Think Inclusive

Hi, Y'all!

My friends, Cheryl and Thomas (who are superb podcasters BTW), are taking over the Think Inclusive feed for a few minutes today to tell you about a special survey project they are doing.

With support from the Disability Visibility Project, Cheryl Green and Thomas Reid are gathering information about disabled podcasters and podcasts focused on disability and accessibility (or “disability podcasts” for short). 

They will use this information to develop an online listing of podcasts and resource for disabled podcasters to find each other and find audiences.

Awesome right?

Here is the link if you are interested in taking the survey.

Here is a transcript of the promo from Cheryl and Thomas.

Thanks for listening, and we will catch you next week in the feed with another episode of Think Inclusive.

- Tim

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Liz Weintraub — Senior Advocacy Specialist at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD); host of the monthly YouTube series Tuesdays with Liz: Disability Policy for All, where she breaks down complex policy terms and bills so everyone can understand and advocate. She’s interviewed legislators and has produced 200+ short episodes over ~5–7 years.

Kenneth Kelty — Motivational speaker and disability advocate with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (UNC); graduate of Western Carolina University’s University Participant (UP) inclusive postsecondary program; host of Exceeding Expectations with Kenneth Kelty, a podcast featuring trailblazers (with and without disabilities) focused on empowerment, inclusive postsecondary education, and competitive employment. His show has covered stories like B3 Coffee (NC) and an international perspective on disability from Ireland.

Host Tim Villegas talks with Liz Weintraub and Kenneth Kelty about why they create content as a form of advocacy—Liz to make disability policy plain-language and actionable, and Kenneth to amplify lived experiences and self‑determination through podcasting. They share memorable moments (like explaining congressional recess in everyday terms and highlighting inclusive employment via B3 Coffee) and where listeners can find their work.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/liz-weintraub-kenneth-kelty-using-content-creation-for-disability-advocacy/

Today on the pod, we are replaying some clips from our 2020 episode about including students with intellectual disabilities in general education (our second most listened to episode of all time). But this time around, I'm adding an additional interview with my friends from the TIES Center, Jennifer Sommerness and Jessica Bowman. Now if you don't know, the TIES center is the National Technical Assistance Center on inclusive practices and policies. It works with states, districts, and schools to support the movement of students with disabilities from less inclusive to more inclusive environments. TIES is funded through a federal grant from the Office of Special Education Programs or OSEP. I invited Jennifer and Jessica to share some stories of students with extensive support needs that were included in general education and reflect on their journey to becoming supporters and promoters of inclusive education. In the original episode from 2020, I had my friend and former colleague, Juanita Prichard come on the podcast and talk about strategies for teachers who had students with intellectual disabilities in their classrooms.

References

5-15-45 Tool

Comprehensive Inclusive Education: General Education and the Inclusive IEP

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Credits

This podcast is a production of MCIE. Support the podcast and become a patron!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the pod, we bring you a special remixed episode from 2019, my interview with Julie Causton, founder of Inclusive Schooling. We discuss six strategies for families advocating for their children to be included in general education classrooms. To start the episode, the story of Sam, a young man with Down syndrome, who went from spending all of this time in a segregated special education classroom to being included in general education.

References

Washington students with disabilities are often denied the right to learn in general classes (King 5 News)

Achieving Inclusion: What Every Parent Should Know when Advocating for Their Child

***

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Take our podcast listener survey: bit.ly/TIPodcastSurvey.

Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education.

Have a question or comment? Reach us at [email protected].

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Credits

This podcast is a production of MCIE. Support the podcast and become a patron!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Rasheera Dopson — Author, disability justice activist, researcher, and MPH student at Morehouse School of Medicine whose work explores the intersection of race, gender, and disability. She founded Beauty With a Twist in 2016 to build community among women and girls with disabilities and hosts the WomanHood & Disability podcast, creating a safe, intersectional space that bridges disabled and non‑disabled audiences.

Host Tim Villegas welcomes Rasheera Dopson to talk about why she launched the WomanHood & Disability podcast and what it means to live at the intersection of womanhood and disability. Rasheera shares how moving from writing to podcasting pushed her to articulate lived experiences—like ableism and health disparities—in ways that invite both vulnerability and community. The conversation covers how she mixes solo episodes with interviews, uses cultural moments (e.g., Black History Month) to frame topics, and keeps the door open for allies while centering disabled voices. She also reflects on internships (including with Sen. Jon Ossoff’s office and AAPD), her goals in disability policy, and what’s ahead for Season 2, from body positivity to Black disability and intersectionality.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/rasheera-dopson-womanhood-and-disability-podcast/

🏫 What school board candidates believe about SEL and CRT may affect families who are advocating for inclusion for students with disabilities.

On this episode of The Weeklyish, a clash between an inclusive education advocate and a candidate for school board in Georgia.

Click here for the text version of The Weeklyish.

Credits

The Weeklyish is a production of MCIE. Support MCIE's communications efforts by becoming a patron of The Think Inclusive Podcast or by your donation.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Matt (he/him) — Disability advocate (legal name withheld in the episode), graduate of Wake Forest University, podcaster, and independent contractor. He lives with cerebral palsy and discusses the tightrope of earning income while maintaining essential Medicaid benefits. He also co-hosts the actual‑play Dungeons & Dragons podcast With Rolls and No Luck under the alias “Samurai Fooks.”

Shirene Hayes (she/her) — Chief Encouragement Officer and creator of Super MEro and The Code, an SEL resource for schools. She’s an award‑winning author, keynote speaker, serial entrepreneur, world traveler, and mother of two grown sons; she champions the “each one, teach one” mindset and the “power of one.”

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/matt-from-with-rolls-and-no-luck-shirene-hayes-creator-of-super-mero/

🤞🏽 Recent conversations leave me hopeful.

On this episode of The Weeklyish, I share why being an optimist doesn't mean wishing for change without a plan.

Click here for the text version of The Weeklyish.

Credits

The Weeklyish is a production of MCIE. Support MCIE's communications efforts by becoming a patron of The Think Inclusive Podcast or by your donation.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Ira Eidle (Decatur, GA) is an autistic self‑advocate and curator of Autistic Archive, a growing collection that preserves and teaches the history of the neurodiversity movement. He earned a B.A. in Theater & Performance Studies from Kennesaw State University, completed the 2020 Autism Campus Inclusion program with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), and founded the student group Neurodivergent Advocates of Kennesaw. He currently interns at The Hirsch Academy and is passionate about documenting movement history so educators and advocates can learn from past wins—and missteps.

Cameos in this episode: Bryan Nance, a barista at Independent Grounds (Kennesaw, GA), shares how meaningful, inclusive work has improved his life and skills; Tim Villegas hosts.

Host Tim Villegas talks with Ira Eidle about the origins and evolution of the neurodiversity movement and why he created Autistic Archive to make that history accessible. They explore early listserv culture, seminal sites like Autistics.org and Neurodiversity.com, and recurring debates inside the movement—centering the question “who’s in control?” of spaces, services, and narratives about autistic people.

Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/ira-eidle-autistic-archive/

🌎 Happy Earth Day!

On this episode of The Weeklyish, Carol Quirk drops by to talk about what it takes to change mindsets toward inclusive education. 

Click here for the text version of The Weeklyish.

Credits

The Weeklyish is a production of MCIE. Support MCIE's communications efforts by becoming a patron of The Think Inclusive Podcast or by your donation.