4th and 5th December 2024 University College Cork,
Ms. Sara Jo Soldovieri, Dr. Beth Myers
Dr. Péter László Horváth, Csilla Cserti-Szauer, Zsolt Cziráki, András Futár, Dr. Anikó Sándor
Mr Dale O’Neil, Ms Shannon Brooker, Mr Conor Barnwall, Ms Gillian Cronin, Ms Lia Dowling, Mr Darragh Finn, Ms Saoirse Keogh, Mr Conor Lynch, Ms Emma McGrath, Ms Rebecca Nolan, Ms Rosie Scahill, Dr Vivian Rath, Mr Des Aston
Ms. Jennette Kilroy, Ms Roisin McCormack, Ms. Edel Hannon
Lemkow-tovias,
Dr Catherine Kelly Mason, Ms/Mr Student Representative, Ms/Mr Student Representative, Dr Sara Kennedy, Dr Clare Power, Professor Martina Gooney, Dr Vicki Anderson
Mrs. Christina Penn, Mr. David Deutsch, Dr. Verena Hawelka, Mrs. Maria Kreilinger, Dr. Theresa Thalhamer
of Success Over and Under the Challenges of
Third Level Education: The voice of three students.
Mr. Marc Bolger, Ms. Deirdre Garvin, Ms. Mary Ruane
US: The voice of the student’s from ATU Letterkenny’s Project
WAVE (Working towards Academic and Vocational Equity)
Shaun Bradley, Meg Carr, Anna Hennessy, Roisin McCaughan, Kyle McCormack, Sinead McDevitt, Maire Eibhlin Ni Ghallachoir, Michael O’Donnell
Ian Coleman Horgan, Niamh Cronin, Phil McSweeney
learning for students and their peer buddies as part of ID+ project, UCC
Ms. Michelle Finnerty, Aisling Walsh, Con Creedon, Emma O’Connor
Mrs. Àngels Fusté-Gamisans, Dr Gabriel Lemkow-Tovias, Ms. Rosa Carné-Espelt, Mr Francesc Padró-De la Fuente, USA Prof. Bryan Dague
Ms. Emer Murphy, Ms Gillian Cronin, Mr Dale O’Neill, Ms Saoirse Keogh, Ms Emma McGrath, Ms Cliodhna O’Rourke, Ms Shannon Brooker
Rachel Taylor, Edel Hannon, Barry Leonard, Andrew Leyden, Kevin McLoughlin,
European State of the Art Conference
Inclusion in Action
University College Cork, Ireland
Western Gateway Building, 4th and 5th December 2024 Time Room Activity
8.30-9.30
9.30-9.45 G05 Welcome and Opening Address
Alexandra Moloney, UCC student and Dr Louise Callinan, Head of Access Policy, Higher Education Authority
9.45-10.45 G05
Keynote Presentation 1: Nurturing Inclusive Higher Education in Europe – Critical Insights from the Think College Experience. Prof. Meg Grigal, Director, Think College, University of Massachusetts Boston
Performance by the Inclusive Music Ensemble, MTU Cork School of Music + ø
1.45-3.15
3.45-4.45
WEDNESDAY 4TH DECEMBER
9.30-10.30
THURSDAY 5TH DECEMBER
Keynote Presentation 2: What can Inclusive Research and Inclusive Education for Students with ID in Higher Education Learn From Each Other?
Prof. Melanie Nind, School of Education, University of Southampton
peer support: A classroom facilitator’s educational journey
How to mentor but not to helicopter students in inclusive higher education – challenge and success factors of tutorial relationships
Safe Space Traffic Lights
This conference is a safe space, for people who might not feel like talking.
A coloured sticker on your name badge can be used to tell others how you feel.
Red: Here to listen.
Please do not talk to me. I would prefer to listen only.
Yellow: No strangers please.
I am happy to talk to people I have met before. I’d prefer not to talk to people I do not already know.
Green: Happy to talk.
I would like to meet and talk with other people.
You can change your sticker at any time, to suit your mood and energy levels.
Please take a sticker set from the registration desk!
Loop Love
Loop Love is a sculpture, an artwork, a sound machine and an experience!
