. He also hosts the podcast All About Change, which highlights stories of activism and resilience.

In this episode, Tim Villegas talks with Jay Ruderman about his journey as an activist, the evolution of the Ruderman Family Foundation, and the fight for authentic representation of people with disabilities in media. They explore how advocacy strategies can influence systemic change, the power of storytelling, and why allyship is essential for creating a more inclusive society.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/jay-ruderman-all-about-change/

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Debbie Taub — TASH board member and technical assistance provider with the TIES Center, a national TA center focused on building inclusive systems for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Also brings a parent perspective as a mom advocating at the IEP table.

Diane Ryndak — Professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; co‑chair of TASH’s Inclusive Education Community of Practice (CoP), former TASH board member, and affiliated with the TIES Center on inclusive practices and policies.

Mary Fisher — Faculty at Lewis University (Romeoville, IL); co‑director of the TASH Inclusive Education CoP and long‑time TASH member since 1977. Focuses on teacher preparation and practical ways schools move toward inclusion.

Members of the TASH Inclusive Education Community of Practice break down what fully inclusive schools look like and how to get there—moving from “one student at a time” fixes to systemic change at school, district, and state levels. They highlight presuming competence, high expectations, explicit communication instruction, and clear placement in general education as non‑negotiables, and point listeners to tools (like TIES Center’s RISE/IER) that help teams reflect and plan.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/tash-characteristics-of-fully-inclusive-schools/

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Charmaine Thaner is an inclusion advocate and founder of Collaborative Special Education Advocacy. She’s a former self‑contained special education teacher who became a general education teacher for 15 years, and now works alongside families and schools to make inclusive education real. She also hosts the long‑running Facebook Live series The Art of Advocacy.

Her path runs from Slippery Rock State College in the 1970s, to early work in Colorado schools, to serving as an education specialist with the PEAK Parent Center (Colorado’s PTI). As a parent, she and her husband advocated for full inclusion for their son, Dylan, who has Down syndrome—from community preschool through college—experiences that shape her practical, relationship‑first approach today.

Charmaine launched her advocacy business (originally Visions and Voices Together, now Collaborative Special Education Advocacy) to blend lived experience and professional know‑how and to stand with families in meetings when communication and trust have broken down.

In this episode, Tim Villegas talks with Charmaine Thaner about what it really takes to move inclusion from idea to everyday practice. Charmaine traces her journey from self‑contained teaching to general education and district collaboration, and then to parent‑advocacy after her son Dylan was born—highlighting why “relationships, relationships, relationships” are the three R’s of effective advocacy.

They dig into the rise, stall, and renewal of inclusive education, Dylan’s fully included path (including auditing classes at the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs with support from allies on campus), and the hard truth that some schools still isolate students despite paper “inclusion.” Charmaine shares when to ask for help, how to keep it collaborative (and when to escalate), and why broader coalitions—parents, self‑advocates, and educators—are pushing for changes like ending seclusion and restraint and implementing UDL with fidelity.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/charmaine-thaner-the-art-of-advocacy/

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Kanwal Singh — former Director of the Vishwas school (India) and author of Hanging On: A Special Educator’s Journey into Inclusive Education (published in 2020). She began her career in 1988 at the Spastic Society of Northern India and has spent more than three decades moving from special education to integration to inclusion. Currently, she consults with the UK-based Enabling Education Network, supporting inclusive education and teacher training programs in Ethiopia and Uganda.

Kanwal Singh shares her journey from leading special schools to building a fully inclusive model at Vishwas in India—removing labels, simplifying language, and centering the idea of “all students together.” She explains why teacher preparation often teaches inclusion in theory but defaults to special-ed practices in reality, and what it takes to sustain inclusion: aligned people, systems, and funding.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/kanwal-singh-inclusive-education-in-india/

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Russ Ewell — Founder of E‑soccer and Digital Scribbler; CEO of Hope Technology Group; host of the Lead Different Podcast; and father of children with disabilities. His inclusion journey began when his eldest son was born with Down syndrome, which led him to create inclusive sports programs so kids with and without disabilities could play together.

