Why Inclusion Matters (My Past, the Present, and Future of Inclusion) Brayden Gaston 12/11/2020 Honors Capstone Project Fall 2020 Abstract: There are around 54 million persons with disabilities, either sensory, cognitive, and/or physical disabilities, in the United States today. Despite this large population, these individuals still find themselves belonging to one of the most excluded groups in the nation. The United States and the world at large has a poor track record of providing equal opportunity, care, and access to persons with disabilities. I argue this is largely due to the fact that our society sets up social barriers that exclude persons with disabilities from common social circles which leads to a disparity in the treatment and quality of life that they receive. I believe that we must make conscious efforts to strive for disability inclusion, in all parts of life, from small social circles to large systemic changes in healthcare and education. My project was centered around creating a mini-curriculum for educators, students, and people of all ages and backgrounds into how and why we can implement inclusion into our lives. I argue that disability inclusion is not a one-way street, but a mutually beneficial relationship wherein both parties have so much to gain. Not only can we see life through a more expansive worldview, but we build character as a society when we give everyone a chance. I give my own personal narrative, provide stories and insight from community members with and without disabilities that I know well, and take a look at our current situation in the United States. I look at successful inclusion stories and speculate as to how we can cultivate inclusion in all facets of life from business to education to healthcare. I end with a call to action for all of us as members of human race to band together regardless of our differences, because difference makes us stronger not weaker. This mini curricula is meant to be used as a teaching and awareness tool for anyone who wishes to use it, and hopefully it can spark action to be more inclusive. Introduction slide w/ Title: ​Why Inclusion Matters ​(My Past, Present, and Future of Inclusion) Hello and welcome to my presentation on Why Inclusion Matters. My name is Brayden Gaston and I am a student finishing up my studies at the University of Wyoming. I am finishing a human physiology degree and with minors in honors, neuroscience, and disability studies. In this presentation I will be talking about the importance of inclusion in the context of my life and the lives I have seen touched by this. The Center for University Centers on Disabilities defines inclusion as the effort: “ensuring that all individuals have the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life and to achieve their full potential. This includes the meaningful representation and consideration of diverse needs and perspectives.” An estimated 54 million Americans have some form of cognitive, physical, or sensory disability and these individuals are often marginalized and ostracized because of their differences (http://www.implementdiversity.tools/). I will discuss the importance of integrating these marginalized individuals into groups, such as in school, sports, and friendships, but also in terms of larger implications such as healthcare, business, and adult life. First we will begin by running through my short twenty-one years of life so far and how it was shaped by inclusion. I will then discuss where I am now, what I have accomplished at school due to my multifaceted experience of care, and where I am headed. Then I will wrap up with why this all matters. Why we should make coordinated efforts to include persons who are different from what society deems as normal, and how this can benefit us all. I will discuss how this can shape our healthcare and business systems for the better and why our education systems should make efforts to teach their students more about acceptance and inclusion of all people. I hope this presentation can inspire you to take action, whether that be at a small scale or large. It could mean sitting with someone different at lunch, starting an inclusive organization or fundraiser, or just going out of your way to level the playing field. Changing our thinking can change positively our actions and if we can treat all humans as equal and see that there is strength in diversity, I believe we can all benefit greatly. Slide 1: ​“Born into the Field” Besides being a University of Wyoming pre-medicine student, I also work part time as a provider for adults and children on the DD medicaid waiver. This means that I work with persons who receive resources from the Developmental Disabilities waiver. In my work I help with many things from social development, life skill building and remediation, activities of daily life, and companion services. It is a wonderful job but I am one of few individuals in their twenties with their own provider license, and I often get asked how I managed to get in this field so early. Most providers have backgrounds in special education or something of the like. I often say I have been technically working as a provider for only three years but unofficially working the job for somewhere close to fifteen. I like to say I was “​Born into the Field.