Family and Advocates Mission

The Families and Advocates Transforming Education (FATE) team is part of the Special Education Support Center and the WEA Inclusionary Practices Technical Assistance Network (IPTN), which provides educational resources and comprehensive training on inclusive practices. 

The FATE team consists of family members and individuals with lived experiences of disability in educational settings. Our mission is to support the development of inclusive, collaborative practices by representing and including disabled voices and their families in our training opportunities.

Hearing others’ stories gives insight beyond what we learn in traditional educational practices, grounding ideas with actual, emotional, and practical exposure. Recording and sharing stories of family and individual experiences help educators broaden their perspectives to understand the importance of inclusion.

Our team is committed to: 

• Collaboration, partnership, and support to educators and families
• Representation of voices with lived experiences 
• Advocacy in educational communities
• Practical, grounded ideas and strategies from disabled perspectives