When Russ Ewell saw his son segregated in youth sports, he built a different model—launching E‑soccer to bring kids together on the same field. In this conversation with Tim Villegas, Russ unpacks what inclusive leadership looks like: empathy, compassion, emotional intelligence, and the humility to keep learning. They also discuss the everyday “micro‑moments” that either build or undermine inclusion (like at a coffee shop), and why culture—not just programs—determines whether people gain independence or remain isolated. Tim closes by sharing his own path from psychology student to inclusive educator, sparked by a classroom observation and strengthened by planning around student strengths.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/russ-ewell-inclusive-leadership/

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Meg Grigal — Researcher and program leader at the Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston, where she directs multiple federally funded projects that expand access to higher education for people with intellectual disability (ID).

Cate Weir — Project Coordinator for the Think College National Coordinating Center at UMass Boston; she supports colleges nationwide and has led the ongoing build‑out of the Think College website and resource ecosystem.

Host Tim Villegas speaks with Meg Grigal and Cate Weir from Think College about why inclusive higher education is both possible and powerful for students with intellectual disabilities—even for those who didn’t experience strong K–12 inclusion or who don’t hold a “regular” high‑school diploma. They outline how programs typically use an alternative admissions path, focus on authentic campus life (academics, internships, social life, sometimes residential), and award meaningful non‑degree credentials aligned to career goals.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/meg-grigal-cate-weir-inclusive-higher-education-for-people-with-intellectual-disabilities/

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Jani Kozlowski is a Technical Assistance Specialist with the Early Childhood TA Center at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill). She previously served as the inclusion lead for the Office of Head Start’s National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning, and is the author of Every Child Can Fly: An Early Childhood Educator’s Guide to Inclusion.

In this episode, Jani Kozlowski makes a compelling case that inclusive early childhood programs set the trajectory for belonging and learning throughout K–12 and life. She shares research-backed benefits for children with and without disabilities, unpacks the defining features of inclusion (access, participation, supports), and explains why the biggest barriers are often beliefs and habits—not laws or funding. Jani also offers practical ways to prepare educators, partner with families, and design environments where every child can learn to “fly”—in their own way.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/jani-kozlowski-early-childhood-inclusive-education/

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Dr. Ross Greene is the New York Times bestselling author of Lost at School and Raising Human Beings. He developed the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) model, a framework for supporting children with challenging behavior by focusing on problem-solving rather than punishment. Formerly on the faculty at Harvard Medical School for over 20 years, Dr. Greene is now the founding director of Lives in the Balance, a nonprofit offering free resources on CPS.

In this episode, Tim Villegas talks with Dr. Ross Greene about why schools need to shift from focusing on student behavior to addressing the underlying problems causing that behavior. They explore how the CPS model works, why traditional behaviorist approaches fall short, and how educators can create more equitable and inclusive environments for all learners.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/dr-ross-greene-using-collaborative-and-proactive-solutions-to-support-the-behavior-of-all-learners/

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Dr. Mona Delahooke is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience supporting children and families. She is a senior faculty member at the Profectum Foundation and a member of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Delahooke is the author of Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges and Brain-Body Parenting. Her work focuses on translating neuroscience into practical strategies for parents and educators to better understand and support children’s emotional and behavioral development.

In this episode, Tim Villegas talks with Dr. Mona Delahooke about moving beyond traditional behavior management systems like charts and rewards. They explore why behaviors should be seen as signals rather than targets, the importance of relational safety, and how understanding the brain-body connection can transform parenting and teaching. Dr. Delahooke introduces practical tools like the “check-in” process and explains why co-regulation—not punishment—is key to helping children thrive.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/dr-mona-delahooke-beyond-behavior-charts-and-positive-reinforcement/

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Mazey Eddings is an author and dentist who identifies as neurodivergent (anxiety since childhood; ADHD and autism diagnosed later). She’s on a personal mission to destigmatize mental health and write “love stories for every brain.” She also proudly claims the title of stage mom to her cats, Yaya and Zedi.

Host Tim Villegas talks with Mazey Eddings about neurodiverse representation in romance, the visceral reality of anxiety as portrayed in her debut novel A Brush with Love (set in dental school), and how stories can help readers see mental health with greater empathy. They discuss internalized shame and ableism, sexism in clinical training, and the trial‑and‑error of supporting a partner with anxiety—while reaffirming romance’s promise of hard‑won happy endings.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/mazey-eddings-neurodiverse-representation-in-books/