AHEAD: Association for Higher Education Access & Disability
Creating inclusive environments in education & employment for people with disabilities.

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Day 1 In Depth Schedule

08:45 - Registration - Tea and Coffee

Opening Session

09:30 - Main Hall

Open and Welcome, Ann Heelan (Executive Director, AHEAD)

Opening Remarks - Paul O’Toole, Chief Executive Officer, Higher Education Authority

My Student Experience - Alannah Murray

10:15 - Breakout Session 1 - Choose Your Path

 Red Room- Mental Health and Resilience

What impact do mental health difficulties have on the student journey and what can HEIs do about it?

Speakers: Dr. Declan Reilly & James Brady (Trinity College Dublin)

What impact do mental health difficulties have on the student journey? What can be done to support students facing mental health difficulties? This presentation will highlight the growing numbers of students with mental health difficulties applying through the DARE scheme and entering Higher Education in Ireland. 

This presentation seeks to demonstrate the specific impacts that increasing numbers of students with mental health difficulties have in Trinity College and what steps have been taken in response.  Simply increasing resources in response is not sufficient. Instead a change in approach is needed to seek out students who might otherwise not engage with supports. This involves chasing up students who fall between supports and co-ordinating resources across and between services. Students with mental health difficulties are at increased risk of facing financial difficulties because financial student supports are not aligned. For example, there are inconsistencies in how students are funded across ESF, HEA and SUSI.

Bio of speakers

Dr. Reilly has been working as a Disability Officer in Trinity College since 2005. In 2017, he completed a PhD in the School of Education exploring if reasonable accommodations provided to 3rd level students with disabilities succeeded in removing barriers and impact on the student experience.                                                                                                                         
Mr. Brady joined the service in December 2017 in a new role – Case Coordinator. James currently works across the disability, health and counselling services. He received his B. Sc. in Mental Health Nursing from UCD in 2007 and has worked in the areas of child & adolescent mental health in both a day hospital and outpatient setting. James also has a postgraduate diploma in Cognitive Therapy from Trinity College.

 

Course Specific Initiatives: Embedding Wellbeing Support in a UDL institution.

Speaker: Rachel Davies (De Montfort University)

This presentation will briefly outline the Course Specific Initiatives project at De Montfort University, where Welfare staff offer a menu of wellbeing workshops and a range of bespoke interventions (including Mindfulness classes, Yoga workshops, and peer support groups) to all students on courses where retention is a concern to the university.  The presentation will then consider how, if we see the delivery of “student services” as encompassing a range of teaching and learning activity (study skills teaching; personal development learning; coaching), offering wellbeing support to students embedded within their main academic programme fits well with the  UDL principles of offering alternate means of engagement, representation, action and expression. Furthermore, the potential for this approach to address the issues around unequal accessing of centralized support services in terms of gender and ethnicity will be discussed. Finally, the lessons learned from the project and plans for future development and research will be considered.

Bio of speaker: 

Rachel Davies, BA(hons), MA, PGCE, AMBDA. Rachel currently works as De Montfort University’s Course Specific Initiatives Officer. She is a dyslexia specialist teacher and assessor, with a wide range of experience in universities, further education, workplace learning and the voluntary sector. Publications: Dyslexia and transition: Making the move (2013), NIACE, Leicester; Supporting learners with dyslexia in workplace learning (co-author) (2008), NIACE, Leicester.

 Green Room- Sensory Auditing 

Creating an Autism-Friendly University

Speakers: Dr Máire Leane (University College Cork)

University College Cork is embarking on a three-year journey to make the physical, social and academic environments of the University as ‘autism-friendly’ as possible. This involves examining the current environment and investigating how best to adapt the spaces, modify academic processes and procedures and increase understanding for students with ASD. Our starting point for the project is the creation of an ‘autism friendly’ space and sensory room, located in the centre of the main UCC campus. This presentation will: (a) explore how we untangled what ‘autism friendly’ might mean for students on the spectrum at UCC; (b) review examples of good practice in relation to the provision of ‘autism friendly’ spaces in higher education and; (c) offer practical suggestions for how the creation of a more inclusive space for one cohort of students can have subsidiary benefits for the wider student body.

Bio of speaker 

Kirsten Hurley is an autism consultant, lecturer and speaker. She has been teaching in higher education on the topic of ASD for over 5 years and led the team that developed the Diploma in Autism Studies and the online Certificate in Autism Studies in University College Cork. Her current role is Autism-Friendly University Coordinator in University College Cork – coordinating an exciting three year project which aims to make the physical, social and academic environments of the University as ‘autism-friendly’ as possible.
Dr Máire Leane is a senior lecturer at UCC. She has researched the usefulness of off-the-shelf anxiety management apps for adults with ASD, and the care roles of siblings of adults with ID/ASD. Máire directs the Certificate in Contemporary Living (CCL), a two-year, part-time course for adults with ID delivered on the UCC campus.

Auditing Learning Environments from a Sensory Perspective

Speakers: Dr Clodagh Nolan, Declan Treanor and Cecily Roche (Trinity College Dublin)
           
Many higher education institutions over the past 10 years have made improvements within their campuses for students with physical disabilities enabling easier access and egress.  However, there remains a dearth of information on what the impact is of the ‘sensory environment’ (by this we mean, noise, light, smell and touch) upon the student population and in particular upon those with disabilities. A study undertaken within Trinity College Dublin aims to address this deficit by examining learning environments from a ‘sensory perspective’ encompassing the principles of universal design and inclusive communities. This paper will share the outcomes from a ‘sensory audit’ of the Trinity campus environment and the lessons learnt and make recommendations for improving learning spaces for all students including those with disabilities.

Bio of speakers

Dr Clodagh Nolan started her career as an occupational therapist working in the area of mental health in London before joining The Discipline of Occupational Therapy at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Her masters and Ph. D studies were in the areas of community mental health and the development of a self-report measure for students with disabilities. Previously held the role of The Head of The Discipline of Occupational Therapy (2009-2012) and is the found of The ‘Unilink Approach’ to the provision of Occupational Therapy Services for students with disabilities in higher education with is offered in a number of universities in Dublin including Trinity College Dublin. Dr Nolan is currently a member of Trinity College’s Faculty of Health Science Ethics Committee the Healthy Trinity -Working Group on Mental Health and is board member of the government Occupational Therapy Registration Board (OTRB).

