Join Dr. Federico Waitoller for DiveIn, the podcast that explores the most complex and pressing debates in Special Education. Sponsored by the Division of Research of the Council for Exceptional Children, this series tackles critical and timely topics, including current policy debates, instructional design, disciplinary disparities, school choice, workforce diversity, and funding disparities. DiveIn does not shy away from tough conversations. Through thought-provoking discussions with experts and changemakers, DiveIn will challenge your current perspectives and deepen your understanding, offering actionable insights to drive equity in special education teaching, research, and policy. Tune in and be part of the movement to transform special education through an equity-driven lens. Are you ready? Let's DiveIn!
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In this episode of DiveIn, host Federico Waitoller sits down with scholar Dr. Catherine Voulgarides to unpack one of the most persistent—and politically charged—issues in special education: racial and linguistic disproportionality. Fifty years after the passage of IDEA, states are still required to identify and address significant disproportionality. But is compliance with federal rules enough to move the needle on long-standing inequities? Drawing on her multi-state research project and upcomin...
In this episode of DiveIn , I sit down with Kuna Tavalin to discuss the termination of 95% of staff at the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). We explore the implications of this near-shuttering of OSEP amid the ongoing government shutdown, and what it means for students with disabilities nationwide. We also talk about what’s next — and what you can do to take action and help stop these cuts. Call to Action Legislative Action Center | Council for Exceptional Children CEC Position on the...
In this episode of DiveIn, we bring you the season finale of Learning to Live Together, our special miniseries about school integration and inclusive education. Learning to Living Together is a four-part podcast series about inclusion and school integration in the twenty-first century. Across the four episodes, we delve into the meanings, tensions, and practices of integration and inclusion in today’s context. In episode 4, we bring all our friends together to share their experiences with each o...
This podcast episode explores the unique experiences and strengths that special educators with disabilities bring to their classrooms. Host Federico Waitoller and guests discuss how disabilities are valuable cultural repertoires of teachers that enrich work and the learning experiences that provide to their students. Insights from special educators, such as Hannah Benson, shed light on the transformative power of diverse identities in teaching. The episode delves into ongoing research by Dr. Amy...
In this episode of DiveIn, we bring you the third part of Learning to Live Together, our special miniseries about school integration and inclusive education. Learning to Living Together is a four-part podcast series about inclusion and school integration in the twenty-first century. Across the four episodes, we delve into the meanings, tensions, and practices of integration and inclusion in today’s context. In episode 3, we focus on the practical aspects of integration and inclusion, focusing sp...
In this episode, we bring you the second part of Learning to Live Together. The miniseries was originally produced for the Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance (MAP) Center with Sarah Diem, a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri. Learning to Live Together is a four-part podcast series about inclusion and school integration in the twenty-first century. Across the four episodes, we delve into the meanings, tensions, and practices o...
In this first episode of the third season of DiveIn launch of this four-part mini series called Learning to Live Together. The mini series was originally produced for the Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance (MAP) Center with Sarah Diem, a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri. Learning to Live Together is a four-part podcast series about inclusion and school integration in the twenty-first century. Across the four episodes, we de...
In this episode of DiveIn, we provide crucial updates on key issues affecting special education. With special guest Kuna Tavalin, we give an update on the State of Texas vs. Becerra case, which challenges Section 504 as unconstitutional. Additionally, we discuss the unstable situation within the Department of Education, with staff reductions and ongoing court battles creating a strain on special education services. Finally, we unpack two debates taking place in Congress that have implications fo...
In this episode, I sit down with Naomi N. Shelton and Jennifer Coco to unpack the complex realities facing students with disabilities (SWDs) in the charter school sector. We explore the persistent patterns of exclusion that keep SWDs on the margins—and, more importantly, spotlight the powerful efforts underway to disrupt these inequities. Our conversation highlights community-rooted charter schools led by Black, Brown, and Indigenous educators and leaders, revealing the transformative potential ...
In this episode of 'DiveIn,' host Federico Waitoller explores the current tumultuous changes affecting the Department of Education under the Trump administration. With guest experts Kuna Tavalin and Kareem Thompson , the discussion focuses on proposed plans to dismantle the department, move IDEA programs to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and how these shifts impact students with disabilities. As administrative and legal staff faces drastic reductions and uncertainty looms, t...
In this podcast, we tackle a pressing and timely issue: the growing role of AI in education. With Mary Rice, Joaquin Arguello, and Richard Carter Jr., I explore the potential benefits and hidden risks of AI technologies. Can AI help address long-standing inequities faced by students with disabilities and other marginalized learners—or could it deepen existing disparities? We examine questions of transparency, standardization, and the evolving relationship between AI, teachers, and students. Beyo...
In this episode, I discuss with David DeMatthews the Texas Vs. Becerra court case- a case that threatens the existence of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. We explain the case's history, present, and potential implications. We also contextualize the case amid broader ongoing efforts to weaken civil rights protections for children, youth and adults with disabilities. Related Episodes What Does a Trump Administration Mean for Special Education? School Vouchers and Students with Disabi...
This is a clip from episode four in which Mitch Yell and David Bateman talk about the implications of dismantling the Department of Education. Transcript
In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Welner to unpack the complexities of school voucher programs and their impact on special education. We explore the different types of voucher systems, their legal implications under IDEA, ADA, and Section 504, and what research reveals about their financial effects, educational outcomes, and who benefits most. We also examine how vouchers intersect with issues of race, class, language, and gender, shedding light on their consequences for historically margi...
