PASSHE’s Post

The countdown is on! Less than a week to go until our panel discussion on "A Needs-Based Funding Approach for Students with Disability: Opportunities and Challenges." Your insights matter to us. What burning questions do you have on this topic? Share them in the comments below, and let's spark a conversation that can shape the future of educational funding.

Join Beyond Barriers: Inclusive Learning Advocates for Accessible Education! Urgent Call for Disability Inclusion at Texas Tech University!!!!! Are you passionate about creating an inclusive educational environment for students with chronic, debilitating, rare, and unique disabilities? Our Goals:    • Systemic Advocacy: Address systemic barriers in higher education that ADA and SDS standards currently fail to accommodate. Advocate for more inclusive educational environments that cater to diverse student needs.    • Awareness and Understanding: Raise awareness about the challenges faced by individuals with chronic illnesses and disabilities, fostering better understanding and tailored accommodations beyond one-size-fits-all approaches.    • Community Building: Connect with students who have faced similar challenges to share stories, express concerns, and collectively advocate for change.    • Veterans Outreach: Establish outreach programs to support veterans at Texas Tech University who are facing academic challenges due to disabilities and illnesses.    • Medical Collaboration: Push for Tech to partner with medical professionals to create informed, inclusive accommodations for students with unique health needs. Instead of being able to refuse such collaborations, especially when professors and faculty do not understand a student's disability or illness.    • Legislative Advocacy: Investigate and address federal or legal impediments to inclusive education. Advocate for changes in ADA and SDS guidelines to meet the evolving needs of students with rare disabilities. Our founder, Kevin Allen, has spoken to members of Congress on multiple occasions and frequently corresponds with elected officials. He is dedicated to improving students' access to opportunities and equal access to education. Likewise, he has served as faculty in industry education sponsored by CHEST and has the support of multiple medical experts and more!    • Student Government Engagement: Work with Texas Tech's student government to promote advocacy for conditions like Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) and push for inclusive education reforms. The lack of disability inclusion must end; it is time for the university to serve the students and not pursue self-preservation at their expense.    • Challenge Policies: We aim to challenge Texas Tech's archaic policies to improve access to opportunities and equal access to education, foster disability inclusion, and promote free speech indoors for disabled students instead of inhibiting disability inclusion and restricting their right to utilize their First Amendment. Our efforts will seek to remove systemic discriminatory barriers for students with disabilities and illnesses!     • End Bad Practices: Stop the practice of telling students to drop classes as an option for receiving inadequate and untimely disability accommodations. Link: https://lnkd.in/eJXDQ-aC

Lived Experience Explains 'Disability Royal Commission' PhD Candidate Charlotte Chilvers on Education. Snapshot 2.1/4: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (‘CRPD’) seeks to ‘promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities’.[1] Thus, the CRPD promised ‘to be the dawn of a new era – an era in which disabled people will no longer have to endure the discriminatory practices and attitudes that have been permitted to prevail for all too long’.[2] Under art 24 of the CRPD,[3] State Parties have an obligation to recognise, protect and promote the right of persons with disabilities to access and enjoy, on an equal basis with others, a high-quality inclusive education that is free from discrimination.[4] Several goals are encapsulated within art 24(1).[5] These goals include the fostering of human potential and self-worth, developing the disabled student’s creativity, personality and both their physical and mental abilities and encouraging the active participation of persons with disabilities in society.[6] To achieve the goals enshrined within art 24(1),[7] States are required to establish a single inclusive education system that provides equal opportunities to all students, irrespective of their actual or imputed impairments.[8] Under art 24(2), State Parties are to ensure that disabled students are not excluded from the general education system because of their disability and that ‘an inclusive, quality and free’ primary and secondary education is provided to all children with disabilities on an equal basis with their non-disabled peers.[9] In conjunction with this, art 24(2)(c) stipulates that State Parties must accommodate the unique learning needs of disabled students by providing reasonable adjustments in the absence of an inclusive education system.[10] Within art 24(3) lies the exception to inclusive education.[11] Thus, art 24(3) allows State Parties to segregate disabled students, especially children with sensory impairments, if the provision of special education will ensure that these students have the opportunity to both access and experience the right to education whilst also obtaining the unique life skills that they will require to become independent adults.[12] Under art 24(4) of the CRPD, State Parties are required to train, strengthen the capacity of and provide accredited teachers, including teachers with disabilities, who are equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and qualifications to convey information to disabled students via the use of alternative modes, means and formats of communication such as sign language and braille.[13] Finally, as stipulated by art 24(5), State Parties are to ensure that all persons with disabilities can access, on an equal basis with others, tertiary education, vocational training and lifelong learning without discrimination.[14]