Declan Treanor, Disability Service Director in TCD established and developed the Disability Service on campus in June 2000. He has responsibility for ensuring that Trinity embeds disability-related issues into the core of all thinking and delivery to ensure that the Trinity environment is as accessible to people with disabilities as possible. He has an extensive educational history which includes a B. Sc. in Science from NUI Galway, a Masters in Social Policy and Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from Trinity College Dublin. http://www.tcd.ie/disability/people/dtreanor.php

Cecily Roche is an occupational therapist in Trinity College Dublin’s disability service which also support Marino Institute of Education (MIE). Since qualifying with an Msc in OT Cecily worked in Paediatrics initially and subsequently gained extensive experience in an outpatient child and adolescent mental health team (CAMHS), through which she worked with young people with a range of difficulties such as ADHD, DCD, ASD, anxiety and depression. Cecily has completed postgraduate training on a range of topics including sensory integration, Wellness Recovery Action Plan (level 1) and a Postgraduate diploma in child and adolescent mental health. She also completed training in sensory attachment and has a keen interest in exploring how sensory attachment difficulties can impact on a person's participation in daily activities.

 Blue Room- UDL for Beginners

Workshop: Universal Design for Learning- An Introduction 

Speakers: Karen Buckley (Dublin City University) and Lorraine Gallagher (AHEAD) 

This is a professional development workshop to promote and implement an inclusive teaching and learning environment.

Bio of speakers 

Lorraine Gallagher has worked in the area of disability and equality for a number of years.  She is currently the Information & Training Officer for AHEAD and manages AHEAD's information service; dealing with a wide range of queries relating to the education and employment needs of people with disabilities.  Lorraine designs and delivers training packages and seminars to a wide range of audiences in Ireland and Europe including teaching & support staff, guidance counsellors, students, parents and employers. She is also the tutor for participants completing the AHEAD Start Needs Assessment blended learning course and the sub editor of the AHEAD online journal.

Karen Buckley is an academic developer in the Teaching Enhancement Unit at DCU which aims to foster excellence in practice through leadership in teaching, the provision of professional development opportunities for staff, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. She is a doctoral candidate at Maynooth University where she is exploring professional development, identity and pedagogy in Higher Education.

 Yellow Room – Disability Specific Projects

Supporting students with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in third level education

Speaker: Suzanne McCarthy (National Learning Network)

The purpose of this presentation is to raise awareness and understanding of the growing numbers of students with DCD presenting at third level, along with the challenges they face, and how they may be supported. The presentation will also include a short video clip of a student with DCD describing their experiences at third level. The numbers of students with DCD in Irish Higher Education Institutions makes up a considerable proportion of all students with disabilities. 6.1% (770 students) have DCD (AHEAD, 2018). Despite growing numbers there is a lack of awareness of the needs and experiences of students with DCD at third level. 

An example of an educational psychological service that adopts a biopsychosocial and ecological approach will be discussed, recognising that student well-being is intertwined with academic experiences. The service is client centred and solution focused and draws from a range of evidence based educational and psychological theories. These theoretical models are used when working collaboratively with students in setting goals and designing strategies for intervention, while at the same time supporting emotional health and well-being.  The concept of a whole college approach will also be discussed, and the need for academic staff to be provided with opportunities for attending awareness sessions on DCD (and other disabilities). How can they support and understand these students better within a classroom environment by adopting a universal design in teaching and learning approach?

Bio of speaker

Suzanne McCarthy has worked with the Rehab Group / NLN since 2003. She works in close partnership with a number of Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s), developing academic and well-being support services for students with learning, mental health, physical, and sensory disabilities. Suzanne develops protocols and procedures for supporting students with disabilities in conjunction with their respective learning provider. Suzanne has implemented incoming student screening models to validate early identification of learning support requirements for learners. She has assisted 3rd level institutions implement tailored universally designed learning services with positive measurable outcomes.  She also delivers CPD training to 3rd level staff, regularly presents research papers, and delivers guest lectures to post graduate education students in a number of different HEI’s.  

Spectrum Living Learning Community: How a large research university is providing services for students with or interested in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Speaker: Erika Wise (Texas University)

Texas A&M University provides residential experiences commonly referred to as Living Learning Programs (LLP). The philosophy underlying living learning programs is grounded in the belief that learning is an active and dynamic process that occurs both inside and outside the classroom and is a process in which students use a number of frameworks and modalities to learn. Residents in the LLPs benefit from additional resources, support, and enhanced activities centered around a specific focus in order to elevate their collegiate experience. 
This presentation will focus on Texas A&M University’s development and implementation of the Spectrum Living Learning Community. Spectrum first launched in the Fall 2018 semester and this presentation will cover the development process, challenges faced during the first year, and a comparison with similar programs at other institutions. The presentation will provide insight from the two departments that created Spectrum - Residence Life and Disability Services – as well as insight from campus groups that collaborate and coordinate programming with Spectrum staff and residents.

Bio of speaker:

Erika received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science from the University of Arkansas. She is a certified Rehabilitation Counselor. She currently works within the Disability Services Department at Texas A&M University. She works with a caseload of students with a wide range of disabilities, and she is part of the Assistive Technology area where she assists with alternative format production and conducts assistive technology assessments with students.

 Conversation Corner - Supporting Students in Academic Writing

Small scale conversations that matter - the conversation corner contributions are discussion based sessions with a maximum of 12 people. Spaces in these sessions are first come, 1st serve so arrive early to ensure you get a place.

Writing Process for University? Oh, I Meant Scrum

Maureen Fitzsimmons (Loyola Marymount University)

One of the most complex tasks our students undertake is writing for university. From interpreting a prompt, to managing the process of developing theories and collecting research, to transforming those elements into one’s own argument, all to be completed on time. How can UDL be applied to this task?

Bio of Host

Maureen Fitzsimmons specializes in writing instruction for post-secondary students. Fitzsimmons has made multiple presentations at national and international conferences including those held by College Composition and Communication, Rhetoric Society of America, International Society for the History of Rhetoric, and University of California Writing Programs. The theme that unifies her work is the exploration of how varied students find their ways to writing at the post-secondary level. Currently a PhD candidate at University of California, Irvine, her dissertation focuses on the journals of a multilingual student attending college in 1860’s California.

11:15 - Tea/Coffee Break (Explore Exhibition Area)

11:45 - Breakout Session 2 - Choose Your Path

 Main Hall - Harnessing the Student Voice

There’s no place like home: The role of Student Access Leaders in fostering a sense of belonging for access students

Dr. Bairbre Fleming and Julie Tonge (University College Dublin)

If access is everyone’s business we need to involve more than Dorothy!  This proposal describes how the recruitment and engagement of students to a role of advocacy and leadership can expand the reach and impact of access.  UCD has developed an Access Leader programme, recruiting up to 100 students who have themselves come to UCD through an access programme.  The Access Leaders work across all under-represented cohorts and act as role models for potential students.  They also inform, guide and shape the structures and supports for students – they are the embodiment of ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’.  The Access Leader programme has given us greater capacity and insight and remind us of the transformative potential of access to higher education.  The Leaders learn to direct, present and guide other students and are powerful ambassadors.  Their contribution guides us towards Oz in a myriad of ways.  Our presentation will illustrate the power, potency and potential of harnessing students as role models.