Loop Love invites you to explore the range of wonderful sounds your voice can make. It invites you to be an artist, in your own way. You can speak, or sing, or just play with your voice, and hear it echo back to you.
Wednesday 4th December: 10.45am to 3.15pm in Room G14
Thursday 5th December: 10.15am to 2.30pm in Room G14
Eva or Saoirse will be there, to show you how to use Loop Love in your own way!
More information about Loop Love: www.yvonbonenfant.com/work/loop-love
You can scan the qr code with your phone to watch the love loop
Loop Love emerged from a research and development process funded by the Irish Research Council. To learn about that process of development, refer to book chapter: Bonenfant, Y. (2024). Voices as Aesthetic Material: Celebrating that Disabled, Marginalised Voices (are) Matter, in Rose, R. and Shevlin, M. (eds.) ‘Including Voices: Respecting the Experiences of Individuals from Marginalised Communities’, Leeds, UK, Emerald, pp. 13-26.
Yvon Bonenfant, the Artistic Director of the project, gratefully acknowledges the support of: Arts Council (Ireland); production support by Suisha Arts of the Cope Foundation and Cork Opera House; collaborating artists Alex Pentek (Artist) and Jeffrey Weeter (Sound Artist, co-Designer); facilitators Eva McMullan and Saoirse Garet; and producer Yvonne Coughlan.
Graphic Recording
Hazel Hurley will be doing Graphic Recording during the conference.
This means she will draw pictures and write down key points, to help explain what’s being said. It’s like taking notes, but with drawings, so people can see and understand the main ideas better.
We hope Hazel’s drawings will make the conference information easier to remember and share with others.
If you see Hazel during the conference, feel free to tell her what you think about her drawings!
www.hazelhurley.com
Inclusive Music Ensemble (IME)
Lunchtime performance, 4th December
Inclusive Music Ensemble is a collection of college courses for people who would not usually have access to university.
It is a partnership between Munster Technological University and Cork Education and Training Board.
Many of the learners have disabilities, intellectual and physical, ranging from moderate to profound.
Inclusive Music Ensemble tries to be an inclusive place for artistic and creative expression, participation, and education.
We facilitate social and cultural interaction between everyone in Inclusive Music Ensemble, through music and performance.
Parallel Sessions A
A1: Insights from the International Inclusive Education Landscape
Exploring
the
Landscapes of Inclusive Postsecondary Education: A Scoping Literature Review
Ms. Sara Jo Soldovieri2, Dr. Beth Myers1
1Syracuse University, Syracuse, USA, 2The Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education Syracuse University, Syracuse, USA
Through the creation and increasing adoption of Inclusive Post Secondary Education (IPSE) programs, more students with Intellectual Disability are now enrolled in colleges and universities than ever before (Grigal et al., 2024; Think College, 2024). IPSE programs not only provide a pathway to colleges for students with Intellectual Disability who may otherwise not meet standard admission requirements (e.g. ACT/SAT scores, high school diploma requirements) but also provide levels of support unavailable to matriculated or degree seeking college students (e.g. modified course work).
However, the landscape of IPSE is complex and continually evolving, necessitating a thorough review of existing research to understand its current state and identify areas for improvement. Therefore, this scoping review offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of research in IPSE, enriching the ongoing dialogue on inclusive education and illuminating pathways for advancing inclusivity in postsecondary settings.
This study examines the current state of research in the field of inclusive postsecondary education, including its scope, key concepts, methodologies, outcomes, and gaps. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of research in IPSE, enriching the ongoing dialogue on inclusive education and illuminating pathways for advancing inclusivity in postsecondary settings.
Additionally, the review explores the conceptual underpinnings, programmatic components, outcomes, and challenges of IPSE programs across various types of studies while also shedding light on populations or perspectives that are underrepresented or marginalized in the existing literature.
The BLuE University Programme as an Irritation in an Inclusive University
Maria Kreilinger1, Dr. Verena Hawelka1, Jule Grosser1
1Salzburg University of Education Stefan Zweig, Salzburg, Austria
BLuE is an inclusive university programme at the Salzburg University of Education. Participatory research has shown that a common educational space can only be created through cooperation within a community of ‘different equals’ (Schneider, 2016). It has also shown that permanent negotiation of inclusion and exclusion is necessary (Bohn, 2008). It is evident that ‘BLuE (...) has not yet arrived at the entire university’ (Deutsch et al., 2024, p. 199). A questionnaire study was conducted to find out what it takes for inclusion to be present throughout the university.
