The Beyond Access Model: Promoting Membership, Participation, and Learning for Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom

How can educators create inclusive classrooms where students with intellectual and developmental disabilities not only participate and communicate, but also learn academic content? The groundbreaking model in this book is the answer. Practical, forward-thinking, and person-centered, the Beyond Access Model shows education professionals what meaningful inclusive education looks like and gives them the critical guidance they need to make it happen.

A researched approach developed by three inclusive education experts from the University of New Hampshire's respected Institute on Disability, the Beyond Access Model works because it

• presumes competence and encourages high expectations, so all students reach their full potential
• is consistent with the problem-solving framework of the popular and effective Response to Intervention model
• goes beyond functional skills to help students learn general education curriculum content
• fosters successful collaborative teaming, so the educational team engages in honest and respectful communication, makes sound decisions, and works on adjustments if needed
• is flexible and adaptable, not a rigid "cookbook" approach to inclusive education planning
• helps teachers support students' communication through effective use of augmentative communication strategies
• facilitates strong family-school partnerships, so education professionals and parents learn from each other's expert knowledge

This accessible book guides educators and administrators through every phase of the Beyond Access Model, from assessing current student supports to reviewing and sustaining the benefits of new inclusive education strategies. Vignettes and examples—including a detailed, real-life "before and after" case study—vividly illustrate how the model improves students' educational experience and outcomes. And more than a dozen adaptable checklists, forms, and templates give educators the structure they need as they begin planning and implementing inclusion strategies.

An innovative model that can transform schools and lives, The Beyond Access Model will ensure that students with disabilities enjoy the benefits of full membership, participation, and learning within truly inclusive classroom communities.

Click here to watch a recording of Dr. Jorgensen’s webinar - Planning for Full Participation and Learning in the Inclusive Class

Dr. Mirenda earned her doctorate in behavioral disabilities from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. For 8 years, she was a faculty member in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. From 1992 to 1996, she provided a variety of training, research, and support services to individuals with severe disabilities through CBI Consultants, Ltd., in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is now Professor in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia. From 1998 to 2001, she was editor of the journal Augmentative and Alternative Communication. In 2004, she was named a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and was awarded the Killam Teaching Prize at the University of British Columbia. In 2008, she was named a Fellow of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Dr. Mirenda is the author of numerous book chapters and research publications; she lectures widely and teaches courses on augmentative and alternative communication, inclusive education, developmental disabilities, autism, and positive behavior support. Her current research focuses on describing the developmental trajectories of young children with autism and factors that predict the outcomes of early intervention.

Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D., is an inclusive education consultant in private practice after being a project director with the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and an assistant research professor in UNH's Education Department from 1985 to 2011. She is a co-founder of the National Center on Inclusive Education. Jorgensen has authored several books (including The Inclusion Facilitator’s Guide and The Beyond Access Model) and research articles; presents at state, national, and international conferences; and provides student-specific consultation throughout the United States.

Rae M. Sonnenmeier, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and with the Institute on Disability/UCED at the University of New Hampshire and is an adjunct assistant professor of pediatrics with the Dartmouth Medical School. She served as Interdisciplinary Training Director for the New Hampshire Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program at the University of New Hampshire from 1999 to 2009. Dr. Sonnenmeier is an expert in the areas of inter - disciplinary practice, augmentative communication techniques, and the inclusion of students who experience significant disabilities, including students with autism spectrum disorders. Currently, she is collaborating on an Office of Special Education Programs project that prepares speech-language pathologists in the area of augmentative and alternative communication to support the academic learning of students with significant disabilities. She regularly presents at state, national, and international conferences and does technical assistance in the New England region.