​ ”​ ​See when I was just approaching my first birthday, my mom was taking care of me almost full time. During this time though my parents needed to make more money to make ends meet so my mother took on a job that would change the course of our lives. She began working as a DD waiver provider. From then on, our family has been an integral part of the disability community. Most families join the community by way of a family member born with a disability. But we were on the other side of the community, as the role of the care provider. However as time went on, we became closer and closer to the families we worked with. I shared meals, bikes, laughs, and sometimes hand-me-down clothes with our clients. They were more than just clients but a part of our family as well. As a young kid, I always had too much energy to know what to do with. As soon as my mom could, she had put me in year-round sports. Thus, when I came to be about eight years old I started volunteering with the Special Olympics. The Special Olympics allowed me to play and teach the sports that I so loved, while doing it with people I held dear to my heart. I played and coached soccer, basketball, bowling, track, snowshoeing, and skiing. When my teams won a medal, I wore it for the whole week at school, just so kids would ask me about it. I would tell them “WE won gold in Basketball” or “WE won silver in soccer.” It wasn’t ever a they or them conversation because my teammates on the field, no matter their ability or disability, all contributed to OUR win as a team. It gave me great pride to play every year with my friends at special olympics and I still have medals tucked away in a closet back home. When I was thirteen, our special olympics soccer team was picked to represent the state of Wyoming at nationals in New Jersey. The whole team, 16 of us including coaches, flew out and had such an amazing experience. There were four peers, players without disabilities, and ten Olympians, players with disabilities. We were such a good team together that we ended up getting fourth in the whole country! Not only that, but we got to see inclusion at such a beautifully massive scale. Every team was integrated and was composed of persons with and without disabilities. We were coached and had referees both with and without disabilities. It was a wonderful experience that has influenced me up to this day. Up until I graduated, I was a part of the Special Olympics in some capacity. I also became a leader of a student organization at my High School called Best Buddies. For those not familiar with this organization, it is essentially a group that works to build enduring friendships between students of all abilities. It is usually partnered with the Special Education department of the school and student leaders work with teachers to help foster friendships between the student body, typically between one student with a disability and one without. As a student leader, I had the privilege of creating these friendships and planning events for us all to have fun! We had group dinners, movie nights, played board games in the cafeterias and sports outside. I loved this organization because it brought together students who may not otherwise be in each other’s social circles. It expanded the lives of each student, by exposing each other to what difficulties each may face. The friendships also showed students that a friend can be found anywhere and in anyone. I loved hearing stories from fellow students, both in and out of the Special Education department, about their new friendships. So many students told me about new things they learned, new perspectives on life that they had. Every single student, no matter their ability, got something amazing from this club and it wasn’t just a friend. I cannot stress how important this club was to me and how much of an impact a similar club could have in schools all across the state and the nation. If you are following along with the presentation, here is a picture of two Special Olympics teams I was able to help coach and play on, both basketball and soccer. We had such a great time. Then there is a photo of me with my close buddy Leonard, we are running during a kickball game. Slide 2: ​Integrating Past with Present As I began my college career at University of Wyoming, I began my studies in Health Sciences and also began my venture into the Disability Studies program, a path that widened my horizons greatly. Having experiences with my mother’s job as a care provider and seeing the lack of access to healthcare that many people experience, I wanted to go into the field for a definite purpose: to become a physician whose expertise and care was within reach to all people of all abilities, race, and socioeconomic background. Without my lifetime in the field of inclusion and without understanding the necessity in accepting all people, no matter their differences, I do not think I would not have come to this conclusion. It gave me a purpose early on in college that drove passionate studying and targeted learning. I knew what I wanted and my class schedule every semester was going to give me the tools to attain my goals. On top of a rigorous Human Physiology degree, a major that is almost primarily hard sciences, I wanted to integrate the soft sciences as well. I knew I needed more than just chemistry and biology to be a good provider of care. The humanities and social sciences would need to influence my decisions in care as well. The majority of this exposure came in the form of Disability Studies through the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities or WIND. In the many classes I took, I began to see the world differently than I had before. As I mentioned before, I had plenty of experience in the field of care, especially regarding those with cognitive disabilities. However, I had little to no exposure to disability theory, the