We will present our results: Inclusive university is associated with a certain attitude or accessibility. Comments mentioning accessibility include both the structural requirements of the building and the design of the courses. Most of participants stated that they can identify with an inclusive university. But affection in their everyday working life is significantly lower. Overall, the results indicate that the responsibility for inclusion is primarily seen as the responsibility of the students and staff concerned. In line with the empowerment sharing approach (Can, 2022), however, it can be assumed that the actions of privileged powerful people are needed to provide capital (Bourdieu, 1983) to those affected. Accordingly, transformation processes from educational institutions to inclusive organizations also require active ‘empowerment sharing’ (Can, 2022) by the established actors from their respective positions of power and action. This means that the responsibility lies with all actors to create a common educational space. Shared responsibility should minimize contradictions and mechanisms of ‘exclusionary inclusion’ (Bohn, 2008).
Think College at the University of Vermont, USA
Prof.
Bryan Dague1
1University of Vermont, USA, Burlington, United States
In 2010 the University of Vermont received a 5-year federal grant to establish an inclusive college program for students with intellectual disabilities. Think College at the University of Vermont is an innovative, inclusive, academic, social, and vocational program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism seeking a college experience and career path. Think College incorporates student-centered planning, academic advising, and peer mentors for an inclusive, supportive college experience. Think College is a 2 to
3-year, certificate program through the University of Vermont including typical university classes and vocational internships to gain valuable employment skills. This presentation will share the establishment and evolution, successes, challenges, and lessons learned from this innovative program. During the tenure of our program, we’ve had over 50 students complete the program with a 90% employment rate. Over 200 university students have been employed as peer mentors. Presenter will share the design, impact and results of the program on the students, families, peer mentors, faculty, and the university community.
A2: Students as Collaborators in Teaching Initiatives
We teach together! The participation of people with intellectual disabilities as lecturers in Hungarian higher education
Dr. Péter László Horváth1, Csilla Cserti-Szauer2, Zsolt Cziráki1, András Futár2, Dr. Anikó Sándor2
1Apor Vilmos Catholic College, Vác, Hungary, 2ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education, Budapest, Hungary
In our presentation we introduce case studies on how we work together with people with intellectual disabilities as an inclusive team at the ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education in Budapest and the Apor Vilmos Catholic College in Vác.
In the former institution, we have a nearly decade-long tradition of applying the participatory higher education method in the training of special needs teachers. In the latter, we are currently piloting the method in the training of mainstream teachers. The “We teach together! Participatory Higher Education Methodology” received a national award for the internationalisation of higher education and is also a registered innovative know-how of the ELTE Eötvös Loránd University. We discuss the advantages of employing participatory teachers with intellectual disabilites, as well as the challenges that our team has experienced due to the performance-driven, elitist and ableist academic setting. We analyse how our method shapes the academic community, how we prepare, organise and evaluate the seminars, and how we involve our students in this process. We will also address the requirements of adapting the method outside of the teacher training.
In our opinion, the method cannot be applied within the traditional higher
education framework of frontal teaching, which focuses almost exclusively on the acquisition of lexical knowledge. The state-of-the-art pedagogy in higher education aims at developing skills, attitudes, responsibility and autonomy, in addition to increasing knowledge in line with specific learning outcomes. Participatory teaching is highly contributing to these competencies.
Learner Advocates: Co-Designing Disability Awareness in Higher Education.
Mr Dale O’Neil1, Ms Shannon Brooker1, Mr Conor Barnwall1, Ms Gillian Cronin1, Ms Lia Dowling1, Mr Darragh Finn1, Ms Saoirse Keogh1, Mr Conor Lynch1, Ms Emma McGrath1, Ms Rebecca Nolan1, Ms Rosie Scahill1, Dr Vivian Rath1, Mr Des Aston1
1Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
This project looks at how second-year ASIAP students at the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities take part in a Disability Rights module. The goal is to help them get more involved in the community. The study focusses on their experiences to learn how they engage with the module.