We just had the International Day for Persons with Disabilities. It caused me to sit back and reflect. I've been working on academic studies for some time. I've pursued a MPA, Prog Eval Cert and now a PhD. I've experienced the University of Victoria for over four years now. Some of it was absolutely incredible. Some of it would make a lot of students give up. The School of Public Administration has done an awesome job of exploring and implementing accommodations for disabilities. I've had some real challenging ones (like not being able to speak for months). They made things work and I felt very included. Profs have been amazing and the administrative support staff deserve medals for how hard they work. Let's talk about the awful stuff. So, if you're considering going to UVic, realize that the institution does an excellent job of gaslighting students on their commitment to persons with disabilities. Here's how: - Communications don't match the experiences of those in UVSS SSD Students. - Requiring costly testing, and repeat testing, for disabilities. For those with invisible disabilities, this is particularly problematic. Some of these tests can be $5k or more. - Classrooms don't all have the option for online participation. This is a barrier for students with a disability. - For accommodations, they only look at those to the classroom. If there is something outside the classroom, they don't care. Let's say you need to navigate the campus - nothing matters about that. - The common message I hear from students is that UVic fights any accommodation that costs $$$. They will literally spend more time and $$$ fighting it than the accommodation costs. Why? - Partnering with other organizations is problematic and uncoordinated. There are resources you can apply to but no help to get you through that. This is a barrier and a sign that efficiency measures are not important. - There is a strong message across campus that disabilities are a burden. Proactive accommodation is not done. This seems to be stemming from a lack of adequate training and strategizing on disabilities and success. - There are parts of the university that are impossible to use by many with disabilities. Recreational facilities and programming is a prime example of this. And yet UVic demands $$$ for them. Fair? This is only a small and non-exhaustive list. I'm heartbroken to know how many UVic students with disabilities that have had to leave because accommodations are a fight or outright denied. That is what needs to change. Before they brag about commitment, maybe they should look at the marginalized groups they discriminate against. Change comes if conscious bias against students with disabilities is confronted. I'm fortunate to have a supportive program. That is encouraging and I fully acknowledge their Herculean efforts. Thoughts? #uvicssd #uvic #internationaldayforpersonswithdisabilities #personswithdisabilities #highereducation #accessforall

Empowering students with disabilities: A guide to transition services  Introduction:As students with disabilities approach the end of their high school journey, they face a critical transition: entering the real world. Transition services play a vital role in preparing these students for life after high school, ensuring they're equipped with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to succeed. In this post, we'll explore the importance of transition services, key components, and best practices.For more articles check the https://lnkd.in/e8sc_i3r are Transition Services?Transition services refer to a coordinated set of activities designed to facilitate a student's movement from school to post-school outcomes, such as:Post-secondary educationEmploymentIndependent livingCommunity participationKey Components of Transition Services:Transition AssessmentTransition PlanningCareer DevelopmentIndependent Living SkillsCommunity IntegrationBenefits of Transition Services:Improved employment outcomesIncreased independenceEnhanced self-advocacy skillsBetter post-secondary education opportunitiesStronger community connectionsBest Practices for Effective Transition Services:Student-Centered ApproachFamily InvolvementInteragency CollaborationFlexibility and AdaptabilityOngoing Assessment and EvaluationYou also may like this;The role of parents: Empowerment and Support Challenges and Solutions:1. Limited Resources: Seek community partnerships and funding opportunities.2. Lack of Awareness: Educate stakeholders about transition services.3. Coordination Challenges: Establish clear communication channels.Conclusion:Transition services are crucial for empowering students with disabilities to succeed in life after high school. By understanding key components, benefits, and best practices, educators, families, and community members can work together to ensure these students receive the support they need.Call to Action:Share your experiences or insights on transition services in the comments below!Resources:National Center for Transition ServicesTransition CoalitionIndividuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)Rehabilitation Act of 1973Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