history of disability inclusion and legislation, or to some of the outliers in the wide spectrum of disability. Through my studies with WIND, I learned about key concepts that would shape how I viewed inclusion. Concepts like interdependence which was famously discussed by Stephan Covey when he said, “Interdependence is of higher value than independence. Human life should be interdependent! Strength lies in differences, not similarities.” However, when discussed in a framework of disability, interdependence takes on an even stronger meaning. Interdependence means working with people together, and one’s success is reliant on the other. An ableist may claim that those with disabilities can be nothing but dependent on others, however, a true person of inclusion would argue that we must build a society where we all rely on each other. We can create natural supports and social networks that integrate spaces and break down barriers. By shaking off ideals that independence is best, we can build more cohesive communities on the principles not of self-reliance, but a strong network of working for every person in its web. In disability studies, we discussed how inequality is not built by a simple medical diagnosis of disability, but actually from social standards and views that claim that a spectrum of ability should be viewed as wrong, and that all persons must fit a mold. This cookie-cutter view has been long held by our largely ableist society, and further disables individuals: by limiting access to education, jobs, meaningful social connections, and a quality of life. Before taking classes in Disability Studies, I knew that inclusion was good but I didn’t have a complete perspective on why. Through my studies, I learned about the depth of inequality, inaccessibilities, and lack of supports that are a difficult reality for so many. This information was not easy to swallow but it was a necessary part of my education that shaped the healthcare professional I will be in the future. Furthermore, I took classes in our Honors Program which pushed me to be a more complete scholar. I was tested in ways I hadn’t been in my Physiology program and my curiosity for learning grew. I also became an active member in our on campus mental health and wellness ambassador program. From these, I learned so much more about inclusive care than just what my pre-medicine degree offered me. However, it took the advice of key mentors and experience in the disability field to understand that I needed to seek this extra training and knowledge. The pre-medicine degree program, although complete in the field of hard sciences, lacked proper exposure to so much: including the study of disability and those who don’t always meet what society defines as normal. This leaves entire cohorts of future practicing healthcare workers without the necessary knowledge and awareness to properly care for the variety of people they will see in their careers in medicine. From my experiences, and the wider breadth I attained as a disability scholar, I implore that future pre-medicine students should be required to or at least strongly advised to take a class in disability studies. At some point in our lives, we will all experience disability, either through a loved one or one’s own experience. Educational institutions should make it a priority that all healthcare students have a background in understanding disabled perspectives. As one student, I had little power to change an entire degree program but there were a few things I could do to at least give my fellow students a bit of experience to a vibrant community of people of disabilities. So in my second semester of my Freshman year, I started a Best Buddies chapter at the University of Wyoming. Similar to highschool chapters, this student organization was going to be centered around facilitating friendships between college students and persons in the Laramie community who have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. As I had been raised in a family of thorough inclusion I knew how important this was in developing my perspective in life. I had constant exposure to people that didn’t alway talk like I did, walk like I did or learn like I did, and this influenced how I saw the world. It shaped how I understood why we should care for people different than us, why we should accept and love all people, and why no person should be left behind. Due to all this, I wanted something similar for my fellow students. By creating a club at the university that would provide this exposure to the student body I felt I was able to bridge this divide. Most college students, and most students in all forms of school as a matter of fact, tend to stick with their own social circles; that is people who look like them, talk like them, and think like them. As a function of this, we can become one-sided. Young people have difficulty looking through life from a different lense than their own. This can be due to the fact that they have only been exposed to people that share that same lense, usually one of a lifetime of complete able-bodiedness and opportunity. This simple fact is why exposure to inclusion is so important and why I wanted this exposure for my fellow students. If I could get young people like myself to consider life through multiple perspectives, see that not everyone is given the same tools or opportunities, I believe that we could become a generation of adults that cares more, gives more, and creates a society that brings people up instead of holding them down. I tried to do this as one student but just imagine, if this venture