Assembling Edu

In this episode, we interview Rich Padulo, founder of Treat Accessibly, an organization dedicated to making Halloween more inclusive. We talk about the story of how Rich and his family were inspired to start Treat Accessibly, We also discuss strategies people can follow to ensure they are creating an inclusive trick-or-treating experience for everyone in their community. Rich also shares how the m...

In this episode, we interviewed Mariella Satow about SignUp, a free Chrome extension that provides an overlay with sign language interpretation for popular Netflix and Disney + movie content. We discuss the inspiration behind starting this extension, how interpreters are hired, the process of selecting and interpreting a movie, and future plans for expansion. SignUp is being used by members of the...

Birding is a popular outdoor activity that millions of Americans enjoy, but did you also know that it is an extremely adaptable hobby? In this episode, we talk to Freya McGregor, who founded Access Birding, an organization that provides consulting and training services related to birding, accessibility, inclusion, and disability. We discuss the work Freya has done with different outdoor organizati...

In this episode, we talk about the barriers facing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Because of financial barriers, transportation barriers, and other issues facing these patients, the New York State Academic Dental Centers created a fellowship to support the pathway of dentists into specialized care for patients with disabilities. We talked to Jonathan Teyan and Dr. Tung Ng...

In this episode, we talked to Michelle Ridsdale from Kaboose, an app that provides a safe space for the autistic and neurodiverse community to make friends with common interests. We also talked about future developments of the app, including job matching, mentorship, and tips. ( Episode Transcript ) Website Contact Information Kaboose Google Play Kaboose Apple Store

In this episode, we recap our first year of episodes (001 to 046) by sharing different themes that have been revealed including clips and updates from our first season of guests ( Episode Transcript ) Season One Episodes by Theme (including links to updates)

In this episode, we interview Emma Clegg and Molly Rogers, creators of JAM the Label. JAM is an adaptive clothing label based in Australia, which creates accessible, functional, and fashionable clothing with people with disability in mind. We talk about the inspiration behind starting JAM, how they collaborate and work with people in the disability community, and the future of adaptive and accessi...

In this episode, we interviewed Sharron Rush from Knowbility and discussed all things digital accessibility. Knowbility has a variety of programs, including Be a Digital Ally, which focus on breaking down digital content guidelines and bringing awareness to the barriers that can be experienced when dealing with digital content. ( Episode Transcript ) Knowbility Website Be a Digital Ally Program (i...

In this episode, we talk about accessible and inclusive travel with Alvaro Silberstein, creator of Wheel the World. We discuss how Wheel the World uses data points to provide insight into the accessibility of travel locations, accommodations, attractions, and activities around the world. Wheel the World also has pre-built inclusive itineraries and works with travel organizations to ensure accessib...

In this episode, we talk to Lauren Heil, the creator of Stickity, a free and accessible add-on for Google Docs and Google Slides. We discuss how Lauren came to design Stickity, the different graphics and animations that exist within the stickers, and how these digital stickers can increase accessibility, decrease teacher workload, develop classroom routines, and help students find success. ( Episo...

In this episode, we interview Dorean White from United Sound, an organization dedicated to removing barriers and fostering social inclusion through music. We talk about their peer mentorship program, the structure of their middle school, high school, and college chapters, the benefits of participating in this program for all musicians, and their innovative instructional method for making learning...

In this episode, we interview Aubrie Therrien and Sandy Gladstone-Karpe about EPIC Players, an inclusive theater company in New York. We talk about their program structure, the types of shows they produce, the work they've done on making theater inclusive both on and off the stage, and the company's commitment to empowering and supporting their artists. ( Episode Transcript ) To buy ticket...

In this episode, we interview Chris Hastings from Snoezelen, a company that creates multisensory rooms and spaces. We talk about how these rooms are designed and their various equipment and features, as well as how these spaces are beneficial to a variety of different people with different needs. ( Episode Transcript ) Timelapse video of room creation Snoezelen room image gallery

In this episode, we talk to Jodi Asbell-Clarke from TERC about the INFACT project, which stands for Including Neurodiversity in Foundational and Applied Computational Thinking. INFACT has developed an inclusive program to teach computational thinking skills in grade 3-8 by embedding supports and multiple modalities, so all students can find success. We also talk about neurodiversity in STEM and ed...

In this episode, we interview Dr. Rachel Levy from VoiceItt. Voiceitt is an iOS and web-based speech recognition app for people with speech disabilities, disorders, or impairments. We talk about the difference between the apps and how people can use them for training to understand their unique speech patterns for communication with smart home devices or with others. We also talk about how the app...

In 2015, Travis Davis presented his TEDx Talk, "Incluse Me: Social Inclusion in Education." Today, we catch up with Travis about his background and the impact of that speech. We also talk about the work he's been doing, including his work with schools and his podcast, as well as discuss the importance of inclusion within education overall. ( Episode Transcript ) Travis Davis TEDx Tal...

In this episode, we talk to Brooke Allen of the Diverse Learners Cooperative, an organization dedicated to providing support for teachers and school teams to better support all students and their needs. We talk about the organization's dedication to authentic and meaningful professional development and training, how schools can work with the Diverse Learners Cooperative to co-design school sol...

In this episode, we interview Nate Tilton about the Disability Lab at UC Berkeley, a fully accessible and disability-inclusive makerspace. We talk about the creation of the space, its role as an identity makerspace, the design of the lab space and accessibility of the equipment, and the different projects that have been done and are currently being done. We also talk about topics related to disabi...

In this episode, we interviewed Vanessa Castañeda Gill, the CEO of Social Cipher, all about her company and its flagship game, Ava. Social Cipher is an SEL game focused on neurodivergent youth ages 10-15. We discuss the game, its impact on students, the way they utilize student feedback, and the overall representation for the neurodivergent community that the game provides. ( Episode Transcript ) ...

In this episode, we talk to Sheryl Burgstahler about DO-IT, a program that has operated out of the University of Washington for the past thirty years. We discuss the various programs DO-IT has for helping support students with disabilities attending college and going into various fields of employment. We also talk about how the program trains higher education faculty and employers on accessibility...

In this episode, we interview Ed Dernulc and Cindy Day all about NBT's Inclusion Manufacturing Camps. We discuss the past two inclusion camps they have run, which focus on providing four weeks of training for individuals with disabilities to help them gain meaningful employment within the manufacturing industry. We also discuss the program's future and how it has been beneficial for employ...

In this episode, we talk to Kent Streeb from Enchroma, a company that uses patented lens technology to design glasses for people with color vision deficiencies. We talk about colorblindness, the importance of ensuring school and work environments are accessible, and their program that brings their lenses to museums, schools, universities, and national and state parks. ( Episode Transcript )  Enchr...

In this episode, we interview David Hojah from Parrots, a company that designs technology to empower individuals with neurological challenges. Discover the different software options from Parrots and the considerations they gave to the design process to ensure that individuals can live more independent lives. ( Episode Transcript ) Parrots Website

In this episode, we interviewed Barbara Pape and Jessica Jackson from Digital Promise and discussed the Learner Variability Project. Specifically, we talk about the Learner Variability Navigator and the IEP Project and how both of these initiatives can help educators, students, and edtech companies work toward being more inclusive of the diverse needs of all learners. Some topics include research-...

In this episode, we interview Aaron Kelley from PlayVS and Brian Quinn from Special Olympics International about unified eSports. This program allows students to play on one inclusive, unified video game competition team. We talk about the structure of this program, how the program can make schools more inclusive, and the benefits for everyone involved. ( Episode Transcript )  PlayVS Website (with...