About Us
Mission:
Coaching to Inclusion is a group of educators from several school districts in south western Ontario, preschool educators and other community members who collaborate to offer quality professional development opportunities for inclusive educators.
'Our goal is to help our schools and community to understand that full and meaningful inclusion is the norm in a world where all are valued and respected as competent individuals, their dignity safeguarded, their inner spirits treasured and their dreams pursued'
History
The first conference held in 1998 began as the brainchild of a few people who thought that teachers should have the opportunity to learn from the best minds and leading thinkers about inclusive education. At that time, most people only talked about “integration” of students with disabilities into regular classrooms. We have traveled a long way to today when inclusion is common in our language, and reflects what we now know about how all students should learn.
Western University Connection
In 2007 Western’s Centre for Inclusive Education established a series of annual conferences for educators as well. Dr. Jacqueline Specht, the Centre Director, was also a member of the Coaching to Inclusion Committee which was seeking new alliances in 2009 to help expand its subscriber base. She saw the benefits of partnering these two groups to provide one conference where educators could network. It has proven successful in building community
The Centre has since become the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education. The Coaching to Inclusion Committee and the Centre enjoy a synergistic partnership of researchers and practitioners