Bio of speakers

Dr Bairbre Fleming is Deputy Director of UCD Access and Lifelong Learning. She has extensive experience working with under-represented students through the UCD Access programmes with particular emphasis on mature students and part-time programmes. Her PhD drew on a sociological analysis of the experiences of mature students in higher education.

Julie Tonge is the Disability Officer in UCD Access & Lifelong Learning, a former member of the Board of Directors of AHEAD (Association for Higher Education Access & Disability) and is currently the chair of the Disability Advisers Working Network (DAWN), the professional organisation for disability officers who are primarily responsible for supporting learners with disabilities in Higher Education in Ireland.

 Green Room - Teaching & Learning Practice

Accommodating Students’ Learning Preferences through Enquiry Based Learning (EBL)

Dr Anita Byrne (Dundalk Institute of Technology)

In order to ensure that the learning needs of all students are accommodated, innovative and inclusive learning, teaching and assessment methods are required at curricular level. Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) is one such innovative and inclusive pedagogy. EBL describes an educational approach where the learner acquires knowledge and skills through authentic group enquiry rather than direct instruction. A fundamental feature of EBL is enabling students to become life-long learners through the use of inclusive learning modalities such as self-discovery, peer teaching, self and peer assessment, team work and ‘real-world’ application of knowledge and skills. In adopting these inclusive learning practices, EBL embraces individual student learning preferences and has the potential to support a wider diversity of learning needs. This paper will focus specifically on how students evaluated EBL in terms of its coherence with their VARK learning preferences, these are Visual (V) Read/Write (R), Aural (A) and Kinaesthetic (K). Study findings suggest that EBL may embrace and enhance individualised ways of learning. 

Bio of speaker

Anita Byrne is a Midwife Lecturer and Programme Director for Midwifery at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). She is a qualified nurse, midwife and tutor with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). Anita introduced Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) to midwifery education in DkIT in 2009 and she has designed implemented and facilitated EBL modules on both undergraduate and postgraduate midwifery programmes since then. Anita completed her Doctorate in Midwifery through Queens University Belfast in 2016. Her research study focused on evaluating student engagement, enjoyment and learning through EBL. Anita has presented her research at several national and international conferences and continues to develop her EBL praxis through research and curriculum development.

 Blue Room - Spreading the Word About UDL

The Right Tool for the Job: Showcasing the  Toolkit for Inclusive Higher Education Institutions – From Vision to Practice

Dr Lisa Padden and Dr Anna Kelly (University College of Dublin)

This session will provide an introduction to our recently published Toolkit for Inclusive Higher Education Institutions. This toolkit has been developed for use in the Irish higher education sector, in response to the need for a whole-institution response to access, participation, and success of under-represented students in higher education. It is offered as a tool to assist universities and colleges to progress mainstreaming and inclusion for all students. The Toolkit offers a strategic institution-wide lens to assess progress, identify opportunities for improvement, and create a bespoke action plan to develop a whole-institution approach to inclusion, where every student feels welcome, that they belong, and valued. This Toolkit is designed as a practical resource, which is intended for use by university and college leaders, faculty members, and professional and administrative staff. It is hoped that it will provide a road map to mainstream access and inclusion, foster confidence, and build a body of good whole-institution practice.

Bio of speakers 

Dr Lisa Padden has worked in University College Dublin (UCD) since 2012 and her current role is as Inclusive Education Coordinator with UCD Access & Lifelong Learning. Lisa provides supports for students with disabilities, as well as coordinating and teaching an academic skills development programme. Lisa also works with faculty and professional services colleagues around the university to embed inclusive practice and Universal Design in all parts of the institution. Lisa received her BA, MA and PhD from the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), where she she also taught in the English Department for five years before moving to UCD. Lisa’s research interests include Universal Design in higher education, promoting independent learning, equal access to education, and assistive technologies.  

Dr Anna M. Kelly, DipEd(HEc), MEd(SEN), MSc(Mgt), PhD (Inclusive Design) is Director, Access & Lifelong Learning at University College Dublin (UCD) - Ireland’s largest university, with over 30,000 students. Dr Kelly leads a team of access specialists who support the University to realise its strategic objective to become a diverse and inclusive scholarly community. Dr Kelly is Ireland’s European Access Network (EAN) representative, she chairs the Steering Group for HEAR/DARE Alternative Admissions Routes to Higher Education, and is a member of the National Access Steering Committee for Higher Education Institutions. She has extensive experience of further education, including with St Michael’s House, the National Rehabilitation Board, and the National Training Authority (FÁS).

 Yellow Room - Student Belonging – Big Picture

No Longer in Kansas: the Future of Irish Higher Education

Dr. Richard Hayes (Waterford Institute of Technology)

Student belonging has received increased attention in the context of understanding retention within higher education; the comfort of belonging would seem to be a critical factor in student retention and success. However, while there is “no place like home”, is that home Kansas anymore? The neo-liberal re-orientation of Irish higher education evident in higher education policy and, increasingly, practice has profound consequences for the kinds of institutions we earnestly desire learners, faculty and staff to belong to. This presentation will examine the re-shaping of Irish higher education and the re-shaping of higher education institutions in government policy and the consequences for learning and learners in the broadest sense. Following Marx, this presentation will examine an increasing estrangement of learners and faculty from the educational effort, an estrangement that is a direct outcome of a positioning of learning as skills focussed and employment oriented. 

Bio of speaker

Dr Richard Hayes is VP for Strategy at Waterford Institute of Technology. He has worked in management within the Institute for almost 15 years and has also lectured across a broad range of programmes. He is a graduate of NUI Maynooth (BA, MA) and UCD (PhD). His disciplinary background is English literature and theatre studies and he has published widely in these areas. Recent research has focused on the political economy of higher education and higher education policy in Ireland.

Day 1 Keynote

12:15 - Exploring and Clarifying the Definitions of Inclusion We Use in Higher Ed: Moving towards a common discourse - Frederic Fovet (Royal Roads University)

Keynote Presentation Details and Speaker Bio

The past decade has been one that has seen a growing focus on Inclusion within Higher Education.  Since Higher Ed is selective in nature it has not at first had to tackle the notion of Inclusion and has worked historically with a fairly homogeneous population.  Three factors have challenged this homogeneity: mainstreaming in schools, internationalization in admissions, and the Widening Participation agenda.  There is now increasing pressure for the Higher Ed classroom to fully address learner diversity, but this presentation will suggest that it will be difficult to move forward towards greater inclusion until we formulate a common language and clarify: (i) the theoretical foundation of Inclusion, (ii) its objectives and (iii) the means to implement it within the Higher Ed landscape.   

