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About Me
About Me
I love teaching. After spending many years in the classroom, I became a professor at Dordt University in 2009 and now get to teach future teachers. My specialty areas are special education and teaching English as a second language. I have over 35 years of experience working in the field of education and have participated in the development of special education programs and procedures as well providing training and consultation to schools and families both in the United States and abroad. I also love to study and learn new things. I hold a B.S. from Calvin University in biology. I have an M.A. from Calvin University in special education and have also completed a graduate program in TESOL at Grand Valley State University. I hold a doctorate from Western Michigan University in special education with a focus on TESOL. I have also completed post graduate studies in Applied Behavior Analysis at Florida Institute of Technology and am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst as well as a Board Certified Advocate in Special Education.
Welcome to my website. I am glad you are here. Whether you are a teacher, a student, a family member, and/or a person with a disability, I hope you find resources here that are useful to you. You can also contact me directly at Dr.K.VanTol@gmail.com.
Textbook
Textbook
Foundations of Special Education
This open source textbook addresses topics related to teaching students with special learning needs. The text covers historical foundations and legislative decisions that have shaped how special education is provided in the United States. It also looks briefly at highlights of provision of special education in countries in Central and South America. The majority of the text covers the various categories of disability under IDEA and instructional strategies that can be used to address the challenges and barriers that students with disabilities often encounter. While the text is directed to teachers, I also hope it provides a valuable resource for parents and family members as they support a loved one with a disability. This text is freely available to you to read here or download and is available in both English and Spanish.
Disponible en Español
Fundamentos de la Educación Especial
Este libro de texto de código abierto aborda temas relacionados con la enseñanza a estudiantes con necesidades especiales de aprendizaje. El texto cubre fundamentos históricos y decisiones legislativas que han dado forma a cómo se brinda la educación especial en los Estados Unidos. También analiza brevemente los aspectos más destacados de la provisión de educación especial en países de América Central y del Sur. La mayor parte del texto cubre las diversas categorías de discapacidad según IDEA y las estrategias de instrucción que pueden usarse para abordar los desafíos y barreras que los estudiantes con discapacidades a menudo enfrentan. Si bien el texto está dirigido a los maestros, también espero que proporcione un recurso valioso para los padres y familiares que apoyan a un ser querido con una discapacidad. Este texto está disponible gratuitamente para que lo lea aquí o lo descargue y está disponible tanto en inglés como en español.
What I'm Reading
Becoming Friends of Time: Disability, Timefullness, and Gentle Discipleship
by John Swinton
John Swinton reflects on the meaning of time and how our perception of time affects how we view disability and the value of life. Rather than viewing time as a commodity, he shows us that time is a gift. It is a gift that God gives to us as well as a gift that we give back to God. This book will help you think differently about persons with intellectual disability as well as those with other neurological challenges such as brain injury and dementia.
Families and Faith: How Religion is Passed Down across Generations
by Vern L. Bengtson, Norella M. Putney, and Susan Harris
This book comes out of a 35-year longitudinal study examining which factors appear to influence whether faith get passed from one generation to another. The research team followed more 3,500 individuals from over 350 families to learn more about the forces that appear to play an important role in faith development. Each chapter includes representative stories from the interviews, and it was these stories that really made the data come alive for me.
My Body in Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church
by Amy Kenny
This book is not an easy read, but if you are serious about improving your church’s ministry to people with disabilities, you really need to read this book. You can read my review of this book HERE.
Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode –and into a Life of Connection and Joy
by Aundi Kolber
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