Lisa Sigafoos

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LISA SIGAFOOS (M.Ed. [PhD anticipated August 2018]) Special Education: Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders; Portfolio in Disability Studies: Postsecondary Students with Learning Disabilities; Teaching Assistant: Individual Differences; Research Liaison: National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes - http://diversity.utexas.edu/2016/12/08/lisa-sigafoos-student-teacher-superhero-2/ Links to an external site.  

What does inclusive teaching mean to you?

  • Inclusive teaching is a type of teaching in which the instructor develops and implements instructor in a manner that allows all types of learners to be successful. It is teaching that accepts all learners and differentiates to meet the individual needs of students. It is instruction that incorporates Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and provides students options in how to express their knowledge.
  • Inclusive teaching is student focus and driven, the instructor creates a classroom environment that allows students to feel accepted, valued, and comfortable learning and expressing themselves.
  • Inclusive teaching is a belief that all students have the capability to learn but do so in different ways. No matter a student’s culture, background, nationality, or if they have a disability, they are able to achieve.

Please give an example of what thinking inclusively looks like to you in your teaching or your work around campus.

  • Thinking inclusively is considering the different types of students that might comprise a class and designing the course content, instructor, assignments, and assessments so all students have equal access and opportunity to be successful.
  • Offering different formats for students to be assessed: multiple-choice, short-answer, or oral exam.
  • Thinking inclusively is being mindful of students’ different backgrounds and being understanding to students’ different needs. It’s an understanding that some students, such as those with disabilities, may require accommodations, for which provide equal access to course content.
  • Having captioned videos for students who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing and for international students.