9. Disability Studies in Education with Dr. Suzanne Stolz

Suzanne Stolz, Ed.D. serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of San Diego. A former high school English teacher, administrator, and leader of disability programs, she has expertise in online instruction, curriculum design, mentoring, school culture, Universal Design for Learning, and disability studies in education. Her research, related to conceptions of disability and disability pedagogy, often includes reflection about her experience as a disabled student. She has created disability curriculum for high school students, for out-of-school time programs, and for disability mentoring. She advises a student organization, Alliance of Disability Advocates, and also has served on the board of the Society for Disability Studies. Suzanne is especially passionate about working with preservice and inservice teachers to rethink their conceptions of disability and create inclusive school communities. Annually, she leads a fellowship program for general education teachers who want to become leaders of inclusion at their school sites.

In this episode, Suzanne distinguishes between Disability Studies in Education and Special Education, and shares why it's important that we educate ourselves with a Disability Studies lens.

Links Mentioned

Johnson Fellows Program 

Teacher Leaders for Inclusion

Teachers for Inclusion Learning about Disability Culture

National Endowment for the Humanities

Stay Connected with Diana

Diana's Website

Free Resource - 5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness 

Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity in K-12 Schools & Communities - Diana's Book

Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights - Diana's Children's Book

"Beyond Awareness" Digital Course

Diana's TEDx Talk

Beyond Awareness Facebook Page

Diana on Instagram

Credits and Image Description

Intro and outro music courtesy of Emmanuel Castro.

Podcast cover photo by Rachel Schlesinger Photography.

Podcast cover image description: Black and white photograph of Diana, a Spanish-American woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She is wearing a flowy, white blouse and smiles at camera as she leans against wooden building. Photo is colorfully framed with gold and orange rays of seeming sunshine on top half, and with solid sage green color on bottom half. Text reads "Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters, Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed."

Johnson Fellows Program https://www.sandiego.edu/soles/learning-and-teaching/johnson-education-fellows.php Teacher Leaders for Inclusion https://www.lead4inclusion.com/ Teachers for Inclusion Learning about Disability Culture https://www.facebook.com/groups/201578786622476