The LDA Podcast

Aaron Wolf is a neurodiversity advocate, actor, director, media host, cofounder of film production company Howling Wolf Productions, and the founder of I Am Able, a nonprofit dedicated to neurodiversity awareness. Aaron discusses his experience with neurodiversity, what led him to create I Am Able, and how his natural creativity drove him to become a storyteller of neurodiverse experiences. https://www.iamablefoundation.org/ 

“I think the most radical thing you can do in education is speak up, listen, and to make room for love because every learner has a powerful story, and it's one that can be told and received when we offer the right tools to do so.” -Caroline WeaverWe sit with LD advocate and researcher Caroline Weaver to discuss her interdisciplinary capstone project that creates an intersection of lived experience, art, advocacy, and research. Caroline’s project delves into how school systems can cause harm and deficit mindsets to neurodiverse students, the power of self-love, self-knowledge, and self-advocacy, the importance of including individuals with LD in LD research, and much more. Visit Caroline’s project at: https://cpweaver26.wixsite.com/advocacy2action  

Dr. Jeff Karp, a distinguished chair at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and professor at Harvard and MIT, shares his journey with learning disabilities and innovative thinking strategies. He discusses the pivotal moments that ignited his self-awareness and the importance of parental support. Dr. Karp introduces his 'Life Ignition Tools' and emphasizes the emotional challenges faced in education, especially for neurodiverse individuals. He also explores how AI could revolutionize personalized learning for all students.

Dr. Jan Wasowicz, a seasoned speech-language pathologist with over 40 years of experience, dives deep into Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). He highlights the neurobiological underpinnings of DLD and stresses the importance of early identification. Listeners will learn about key signs and risk factors to look for in children, the connection between DLD and dyslexia, and the challenges in evaluating DLD effectively. Dr. Wasowicz also discusses the need for collaboration among professionals to enhance assessment processes and support affected students.

In this second part of our conversation with Dr. Jan Wasowicz, Dr. Wasowicz delves into what an ideal intervention for developmental language disorder would look like, how language screeners are no longer a common practice in schools, and how interprofessional collaboration between speech language pathologists, school psychologists, and special education teachers is essential to effectively identify and support students with language disorders. Resources: Join the SPELLTalk listservThe Language Literacy NetworkA Review of Screeners to Identify Risk of Developmental Language Disorder

Neurodiversity Alliance Ambassadors Lydia Pinto and Shoshana Holt-Auslander join us to talk about their journeys of becoming learning disability advocates, and how their current graduate school research projects are benefiting the disability community. Lydia and Shoshana also discuss defining success for themselves, the importance of sharing neurodiverse experiences to erase stigma, and more!

Jesse Sanchez, the Managing Director of Programs for the Neurodiversity Alliance, joins us to discuss the challenges that students with learning disabilities can face in the school setting, the importance of a shared, supportive community for neurodiverse students, and how to build self-knowledge, self-confidence, and self-advocacy skills for these individuals. The Neurodiversity Alliance is a nonprofit dedicated to building community, developing leadership skills, facilitating peer-to-peer support, and raising awareness for the 1 in 5 who learn differently. Learn more at thendalliance.org

Harold Jordan, a nationwide education equity coordinator at the ACLU of Pennsylvania, discusses how students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by unfair discipline practices in schools. Harold discusses how bias, the misuse of police in schools, and the shortage of support staff can contribute to students having early interactions with the justice system, and how the consequences of this can follow them into their adult lives. Harold also provides insights into creating more equitable schools to disrupt this school-to-prison pipeline. 

Meghan Buchanan, an adventure athlete and dyslexia advocate nearing the completion of the Explorer's Grand Slam, shares her incredible journey. She reflects on her experience in Netflix's survival series, Outlast, and how dyslexia helped her cultivate GGRIT: Gratitude, growth, resilience, integrity, and tenacity. Meghan discusses overcoming setbacks in her climbing adventures, the transformative power of embracing challenges, and the importance of community support for neurodivergent individuals. Tune in for her inspiring insights!

Dr. Rebecca Resnik, a past special education teacher and current psychologist, discusses the importance of holistic learning disability assessments, evidence-based intervention, and communicating neuroscience to educators to incorporate into practice. Dr. Resnik also reviews LDA's SLD Evaluation Principles and Standards and breaks down why these standards are so important.