child with autism © Alireza Attari | Unsplash

Curriculum

Inclusion, Disabilities and Autism Is: The Interactive Classroom Experience

In the United States

3 in 20

children have a disability*

That gives 17 children a daily opportunity to learn about diversity, collaboration, inclusion & friendship.

This evidence-based interactive curriculum strengthens students’ abilities to create inclusive communities with their peers with disabilities. The curriculum provides opportunities for students increase their knowledge about challenges that people with disabilities experience. The lessons and films help students to use compassion and critical thinking to increase understanding and to decrease bullying.

Inclusion, Disabilities and Autism Is: The Interactive Classroom Experience is approved by the California Department of Education for general education K-12. University of California, San Diego, Department of Education Studies conducted research about the positive outcomes from our film and curriculum interactive classroom experience. Learn about their findings.

“I see inclusiveness as related to all students, not just students with disabilities. By looking at inclusiveness among all students, I know that empathy can be given from any student to another. Students do not have to have a disability to feel the negative effects on exclusion. Because all students can feel the negative effects of exclusion, and the positive effects of inclusion, they can all relate and extend empathy to their classmates.”
Participating Teacher

The Interactive Classroom Experience

Documentary Screenings

Access original documentary shorts and features to screen at your school and district sites.

CDE-approved K-12 Curriculum

Download mini lessons & conversation starters, and explore our year-long social-emotional instructional plan.

Professional Services

Partner to host parent events, family nights, and educator trainings for your K-12 community.

Request a Curriculum Sample

Testimonials

“Many students do not know how to effectively show empathy – or even what empathy is or what it means! – until he or she is shown it through a video, a book, or an activity. After participating in this project I can now see that I must continue to explicitly teach social emotional skills.”
Participating teacher

“I can see now how important inclusive practices are – I have the data to support the idea that teaching empathy and inclusion in the classroom can foster students’ relationships and friendships.”
Participating teacher

“I think my students were positively impacted by the documentary because they learned that everyone is important and everyone deserves an equal opportunity to learn and to be a part of a learning family. I hope that my children learned about empathy and to advocate for others along their journey through life.”
Participating teacher

Spark Change

Get Involved

Host a Screening