DisCrit, and Critical Race Theory in Education and Disability Studies necessitate Autism inclusion in general education settings. In this chapter, an inclusion framework based upon multidisciplinary scholarship is offered for use across not only teacher preparation, but also industry sectors, higher education, K12 districts and school sites. The above historical contexts of special education, inclusion, disability studies and teacher education detail where some of the unmet needs lie within a problem of practice. In order to specifically address an unmet need within the curriculum, the details of where gaps may exist and where they came from must be understood. Once the context is known, curriculum can be designed to address these issues within that historical context. When thinking about addressing a need within curriculum, Tanner and Tanner (as cited in Glatthorn, 2006) highlight that curriculum “…reconstructs knowledge and experience that enables the learner to grow in…knowledge and experience” (p. 5). Inclusion at the phase of teacher preparation curriculum can then manifest itself in future teachers in classrooms who are more comfortable with diverse populations and a feeling of greater preparation for inclusion. Self-representation within the curriculum then reconstructs actionable knowledge directly from the source, which can be a powerful tool for knowledge and experience.

Authors:
Jessica Nerren, California State University, San Bernardino, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Jess Block Nerren is a researcher of Disability Inclusion, Public Relations and Teacher Education as a full time faculty member at CSUSB in the Department of Communication Studies. In 2023/24, Dr. Nerren was on special assignment as the Faculty Inclusion Fellow for Disability, Difference and Accommodation at CSUSB. Previously, she served as Interim Faculty Director of the Services to Students with Disabilities office, where she oversaw accommodations for over 2,000 students attending the university. She is the editor and contributing author of the scholarly book Rethinking Perception and Centering the Voices of Unique Individuals: Reframing Autism Inclusion in Praxis. As an alum. of CSUSB, Jess completed her Educational Doctorate in 2021. In addition, she has an M.A. in Communications from CSU Fullerton, where she was awarded as the CSUF College of Communications Outstanding Graduate Student in 2012. Dr. Nerren is the founder of CoyotePR, the student-run PR agency on

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessblocknerren/

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jess-Nerren

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