High Expectations

Differentiated Instruction

Individualized Interventions

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Project Include

Project INCLUDE (Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Language in Universally Designed Education) promotes interdisciplinary collaboration among scholars from two different programs, Special Education and Speech Language Pathology, with a focus on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology for children and youth who have significant intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Project INCLUDE scholars have highly specialized and focused experiences within the two-year time frame of their respective graduate programs. These include coursework, activities, field placements, and shared assignments, that allow scholars to gain real-world interdisciplinary experience in AAC. Scholars will gain the requisite knowledge and skills to provide differentiated instruction and intensive individualized interventions with K-12 students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex communication needs who require AAC by acquiring competencies that foster:

  • high expectations
  • differentiated and universally designed instruction
  • intensive individualized interventions
  • interdisciplinary collaboration.

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Project INCLUDE is federally funded by a U.S.

Department of Education – Office of Special Education Programs grant #H325K190092.

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Eligibility

  • Interest in working with K-12 students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex communication needs
  • Previously earned bachelor’s degree
  • Seeking initial Special Education teaching license or Speech-Language Pathology license
  • Commitment to working in the field after graduation
  • U.S. Citizenship

Application Process

Please indicate your interest in being considered for INCLUDE in your personal statement.

  • Special Education:  Visit the RPSE site for application requirements.
  • Speech-Language Pathology:  Visit the CSD site for application requirements.

Fall 2023 is the final year of admission for this program.

Program Highlights

Project INCLUDE allows scholars to complete an enhanced Special Education or Speech Language Pathology program with additional requirements.

  • $29,500 of financial support across the length of the program
  • Five semesters of courses, which includes the summer term between year 1 and 2
  • Shared coursework focusing on inclusive education for students with significant disabilities
  • Special Education sample course sequence
  • Speech-Language Pathology sample course sequence
  • Field placements each year of the program in clinical and educational settings
  • Focus on providing intensive, individualized interventions and universally designed instruction in educational settings
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration
  • INCLUDE Seminar
  • Capstone Project

Licensure

INCLUDE scholars will be enrolled in one of two programs:

Special Education

Upon completion of all the required components of the 2-year program, special education scholars will graduate with a Master’s degree and be eligible for professional certification:

  • K-12 Wisconsin teacher license in Cross-Categorical (CC) Special Education

Speech-Language Pathology

Upon completion of all the required components of the 2-year program, speech language pathology scholars will graduate with a Master’s degree and be eligible for professional certification:

  • ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence License to practice as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the state of Wisconsin
  • Wisconsin teacher license in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP)

Funding & Service Obligation

INCLUDE scholars will receive a total of $29,500 of funding across the length of the program. Each semester, students will receive a scholarship for $5,900. Scholars who receive funding through this program must complete a service obligation upon graduation. For each year scholars are funded through the program, two years of special education services are required. Commonly, employment as a special education teacher fulfills this requirement. Scholars have a 5-year grace period to complete service obligations. Scholars can fulfill their service obligation anywhere across the U.S. If the service obligation is not fulfilled, scholars must pay back the scholarship in the form of a loan. OSEP guidelines only allow funding to be provided to U.S. citizens.

Complete details and answers to frequently asked questions can be found on the OSEP website.

Project INCLUDE Faculty & Staff

Andrea Ruppar

Credentials: Associate Professor and Special Education Area Chair

Position title: Project INCLUDE Principal Investigator

Email: ruppar@wisc.edu

Katie Hustad

Credentials: Professor

Position title: Project INCLUDE Co- Principal Investigator

Email: katie.hustad@wisc.edu

Courtney Seidel

Credentials: Clinical Associate Professor, Speech-Language Pathologist

Position title: Project Staff

Email: cseidel3@wisc.edu

Tina Thompson

Position title: Project INCLUDE Coordinator

Email: cwestph1@wisc.edu