Presuming Competence: What It Is, What It Looks Like

If you’re already on board with inclusive education, you probably know all about the concept of presuming competence and can cite the benefits in your sleep. But if you’re just joining #TeamInclusion, you might have questions. If a student has a severe disability, how can I presume he can learn what the other kids are learning? Shouldn’t we be more realistic?

In her book The Beyond Access Model, Cheryl Jorgensen does a great job of explaining why presuming beyond access cheryl jorgensencompetence is the LEAST dangerous option for students with disabilities. She makes five key points, which I’ll paraphrase here…