Keeping the “In” in Inclusion Means Belonging

This session looks at what happens when we stop treating belonging as an add-on and start building it into how the classroom runs. Successful inclusion relies on well-designed, accessible curricula and tools that empower educators to meet diverse needs confidently. Participants will leave with practical ways to make inclusion meaningful. Participants will be able to: 1. Spot when a student is technically included but still on the outside looking in. 2. Recognize the everyday signs that a student might be disconnected such as always working with an adult, never being in a group, or not having a real role in the classroom. 3. Use simple, practical routines to create belonging. 4. Leave with strategies to bring students into the flow of classroom life, build authentic peer connections, and make IEP goals part of what the whole class is already doing. 4. Identify proven educational practices, tools, and materials which provide for differentiated instruction that benefits all students including those with disabilities.