In this project, the students are both learners and researchers. It started because students said the module helped them feel more confident and believe they can make a difference. There aren’t many projects like this, so it also aims to add to academic knowledge.
The project began in January when students formed a committee to plan an event about disability awareness. They had classes to help them build important skills. The study follows everything the students do, so we can fully understand how they learn about disability models and key parts of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In the module, they talk about rights and issues that affect disabled people. They also learn how important it is to make sure disabled people’s voices are heard. The students develop skills to stand up for their own rights and the rights of others.
For this research, the team looks at student feedback, coursework, personal reflections, and held focus groups. By working closely together, the study aims to improve understanding of how to help people with disabilities get more involved in the advocacy and to bring about change in education and society.
Reflecting on Inclusive Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the Inclusive Learning Initiative
Dr Bernie Grummell1, Michael Gannon, Laura Burke
1Maynooth University, Dept of Adult & Community Education
This presentation with staff and students from the Inclusive Learning Initiative in Maynooth University will explore how inclusive education is experienced by students, educators and university professionals and translated into practice in teaching, learning and assessment.
The ILI is a fully inclusive model which means students with intellectual disabilities individually navigate their own higher education experience and are not part of a group training programme. Using person-centred plans and modular learning plans, students engaged in existing modules, programmes on the undergraduate curriculum, utilise the support services on campus and engage in university life.
The presentation will include a blend of discussion and videos by staff and students from the ILI, focusing on two aspects of ILI assessment:
i) how students themselves, with support from staff and team, educating the university and teaching staff on inclusive teaching and learning. This will explore what we mean by student-directed and inclusive learning.
ii) The flexible accreditation process which mean that students completed the academic assessments associated with their module (negotiating the format with their lecturer following UDL principles). Submitted work was then assessed by the lecturer and mapped onto the qualifications framework. Each student graduated with a personalised learning certificate of successfully completed undergraduate modules. We will discuss how maintaining existing academic criteria combined with flexible, multi-modal and responsive modes of communication and presentation were key in this process.
A3: Expanding Inclusive Spaces and Practices
Reflecting
on a PPI
project: Transitioning from PPI to Co-Researcher in Higher Education
1Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland, 2Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland, 3PPI-ID@UL members, Limerick, Ireland
Background: The Irish National Access Plan mandates higher education institutions to provide inclusive educational opportunities that are responsive to the needs of students from all sections of society. The plan identifies people with intellectual disability as one group that require equal access to higher level education with appropriate supports to enable positive learning opportunities.
Patient and public involvement (PPI) fosters a partnership between people with lived experience of intellectual disability and education, members of the public, and researchers to ensure research processes and findings are both relevant and impactful. In one Irish university, a PPI group employed as co-researchers was established to explore the opportunities required to create an inclusive environment and increase engagement within higher education for people with intellectual disability.
Method: The aim is to provide an account of the co-researchers experience as part of a research team in higher education. A reflective approach was taken, drawing on data from researchers notes, e-mail correspondence and meeting documentation. Data is presented narratively to illustrate the coresearchers’ experiences and involvement throughout the research cycle.
Findings: The reflections detail the co-researcher experiences of learning to conduct research and contribute to writing up the findings. Learning to research and write up the findings. The team worked collaboratively to approach the research task, valuing each researcher’s unique experience in conducting meaningful research and presenting recommendations to shape future practice.
Conclusions: The establishment of a co-researcher group within an Irish university demonstrates a proactive effort to foster inclusive environments and increasing engagement in higher education for individuals with intellectual disability. This highlights the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing the needs of marginalised communities. The findings suggest that co-researchers gained valuable research skills and actively contributed to decision-making as part of the research team.
Enjoying inclusive university learning spaces: Embracing diversity,
Dr
participation, and belonging
Katie Power1, Dr Briony Supple2, Dr Fiona Chambers2, Dr Brent Carnell3
1Munster Technological University, Ireland, 2University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, 3University College London, London, United Kingdom
This presentation will highlight a set of best practice guidelines for the design and use of learning spaces, focusing on three main themes: social justice and human rights; identity and belonging, and empowering of people within university campuses. A core foundation of the guidelines is to encourage university personnel to sustain an inclusive education approach in the design and use of spaces. The guidelines, developed as part of a doctoral study, will be shared and explained to the audience.