CHALLENGES FACED BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN EDUCATION IN GHANA BY NAPHTALI WEMONNO “ I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination”. BY Jimmy Dean. Disability is any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities and interact with the world around them. According to the World Health Organization, disability has three dimensions: impairment, Activity restrictions and participation restrictions. Impairment is a loss of body structure or organ. Example loss of a limb. Activity restriction is the limitations person with disability faced in executing a task. Example not being able to work due to loss of a leg. Participation restriction is the limitations a person with disability faced in his/her involvement in life situation. Example not being able to attend a meeting to visually impairment. Despite the numerous human rights laws and policies and disability laws persons with disabilities are faced with a lot of challenges in education. First is Discrimination. It is the unfair treatment persons receive because of who they are or they characteristics they possess. That is to say persons with disabilities are treated unfair in their quest to access education due to their disabilities either by the school authorities or students. Also is infrastructural challenge. This implies that the educational structures as classrooms, laboratories and libraries among others are not disability friendly. This make the quest of persons with disabilities to access education very difficult. For instance a wheelchair user cannot access school buildings due to lack of ramps and other modifications. Another serious challenge is stigmatization. Stigma is any attribute that is deeply discrediting and result in the reduction of a person or group from a whole and usual discounted one . Stigma comes in two ways , that is stigmatization by persons with disabilities themselves by seeing and accepting themselves not to be worthy living and the other is stigmatization by persons without disabilities who perceived persons with disabilities as not worthy living. Persons with disabilities faced a lot of challenges in education therefore called policy makers and human rights advocates to help address these challenges. Disability a natural occurrence not man made occurrence. Everyone is prone to disability. YOUR DISABILITY ADVOCATE WEMONNO Naphtali EMAIL: [email protected] Cell: 0540292906 University of Education winneba #DISABILITY WITH US ALL#

On Monday and Tuesday, it was great to attend and speak at the National Union of Students Disabilities conference. In my presentation, I asked the students two questions: "What barriers have you experienced?" and "What needs to change?" The responses were eye-opening and highlighted the challenges faced by students with disability. Some of the barriers mentioned included being asked to withdraw from courses due to unmet access plan needs, enforced attendance policies that ignore access plans, required videos without captions, lecturers refusing adjustments due to accreditation requirements, and software that doesn't support captions or transcripts. Additionally, students shared experiences of their access plans being outed to peers, staff viewing accessibility needs as a burden, and a lack of captions or recordings for lectures. Physical barriers such as stairs without elevators or ramps, courses designed without extensions, and inaccessible placements were also significant issues. In terms of what needs to change, students emphasized the importance of seeing disability on par with other equity groups, having more staff with disability in executive roles, and better representation in parliament and government roles. They called for attitudes and actions on policy, Universal Design in course design and policy review, and regulation of software vendors. Compulsory training in disability awareness and alternative teaching methods, along with an independent body providing oversight and audits, were also suggested. Students advocated for baked-in accessibility rather than afterthought solutions, lived experience within disability practitioners, compulsory disability training for all staff, and compulsory accessibility of campuses and learning materials. They also highlighted the need for Disability Action Plans and auditing of universities. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and insights. The students were passionate and strong advocates, and it was energizing to be in their company. Add your ideas to the "What needs to change?" question in the comments below. Photo description: Darlene McLennan (Manager of ADCET - Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training, Mark Warrington (Tasmanian University Student Association Students Association 2024 Equity president), Mairead Harris (National Disbailities Officer National Union of Students)

LIGHT SENSITIVE LEARNERS and DISABILITY Disability: An evolving concept that results from the interaction between a person with impairment(s) and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others (Australian Government Response to the Disability Royal Commission July 2024, p. 295) The Government’s definition of disability adds impetus to the provision of adjustments for Light Sensitive Learners.  ·     Teachers knew in 1908 that white paper made it difficult to read and a glarimeter was developed. Since then, paper manufacturers have added fluorescent dye to make the paper even whiter and more difficult to read. ·     School principal A.W. Ray worked out in 1938 that artificial illumination was an “educational” problem. He argued that “adequate spectral quality …is essential … for … seeing”.   ·     As a teacher, I negotiated inclusion of the clause “learning differently” in the Australian Disability Discrimination Act. The wording in the draft Bill “learn more slowly” was not applicable to intellectually gifted students, even though they read more slowly, or didn’t read much at all.   ·     Another teacher supports a “revision of school policies regarding digital learning environments and awareness raising to support inclusive access and use by students with light sensitivity.”   Teachers are required under the Australian Disability Discrimination Act to adjust the environment. These adjustments include providing overlays which reduce the glare from paper and filter the spectrum; provision of access to natural daylight: a personal lamp if necessary.   The National Health and Medical Research Council suggests “Anti-glare filters for computer screens to relieve eyestrain, fatigue, headaches and stress. Place blinds on windows, flicker free lighting, full spectrum lighting, light filters for covering fluorescent lighting, lower wattage overhead lights, task lighting or other alternative lighting. Large print Coloured paper These adjustments to the classroom environment are relatively easy and cheap. Nevertheless, attitudinal barriers, and lack of knowledge hinder their implementation, and that perpetuates inequity.

