Imagine a school where children with disabilities are understood by their peers. A school where incidences of bullying decrease because children empathize with one another. What if children weren't left out of activities because they don't look like they could participate? What if a child with sensory issues was given the space to self regulate and then embraced by their peers rather than shunned for their "strange behavior" What would that school look like? How would those students be different? What would our communities look like if this school existed in all our neighborhoods? What if we understood each other's differences? That is the question Allison Bureau, Executive Director of The Idea Project asks. Through The IDEA Project, Allison hopes to provide an answer to that question by helping schools become inclusive for children with disabilities. Allison is a mother of two children, her oldest, Wyatt, born in 2005, has Down syndrome and apraxia of speech. Allison is an active member of the special education parent advisory committee (SEPAC), a member of the Climate and Culture committee, member of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports committee in the Tahoma School District, and is the co-founder of IABstone, LLC, a software company specializing in free speech communication technology for children with special needs. As the Executive Director of The IDEA Project, Allison oversees all of the Curriculum Development, Coordination with Schools, and evaluation of the programs. Additionally, Allison oversees the fundraising efforts of The IDEA Project, manages key strategic partnerships, and oversees the operations of the organizations. The IDEA Project is a non-profit organization that provides interactive disability education awareness in schools, with custom programs tailored to each grade level. Their goal is to create understanding and empathy by educating students about differences and different abilities. Find out more at theideaproject.org or visit them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn. 

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