Through dialogue and imagery, the presentation will give real case examples of supporting people with intellectual disability (ID) within learning spaces. While good practices will be highlighted, we will also provide suggestions for improvements to be actioned for greater promotion of inclusion for people with ID.
Research on space design will evidence approaches being taken nationally and internationally to promote equality of access, wellbeing in use, building confidence with interactions and encouraging active participation for all students and faculty in physical university spaces (Page, Anderson & Charteris, 2021). The presentation will encourage the audience to reflect on their own experiences of space design through the lens of inclusion and visualise their desires for inclusive university campuses of the future.
The conclusion of the presentation will synopsise the progress that is being made for people with ID in the design and orientation of physical spaces and will recommend ways that improvements may be introduced and maintained within Irish universities to optimise inclusion for all, for instance within artistic spaces (Hall, 2010).
References:
Hall, E., (2010). Spaces of social inclusion and belonging for people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 54, 48-57.
Page A., Anderson, J., Charteris, J. (2021). Including students with disabilities in innovative learning environments: a model for inclusive practices. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 27(4), 1696-1711.
Parallel Sessions B B1: Workshop
joinIN Symposium: Next steps for a successful future
Prof. Wolfgang Plaute1, Prof. Michael Shevlin2, Dr. Meg Grigal3
1University of Education Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria, 2Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 3think college, Boston, USA
In 2022, the network “joinIN - European Network for Inclusive Higher Education” was founded. This loose association of European IPSE programmes has set itself the goal of supporting the sustainability and development of existing and future inclusive education initiatives for students with intellectual disabilities across Europe. Pooling experience and expertise and making it usable for different cultural areas are challenging tasks. To do justice to this, cooperation needs to be professionalised. Many IPSE programmes thrive on the people’s commitment; additional functions beyond the local level can only be managed with additional infrastructure and funding. The national area alone presents us with significant challenges. Continental or global cooperation is only feasible with a stable and well-funded infrastructure. However, in these collaborations, an opportunity lies far beyond the narrower sense of IPSE programmes. This opportunity lies in the added value for the entire education system and, thus, our societies.
This symposium aims to take stock and discuss the necessary next steps. National and international experiences should be helpful in this regard:
1. Meg Grigal: Experiences of the US-American network think college (working title)
2. Michael Shevlin: Learning from recent developments in policy and practice in Ireland.
3. Wolfgang Plaute: Visions for global co-operation (working title)
Together, we will discuss the next steps based on the keynote speeches, which should help establish inclusive post-secondary education for people with intellectual disabilities as a sustainable component of education systems at various levels (local to global).
B2: Workshop
Supporting Self- Advocacy: Centering student voice in their campus journey
Mrs. Brianna Shults, Mr. Sam Roux, Mrs. Karly Grifasi
1Syracuse University - InclusiveU, Syracuse, United States
It is critically important to center student voice and experience in IPSE programs. Many students need support honing their self-advocacy skills so they can have a meaningful college experience and successful post-college outcomes.
Several self-advocacy curriculums exist and are taught by IPSE programs, but connecting theory to skill can be difficult. InclusiveU at Syracuse University, one of the largest IPSE programs in the world, has over a decade of experience supporting students in accessing opportunities to grow as self-advocates. This workshop’s goal is to explore ways to support students in being centered in their campus journey. We will discuss the need for more opportunities to practice self-advocacy outside the classroom and how self-advocacy skills translate to successful employment and independent living outcomes. We will also engage attendees on how using person-centered planning mechanisms can facilitate the skill-building needed for successful self-advocacy.
We’ll share perspective and voice through video testimonials from IPSE students on how they advocate on their own campus. Participants will be asked to share their definitions and experiences around self-advocacy.
We will collaborate to create a template on how to help students grow their self-advocacy skills - using current experiences from participants in the room.
This session will be relatable for people involved with IPSE, including current program staff, students (potential/alumni/current), parents and anyone else interested in building or currently working with a program. There is no capacity limit for this workshop and setup should be conducive to group work.
