Primary Sources and Inclusion

Purchase this new book on Teaching with Primary Sources from Teachers College Press. 

Post by Rich Cairn and Ross Newton

"Court cases are great for teaching history because they often deal with concrete details from everyday life."

- Ross Newton, High School History teacher, HEC Academy. 

A Comprehensive Approach to Full Inclusion

Effective implementation for all learners, especially the 7.5 million Special Education students in the United States, requires careful consideration of accessibility. In particular, educators must pay attention to critical accessibility principles:

High quality social studies education is an essential tool to maintain and advance American democracy. American history teachers follow rigorous professional standards because they understand this enormous responsibility. The organizations and principles below aim to support teacher in the challenging environment that many of them face across the United States today. 

Explore the First Amendment free speech rights
of students...through analysis of Supreme Court decisions.

Students will practice summarizing interpretations of Freedoms of Speech under
the First Amendment.

On this page, we feature resources for teachers of History, Social Studies, and Civics who are designing curriculum in the context of the pandemic, both for students who may be learning from home, and for students navigating a changing environment no matter where teaching and learning happens. 

By Rich Cairn, Emerging America

At the end of the 2021-2022 school year, Emerging America widely promoted an online survey of teachers to discover how much U.S. students are taught Disability History. Though the response was small, the results offer intriguing insights. The survey will repeat in 2023 and 2024. 

Updated 07-15-2022

By Leah Bueso

Civic Engagement Research Group, University of California, Riverside

“Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society.”

- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 

Updated 05-21-2022

Read “Massachusetts Passes Genocide Education Legislation" by Emerging America's Rich Cairn in June's Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives The Volunteer. 

Wendy Harris teaches at Metro Deaf School in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has been a classroom teacher for Deaf students of all ages since 2003 and currently splits her teaching duties between high school social studies and teaching braille and other skills to the school’s DeafBlind students ages 2-21.