SWIFT Family/Community Feature

As a family or community member, have you been in the position of promoting equity-based inclusive education in your local school community?  SWIFT Center has evidence-based resources and information to assist you. For example, did you know:

• 30 years of research shows us that ALL students, including students with the most extensive needs, can participate, learn, and excel within grade-level general education curriculum;

• When students with and without disabilities learn together in general education classrooms, BOTH groups demonstrate increased academic achievement;

• Students with disabilities who are included have better communication skills, higher academic achievement, wider social networks, more friends, and fewer behavior challenges.

This information and more can be found in the Research Support for Inclusive Education Brief on SWIFT Shelf.  Share with education leaders as part of the rationale for inclusive education. The Brief highlights research studies of inclusive education, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and four supporting domains of SWIFT’s framework.  Download and share with your school community!

In Beth Dixon’s SWIFT Talk, she introduces another valuable SWIFT Issue Brief on the topic of Policies that Support Trusting Family Partnerships.  This useful Brief provides guidance to achieving what we know through research and direct experience to be true.  Family engagement is a strong predictor of positive student outcomes in the near-term and provides long-term benefits to students, families, educational systems, and communities. 

Engaging Families in MTSS

SWIFT Unscripted is our monthly podcast, and makes for a great listen while waiting in the school pickup line, during a morning walk, or while running errands! SWIFT Unscripted welcomes guests from our SWIFT community, and the latest podcast Engaging Families in MTSS—features Kimberli Breen, Regional Facilitator Director with SWIFT Center.  Kimberli’s lived experience, along with her professional role connecting with schools and families across the country, provides a wealth of tried and true strategies to support inclusive education.

You can listen on SoundCloud or iTunes, or visit the SWIFT Unscripted page to download the podcast to your computer.  A transcript link for each SWIFT Unscripted podcast is available at the end of its description.