Say What You Mean: Michael McSheehan on the Five Features of Inclusion

We say “inclusion” all the time. Michael McSheehan, owner and lead consultant of Evolve & Effect, says it’s time to say what we mean. He and four co-authors set out to write guidance about paraprofessionals and ended up writing the Five Features of Student Experience in a Continuum of Supports for Inclusive Education.

The five features are location, accessibility, participation, affirmation, and agency. Each one is measured by what the student experiences compared to classmates without disabilities, not by what the classroom has. Michael explains why a student doing the same content with a para off to the side is not participating, why affirmation starts with “Is my name on the roster?”, and why special education and general education run on theories of learning that mix like oil and vinegar.

After the interview, Michael plays Awake Among the Stars, our micro role-playing game adapted from Alone Among the Stars by Takuma Okada, and names a planet after his childhood dog.

Expanded show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/say-what-you-mean-michael-mcsheehan-on-the-five-features-of-inclusion-1404/

Sponsors

IXL, an all-in-one K-12 platform that adapts to each student and builds a personalized learning plan: https://ixl.com/inclusive

Behavior 360 from Inclusive Schooling, professional learning that treats behavior as something to understand rather than manage: https://inclusiveschooling.com/mcie-behavior