Dorothy Siegel — an early pioneer for inclusive educational programming for students with disabilities in NYC — tells us the story about how the idea of inclusion for people with disabilities was fought for and won.

Beginning in 1990, Dorothy has innovated and advocated for new special education reform models that led to the launching of NYC’s first Inclusion Program at the Children’s School in Brooklyn, NY. In 2002, Dorothy’s collaboration with Shirley Cohen Of Hunter College and The NYC DOE led to the development of NYC’s well regarded ASD NEST program which now serves 1,100 children with autism spectrum disorder all over NYC.