10:45 Simultaneous Session: Lightning Session 1
10:45 Simultaneous Session: Lightning Session 1
Lightning 1.1: The Crowd4Access/University of Galway footpath mapping initiative: Improving accessibility through collaborating in Citizen Science
- Dr Deirdre McHugh, University of GalwayBrendan Smith, Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics
Dr Deirdre McHugh University of Galway
Dr Deirdre Mc Hugh is the Universal Design Manager and Access Officer at the University of Galway and is based in the Office of the Vice-President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Her recent work on Universal Design (UD) of the built environment, her background in educational development, and over a decade of experience as a university teacher, give her key insights into how accessibility barriers can impact learning.
Collaboration is central to Deirdre’s work, and she has worked with colleagues and students across units and functions in her home institution on a range of projects to improve accessibility and embed UD, and on national projects, including the development of the ALTITUDE Charter for UD in Tertiary Education. Her work is informed by the lived experience of students, colleagues and members of the public who experience barriers to accessibility and inclusion. She has presented her work at international conferences, including UD2024 and the European Access Network (EAN) Conference 2024. She was the conference lead on the EAN 2025 Conference, hosted by University of Galway in June 2025, in partnership with the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, part of the National Disability Authority, and they will continue this partnership to co-host the 8th International Biennial Conference in Universal Design, UD2026 in November 2026.Brendan Smith Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics
Brendan Smith works as an Education and Public Engagement Manager at the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics where he organises many technology initiatives including coding workshops and use of smart technologies for Citizen Science. A Science and Technology learning advocate, with extensive experience of delivering educational programmes in Ireland, Africa and the Middle East.
Lightning 1.2: Inclusive Higher Education through an Algerian lens: Experiences of Disability Support Staff
- Fatma Bouabida, University Of The West Of Scotland
Fatma Bouabida University Of The West Of Scotland
Fatma Bouabida is a 3rd year PhD student within the ESS school at the University of the West of Scotland. Before coming to Scotland, she completed two courses: a Bachelor course in English language and literature (2013-2016), and a Master course in Didactics and Applied Linguistics (2016- 2018), at Mustapha Stambouli University, Mascara, Algeria. Fatma successfully completed a pre-sessional programme at Canterbury Christ Church University, and a doctoral induction programme at the University of the West Of Scotland. Currently, she is working on investigating the experiences of students with disabilities in Algerian higher education, and her research is funded by the Algerian government.
Lightning 1.3: Inclusive LMS (Learning Management System) for students with disabilities in HE
- Amin Sharifi Isaloo, Department of Sociology and Criminology, UCC
Amin Sharifi Isaloo Department of Sociology and Criminology, UCC
Dr?Amin Sharifi?is a lecturer in the Department of Sociology & Criminology at University College Cork.?His fields of interests include race, ethnicity, migration and nationalism. His recent publications are ‘Liminality in the Direct Provisional system’ (2020) and ‘Liminality and Modern Racism (2021).
Lightning 1.4: ‘Students with Disabilities on Placements: Guidance on the Provision of Reasonable Accommodations on Practice-based Placements in Professionally Accredited Programmes’: An Overview
- Dr Vivian Rath, National Disabled Postgraduate Advisory CommitteeBarbara Waters, Journal Editor, AHEAD
Dr Vivian Rath National Disabled Postgraduate Advisory Committee
Dr Rath is a Research Fellow in TCPID, School of Education, TCD. He is currently coordinating a University wide piece of research on the belonging and social connectedness experiences of students in TCD. He co-coordinates the Disability Rights module and supervises masters students. He has a background and expertise in human rights, student leadership, success and in creating inclusive environments where everyone belongs. He is a Government of Ireland Ministerial appointee to the Board of the National Disability Authority and was a member of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Disability Advisory Committee. He is founder and Chair of the Trinity College Dublin Forum for Disabled Staff and the National Disabled Postgraduate Advisory Committee. He sits on the AHEAD/NDPAC #LaunchPAD Project Oversight Committee.
Barbara Waters Journal Editor, AHEAD
Barbara Waters is the Project Lead on the Reasonable Accommodations, Professional Placements (RAPP) Project, Barbara was Chief Executive of Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, UK. 1996- 2010. Barbara represented Skill nationally on policy issues in education and disability related to post 16 education, training and employment.
Since 2010 Barbara has worked as a researcher on further and higher education and disability. She was part of the LINK European network concerned with disabled students in higher education and has undertaken research on competence standards and learning outcomes in higher education for the Equality Challenge Unit, UK, published in 2015, looking particularly at Nursing, Teaching, Foreign Languages and STEM subjects. She was the evaluator of the Erasmus + programme on Universal Design for Learning completed in October 2016, and rapporteur for AHEAD Ireland in the MappED access programme with the Erasmus Student Network in 2017. Barbara is co-author of the AHEAD publication 'Students with Disabilities on Placement - Guidance on the Provision of Reasonable Accommodations on Practice-based Placements in Professionally Accredited Programmes' 2022.
She is currently the editor of the peer-to-peer Journal for AHEAD Ireland. She has an MA in Business and Public Sector Strategy and received an honorary doctorate from the Open University, UK.
11:55 Simultaneous Session: Lightning Session 2
11:55 Simultaneous Session: Lightning Session 2
Lightning 2.1: Assistive technology and feeling valued: Promoting inclusion for students with disabilities in higher education
- Dr Aoife McNicholl, Dublin City University
Dr Aoife McNicholl Dublin City University
Dr. Aoife McNicholl completed her PhD research on “Assistive technology outcomes and impacts among students with disabilities in higher education” in the School of Psychology in Dublin City University (DCU). She currently works as a part time lecturer in the School of Psychology and Universal Design Coordinator in DCU.
Lightning 2.2: UDL in Midwifery Education: Nurturing Students’ Sense of Coherence Towards Learning
Lightning 2.3: ENGAGE – An Online Learning Programme designed by Neurodivergent Educators for Neurodivergent Learners
- Claire O'Neill, Researcher and Writer, University College Cork
Claire O'Neill Researcher and Writer, University College Cork
Claire is a writer and researcher with a background in education. She is currently researching wellbeing experiences with Autistic teachers. Core principals of the Neurodiversity paradigm and Universal Design inform her work.
Lightning 2.4: Reasonable Accommodations for Disabled Staff in the Covid/Post-Covid Environment in Higher Education
- Dr Vivian Rath, National Disabled Postgraduate Advisory Committee Fiona Smyth, University College Dublin
Fiona Smyth University College Dublin
Fiona is an Assoc Prof in the School of Art History and Cultural Policy at UCD where she specialises in the History of Architecture and Science.