Bio of speaker: 

Frédéric Fovet is the program head for the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Management program in The Royal Road’s University. Fovet is an inclusion specialist with a specific interest in emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD), critical pedagogy and universal design for learning (UDL). Fovet also has a strong grounding in Disability Studies, and has served as a teacher and principal in schools with a focus on the successful inclusion of students with EBD. Fovet’s research portfolio includes: change management and the integration of technology as a tool for inclusion and using UDL with international students; mental health as a strategic issue in education; and using the social model of disability in schools to develop inclusive practices.
 

13:15 - Lunch and Poster Sessions (Posters will be hosted from 13.45)

14:30 - Breakout Session 3 - Choose Your Path

 Main Hall - Access for All 

Tomorrows Disability Officer - A Cornerstone on the Universal Design Campus

Mary Quirke (AHEAD), Dr Patrica McCarthy, Declan Treanor and Conor McGuckin

This presentation will explore the evolution of one of the key roles on campus for students with a disability in the context of Universal Design for Learning - that of the Disability Officer.  The role of Disability Officer, while neither a teacher nor a learner – is primarily occupied with all those engaged in making learning accessible. It is a role that is very much part of the learning experience for any student with a disability. The challenge for Disability Officers on a UDL campus is that while they are part of the learning environment on campus they - similar to other non-teaching professionals - can find it challenging to position themselves on the current UDL framework.  In recent years Disability Officers in Ireland started an exploratory journey on their role in the future of Higher Education on a UDL campus and developed the first role document. As higher education becomes more attainable, curriculum develops and technology improves; making decisions about what will work for a student with a disability can require knowledge and expertise about not just teaching and learning, but also disability in the learning environment in and of itself. In creating ‘The Role of The Disability Officer and the Disability Service in Higher Education in Ireland’ (2018) document, it became increasingly evident that UDL on campus was transforming not just the world of the student but also the world of others on campus, including that of the disability officer. Thus, while UDL is making waves on campus and redesigning not just pedagogical approaches; is it timely to explore the UDL principles and ask – what do we mean by learning community. This presentation will explore one of the nine principles of UDL – the eight principle that focuses on community - and examine what this means for others engaged in learning communities.

Bio of speakers

Mary Quirke, RGN, RM, HDGE, MA currently works with AHEAD – an Irish Centre of Expertise in UDL, www.ahead.ie.  AHEAD is a National Body actively advocating for a future where students and graduates with disabilities can succeed. Mary is also a PhD candidate with TCD and her research interest is in UDL, Career Guidance and Disability. 

Patricia McCarthy PhD is currently an Associate Researcher in the School of Education Trinity College Dublin. A key component of her research to date focuses on inclusion and participation of marginalised groups; Patricia’s ontological position as a disabled researcher has been instrumental in the development of her research and recent publications. She also serves as the Inclusive Education module coordinator on the Postgraduate Certificate in 21st Century Teaching and Learning. Beyond her work at Trinity College Dublin, Patricia guest lectures on Inclusive Education, Inclusive Research Practices and Disability studies, as well as providing CPD to the education, training and disability sectors, both nationally and internationally. Patricia is currently a Director on the Board of Vision Sports Ireland.

Declan Treanor, Disability Service Director in TCD established and developed the Disability Service on campus in June 2000. He has responsibility for ensuring that Trinity embeds disability-related issues into the core of all thinking and delivery to ensure that the Trinity environment is as accessible to people with disabilities as possible. He has an extensive educational history which includes a B. Sc. in Science from NUI Galway, a Masters in Social Policy and Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from Trinity College Dublin. http://www.tcd.ie/disability/people/dtreanor.php

Conor Mc Guckin, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology in the School of Education at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.  Conor convenes the Inclusion in Education and Society Research Group and is the founding editor of the International Journal of Inclusion in Education and Society.  Conor’s research interests include: psychology applied to educational policy and practices, bully/victim problems among children and adults, and special and inclusive education. Conor is an Associate Fellow of both the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI). Conor a Chartered Psychologist with both the BPS and PSI, and is a Chartered Scientist with the UK Science Council.

Establishing Transition Pathways to Postsecondary Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Dr Mary-Ann O’Donovan, Prof. Michael Shevlin and Des Aston (Trinity Centre for Intellectual Disabilities)

People with intellectual disabilities (ID) have traditionally been marginalised within Irish society and worldwide. As a result, people with ID are much less likely to be engaged in meaningful education leading to opportunities for employment and independent living. However, young people with ID are increasingly attending mainstream schools and their expectations for their future lives have been radically altered. Recent Irish research reports that these young people experience significant barriers within schools including lack of information on postsecondary options and the dearth of customised transition planning programmes for these young people (Doyle and Scanlon, 2018). As a result, most transitions are ad-hoc. At a system level, transitions to post-school education for this cohort has not been a priority with the result that few, if any, transition pathways have been established. Higher education institutions have attempted to address the lacunae in post school educational provision for young people with ID. In Ireland, ten higher education institutions have designed and delivered post-school educational programmes for this cohort. In this paper, we will document the range and types of programmes on offer. We will also consider the viability and sustainability of the current models of post-school provision that exist in the Irish context.

Bio of speakers

Dr. Mary-Ann O’Donovan is Assistant Professor in Intellectual Disability and Inclusion, TCD and previously project manager of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Main research interests include key life transitions, particularly housing and education transitions, related issues of choice and self-determination, policy analysis, health service utilisation and access to health services for people with an intellectual disability.

Prof. Michael Shevlin lecturer in Inclusive Education, Trinity College Dublin since 1996. His teaching and research has focused on facilitating the inclusion of children and young people with special educational needs within mainstream schools, promoting the voice of marginalised people within decision making processes that affect their lives, and addressing access issues for young people with disabilities within compulsory and higher education.

Des Aston is the National and Schools Coordinator for Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities, Trinity College Dublin. Des has previously worked as the coordinator of the Inclusive Learning Initiative at Maynooth University and has background in the social care sector. Des has previously studied in the area of social care; adult and community education; and he is currently undertaking a Masters in Applied Social Research at Trinity College Dublin.

 Green Room - UDL in the Lab

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the FLAME Laboratory at University College Cork: a reflective case study approach to gauging its value.