was taken on by all schools. If effort was given by schools, teachers, parents, and mentors early on, so that inclusion became ingrained in the lifestyles of all people, we could benefit so much. Inclusive friendships and wide social networks would build into equal participation which would snowball into a more diverse and equitable society for all. Although learning may have to take different paths, students of all abilities do not have to be from different social circles. I would not be able to say that this venture of mine to start a club, while studying relentlessly and keeping up with my regular day-to-day, was by any means easy. I tried doing so much of it on my own. I networked with groups such as Project SEARCH and the Transition Academy. I connected with the local ARK service provider and did countless recruitments at the university. I began recruiting officers for the club in my own personal social circle of pre-med students, but found that when I went out and recruited others outside of this, the group of leaders became more proficient and in itself more inclusive. We integrated our leadership with people of different paths of study, and people with and without disabilities. It took a lot of my time and a lot of my effort, but it rarely felt like wasted energy. I was always determined to connect people and show them the power of inclusion. As you may know, many persons with disabilities are often ostracized from common social circles and are forced to go through life with few connections outside of their family. Best Buddies provided a different option, a group of students that were committed to becoming friends and learning more about each other. It is a symbiotic relationship, one built on Interdependence, where both parties learn and grow together, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. From an outsider’s perspective it may just look like we were a group of people that enjoyed getting together to play games, watch movies, play sports, talk about our favorite superheroes, and rock out to our favorite tunes. But it was so much more than that. We helped each other drive to events and work when someone didn’t have their driver’s license. We were there for each other through difficult times and loss of family members. We laughed and learned so much. We relied on each other, in a balanced way, which built a strong community of persons both with and without disabilities. From the disability studies classroom where I learned about interdependence in diverse social networks, I was able to create one with Best Buddies. Slide 4: ​What does a World without Inclusion Feel like? However this social connection is not commonplace in our world today. Still in 2020, persons with disabilities continue to be isolated. Whether it be their social, educational, or professional lives, opportunities are few and far between. For the large part this is due to a few things, one being Ableism. Ableism, if you are not familiar, is the prejudice and discrimination persons with disabilities face at the hands of people who believe persons with disabilities are inferior. Ableism can take many forms. In my own experience, I have witnessed many of them. It could be a harsh word or phrase, thrown around either in a purposeful or unintentional manner. These words may not seem painful to an able body, but they might signify the very real societal barriers that people face everyday. Barriers like inaccessible public spaces and isolating social practices. Persons with disabilities have long been treated as an inferior population. Only recently in the late 20th century has there been any legislation or significant efforts made by American leadership in the US. These efforts include the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These acts and other efforts have worked to end discrimination and oppression on the basis of disability, but there is still so much work to do. Representation in leadership is very limited for persons with disabilities, with all of them being persons with physical or sensory disabilities, usually acquired while serving in the military (. There is little to no representation for persons with cognitive disabilities and most people scoff at the idea. I believe that all persons, regardless of their differences should play a role in how our country is led, because so many different people make up the USA. Without inclusion at every level starting small then building upwards, how could we ever wish for true equality. This quote here is from one of our buddies from the club, a person with a disability who had experienced ableism for most of his life. “There were a lot of times that I didn’t feel like I fit in. Like times where I couldn’t talk to anybody about how I was feeling… I had no idea that I could fit in with people that don’t have disabilities.” Now he is working two jobs, takes care of many responsibilities, has a wide social network of persons with and without disabilities. This change was largely possible because of our efforts with Best Buddies. By making purposeful choices to include instead of isolate we positively changed lives for the better. Now I am not one to toot my own horn, but I am one to share the benefits of inclusion. I think that making concerted efforts to include and fight ableism is a worthy cause and one that should be instigated at every school and at every level of society. At the end of the school year, I always asked my Buddies from the college and the Laramie community to provide feedback. I loved asking “what does inclusion mean to you, and why is it important?” These