This episode explores the potential impact of a Trump administration on special education, discussing whether key laws like IDEA will be dismantled or face budget cuts. Experts Mitchell Yell and David Bateman analyze the likelihood of these changes, including the expansion of voucher and charter school programs, and the implications for students with disabilities. They also delve into the historical context of special education and offer insights into future challenges and advocacy opportunities.
Do you know that there are various federally funded technical assistance (TA) centers around the US that offer free services to states, districts, and schools? In this episode, you will learn about these technical assistance centers and the free services you can receive from them. We will discuss the work of TA centers with Seena Skelton, director of the Midwest and Plains Equity Assistant Center. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT...
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jamie Pearson to explore the unique experiences of Black students with autism and their families. We discuss the systemic inequities these students face, the barriers they encounter in accessing services, and how they navigate life within their communities. Additionally, we delve into the complexities and tensions surrounding ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) practices, particularly when applied to Black children and youth. This conversation offers valuable in...
In this episode of DiveIn, I talked to Dr. Elizabeth Bettini about the persistent challenges in special education teacher recruitment and retention. Dr. Bettini details the longstanding issues since the 1970s, addresses the implications of the teaching shortage for BIPOC communities, and provides recommendations for administrators and researchers. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT...
In this episode, I interview Dan Losen, the senior director of the education team at the National Center for Youth Law. We discuss pressing issues regarding disciplinary disparities in special education. Losen emphasizes the lack of adequate support and quality services for students with disabilities and the profound consequences this has on educational outcomes. We also delve into how the discipline gap and achievement gap are interconnected, highlighting how lost instructional time from suspen...
This episode explores the challenges, perspectives, and implications of scholars engaging with the evolving issue of anti-woke culture in special education research. We interviewed Erica McCray, Associate Dean at the University of Florida College of Education, who sheds light on her experiences and provides guidance for working in an anti-woke environment. McCrae discusses the need to confront inequities and foster conversations within the field while emphasizing the importance of self-care and ...
In this episode of DiveIn, host Federico Waitoller interviews Dr. Maya Kalyanpur about the term 'the Global South' and its importance for understanding inclusive education. Dr. Kalyanpur shares insights from her experiences teaching and conducting research in South Asia and translate her work into lessons for conducting education research in the USA that foregrounds equity and inclusion for students with disabilities and beyond. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT...
In this episode, we talked to Dr. Martínez Álvarez about how to best teach emergent bilingual students with disabilities so that their linguistic and ability repertoires are positioned as assets rather than deficits. We also discussed her latest book, Teaching Emergent Bilingual Students with Disabilities , in which Dr. Martínez Álvarez writes about what it means to adopt a humanistic approach to teaching and learning and how to train teachers to serve best emergent bilingual students with disab...
In this episode, we talk to the new National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) commissioner, Dr. Nathan Jones. We ask about how NCSER addresses equity, diversity, and inclusion issues, provide tips for those seeking funding in NCSER, and much more. TRANSCRIPT EPISODE
In this episode, I talk to Endia Lindo and Kathleen King Thorius , two of the new editors of one of the most important journals in special education research: Exceptional Children . We discuss how the editorial team came together, their vision for the journal, and discuss advice for authors submitting papers, and much more. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT...
In this episode of DiveIn, we converse with María Cioè-Peña about her research with BIPOC mothers of students with disabilities. We discuss the importance of centering these mothers' narratives in special education research and offer some guidance for designing research projects that privilege such narratives. Transcript of Episode...
In this episode of Dive In, I talk to LaRon Scott, William Hunter, and Jonte' C Taylor about their edited volume The Mixtape Volume 1: Culturally Sustaining Practices Within MTSS . We discuss how to use Hip-hop pedagogy in special education research to improve student learning and engagement. We also discuss the tensions that emerge from using culturally sustaining pedagogy with more traditional forms of special education research. LaRon, William, and Jonte end the episode with great recomendati...
Esteemed scholar Beth Harry provides a historical overview of diversity, equity, and inclusion in special education research, detailing its progression from a focus on intrinsic deficits to complex contextual and critical race theory perspectives. She recounts personal experiences with research on disproportionality and professional pushback, concluding with advice for new researchers on navigating political climates and employing rigorous qualitative and quantitative methods to advance the field.
Hosts Federico Waitoller, Mildred Boveda, and Subini Annamma discuss the critical importance of researcher positionality in special education. They advocate for understanding positioning as a dynamic process that influences everything from research questions to data interpretation, moving beyond simple identity statements to engage with power structures and historical harms. The conversation emphasizes that ethical research involves continually reflecting on one's relationship to marginalized communities, challenging researcher authority, and even walking away from projects that do not genuinely benefit the researched population, applicable across all methodologies.
While special education students encompass a wide range of racial, cultural, linguistic, and gender backgrounds, the special education teacher force continue to be mostly White and female. In this episode, we talked to Dr. Christohper J. Cormier about how to diversify the special education teaching force. Dr. Cormier also talked about his experiences as a Black special education teacher in schools and provide recommendations for special education teacher preparation programs that can nurture and...
