Spring 2026      Volume 54, Number 2

Understanding, Acceptance, and Inclusion of Peers with Disabilities: Creating a Safe Space 
for Students to Learn and Share
By Nancy F. Goodfellow

Document: Article  

Introductory Paragraph:  After receiving a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome for my first child, Lily, I quickly became an advocate for those with disabilities. By the time she was 4 years old, I had served as a parent support volunteer and was on the board of directors for the National Association for Down Syndrome. I had also trained to be a public speaker and regularly presented to doctors and medical students about how to deliver a diagnosis of Down syndrome. I spent nearly a decade giving these presentations.  Occasionally, I would speak to children who had a classmate with Down syndrome. Lily is the oldest of three, and as she and her siblings grew, I recognized a need to teach kids about all intellectual disabilities. I was more nervous to speak to a group of children than to a lecture hall full of doctors, but I’d seen firsthand how teaching them about empathy and understanding could lead to compassion and appreciation for all people, regardless of differences.

DOI:   https://doi.org/10.33600/IRCJ.54.2.2026.3

Page Numbers:   3-6