Audrey Dempsey and Dr Marian McCarthy (University College Cork)

The aim of this study was to determine whether or not incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in a laboratory setting can benefit teaching and learning in a neuroanatomy module at University College Cork. UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development. The goal of the method is to improve the educational experience of all types of learners by introducing flexible methods of teaching, learning and assessment and providing multiple options of student engagement in the classroom. The theory is based on research from the field of neuroscience and works on the recognition, affective and strategic networks of the brain. This research will explore the synergies between UDL and neuroscience. The research used a case study approach. Methods included the keeping of a reflective diary and writing an entry after each practical session, as well as a reflection on the FLAME laboratory as a learning environment. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with the curriculum designer, module co-ordinator and senior medical demonstrator. This data was then analysed in conjunction with the UDL guidelines and checkpoints. Twenty-three of the thirty-one UDL checkpoints have been met. The semi-structured interviews provided insight into the mindset of those involved in the running of the module. Their opinions and observations aligned with those found in the reflective diary. The conclusion came together like the bricks of the yellow brick road, which was that UDL adds value to teaching and learning in a neuroanatomy module when utilised in a laboratory environment. Keeping students engaged and motivated throughout a practical session is crucial to their learning and understanding. Although this module incorporates a large number of checkpoints, there is still room for improvement and development to ensure all learners of all abilities are included in this learning environment.

Bio of speakers

Audrey Dempsey has a BSc in Neuroscience and MSc in Human Anatomy. She is currently working as a Senior Medical Demonstrator in the FLAME Laboratory at University College Cork. Audrey has a particular interest in Universal Design for Learning. She is teaching Neuroscience in the Laboratory and is interested by the synergies between neuroscience theory and UDL practice. Her Masters Dissertation was on the subject of “Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the FLAME Laboratory at University College Cork: a reflective case study approach to gauging its value”.

Dr Marian McCarthy is the former Vice-President for Teaching and Learning at University College Cork and Academic Director CIRTL. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of AHEAD. Her research interests are Multiple Intelligences Theory, Teaching for Understanding and Universal Design for Learning.  

Laboratory Methods with graphic support as a UDL Strategy for Science students in laboratory sessions

Dr Siobhán Kavanagh and Dr Sinead Devery (Athlone Institute of Technology)

This pilot study investigates the inclusion of visual supports in undergraduate science laboratory manuals (graphical representation of equipment and procedures, with visuals to indicate time-frames involved and opportunities for breaks), with a select group of 16 students. Additional support is provided through use of pre-practical videos, incorporation of procedural demonstrations in laboratory sessions and preferential seating options to accommodate sensory differences and meet the needs of a diverse student body. Student-based evaluation of the effectiveness of this approach is via individualised interview questionnaires. This multi-modal instructional delivery approach (verbal, written and visual) will support access and participation for all students in science laboratories. It facilitates the implementation of a proactive UDL approach into existing laboratory classes, putting framework policies into practice. Future Work will include a quantitative evaluation of effectiveness, and application of the approach to practical-based assessments with a view to cross-modular implementation.

Bio of speakers

Dr Siobhán Kavanagh has a Ph.D in Microbiology and is a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Life & Physical Sciences at Athlone I.T.  Her research interests include enhanced learning through research and enquiry.  She has recently received a Postrgaduate Diploma in Learning, Teaching and Assessment with AIT.

Dr Sinead Devery has a Ph.D in Genetic Toxicology and is a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Life & Physical Sciences at Athlone I.T.  Her research interests include inclusive learning and teaching practices in Science at higher level.  She has recently received a post-graduate qualification in Autism Studies.

 Blue Room - Online Learning

Breaking down the barriers in online higher education

Miriam O’Donoghue (Trinity College Dublin)

One of the most common criticisms of online higher education and why many avoid it is due the fact that individuals believe they may not having the full college experience. Added to this the feeling of isolation which many report in relation to this mode of delivery and the challenge is set as to how do we overcome this. Collegiality in online education can help in student engagement and persistence. How do we as educators generate a space for and enable the design of online higher education which supports collegiality? One proposed mechanism is through the use of communities of practice where learning is the practice in the initial phase and where these then move towards communities of inquiry supporting and engaging students. In so doing they can remove the sense of isolation and move more towards the face to face college experience. Removing the barriers to the student engagement in an online education setting and allowing for mechanisms to provide peer support can make for a rich learning environment. 
This paper proposes a set of mechanisms by which this can be achieved and looks at the inclusion of students in communities of learning to enable them to feel part of the wider college community even though they may not be present on the physical campus but on a virtual campus.

Bio of speaker

Miriam O’Donoghue is currently Head of Lifelong Learning at IT Tallaght and a doctorate student in Education at Trinity College Dublin. She has worked in the area of education and online education for a number of years working with Dublin Business School, iheed, RCSI and Hibernia College. She has been involved with the design development, delivery and assessment of online education to students from around across the globe.

Journey to OZ: Somewhere over the Rainbow of optimum accessibility – an Ally for Inclusive Derby

Hannah Futter & Claire Gardener (University of Derby)

In 2016 the Inclusive Derby Working Group was set up in response to the Government’s announcement to changes to Disabled Students’ Allowance. The group has since widened its remit to ensure that through inclusive practice, the university fulfils its duty under Equality Act 2010 and its community has equal access to learning experiences and opportunities, thereby creating an ‘optimum’ standard, which enhances student learning and performance. In 2017 Inclusive Derby commissioned a Physical Access Audit, Digital Access Audit (VLE) and Student Experience Review of front facing services at the Kedleston Road campus. Within the VLE audit accessible materials was identified as an area in need of improvement and as a result the university purchased Ally integration to work alongside Blackboard. This, along with other staff development and assistive technologies has provided the university with the opportunity to create a culture of change which puts inclusive practice at the heart of learning and teaching. 

Bio of speakers

Hannah Futter has worked at the University of Derby for over 13 years first as a Student Adviser supporting students holistically with regards to entitlement to funding, housing, developing support plans and advice around Disabled Students Allowance.  Followed by a period of 7 years as the Coordinator of the Advice/Disability Team, which involved managing Disability Advisers and Specialist one to one Study Skills Support Tutors.  Hannah is currently on secondment working on a project to embed inclusive practice across the institution. Hannah has a keen interest in increasing access and provision for students entering and studying in Higher Education.

Claire Gardener is the Senior Learning Technologist (Digital Learning Systems) and has over 16 years’ experience working in education technology. Claire’s role at the University is to provide an excellent staff and student experience through the provision of digital learning systems and services. She has functional ownership of University learning technology that includes Blackboard (our Virtual Learning Environment). She promotes effective practice in the application of these digital technologies to enhance student learning. Recently, Claire has lead the University-wide implementation of Blackboard Ally; a tool to make digital course content more accessible.