B3: Inclusive Education: Exploring Educator Roles in the Classroom
Advancing Inclusive Education: Empowering Students with Intellectual Disabilities through Collaborative Teacher Training
Dr Camelia Nadia Bran1, Dr Joao Costa
1University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
The inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in higher education remains a critical challenge and opportunity for fostering a genuinely inclusive educational environment. This paper/presentation explores a collaborative model within an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme aimed at enhancing the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities. Through a case study conducted in an Irish university, the study highlights the integration of a Certificate in Disability-Inclusive Practice (CDIP) with a concurrent ITE degree, focusing on inclusive pedagogy in Physical Education and Arts.
The initiative involved co-learning and co-teaching modules where student teachers and CDIP students collaboratively designed, implemented, and assessed inclusive education strategies. The assessment design ensured that insights from CDIP students were integral to the student teachers’ evaluation reports from their school placement sites, fostering a deeper, person-centered approach to inclusive education. Thematic findings revealed significant benefits for both groups; student teachers developed a nuanced understanding of inclusive practices in their educational practice and school placement sites, while CDIP students experienced increased feelings of value and inclusion as experts from experience.
The study underscores the importance of innovative pedagogical approaches, curriculum adaptation, and continuous professional development to prepare future educators for diverse classrooms. It also highlights the necessity for educational institutions to support inclusive practices by integrating universal design principles and fostering a supportive academic culture. The collaborative model presented offers a replicable framework for enhancing inclusive education, emphasizing the voices and rights of students with intellectual disabilities.
Empowering Inclusion: The Role and Value of Teaching and Learning Assistants in Higher Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Ms. Angela Mazzocco1
1Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID), Dublin, Ireland
University education and lifelong learning should be achievable for anyone who wishes to pursue it, and every student should get the support they need to achieve their goals. This presentation will focus on the role and value of teaching and learning (T&L) assistants in higher education for people with intellectual disabilities. I will reflect on my experience working and growing in this role in Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID) since 2022.
As a T&L assistant, a large part of my role is providing academic support for students both in their modules and through independent study sessions. I work closely with the Occupational Therapists (OT) and the lecturers in TCPID to reflect on student progress and engagement and can implement specific supports as identified and recommended by the OT staff. As a role that interacts with students daily, the T&L assistant can also provide insights to the wider team on the supports and barriers to their inclusion in TCPID.
In my presentation, I will outline the key responsibilities of a T&L assistant. I will offer specific examples of the support for teaching and learning undertaken, such as creating accessible easy read content for students, providing in-class support, and running independent study sessions. I will also explain the boundaries of the T&L role- how it differs from an SNA role, and how students are empowered to decide when they want to avail themselves of academic support.
Becoming an educational assistant – We can learn from everybody involved
Dr. Jürgen Bauer1, MEd Katharina Brunner2, David Deutsch2, MEd Lisa Lindner2, Mag. Michael Tockner1, Theresa Thalhamer1
1Salzburg University of Education Stefan Zweig, Salzburg, Austria, 2Primary school of the Salzburg University of Education Stefan Zweig, Salzburg, Austria
The BLuE programme is an inclusive programme at the Salzburg University of Education Stefan Zweig. BLuE students complete internships every semester. It helps them prepare to get a job as an educational assistant. We are a participatory research team. That means we have people with disabilities and people without disabilities on our team.
Project
Our team includes:
• an educational assistant with a disability
• the teachers he works with
• academic researchers
We want to find answers to our questions: How can we make sure BLuE students are well-prepared to be educational assistants?
• How can we make sure their way into the workplace is successful?
We collected different information for our research.
We interviewed teachers and principals. We asked an educational assistant and children about their experiences. We looked at laws.
We found out a few things:
• The internship is important.
• It helps people get to know each other.
• It helps the educational assistant learn new skills.
• Children like having the assistant in class.
• We learned about the laws.
• The laws will have to be changed.
We will use what we have learned to help us reach our goals:
• Make our programme better.
• Better support BLuE students.
• More BLuE students will be successful educational assistants.
We want to share this information with people so they can use it to make their programme better too. We want everybody to understand our talk. We will present in easy-to-read English.
