Navigating Inclusion brings together 29 letters written by individuals with disabilities and/or their caregivers, all addressed to the teachers they might work with. In each “Dear Teacher” letter, writers share their personal experiences, hopes, and advice. These letters are honest, thoughtful, and deeply moving.

In addition to the letters, Kelly Vaughan and Erin Hayden have included short reflections called Advocacy Notes, by professors, teachers, advocates, and activists as a means of providing context for some of the ideas raised in the letters. Many of the Notes also offer quick, practical suggestions for families and educators who are navigating school systems and looking for ways to take action.

Kelly P. Vaughan is an Assistant Professor of Secondary Education and the co-director of the Disability Studies Minor at Lewis University. Vaughan has worked in teacher education for 15 years and has experience as a high school English and history teacher. She holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction. Her research areas include curriculum theory, curriculum history, and disability studies in education. Vaughan's work has appeared in the Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, Currere Exchange, Democracy and Education, Review of Disability Studies, Journal of the Advancement of Curriculum Studies, Disability and Society, Education and Culture, and Education Policy Analysis Archives.

Erin J. Hayden is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Education at Purdue University Fort Wayne, where she teaches graduate courses in literacy, assessment, and school-community relations. With over 20 years of experience in education, she has served as a special education teacher, and program director. Dr. Hayden holds a PhD in Literacy Education and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing. Her research and writing focus on disability advocacy and inclusive education, and she has presented nationally on the intersection of academic success, stigma, and support for marginalized youth.