 Yellow Room - Assistive Technology

Audio-Supported Reading (ASR): A Technology Based Approach for Enhancing Student Access to Text

Dr Richard Jackson  (CAST/Boston College)

Audio-Supported Reading (ASR) is a technique used to support the rapid reading of digital text (magnified print or refreshable braille) by pairing synthesized speech. Readers who struggle at the word level, students with low vision, and students who use braille can all benefit from technologies that accelerate information pickup during study time. By exercising executive control over the modality of choice, students can actively and productively engage in reading tasks with greater efficiency. Using a variety of technologies, this presentation will demonstrate the benefits to working memory management and cognitive load derived from fluent access to text.

Bio of speaker

Dr Richard Jackson is associate professor of special education at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Senior Research Scientist at CAST where he developed the concept of Audio-Supported Reading with support from the National Center on Educational Materials for Learning. Most recently, he directed the training of eight, postdoctoral UDL Fellows through a grant awarded to Boston College and CAST.

The impact of assistive technology use by students with disabilities in higher education: a systematic review

Aoife McNicholl, Deirdre Desmond and Prof Pamela Gallagher (Dublin City University)

The importance of assistive technology (AT) is widely recognized. AT has the potential to improve functioning, reduce activity limitations, promote social inclusion and increase participation in education, the labour market and civic life. Over recent years, increasing numbers of students with disabilities have been accessing higher education worldwide. Despite this, little is known about the relative contribution of AT to educational experience. The aim of the current systematic review is to examine the impact of AT on educational and psychosocial outcomes for students with disabilities in higher education. Five databases were systematically searched: PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, ERIC and Web of Science (Social Science Citation Index). The inclusion criteria for papers were; participants had a disability (any type), used AT (any type), and were current students in a higher education institution; AT-related educational and/or psychosocial outcomes were reported; papers were empirical; and in the English language. A thematic synthesis was carried out to collate findings across the papers. The methodological quality of included papers was assessed using the mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT). Twenty six papers met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. Four analytic themes were identified; ‘AT supports academic engagement’; ‘barriers to effective AT use can hinder academic engagement’; ‘the transformative possibilities of AT from a psychological perspective’; ‘AT as powerful enabler of participation’. Systematically identifying the potential benefits of AT could have important implications for the AT user themselves while also informing AT-related funding, practices and policy in higher education.

Bio of speaker

Aoife McNicholl graduated from the BSc. in Psychology programme in DCU with a 1.1 and also received the DCU Chancellor’s Medal Award for my academic and social engagement. Aoife is a research student in DCU. Aoife’s research area of interest lies in assistive technology (AT) use by students with disabilities in higher education. She has completed a systematic review in this area and will be distributing a survey which will explore the AT experiences of students with disabilities in higher education institutions in Ireland.

Deirdre Desmond PhD is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology and Co-Director of the Assisting Living and Learning Institute at Maynooth University.

Prof Pamela Gallagher is a professor of psychology in the School of Nursing and Human Sciences in Dublin City University.

 Conversation Corner - Cultivating Culture Change

Small scale conversations that matter - the conversation corner contributions are discussion based sessions with a maximum of 12 people. Spaces in these sessions are first come, 1st serve so arrive early to ensure you get a place.

Cultivating culture change: A department wide journey    

Host: Lisa Mauro-Bracken (University of Worcester)

In the UK, Foundation Degrees were established as part of a widening participation agenda providing opportunities for non-traditional learners to access higher education qualifications. Over the past 5 years, the characteristics of the student cohorts have become significantly more diverse. Traditional teaching approaches used to deliver the curriculum are no longer fit for purpose considering the changes to the demographics as well as changing student expectations. As academic team lead Lisa wished to equip colleagues with knowledge, skills and capacity to embark on a journey of inclusive practice through UDL thereby providing opportunities for all students to engage effectively and to strengthen their learning outcomes. 

Bio of Host

Lisa Mauro-Bracken is Head of Department for Health and Well-being at University of Worcester. She leads a team of 20 staff with responsibility for teaching a range of undergraduate modules and supports teaching global health within the MSc Public Health. Research interests currently centre on the links between wellbeing and the impact of transition into higher education specifically related to Foundation Degree students. She has an MPH in International Population and Family Health from Columbia University. Her previous work focused on community development and health programmes in the Pacific region; and in Ireland, supporting integration activities with asylum seekers and refugees.

15:30 - Tea/Coffee Break 

16:00 - Breakout Session 4 - Choose Your Path

 Main Hall - Using the UNCRPD

How to achieve high quality education for students with disabilities

Marjolein Büscher and Evelien Westerbeek van Eerten (handicap and studie)

In this presentation you will engage with two different Dutch ways to sustain policy about studying with a disability at any university. 

1: How do you speak properly about the aspects of studying with a disability during an audit concerning quality assurance? We provide both auditors as disability coordinators and students with a compact guide to be well prepared for the audit. 

2:  In the Netherlands the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities is ratified in 2016. We gathered seven institutions who want to be the first ones to actively start implementing the UN Convention. The institutions drew up and signed a letter of intent. In this letter, joint goals for the implementation of the UN Convention have been included. 

Representatives of the four institutions form a special working group. The aim of this group is to support each other in carrying out actions to achieve the joint goals.What can we learn from the experiences so far? In this presentation you get to know and will work yourself with these hands-on ways to sustain proper policy on studying with a disability. And we will discuss your experiences and needs according to the usefulness of these hands-on ways.

Bio of speakers

Marjolein Büscher-Touwen is an advisor who encourages and supports educational institutions in the development of inclusive education in which special adaptations are less necessary and young people with a disability can successfully study. In her projects Marjolein succeeds constructively with the right parties to work together. This can focus on policy development, expertise promotion, accessible examination or quality assurance. In her work she is result-oriented and people-oriented, quality-conscious, structured and proactive. Marjolein has international experience, worked as a career advisor and project leader in scientific education and knows the educational practice from the inside.

Evelien Westerbeek van Eerten is an advisor who has been working for students with a disability and inclusive education for many years. She is a passionate organizer and trainer who, by listening carefully and by asking sharp questions, can quickly find out what it is all about. Within group processes she has an eye for the knowledge and expertise of the individual and uses these to solve problems together. Evelien is also the first point of contact for topics about student participation. From her background as coordinator of different platforms, she advises and supports student platforms (in formation) and actively involves students in disability and study projects.

Guiding disability related student support services and institutions of higher education towards inclusive education.

Valérie Van Hees and Lisa Herman (SIHO)

The Support Centre for Inclusive Higher Education (SIHO) in Flanders (Belgium) aims to support institutions of higher education with the implementation of the UN convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. SIHO’s main focus lies on enhancing the participation of students with a disability in Flemish higher education and optimizing their chances of obtaining a degree. To accomplish this goal, SIHO functions as a link between the different institutions of higher education in Flanders in order to exchange and develop knowledge and experiences. 

