BY CARRIE C. HAHN, MA, CCC-SLP
Inclusion can be defined and explained in several different ways. As a parent of children with disabilities, a therapist who works with children with disabilities, and a published author who has written a book about the ways that people with disabilities are sometimes mistreated, I have come to believe that inclusion is far more complex than what initially comes to mind. Exploring what inclusion means to each of us is important.
I used to be limited in my definition of “inclusion,” which didn’t extend much beyond physical inclusion. I used to think that a disabled child sharing space with non-disabled children was what inclusion in action is supposed to look like. How individuals interact with each other starts with sharing physical space, but everything that happens beyond that is so important for a child’s development and foundational beliefs about themself. These foundations can be bolstered by us as parents as well when we ensure that inclusion efforts are adequate.
When we ensure that our kids have access to appropriate equipment, accommodations, instruction, and support, we support their ability to participate and learn. When we ensure that our kids can communicate for, and about, what is important to them, we provide for their right to joyful experiences that they control and self-dictate. When we ensure that our kids can develop and use skills to participate in activities that bring them joy, we make them agents of their own fulfillment. When we honor their likes, dislikes, strengths, and challenges, we bolster their autonomy. When we support their capabilities, we protect and feed their self-esteem.
Participation, learning, communication, fulfillment, autonomy, and self-esteem should all be incorporated into inclusion efforts. We can empower our children to know that they deserve the full range of these experiences by leading with these expectations of the people and spaces where they will spend time. Simply being in the room is not enough. Once our kids are in the room, we must ensure they have what they need to grow, shine, thrive, and see their magnificence.
Carrie C. Hahn is the author of Beyond Inclusion: How to Raise Non-Ableist Kids, which can be purchased through Amazon.
Carrie Hahn, MA, SLP
PHOTO CREDIT: edf-feph.org
