Inclusive practices, a topic that needs to be explored, one that shouldn’t be over looked. How will you know if your being inclusive as a lecture if you’ve never had to address it or been challenged in your thinking within a particular area.
We should all learn now or we could feel the consequences later if we encounter a problem if something goes wrong or against us. The question is how do you attend to everyone’s needs and support. Do we know where to go? Do we know what’s available? Have we explored the options?
I have an understanding that not all disabilities are visual and as the years have progressed it’s been amazing that some organisations/companies have recognised this, accepted and adapted to making sure they are supporting in the best way they can. The topic I feel is friendlier than before. It’s a high possibility that the majority of intake of students will have a disclosed or undisclosed disability so it would be imperative that I introduce them to as much resources as possible.
Firstly, the student services disability and dyslexia. In my experience in using the service, the demand is quite high and getting an appointment could take a number of weeks, even months, so getting the information and website links across for an appointment needs to be done immediately to avoid a longer wait. (Owens, S) “4 months after being diagnosed, I’m still waiting for the Study Needs Assessment from SFE. What hope there is for young students, who are not members of staff and studying on PgCert course.”
My reflection on using the service, being assessed was quite challenging, a number of questions in a first stage interview setting, then weeks later to the online process of 2.45 to 3 hours long, sitting in one spot on an assessment with multiple repetitive tasks boring and quite challenging.
I could apply the selected resources to my teaching practise, by running workshops on disabilities, sharing open discussions on some of the known disabilities that could be highlighted on the course. Sharing the Vimeo video and resource links I have been provided. Setting break out groups to highlight discussions. Without labelling or signalling anyone out we could write anonymously on post-it notes and reflect on them, having discussions on how to get support.
Owens, S, 2023. Silva’s Blog
https://silvasgotopinionsmyblog.arts.ac.uk/2023/05/21/disability/#comments
I appreciate the shift towards acknowledging hidden disabilities and tailoring support accordingly. Exposing students to a range of resources is key in order to accommodate a significant portion of students who may have undisclosed disabilities that require support, creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment should be prioritised as a top priority.
Thank you for sharing your personal insights about using disability services; these can be very insightful for both educators and students. They shed light on challenges encountered during assessments and interviews, helping to increase empathy and understanding. These insights could then be implemented into workshops or discussions to create safe spaces for dialogue.
Running workshops about disabilities and hosting open discussions is an excellent way to open dialogue about them, providing students with an inclusive space in which to express their thoughts and anxieties freely without feeling judged by anyone.
If you want to foster dialogue and awareness around disabilities, the film ‘Including Samuel’ by Dan Habib is such a powerful documentary which follows a young boy with disabilities as they explore inclusive education. It can provide great inspiration and potentially an additional resources (in a workshop maybe?) for starting conversations and raising awareness.
I really liked the idea of the workshop, particularly your thinking around how you could organise this without students feeling forced to disclose a disability – doing this anonymously using post-its – but then having an open discussion. Some of the materials on our reading list might also be a good prompt to lead a discussion.
Your post also shows the complexity of supporting students when you, as teaching staff, require support yourself; whoever you are and whatever this support might look like. Thank you for sharing so openly!
You rightly point out that we must proactively engage with this issue to foster a more equitable and supportive environment for all. The need for education and awareness regarding non-visible disabilities is of paramount importance and cannot be overstated. Your personal experience illuminates the tedious process of obtaining disability support, thereby suggesting a need for improvements in these systems. The proposed strategies to promote inclusivity in teaching, such as conducting workshops and facilitating open discussions, exemplify best practices for fostering supportive learning environments.
Thank you, Tonia, for your important reflections on this topic. I often get the sense that if you know the system and what is available then that’s great. However, if you don’t know what’s available it’s much harder to get the help you need. This makes me think your reflections on how you would use the resources is a good way to approach the matter.
Reading your earlier post on your mum’s experience reminds me how important it is to have someone to advocate for you. Perhaps that has also influenced your desire to help your students navigate the system. It reminds me how important it is to design systems with the student in mind.