were some of the responses I got: Slide 5: ​“What does Inclusion mean to you?” “Why is it important?” Here are a few of the quotes I pulled when I interviewed some of the buddies from the Best Buddies club. Here is what they had to say about inclusion: “Inclusion is acceptance. Acceptance of all the things that may make us different, but knowing that we are more alike than we are different.” “Inclusion is so important because its easy to only look through my eyes, but although it is tough, we need to be able to walk in other people’s shoes.” “Inclusion means friends, it means laughs, it means fun. Inclusion means I don’t have to be alone, it means I can talk to my buddy when I need someone.” Then if you are following along with the presentation, here I have got some photos of a few different fun activities we did as a group. We had bowling nights, movie nights, and a few potlucks here and there. Slide 6: ​Questions for You When did inclusion, in its many different forms, not just disability inclusion, make an impact on you and in what ways? Why is inclusion important to you? How could it positively affect your lives or the lives of your students? How do you feel when you feel like your voice is heard and you are included in social groups? Can you imagine or remember a time when this was not the case? Slide 7: ​ Classroom Inclusion is Natural True inclusion relies on the principle of equal participation of all members of society. When we think about this as a concept, what that really means is including all sorts of ideas, perspectives, and problem-solving strategies. Coming at a problem or a dilemma from a one-sided approach will often lead to an incomplete solution. However, if we address issues from a multi-faceted approach, one that considers the life experiences of both the normative and persons outside of that, we can reach solutions that work for everyone. Now of course, there is no way that everybody can be happy all of the time. But I believe the more we can walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, especially if we are able to walk in hundreds of different pairs, our personal perspective is painted with many colors. Those colors of inclusion allow for a more complete picture and a more fulfilling life for everyone involved. I saw it in my own personal, professional, and educational lives, and the students I helped connect with the Best Buddies program experienced it as well. These students I introduced to the vibrant community of disability did not all of a sudden change their life paths and pursue a different career in the field. Yet they were able to look at their previous plans with a different spin, an inclusive spin, and I believe one that will lead to a more successful outcome. Research has shown inclusion to be essential in proper social development of both students with and without Special Education needs. In fact, longitudinal and cross-sectional studies from the Dutch, US, and worldwide education systems have shown how important this truly is. When students are segregated based on their abilities or disabilities, both parties perform worse. Not just from a social development standpoint but from actual markers measuring their aptitude in mathematics, writing, reading, and conceptual understanding (Koster et al. 33). So, not only does an integrated classroom lead to a more socially cohesive group, but it leads to better educational outcomes. Why is that? Researchers hypothesize it is because of the multiple perspectives that students attain when they are in a more inclusive classroom. In this social space, students become accustomed to thinking through the lense of a peer’s life experience; wondering and learning about how they may tie their shoes, walk up the stairs, ride a bicycle, communicate with their parents, tackle a math problem. They better understand there is not just one way to approach an issue. They begin to understand that their normative experience of able-bodiedness is not the only way that life is lived, nor enjoyed (Koster et al. 117). I remember being a young student and actually referencing how my teammates on the Special Olympics team may train differently, and then using this experience to help some of my peers try new approaches to dribbling a soccer ball or shooting a basketball. My life experiences directly helped me, and research around the world has shown that it can help others. Through this, I believe the more we practice inclusion in the classroom, the more benefits can be reaped. But obviously there is the question of cost and resources, is it really that efficient? An inclusive classroom often takes two forms, either one of planned, trained support staff or one without, the latter being a learning environment that is often disruptive and difficult for teachers to manage. Without the use of teacher’s assistants or paraprofessionals, an integrated classroom can quickly dissolve into an impossible task for the single teacher of the class, especially when a student with Special Educational Needs has a complex disability. Therefore, using a teacher’s assistant is often necessary. But is this additional cost worth it? Research has shown that the use of these paraprofessionals is not only a form of support solely for the student with a disability, but actually a useful form of natural support for the entire classroom. It is often agreed upon in the educational world that a lower teacher-to-student ratio is better. This allows for more interaction between mentor and pupil, and better learning outcomes. Not only that, but it allows for a classroom that can be