Call for Papers — A Disabled University Experience: Lessons for, and Experiences of, Disabled Undergraduates Proposal Deadline: 7/15/2024 Transitioning from high school to university can mark a significant change in a disabled student’s life, as they leave behind the managed care of an individualized education plan and begin a more agentic relationship with their disabilities. For many, this also marks the first chance they really have to engage with the cultural identity of “disabled.” Unfortunately, introductory readers in disability studies in the Canadian context are a rarity. We have elected to create a special edition of the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies (CJDS) that fills this gap, highlighting the unique experiences of disabled undergraduate students and providing accessible content on disability with them in mind. We are seeking submissions of previously unpublished articles on disabilities, with a special focus on manuscripts that either study the experiences of disabled undergraduate students or are written for an undergraduate audience for the CJDS. Contributions can include empirical works, qualitative explorations, theoretical inquiries, extended literature reviews, methodological papers, or even book reviews. We encourage articles from minoritized populations, including disabled authors. Please submit your extended abstracts (200–500 words) to Special Issue Editors Dr. Paul Bones and Christopher Churchill by 7/15/2024 (July 15, 2024; please PM me for their email addresses). Please include your contact information in your email. For those accepted for consideration, the deadline for full paper submission will be 1/30/2025 (January 30, 2025) for preliminary review. Final submissions should be no more than 6,000 words, excluding references, notes, and tables. Submissions should have no more than 40 references. Possible topics include (but are not limited to): - Navigating ableist educational institutions - Disabled identity formation - Disability as an intersection - how do race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. interact with experiences of disability? - Indigeneity and disability - Quality of life and disability - Madness and mental health - Building mad and disabled communities - Access and accommodation - Explaining disability   Editors: Paul D.C. Bones, Christopher Churchill, Yiyan Li, Danielle Lorenz

Lived Experience Explains 'Disability Royal Commission' PhD Candidate Charlotte Chilvers on Education. Snapshot 2.2/4: The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability Article 24 of the CRPD presents inclusive education as the principal objective whilst the operation of a segregated special education system is depicted as the exception.[1] Despite this characterisation, the CRPD fails to define ‘inclusive education’ or provide its signatories with a framework outlining the essential elements that constitute a high-quality inclusive education system that both aligns with and advances the convention’s general principles.[2] Subsequently, the six Commissioners recognise, accept and utilise the definition provided by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (‘CRPD Committee’) in General Comment No. 4 on the right to inclusive education.[3] Although non-binding, the commentary produced by a treaty’s governing body, such as its general comments, provide rich guidance to State Parties as to both the scope and nature of the obligations conferred upon them by the treaty.[4] According to General Comment No 4,[5] ‘inclusive education’ can be understood as ‘a fundamental human right’ conferred upon all learners, that enables persons with disabilities to realise other human rights, ‘lift themselves out of poverty, obtain the means to participate fully in their communities and be safeguarded from exploitation’.[6] Importantly, General Comment No 4 distinguishes ‘inclusion’ from ‘exclusion’, ‘segregation’ and ‘integration’ by defining ‘inclusion’ as "a process of systematic reform embodying changes and modifications in content, teaching methods, approaches, structures and strategies in education to overcome barriers with a vision serving to provide all students of the relevant age range with an equitable and participatory learning experience and the environment that best corresponds to their requirements and preferences. Placing students with disabilities within mainstream classes without accompanying structural changes to, for example, organisation, curriculum and teaching and learning strategies, does not constitute inclusion. Furthermore, integration does not automatically guarantee the transition from segregation to inclusion."[7] Australia became a signatory to the CRPD in 2007 and ratified the convention in 2008.[8] Although most jurisdictions across Australia have committed to implementing the principles underpinning art 24,[9] the realisation of this right varies across Australia and its multiple systems of education.[10] Throughout the Disability Royal Commission, it became apparent that art 24 is yet to be fully realised with ‘many students with a disability…denied access to safe, quality and inclusive education’.[11] Written by PhD Candidate Charlotte Chilvers.