What is your educational background?
I have a B.S. in Occupational Therapy with supporting field of natural of sciences from College of Saint Mary in Omaha, NE.

What other experiences, or staff development has prepared you for inclusion?.
My clinical experiences with children birth to 16, with a focus on ages birth to six, and a wide variety of disabilities with varying degrees severity. These environments placed emphasis on inclusion and early intervention, as well as my schooling, volunteer environments, and other clinical experiences.

What is your job role?
To perform as an occupational therapist and br an active member of the educational team. Also, to advocate for early intervention, inclusion, and what is in the best interest for the child.

What is your role regarding the inclusive component of the program?
To develop adaptations, modifications, or compensations for the child in his/her classroom and to facilitate inclusion for the child in all classroom activities as well as educate on the importance of inclusion for the child, the child's family, other children in the classroom, and all team members.

How has your role changed or have you adapted your role as it relates to the inclusive program?
The role of the therapist is constantly working to improve the methods of inclusion and be appropriate to the classroom activities so that the child may benefit from all classroom experiences as well as maximize therapy outcomes. This can only be accomplished by keeping the child within the class environment instead of pulling the child out for therapy.

What were your biggest concerns about participating in an inclusive program?
How to facilitate inclusion so as to give the child the best possible outcome of therapy and meet all the child's needs, while at the same time enhancing their participation and learning in the classroom.

What were your experiences related to these concerns once inclusive services were implemented?
Not only did the child benefit from the inclusion, but the other students within the classroom became more accepting of the student and his/her disabilities. Also, it is very helpful to the process of inclusion when all team members are willing to make changes and work together for the good of the child as well as be open minded and outspoken with new ideas for improvement.

What do you see as the benefits of moving toward inclusive services?

• Improved learning/comfort level of student/child.
• Acceptance by other students.
• Increased interest and motivation in the student/child with learning and interactions.
• Better and more educationally related goals.
• Improved teamwork.
• The child is not set apart from others with comments like, "Where's so and so?"