An Engaging and Uplifting Read

Meet Jackie, Chuck, Jonathon, and Jamee—four people intricately linked by the common thread of disability. Roots and Fences tells of their life experiences, as well as their friends and families, from a phenomenological perspective. It’s a compelling collection that exposes the reality of life for those with intellectual disabilities and the people who love them. Through these connective stories spanning over 50 years, you will laugh, cry, share in the adventures, meet the families, and perhaps even change your views about those who are labeled “disabled.” “As I read, I felt I was reading something epic. Sharon calls it generational. She seems to be in the ideal location to witness all these stories of disability and how they progressed to more positive outcomes. The story starts with Jackie in 1937, then moves through the ’60s with Chuck and continues to the present with Jonathon and Jamee. Through all the stories an epic meta-story takes form.” —Adam Baez, Special Educator “Instructive and entertaining, Roots and Fences takes us to a place inside families that encourages us to consider possibilities rather than focus on limitations. Along the way, we are saddened, angered, amused, touched, uplifted, and empowered. Above all, we find reasons to be optimistic about the future of people with disabilities.” —Tom Mihail, PhD, Chair of Special Education Graduate Studies in Education Purdue University Calumet

Dr. Sharon Gregory Duncan completed her doctoral work at National -Louis University, Chicago, in the Disability and Equity in Education Program. She has spent over 30 years as an educator and administrator for students with disabilities in the city and suburbs of Chicago. She currently provides training to many schools and agencies in Illinois and Indiana in the areas of family support, goal writing, and curriculum implementation. Sharon is the founder and director of Abide in Me, a charitable organization that provides assistance to individuals with disabilities for leading engaged lives. As a professor at Purdue Calumet University, Sharon teaches graduate courses in the Intensive Licensure Special Education teacher preparation program. She is the proud mom of three adult children and has three grandchildren. She and Dave, her husband of 35 years, love traveling, their dog Nellie, the Chicago White Sox, and hanging out with family and friends.