better managed behaviourally, thus becoming a more cohesive learning unit. Research has shown over decades that if funding can be better used to support our educational staff, expanding the numbers of teachers and paraprofessionals, all students will benefit, not just students with special education needs (Peetsma et al.). Unfortunately, this can be an uphill battle for many school districts. Especially those schools in poor counties, education funding can be put on the legislative back-burner. Even though there are countless data out there proving the efficacy of proper and substantial educational funding leading to smarter more productive citizens, it is still difficult to convince those in office to prioritize education. But that’s the great thing about inclusion practices. I believe the more we implement them on a small scale, the more people take action to support inclusion, which cycles back to support society as a whole. Therefore in school, especially primary and secondary schools, inclusion at a social and educational level should be a priority. Maybe it starts off with having a dedicated inclusion group like Best Buddies. Then it leads to a bolstered Special Education department. Then more supports enter the classroom, not only benefitting the few but the entire student body as a whole. But you may ask what about after school, what about the workforce? Slide 8: ​Inclusion Works Smarter not Harder First off, there are a lot of words that get thrown around and used interchangeably when this discussion comes up. The first is diversity and the second, inclusion. But these words are not the one and the same. Diversity is something that can be mandated, it can be put into a businesses mission statement, and can lead to the hiring of typically marginalized groups of people to create a more diverse workforce. However, this falls short because unless the same business implements inclusion practices into its every day, these persons may not receive the support and equal access to which they are entitled. They may experience discriminations both subtle and overt, and their work performance and the work performance of their colleagues may suffer. Whereas diversity works to get all people through the door, inclusion empowers them to have the upward mobility to climb up from the ground floor (Shore et al). When Inclusive practices are followed, natural supports are in place that support all workers, not just those that have disabilities. Maybe it looks like a time schedule that is flexible to one’s degree of personal transportation. Maybe work hours are changed to be conducive to the schedule of someone who needs longer breaks. Maybe there are job support staff to help manage and delegate tasks for all workers. Maybe there are accessible workspaces that yield an open working environment for people of all abilities. As one can imagine, these supports are beneficial to everybody and bring positive returns for the entire business. In my own personal experience, I have been closely tied to an inclusive workplace that is paving the way for businesses of the future. It is called Vertical Harvest and it is located here in Wyoming, in my hometown of Jackson. The story starts like this: Back when I was in middle school, I remember my mom had a meeting with an architect and a farmer. I always thought that was strange because that was not at all connected to her field as a care provider. But after some explaining and some time to see the project develop, I realized how wrong I was. The project was Vertical Harvest, a three-story state of the art vertical greenhouse that uses hydroponic growing systems to produce about 100,000 lbs of produce a year on only about 1/10th of an acre. It is a technological masterpiece, a beautiful fusion of what agriculture and architecture can do when they work together. But arguably what makes Vertical Harvest completely unique is what my mom brought to the table. From her extensive experience in the field of disability, she brought forward an inclusive job model that would work symbiotically with the advanced technological greenhouse. Her ideas would bring some 42 employees to work for the greenhouse, 25 of which had some form of disability. They also worked to shy away from a sheltered workplace, a place where persons with disabilities work on one side and able-bodied people work on the other. In this instance, there is not true inclusion and often the people with disabilities continue to work tasks without hope of ever getting a raise or moving onto manager positions. Their workplace inclusion was not just from a hiring standpoint, again it had to go past just diversity hiring. They immediately had built-in upward mobility for all positions. As it stands right now, most of these individuals are full time and 16 of them have received $1 - 4 hourly wage increases as a result of their personal and professional skills gained on the job. There are job supports and managers on every floor that help every employee. There are natural supports in place and a cohesive workplace culture that leaves no person excluded. The managers in the greenhouse are a group of men and women, some of which with developmental disabilities, that all make the complex greenhouse run smoothly. Their most consistent and timely employees are often persons with disabilities, because for the first time in their lives they are given employment that lifts them up and allows them to rise to the occasion. Able-bodied people often take so much in life for granted, but in this inclusive workspace nothing is taken for granted. It is their