This presentation will illustrate the continuous feedback loop which not only invites SIHO to develop tailor-made advice and materials in relation to themes such as reasonable accommodations, universal design for learning, and optimising support to students with disabilities in internships, but also to directly respond to the needs of institutions of higher educations and disability related student support services. As a link between the different institutions of higher education in Flanders, SIHO creates a platform for cross-fertilisation through regular intervision. This enables student support services to formulate questions, discuss cases, and to benefit from exchange of knowledge and experience. While institutions gain access to expertise and are inspired by examples of best practice, the platform also provides unique opportunities for SIHO to loop back and to optimise support materials and guidelines through seeking input from the institutions during different stages of development. This mutually enriching cooperation and feedback loop is an essential part of the shared journey towards inclusive education.

Bio of speakers 

Valérie Van Hees is the coordinator of the Support Centre for Inclusive Higher Education (SIHO). In the past, she was a lecturer at Artevelde University College Ghent. Subsequently she was the contact person for student with disabilities at Artevelde University College Ghent and worked as diversity policy officer in the same institution.

Lisa Herman, educational scientist, developed an inspirational guide about innovative physical learning environments for 21st-century-learning at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, commissioned by the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training. For SIHO, she formulates didactic advice and tips on the topic of accessibility and universal design; and supports student counsellors and disability coordinators regarding their guidance questions.

 Green Room - Cross Campus Approaches

Peer Mentoring in Further Education and Training: The Way (to feed) Forward for Technology Enhanced Learning

Carrier Archer (Marino College of Further Education) & Suzanne Yarker (Pearse College of Further Education)

We are FET teachers currently providing Technology Enhanced Learning Mentoring Support to other teachers (TELMS) in the CDETB. This is a collaborative venture encompassing the input of CDETB’s Curriculum Development Unit, Head Office and Psychological Service. The main goal is to enhance the learning and teaching experience for both teachers and their students through the employment of engaging, inclusive, accessible and fun active learning methodologies. The original model hails from SERC in Bangor. It focuses on the teacher (mentee) bringing their pressing needs regarding an area of concern in their classroom to a collaborative, problem solving process with the mentor. In the Irish FET context, peer mentoring stems from SOLAS Professional Development Strategy (2017-2019) where it is acknowledged that “best practice sharing can form an integral aspect of CPD”. SOLAS also surveyed FET practitioners to determine confidence levels in employing a wide range of skills. The skill teachers identified the least confidence in was the use of TEL. The chance for teachers to work alongside peers, playing with new practices and methodologies is innovative in our sector but its potential to transform teaching practices and experiences of all FET learners is exponential. Our presentation will use some of these methodologies as we relay how CDETB staff and learners are travelling together toward increasingly inclusive FET classrooms.


Bio of speaker

Carrie Archer is a special education teacher in the Further Education sector in the City of Dublin Education and Training Board, who is passionate about the use of innovative and creative teaching and learning methodologies. She is heavily invested in the active inclusion of learners with additional learning needs in the FET sector and currently facilitates a professional learning network for teachers involved in student support in CDETB. She is keen to incorporate and enhance her daily practice through the use of technology.

Suzanne Yarker is a further education teacher in Pearse College of Further Education who has 15 years’ experience in the educational sector. She has taught various QQI - Level 3, 4, 5 and 6 modules including Communications, English as a Second Language, Writing Skills for Journalism, Desktop Publishing, Spreadsheet Methods, Computer Applications, Cultural Studies to a wide range of learners with varying abilities and backgrounds. Currently responsible for the co-ordination of a variety of student-centred resources and supports, including: BTEI (Back to Education Initiative); managing the EAL (English as a Language) programmes - this includes English Language Testing, Support, and curriculum creation.


Embedding inclusion for interdepartmental efficiency 

Jennifer Harley (University of Law)

Inclusion: The concept is simple but implementation complex. Navigating stakeholder buy in is key to successfully embedding inclusive learning, but how can we convince people of the benefits specifically for the individual. Why would the academic change their practice to become more inclusive? Persuading the individual staff member their being inclusive will reduce their workload, increase their tutor rating and make their students more successful helps to drive the inclusive agenda. I’ll be sharing an example of how the University of Law has mapped the good practice framework: Supporting disabled students by the OIA and implemented changes. Our journey has taken us from reviewing how we design courses and assessments to be more inclusive, to ensure lecture capture for all lectures and even small details such as standardising accessible PowerPoint background, fonts and sizes across the institution. We have rolled out a programme for tutor training on how to make workshops more accessible and inclusive and designing guides to explaining the nature of specific learning difficulty, Anxiety and Depression.

Bio of speaker

Jennifer Harley is the Disability Support Service Manager at the University of Law, where she specialises in providing guidance and support to disabled students. She works across the university to embed inclusion and universal design for the benefit of all students. She is a qualified teacher and has previously worked as a specialist study support teacher for students with Dyslexia and on the Autistic spectrum. She conducted research with the University of Cambridge into cross circular teaching methods to enhance the learning experience and she is Chair of the Access Higher Education Disability Forum.

 How Disability Support Talk to Faculty About UDL

Workshop: Creating interdisciplinary processes around UDL with faculty

Frederic Fovet (Royal Road’s University)
    
Much of the literature on UDL suggests that the way forward requires interdisciplinary work between accessibility staff and faculty. There are few leads, however, on how this collaborative process can be achieved in practice. This workshop will seek to lead participants in a reflection on how such collaborations might be created and sustained in Higher Education. Participants will work in groups on real-life (anonymized) vignettes which will describe the profile of faculty members (department, expertise on inclusion, existing practices, networks within their institutions, knowledge of UDL, etc.). The facilitator will use his dual professional perspective, as current faculty and ex-manager of an accessibility service, and the phenomenological reflection he has begun, to lead participants to reflect on the specific needs of the individuals featured in the vignettes, and those of faculty more generally. The whole group recap will draw from the table discussions to offer a conceptualization of the way genuine and constructive faculty-accessibility partnerships might be achieved in an interdisciplinary manner.

Bio of speaker 

Frédéric Fovet is the program head for the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Management program in The Royal Road’s University. Fovet is an inclusion specialist with a specific interest in emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD), critical pedagogy and universal design for learning (UDL). Fovet also has a strong grounding in Disability Studies, and has served as a teacher and principal in schools with a focus on the successful inclusion of students with EBD. Fovet’s research portfolio includes: change management and the integration of technology as a tool for inclusion and using UDL with international students; mental health as a strategic issue in education; and using the social model of disability in schools to develop inclusive practices.

