Episode 16 of Disability Rights and Wrongs — The David Lepodcast Shows Parents of Students with Disabilities How to Advocate for Their Child’s Needs in Elementary School

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update

United for a Barrier-Free Ontario for All People with Disabilities

Website: www.aodaalliance.org

Email: aodafeedback@gmail.com

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Twitter: @aodaalliance

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Episode 16 of Disability Rights and Wrongs — The David Lepodcast Shows Parents of Students with Disabilities How to Advocate for Their Child’s Needs in Elementary School

 

July 29, 2026

 

SUMMARY

 

Take a listen to Episode 16 of the AODA Alliance’s “Disability Rights and Wrongs — The David Lepodcast” wherever you get podcasts (but not on YouTube). It is entitled “How to Advocate for a Child’s Disability-Related Learning Needs with retired school principle, Debbie Stern – Part 1.”

 

It can be an immense stress for parents to advocate for their child’s disability-related in a school system. Over the next months, the David Lepodcast will include several episodes on this topic. In this first episode, which is Part 1 of a two-part conversation, retired school principal, Debbie Stern, shares invaluable insight on how to do it. You’ll learn how to approach your school board in practical ways that will be far more likely to achieve positive outcomes. Our guest is also the parent of a child with disabilities, so she has experience both as the principal receiving parental advocacy, and as the parent doing the advocating. Part 2 of this interview will drop on Friday, August 7, 2026.

 

This is an especially important topic no matter where you live in the world. students with disabilities face disability barriers in schools all over.

We again applaud Accessible Media Inc. AMI for producing this podcast, and co-host and producer Jacob Shymanski.

 

All Episodes to Date Waiting for You Listen!

 

  • Episode 1 The 12-Year Fight for Automated Stop Announcements on the TTC about Lepofsky’s long struggle to make transit in Toronto accessible for blind riders with host David Lepofsky.
  • Episode 2: Beyond Building Codes: Designing Spaces for Everyone with guest built-environment accessible design expert Thea Kurdi
  • Episode 3: Smart Strategies, Real Change: Lessons from a Landmark Autism Campaign, Part 1 covering how targeted advocacy resulted in policy change for autism therapies. With guest autism advocate Bruce McIntosh.
  • Episode 4: Turning Barriers into Headlines: Practical Tips from a Veteran News Reporter with former journalist Michelle McQuigge.
  • Episode 5 and Episode 6: How to get a Politician’s Attention Part 1 and Part 2 with the Honourable Kathleen Wynne, former Ontario Premier.
  • Episode 7: Airline Accessibility: How Maayan Ziv Turned a Mangled Wheelchair into Real Change with Maayan Ziv.
  • Episode 8: Smart Strategies, Real Change: Lessons from a Landmark Autism Campaign, Part 2 covering how targeted advocacy resulted in policy change for autism therapies with guest autism advocate Bruce McIntosh.
  • Episode 9: Why Must a Doctor with Disabilities Combat Accessibility Barriers in the Health Care System? with physician Dr. Lisa Freeman.
  • Episode 10 and Episode 11: The Milestone Fight for Including Disability Rights in Canada’s Charter of Rights – With Yvonne Peters, Part 1 and Part 2
  • Episode 12 and Episode 13: Advocating for Livable Homes – With Accessible Housing Activist and Raging Granny, Kate Chung – Part 1 and Part 2.
  • Episode 14 and Episode 15: Advocacy Is a Team Sport – How to Successfully Navigate Coalitions with Wendy Porch -Part 1 and Part 2.
  • Episode 16: How to Advocate for a Child’s Disability-Related Learning Needs with retired school principle, Debbie Stern – Part 1.

 

Where to Find Our Podcast

 

Our podcast is on major podcast platforms, other than YouTube:

Apple music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disability-rights-and-wrongs-the-david-lepodcast/id1838700161

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WFLiSy99OJPMZ1ZSrkWCg

 

Ask your smart phone, Alexa, or Google Nest: “Play podcast ‘Disability Rights and Wrongs!’”

 

Listen to episodes on your computer. Use the links we provided above, or simply Google “Disability Rights and Wrongs — The David Lepodcast.”

 

Do you want a transcript of each podcast? Apple Music can generate transcripts. Spotify might do that as well. For iPhone users, you might prefer to use the live captioning feature that comes with your phone.

 

How You Can Help

 

  • Invite others to get this podcast. Listen to while driving, cooking, going for a walk, or working out! It’s great when you’re doing nothing.
  • If you have children, invite them to listen to it with you. Discuss the issues that the podcast covers. Maybe your child might want to do a project at school on an issue that the podcast explores.
  • Share this podcast with parents of students with disabilities, teachers and principals. Urge your school and school board to share it with all parents.
  • Learn more about our advocacy efforts for students with disabilities by visiting the AODA Alliance website’s education page.
  • Plow through the AODA Alliance’s series of online videos advocating for reforms for students with disabilities in the education system.
  • Send us feedback. Write aodafeedback@gmail.com