B4: Learning Through Doing in Inclusive Education Contexts
From Life Skills to Professional Skills via Experiential Learning
Mr. Gerard O Carroll1
1MTU Kerry, Tralee, Ireland
In September 2023 in MTU Kerry, a group of sixteen students with ID embarked on a yearlong journey which led to a rewarding experience, some challenging tasks, a sense of achievement and some unforeseen professional opportunities. This presentation recounts that journey from the perspective of the learners, their tutor and the subject experts. It will use photographic and video evidence and personal stories. This was part of a project supported by MTU to inform Path 4 course provision.
First off, the learners experienced and learned the skills required to prepare a simple meal for themselves (life skills). This was followed by joint sessions in the kitchen where the group worked together to prepare, cook and serve a full meal. In parallel, the students engaged in a QQI level 6 module in Food & Beverage Preparation and Service. This entailed a full restaurant experience in a simulated professional environment. Both elements of the project, practical sessions in kitchen and engaging with theory, supplemented each other and allowed students exhibit individual strengths.
Outcomes in the following domains were noted : personal development, communication and expression, self-efficacy, team work, professional identity, job readiness, life skills.
Take aways: experiential learning works, time for consolidation of skills is required, skills transfer to the professional world needs support, the learning experience can be fun, a job may be awaiting.
The Chautauqua design for InD accessing Higher Education
Mrs. Cynthia McCauley1
1Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School, Panama City, United States
Thursday, October 10th, 2024, five inclusive pairs of dual-enrolled college/high school students -Chautauqua students with InD and their gifted mentors of the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program will travel to Tallahassee, Florida. These inclusive teams have been asked to address the Medical Students Honors Society of Florida State University. Why? The president of this society was a former AICE mentor. She felt it imperative her fellow medical students learn even a small amount of all she learned working alongside students with InD. This simple example captures the value of our Chautauqua/ Bay AICE model.
Chautauqua and AICE students are considered high school students but are allowed to ‘dual-enroll’ in courses at our local college, Gulf Coast State College. The credit transfers to colleges after graduation. For the Chautauqua/AICE mentoring pairs this dual-enrolled course is largely a service-learning internship. Service-learning reflects our mission and our methodology. Gifted AICE students do not volunteer for the disabled, they volunteer with the disabled. Together they complete reciprocal projects that advance the needs of other disabled across our community, state, and the world. Our global service-learning projects have benefited the marginalized in forty-five countries and seven continents (eight continents if you divide Oceana.)
Notably, beyond the Medical Honor Society presentation, Chautauqua/Bay students have presented to numerous organizations including the United Nations. They were also selected as delegates to the 2024 World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Monterrey, Mexico. We hope to share our experiences and design with JoinIN in inspiring UCC in December.
Practice Showcase 1
Name of Showcase
Higher education and citizenship: What UCC has done for me
Who will talk?
Prof. Jan Walmsley, independent expert in inclusive research and practice
William O’Donovan, UCC graduate
Kayleigh Twomey, UCC graduate
3 Key messages
1. Jan will explain citizenship, and why higher education is important for citizens with intellectual disability.
2. William and Kayleigh will tell you why being a student at UCC was important to them.
3. We will ask you to think of more ways higher education can support people to be active citizens.
Parallel Sessions C C1: Peer Partnerships for Creating Inclusive Learning
Establishing a University Disability Alliance Fellows’ Project “The Promotion of Inclusive Higher Education through partnerships between College Students with and without ID/DD”
Ms.
Amy Schuler1, Dr Jerry Petroff2
1The College of New Jersey, Ewing, USA, 2The College of New Jersey, Ewing, USA
Disability is often excluded from conversations and initiatives of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) movement or not provided the required visibility (Casey, 2020). This exclusion is significantly realized within the higher education communities, in which, students with intellectual / developmental disabilities (ID/DD) are vastly underrepresented and programs to meet their specialized learning / social development needs are limited.
This session is designed to address an approach to assuring the appropriate inclusion of college students with ID through establishing a University Disability Alliance Fellows Project that forges the efforts and partnerships between college students with and without ID/DD to take deliberate steps in assuring (1) the meaningful inclusion of students (and others) with disabilities within every area of the university campus community; and (2) that all students, faculty and staff are well prepared to prevent the exclusion of peers with disabilities within their respective areas and fields of study.
