"Trudi was born in Germany during World War I. She was a zwerg or a dwarf. She was very small. Trudi’s mother was sad because she was not like other babies. This made Trudi sad, too.

When Trudi was a little girl the other kids teased her and made fun of her. This made Trudi angry and also lonely.  She wanted more than anything to be tall and to feel that she belonged.

One day Trudi met Pia, the animal trainer in the circus. Pia was a zwerg, like Trudi, but she was beautiful and brave and no one made fun of her. Trudi wanted to be just like Pia. 

When Trudi grew up, she was strong and courageous. During World War II, she helped her Jewish friends by hiding them in her home so they would not be arrested by the Nazis.

At the end of the story, Trudi thought about what Pia had said to her a long time ago — that Trudi belonged in her home town.  Finally, Trudi felt she belonged. She knew that even though people she loved died, she could keep them always with her, in her heart.”

Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi is on the Oprah Book Club book list. Required reading in one Massachusetts 9th-grade English class, it is a complicated story with very mature themes.  Long discussions took place at “Emily’s” IEP Team meeting about whether she should read this book or maybe something else — perhaps something a little easier.  Emily’s parents wanted her to participate in class discussions.

If she read something else, such participation would be impossible. The debate reached a pretty intense level.  Finally, the head of the high school English department entered the fray. She reviewed Emily’s previous work and the learning profile on her IEP, and then talked with her. Her conclusion was that Emily could participate with the appropriate accommodations.

The special education department was a bit unsure. They had never had a student with mental retardation participate in this manner.  What if Emily couldn’t keep up? What if the other students became impatient?  What if the English teacher protested?  The expectations seemed too high, and the risk too great.

Yet, the parents and the Team pushed ahead.  The head teacher assured them that if it became too much, another course of action could be followed.

Emily could not read the entire novel without assistance, but she read as much as she could. Her teachers and her parents helped her by reading sections to her and by outlining some of the chapters. The special education teacher assisted Emily by pre-teaching each lesson one day in advance. Then, when Emily had questions or comments that she wanted to contribute to the discussion, together they wrote them on index cards, and Emily took them with her to the next class.  She also “read” the books-on-tape version of the novel.

The summary above was part of the report Emily shared with the class about what she learned from the book. Her analysis was unique. She focused almost entirely upon the struggle of the heroine of the novel to find her place in the world, to truly belong.  In fact, there was hardly a dry eye in the room—students and teachers alike—only hushed silence when she concluded her report.  “Trudi finally knew she belonged!”

What does Emily’s contribution say about our assumptions, concerns, and expectations when it comes to all students having the opportunity to participate in the general curriculum and to be part of the learning community of the school?  IDEA-97 calls for all students to have a chance, to learn what the other students learn, and to demonstrate their knowledge.

Finally the opportunity to fully participate in and contribute to the authentic learning mission of the school community is becoming a reality for students with disabilities.

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