Toby J. Karten

Toby J. Karten is an experienced educator, author, and inclusion consultant who has worked in the field of special education since 1976. She has taught learners from preschool through graduate school and served as a resource teacher, staff developer, instructional coach, adjunct professor, and educational consultant in New York, New Jersey, Texas, and other districts in the United States and internationally. Karten holds an undergraduate degree in special education from Brooklyn College, a master’s degree in special education from the College of Staten Island, and a supervisory degree from Georgian Court University; she has also been recognized as an exemplary educator by the Council for Exceptional Children and the New Jersey Department of Education, receiving two Teacher of the Year awards.

Karten specializes in inclusive education and has authored numerous books and resources on inclusion and co-teaching, including Building on the Strengths of Students with Special Needs: How to Move Beyond Disability Labels in the Classroom and the quick reference guides Understanding Special Education Beyond the Jargon and Inclusion Do’s, Don’ts, and Do Betters. Her work focuses on helping educators build on the strengths of students with disabilities, prevent labels from limiting student potential, and implement practical, research-based strategies to improve outcomes for K–12 learners in inclusive classrooms.