inclusion that fuels the success they have had. After just a few years of production, they are already beginning projects of replication on bigger scales all across the nation. From Maine to Chicago, Vertical Harvest and its legacy of workplace inclusion will spread far and wide. But they are just one example of success and this does not need to be limited to this form of business. Inclusion can be built into any business plan, all it takes in concentrated effort, actual purpose, and a passion for a better future. Not only will their employees benefit but the business as a whole. Slide 9: ​How Inclusion if Fueling my Future Unfortunately, my desired career of employment does not have a great inclusive track record. The Medical field is often one which marginalizes many groups of people, excluding them from receiving the care they may need. I have seen this firsthand as a care provider and as a volunteer in a few hospitals and health clinics. Often, persons with disabilities do not know how to qualify for the resources that might be out there for them, such as medicaid or SSDI, social security disability. They often receive great services throughout childhood, but many of these supports fall off into adulthood. Not many people with disabilities are lucky to have a family member or provider that is there to help them through this process, because it is a very complicated one. Even if the person does end up receiving benefits/resources, there are still so many hoops to jump through. For one, so many physicians, clinics, and even hospitals still don’t accept medicaid or only part of its insurance benefits. This can leave immense costs and copays to individuals to receive even basic primary care. So what often happens? These individuals don’t go, they don’t seek the care they need and health problems pile up to the point of crises. For the individuals who do have medicaid and are able to see a doctor, oftentimes have to travel hundreds of miles in a rural state like Wyoming to receive their care (Macbeth et. al). These people usually have to travel out of state, especially for any unique or specialized treatments, of which persons with disabilities often need. With all this being known about healthcare, especially in a rural space like Wyoming, why then would I want to go into this field? For the exact reason of being a person of change. I strongly believe that in order to see change in the world, you must be an agent of that change. The world isn’t going to get better if you just sit around and wait. So even though I know that there is a lot to fix about the healthcare system that we have, there is so much possibility for a better future. I believe I can help create a better healthcare system in Wyoming that keeps great specialists here in Wyoming. I believe I can help educate our physicians so that they are better equipped to communicate with their clients and provide the best care possible. I believe all persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities should be able to receive all their healthcare needs in-state and have the resources available to them to pay for it. Furthermore, I believe all classrooms should be fully equipped with the supports, personnel, and technology to properly teach any kind of student. I believe that all Wyoming schools can be inclusive and widen their students' social circles, to the benefit of every individual in the student body. I believe by taking steps to purposefully go out of our own way to include all people, then everyone is to benefit. These goals will take a lot of concerted efforts on the behalf of more than just myself. It will take fantastic teachers to make the school to adult life transition better. It will take wonderful business leaders willing to take the steps necessary to implement natural support and employ all people, regardless of disability or not. It will take passionate health care leaders, concerned with delivering care to all people and making sure communication is clear. It will take bold students and leaders of young people willing to go where no other generation has gone before in terms of inclusion. To the bottom of my heart, I believe inclusion would provide so many solutions. Inclusion builds cohesion, relationships, communities, and a society of good people. Inclusion has deeply shaped my life story and will continue to until my end. Disability inclusion may not have as deep of an impact on your lives, or may it have little impact at all. But I ask that you make the effort to include. Whether it is hiring for a new position or just making a new friend, this effort may mean everything. Because if we can all make those simple efforts, we can change the world. So what do you believe you can do to spread inclusion in your life? Works Cited 1. Koster, Marloes, et al. "The social position and development of pupils with SEN in mainstream Dutch primary schools." European Journal of Special Needs Education 22.1 (2007): 31-46. 2. Koster, Marloes, et al. "Being part of the peer group: A literature study focusing on the social dimension of inclusion in education." International Journal of Inclusive Education 13.2 (2009): 117-140. 3. MacBeath, John, et al. "The costs of inclusion." London: University of Cambridge, National Union of Teachers (2006). 4. Peetsma, Thea, et al. "Inclusion in education: Comparing pupils' development in special and regular education." Educational Review 53.2 (2001): 125-135. 5. Shore, Lynn M. et al. "Inclusive workplaces: A review and model." Human Resource Management Review 28.2 (2018): 176-189. 6. http://www.implementdiversity.tools/