Claim OwnershipA Special Education Teacher, Administrator and Lawyer walk into a bar....all you ever wanted to know about special education
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© 2026 A Special Education Teacher, Administrator and Lawyer walk into a bar....all you ever wanted to know about special education
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In this podcast, we hope to share information, lessons learned, interviews with VIPs in the field of special education. Join Robin Fabiano, Abby Hanscom and Angela Smagula as they bring diverse viewpoints and some humor to an otherwise serious topic.
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Listen in as Robin and Abby interview David Tynes, the Director of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts' Saturday Program (and many other things). David is also the Head Coach of the Cambridge Special Olympics Men's Basketball team, The Warriors. The Warriors have an 88 game winning streak and this year will represent Massachusetts at the United State Special Olympics basketball tournament held in June 2026 in Minnesota. David shares how his sister's experience led him to the Special Olympics...
There's a different way of thinking about child development and how special education services fit in that turns the medical model upside down. Listen in as Robin and Abby discuss the Five F-Words and the model they represent. In 2011, Rosenbaum and Gorter published a paper titled: The "F-words" in childhood disability: I swear this is how we should think! in the journal Child: Care, Health and Development. That articles talked about a revision of the medical model for treatment of chil...
Join Angela, Robin and Abby as they take a look at the factors courts and schools consider when determining effective progress. Spoiler: they are usually not the same! Here is the article written by Perry Zirkle and Mitchell Yell that was referenced during the pod. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Have you seen this apple accessibility video? In our 1st episode back in season 6, Abby, Robin and Angela talk about the cool tools out there supporting students at the college level and if they are accommodations if they are universally available to everyone. AT resources by State. Here is the SETT Framework Robin referenced. Learn more about universal design here Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @as...
Listen in as Angela, Robin and Abby discuss two big dates in November and December - the actual 50th Birthday of the IDEA and National Inclusive Schools Week 2025. Here are some links related to both events and a link to help you identify who your local legislators are so you can send them an email reminding them about how important the IDEA is during this period of federal defunding of the Department of Education. Happy 50th birthday IDEA Write your congress rep HERE Inclusive Schools Week P...
Last week Robin, Abby and Angela were live on NASET (National Association of Special Education Teachers)'s monthly webinar for a mini pod and Q&A. Here is the recording of that episode- enjoy! Check out their website and all of the resouces that come with membership. https://www.naset.com/ Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Listen in as Angela, Robin and Abby discuss the new Massachusetts regulations redefining Time Out and Seclusion. For documents related to the discussion see the link here. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Sometimes, people lose their cool in Team meetings!! Listen in while Angela, Robin and Abby discuss strategies you can use to manage these moments in real time, intervene beforehand so they don't happen at all and follow up if they do. Teachers and Parents are human beings and stress and anxiety can take over during heated moments - listen in for a conversation about approaches, responses and big picture frames to consider before your next team meeting to support everyone's participatio...
Sorry! We couldn't record this week, so please enjoy a repeat episode in which Robin and Angela discuss steps that can be taken when a student case starts to get litigous. We'll be back next week! Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Listen in as Robin, Angela and Abby discuss Massachusetts' new Out of District Placement monitoring process and form. Here is a link to the newly shared form (September 2025) from the MADESE if you want to follow along. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
X Listen in as Robin and Abby discuss common misconceptions about classroom management and behavioral support. These great ideas are based on a recent Eduptopia article "7 Classroom management mistakes and the research on how to fix them" which can be found HERE. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Starting this September, Massachusetts has changed how it calculates the required days for the provision of an IEP. Join Abby, Robin and Angela as they discuss the recent changes to the 30/45 and annual IEP timelines. Special Education Policy Memo SY2024-2025 — 6 Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Join Robin, Abby and Angela as they discuss the importance of Class Jobs! Here are some traditional and unique ideas from this Edutopia Article. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
The IDEA requires that specially designed instruction be informed by research based methodologies. (E) supporting high-quality, intensive preservice preparation and professional development for all personnel who work with children with disabilities in order to ensure that such personnel have the skills and knowledge necessary to improve the academic achievement and functional performance of children with disabilities, including the use of scientifically based instructional practices, to...
Join Robin and Angela as they discuss the importance of the school handbook! Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Welcome to Season 6! Join Abby, Angela and Robin as they kick off season 6 by celebrating the upcoming 50th birthday of the IDEA (Nov. 2025!) Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Happy summer and best wishes to those teachers/families who are currently returning to school! Robin, Abby and Angela come together for a summer episode focusing on graduation guidance for students in MA on IEPs. MA DESE Graduation and Transition Memo- July 2025 Rethinking Graduation: What It Means for Students on IEPs- Kelley ChallenAge of Majority info. (CMR 603.28.07 #5) Lots to discuss on this important topic and we hope to continue the discussion with Kelley on the pod this fall. P...
29 episodes later, this is the last episode of Season 5! Listen up as we preview some topics we're thinking about and share some summer updates. Thanks for being such loyal listeners. Have a wonderful wrap up to your school year and we'll be back in the fall for Season 6. Robin, Abby and Angela Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Listen in as Robin and Abby discuss the recent appointment of the new OSEP Director. Here is the company that designs products to help feel more grounded and in control (Calmware). Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast
Listen in as Robin, Angela and Abby discuss the recent wildly inaccurate, incendiary and harmful statements from US Health and Human Services (HHS) Director, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about people with Autism. Click here to review the growing list of disability advocacy organizations that responded to his comments. The Autism Society summary of group statement Signatory Organizations: Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Colin Killick, Executive Director Autism Society of America, Christophe...
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