INHEF Special Feature
Project WAVE (Working Towards Academic and Vocational Equity)
This video submission showcases the voices and experiences of students from Atlantic Technological University’s (ATU) Project WAVE, highlighting inclusive education in action through authentic narratives documented in 3 short videos.
Through the Higher Education Authority’s Path 4 funding, ATU’s Project WAVE initiative delivers a two-year Level 6 QQI programme, creating meaningful opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities to access and participate fully in college life across four of the nine ATU campuses—Donegal (Letterkenny and Killybegs), Sligo, and Mayo (Castlebar). A total of 23 students are currently engaged in the programme which is designed to support students’ social, academic, and vocational development. Students take part in a blend of co-learning modules alongside their peers and specialist Project WAVE classes designed to scaffold their learning and build key skills. They also immerse themselves in wider campus life through clubs, societies, and community activities. The following video documents students reflecting on their experiences of the programme:
With their first year now successfully completed students have selected specific programme pathways aligned with their interests and are beginning work placements, extending their learning into vocational environments. After completing their first year, students returned to begin the second year of the programme, where they engaged in specific programme pathways aligned with their interests. They continued to reflect on key aspects of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), further developing their advocacy skills and personal voice through a project titled From the Dáil to the Campus. As part of this project, each Project WAVE class representative worked with their peers to identify the issues that mattered most to them. Students then visited Leinster House to meet with their local TDs and Senators, sharing their perspectives and raising topics of importance. Building on this experience, the students facilitated a workshop titled From the Dáil to the Campus – Standing Up for Inclusion as part of Student Confidence and Community Week. During this session, they discussed the issues that shape their everyday lives and considered how they can continue to advocate for meaningful inclusion within ATU and in the wider community. The following video documents the discussion that took place as part of Student Confidence and Community Week:
As the third semester draws to a close, the students and staff involved in the programme explore transitions from college to the workplace and reflect on their learning. The final video documents the students engaging in work-based learning, capturing the students’ journey as they grow in confidence, build their voice, and take their place as active contributors within ATU and the wider community. Their experiences demonstrate not only the personal impact of inclusive education but also the broader value it brings to campuses, workplaces, and society. This video piece was filmed in two locations, the first, at the Linenhall in Castlebar, which showcased the ATU Project WAVE exhibition Sensing Lannagh with artist and ATU graduate Emma Donoghue, funded by UPSTART Mayo County Council and Linenhall Arts Centre, and the second at the ATU Killybegs campus, where students engaged in the Hospitality pathway engage in a skills demonstration as part of a final assessment for one of their semester 3 modules:
