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In this episode of Practical Access, hosts Lisa Dieker and Rebecca Hines are joined by Dr. Bree Jimenez, a professor of special education and chair of the Department of Educational Psychology at Baylor School of Education. Dr. Jimenez dives into her innovative work in making STEM education more accessible for students with disabilities.

Key topics include:

• Inquiry-Based Learning: Dr. Jimenez discusses how inquiry-based and explicit instruction methods can complement each other to engage students with extensive support needs.
• Communication and Access: Strategies to ensure that students with communication challenges can actively participate in STEM lessons, including the use of assistive technology and alternate forms of expression.
• Building Classroom Routines: The importance of establishing consistent routines to help students focus on content rather than adjusting to new processes.
• Supporting Educators: Practical advice for general education teachers, including the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), peer support, and explicit instruction to foster global classroom cultures.

Dr. Jimenez challenges the perceived divide between inquiry-based and explicit instruction, advocating for a blended approach to meet all student needs. She emphasizes the value of identifying essential skills and content in lessons while using UDL principles and systematic instruction to guide teaching.

Through examples such as integrating engineering and STEM concepts, Dr. Jimenez underscores the potential for accessible STEM education to improve post-school outcomes. Her insights offer practical, research-backed strategies for building a global classroom culture where every student can thrive.

We love to hear from our listeners! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We look forward to receiving your questions on our Twitter (@Accesspractical) or Instagram (@Practical_Access).

Bree Jimenez Bio and Publications: https://edp.soe.baylor.edu/bree-jimenez