
In this podcast, we hope to share information, lessons learned, interviews with VIPs in the field of special education. Join Robin Fabiano, Abby Hanscom and Angela Smagula as they bring diverse viewpoints and some humor to an otherwise serious topic.
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 159 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | ParentingKids & FamilyEducation | |||

Join Robin and Angela as they answer questions from listeners. Can you think of an out of the box acronym? Let us know!
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Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com
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Listen in as Robin, Angela and Abby discuss an article from 2023 that questions the effectiveness of Inclusion. While it is a couple of years old, it has recently resurfaced in the discussion threads on the internet.
Here is the 2023 article from t... more
Listen in as Angela breaks down a very recent Massachusetts Appeals Court ruling (linked below) clarifying the "place regulation". This regulation informs how the location of services is determined for students who do not attend public school.
Unive... more
Listen in as Robin and Abby jump into the Homework Debate! The article below is a great resource for the research referenced in their convo!
Is Homework Necessary?
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Excellent advice and a clear understanding of special education. The explanations were accurate, and easy to understand, making complex topics much clearer.
What about teaching neurotypical and non-disabled peers to understand why and be more accepting of these behaviors
This episode on the science of reading was so frustrating to listen to. Please, if you’re going to make a podcast episode, do it about a topic that you know and can explain. Thinking that science of reading is primarily about phonics instruction shows that you didn’t read that book and that you don’t understand what the science of reading is.
The episode frames phonics instruction and development of background knowledge and vocabulary as an either/or, and that view is wildly inaccurate. Simply... more
Thank you for your time and knowledge sharing! I loved the podcasts about the new MCAS ballot question and ESY. Keep up this great and important work :-)
Abby, Robin and Angela bring a wealth of knowledge to this topic. Each episode is the perfect mix of informative and entertaining. #bigfan!
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Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Three experienced education professionals—a special education teacher and building-based administrator, a district-level student services administrator, and a founding education-law partner—discuss the realities of special education with practical insights, candid opinions, and humor. Episodes frequently cover inclusion, legal frameworks (IDEA, FAPE, compliance), funding and governance (charter vs. district responsibilities), assistive technology, and family collaboration, often weaving in policy changes, court decisions, and real-world classroom impact. Noteworthy are the strong emphasis on collaboration among educators, families, and law, plus a willingness to tackle thornier topics (legal issues, advocacy, and systemic challenges) with a... more
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this podcast launched 5 years ago and published 159 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on this podcast include:
1. David Tynes
2. Marilyn Vrandes
3. Erika Bare
4. Tiffany Burns
5. Kathleen Browning
6. Jim Lange
7. Elizabeth C. Hamblet
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