 Online Learning

Equip Yourself for a Successful Journey toward Inclusive Online Education with Glenda the Good Witch Travel Agency

Erin King and Kristin Bradley (University of Nebraska)

Education is a journey toward a destination. In striving toward an inclusive educational environment, an instructor must adopt a tour guide role for their students to experience a lasting and meaningful journey as part of their larger educational adventure. Let Glenda the Good Witch Travel Agency assist you in finding the right ruby slippers (or purple boots if that’s more to your liking) to get you started on the journey toward inclusive online course design. We will showcase strategies for Getting to Know Your Travel Companions (students) by using introductions with guided questions, learning about your students’ learning preferences to better help them Choose their Own Adventures, making informed Assessment choices, using Feedback to arrive at your final destination with your students, and finally informing the next part of their journey as they continue their education. All of these strategies are suitable for both online courses and in-person courses that use an LMS to facilitate distribution of materials. Remember, that where you’ve been is good and gone, all you keep is the getting there.

Bio of speakers

Erin King is an Instructional Design Technology Specialist with the Office of Digital Learning at the University of Nebraska Omaha. She has a Master of Arts degree in Teaching and Learning with Technology and have worked in higher education since 2001. Ms. King’s areas of interest include electronic portfolios as a means of assessment and finding ways to provide affordable education for everyone.
Kristin Bradley is an Instructional Design and Technology Specialist at the University of Nebraska Omaha and an online Adjunct Graphic Design professor for Bellevue University. Ms. Bradley has an undergraduate degree in Graphic Design and a master’s degrees in Instructional Design and Technology. She has 8 years’ work experience in higher education.

Virtual Inclusivity: Creating Content for Digital Personas

Ashiya Abdool Satar (University of South Africa)

This presentation is based on practice and experience in teaching undergraduate students (“digital personas”) in an Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) institution (“virtual environment”) for a specific course in Business Communication and showcases some of the innovative approaches to creating inclusive learning spaces in online learning environments in order to reduce the transactional distance between students and the learning context. The challenge is that there are large cohort of students, with equally diverse needs who are geographically dispersed, that need to be considered in multimedia course designs. This challenge is addressed by using various resources such as live broadcasts, using the Google and JoinIn platforms to reach as many students as possible, not only in South Africa and the region, but internationally as well. This platform creates the possibility of joining a “live” lecture on any device (laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.) in the comfort of the home, simply by clicking on a system generated link that lecturers share with students in the course. Students can also interact with lecturers and fellow classmates on the live platform in a text-based forum on the broadcast site. The “live” broadcast is automatically recorded and can be accessed by students at any other convenient time after the scheduled session. Additional avenues for providing accessible digital content are provided by uploading the presentation on the broadcast site and on the institution’s dedicated Learning Management System (LMS) as a PowerPoint presentation or as a video with added captions, audio and/or sign language interpretation.       

Bio of speaker

Ms. Ashiya Abdool Satar is a lecturer in The Department of Communication Science at the University of South Africa (Unisa), the largest Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) university in Africa, since 2013. She was previously a secondary school educator at a South African public school in the Languages and the Social Sciences. Ms. Abdool Satar has presented papers at the International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) in 2012 in Durban, South Africa and in 2013 in Dublin, Ireland. She has also presented two papers at the International Higher Education, Teaching and Learning (HETL) conference as part of an international group of researchers (from Australia, USA, China, Canada, and South Africa) in Paisley, Scotland in 2017. Her research interest includes organisational communication research, media studies, and Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) in the Higher Education sector. Ms. Abdool Satar two written two book chapters, related to inclusive learning spaces, to be released in March 2019 (one of which will be launched at the AHEAD conference in Dublin).

 Conversation Corner - Including Students with Visual Impairments

Small scale conversations that matter - the conversation corner contributions are discussion based sessions with a maximum of 12 people. Spaces in these sessions are first come, 1st serve so arrive early to ensure you get a place.

Inclusion of Students with a Visual Impairment at Third Level

Hosts: Eliona Gjecaj (NUI Galway) & Gillian Stafford (Maynooth University)

This student led talk will focus on some of the major barrier impacts students with impairments in the higher education learning environment and discuss some possible areas for educators to consider in relation to key support needs for students with visual impairments need to attend college including access to reading material.

Bio of Hosts

Eliona Gjecaj is a graduate of LLM (International Disability Law and Policy) from the Center for Disability Law and Policy, NUI Galway. Her thesis was based in inclusive Education in Ireland. Eliona found and is the auditor of IMPACTE Soc, which stends for the academic and social inclusion of students with disabilities in the campus of NUI Galway.

17:00 - Move to Main Hall

Day 1 Closing Session

17:05 - Book Launch: Transforming Higher Education through UDL - Sean Bracken (University of Worcester) 

 Find Out More About 'Transforming Higher Education through UDL'

Providing insight into the background, theory and practical applications of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Higher Education Institutions, Transforming Higher Education through Universal Design for Learning: An International Perspective examines and shares best practice in UDL implementation worldwide to provide strategies for strengthening student accessibility, engagement and learning outcomes through the development of flexible learning environments.

Drawing upon insightful, research-based contributions from educators and student service specialists in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Norway, South Africa, Spain, the UK and all across the USA, this book:

  • Considers diversity in the form of disability, minority ethnic groups, gender identities, first generation university students and varying socio-economic backgrounds
  • Brings together key thinkers and practitioners in the field of UDL and expertly maps its practices to the higher educational domain
  • Explores the multiple means of representation, expression and engagement that combine to create a successful UDL framework

Each chapter not only provides a different perspective of how UDL has helped meet the needs of all students to ensure that education is accessible, culturally responsive and socially just, but also considers how this can then be implemented into higher education environments the world over. This book is a crucial read for those who want to make a positive difference in higher education provision and outcomes.

Evening Reception & Author Meet N' Greet

17:30 - Evening Reception with ‘Transforming Higher Education through UDL’ Author Meet and Greet

Eats, drinks, and informal chats with contributing authors from across the world about their chapter contributions.

Authors Present at the Meet n' Greet Session

Authors present will be Sean Bracken (UK), Jodie Black (Canada), Brian Butler (Ireland), Eleanor Castine (USA), Dr. Kimberly Coy (USA), Ann Heelan (Ireland), Frederic Fovet (Canada), Ruth Fraser (Canada), Ashiya Abdool Satar (South Africa), Richard Jackson (USA), Marian McCarthy (Ireland), Abigail Moriarty (UK), Jane Neapolitan (USA), Elinor Jeanette Olaussen (Norway), Phil Scarffe (UK), Shira Yalon-Chamovitz (Israel)

 20:30 - Reception Closes

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