Woodring Professor Dr. Aaron Perzigian Publishes Book

Woodring College of Education is proud to announce the release of "Multicultural Special Education for Inclusive Classrooms: Intersectional Teaching and Learning", a book edited by Professor Aaron Perzigian of Western Washington University and Nahrin Aziz of Northwest Indian College. This book is an important addition to the field of education, exploring the intersection of special education and multiculturalism in the classroom.

Professor Perzigian, who teaches courses on Special Education, has long recognized the need for a text that blends the field of special education with interactionally. "We want people to be able to teach everyone well," he says. "The book is filling a hole in the field and is relevant for anyone going to work with people, culturally and linguistically sustainable methods of building relationships, and anyone interested in the concept of identity."

The book explores critical issues between special education and multicultural education and emphasizes the importance of culturally sustainable pedagogies specific to students with disabilities.. This book is intended for undergraduate education students, but it has broader applications for anyone interested in learning how to work with people from diverse backgrounds.

Professor Perzigian emphasizes that students in teacher education programs should be learning how to work with everyone, not just those from specific backgrounds. "These people will be your colleagues, people with different educational experiences," he says. "If we can strengthen your experience, then the experience of you and your colleague will be vastly improved."

Multicultural Special Education for Inclusive Classrooms: Intersectional Teaching and Learning is an important addition to the field of education. Current Woodring Dean Kevin Roxas and former Woodring Dean Francisco Rios contributed a chapter to the book, exploring the historical context of multicultural education and its connection to special education. Woodring Professor Lindsey Foreman Murray's chapter on the social construction of disability highlights the link between these two areas and underscores the importance of intersectional teaching and learning.

Professor Perzigian is proud to have co-authored this book with Professor Aziz and is grateful for the contributions of Deans Roxas and Rios and Professor Lindsey Foreman Murray. "This book is an important step toward creating a more inclusive and just educational system," he says. "I hope it will inspire educators to think more deeply about how they can create classrooms that are welcoming and supportive of all students."