This spotlight is of Laural Coleman, a special education teacher applying for The 2026 Kerry Magro Special Education Teacher, Therapist, and Aide Grant via the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference started by me, Kerry Magro. I was nonverbal till 2.5 and diagnosed with autism at 4, and you can read more about my organization here and learn more about my autism journey from nonspeaking to professional speaker in the video below.
Laural Coleman is a K-5 Autism Special Education Teacher at Coal City Elementary in West Virginia, where she has dedicated 14 years to supporting students with diverse needs including autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and intellectual disabilities.
For Laural, “Teaching The Way Our Students Learn” means meeting students where they are each day. This may look like working on the floor, under tables, or shifting focus to emotional regulation when needed. Her approach emphasizes flexibility, understanding, and adapting instruction to meet each student’s individual needs.
In her classroom, Laural integrates AAC systems, visual supports, and sensory breaks throughout the day. She also uses both generic and individualized social stories to help students navigate a variety of social and emotional situations.
Beyond her classroom, Laural has made a broader impact by creating an Inclusion Week that celebrates a wide range of disabilities, including autism, intellectual disabilities, physical impairments, and invisible disabilities. This initiative has been adopted county-wide and helps teach students the importance of kindness, acceptance, and understanding.
Laural works with both self-contained students and those in general education classrooms, supporting them in reading, math, and behavior/social-emotional learning. She strives to provide opportunities for all learners to succeed academically while also addressing their sensory and emotional needs.
If awarded the Kerry Magro Special Education Teacher Grant, Laural plans to expand hands-on learning opportunities and increase access to sensory supports, helping students remain engaged and regulated throughout the school day.
She also shared meaningful success stories from her classroom. Through collaboration with speech-language pathologists, Laural has developed effective visual supports that help students transition independently, communicate using AAC, and regulate their emotions with minimal support.
One particularly powerful moment came when a parent shared that their child, after learning social and communication skills in Laural’s classroom, was able to go to a public playground and independently make a friend for the first time.
Laural has also supported students in developing skills previously thought to be out of reach, including a student who learned to count independently using their AAC device.
For Laural, these moments highlight the importance of patience, consistency, and individualized support. Her work demonstrates how the right strategies and environment can help students build independence, confidence, and meaningful connections.
Have Dr. Kerry Magro give a student assembly, staff development for your educators or a parent talk for your parents by contacting him here for more details.
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My name is Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum. I started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue post-secondary education. Help support me so I can continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here.