The Disability Alliance Fellows Project is a campus-wide systems-change initiative designed to transform the university community’s approach to individuals with ID/DD. By engaging small groups of student fellows—both with and without disabilities—this project promotes a deeper understanding of disability studies, history, and theory. The goal is to create an environment that supports the successful inclusion of individuals with disabilities.
This presentation will outline the elements and design of this innovative project, including the planning activities necessary for replication and success.
Providing peer support: a classroom facilitator’s educational journey
Dr Sara Kennedy1, Ms Shannon McGuire Molloy1, Mr Hugh O’Callaghan1, Dr Catherine Kelly Mason1, Dr Clare Power1, Professor Martina Gooney1, Dr Vicki Anderson1
1South East Technological University, Waterford, Ireland,
The inclusion of peer facilitators with intellectual disabilities in third-level education offers a transformative approach to fostering inclusivity and diversity within academic settings. Two peer facilitators Ms Shannon McGuire Molly and Mr Hugh O Callaghan have been employed by SETU, recognising the importance of peer-to-peer support for the Certificate in Personal Development Programme They propose to present their experiences in this role and the benefits of their involvement from the perspective of the facilitator and the students they support.
They both offer a unique and invaluable contribution to fostering an inclusive and supportive culture. They offer firsthand experience of their contribution and impact. Their involvement not only empowers students but also enhances the learning environment for all. By taking on leadership roles, these peer facilitators act as role models, offering valuable insights while also contributing to the development of more accessible educational spaces.
Both Shannon and Hugh highlight the critical link they offer between students and staff, helping to bridge gaps in communication and understanding, while advocating for the needs and rights of individuals with intellectual disabilities within third level education. Peer facilitators serve as role models, demonstrating career pathways that exist post third level education. The integration of peer facilitators into higher educational settings benefits not only the students but also the facilitators. Facilitators gain confidence, communication skills, and a sense of achievement, while students receive guidance and support from individuals who have successfully navigated similar challenges. This reciprocal relationship cultivates a more inclusive and diverse academic community.
How To Mentor but Not to Helicopter Students in Inclusive Higher Education - Challenge
and Succes
Factors
of Tutorial Relationships
Dr Verena Hawelka1, Maria Kreilinger1, Christina Penn1
1Salzburg University of Education Stefan Zweig,
We are a group of researchers who are all part of the BLuE university programme at the Salzburg University of Education Stefan Zweig, Austria (https://phsalzburg.at/studium/blue-hochschulprogr/ or https://phsalzburg. at/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BLuE-Inclusive-Post-Secondary-EducationProgramme.pdf). This is a programme for people with attributed intellectual or mental disabilities. It’s an inclusive, four-year program where BLuE students attend courses with students of the primary education programme and have internships once a week.
Each BLuE student has a team of 5-7 tutors (students of the primary education programme) that help them with their courses and other university activities.
We conducted two studies (Deutsch et al., 2024; Hawelka et al., under revision). In the first study (Deutsch et al., 2024), we interviewed BLuE students and their tutors to learn about the challenges and what works well in the support they receive. In the second study (Hawelka et al., under revision), we used g to understand how BLuE students and tutors work together.
One of us has graduated from this program, and two of us are lectures in it. We want to share what we’ve learned about how tutorial relationships seem to work. We noticed that tutors often take on responsibilities without talking about it with the students. Tutors and BLuE students should talk openly about who is responsible for different tasks. Tutors shall not manage everything for the BLuE students. Tutors and BLuE students should discuss how the BLuE students can take on more responsibilities and become more independent in their studies and at best in their lives. (Abstract in Plain Language)
C2: What are Students Telling us about Being in Higher Education?
‘Things that helped me learn’. A celebration of student voice and shared perspectives in teaching and learning for inclusive higher education
Dr Orla Slattery1
1Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Limerick
People with intellectual disability are strong self-advocates with a unique perspective on the teaching and learning strategies and techniques which support inclusion in College life and learning. This presentation will showcase these insights and celebrate the voice of people with ID, who will share and reflect on their experience of going to College and the things that helped each of them grow and learn in that environment. We will also share some of the challenges and opportunities associated with including people with ID and reflect on some of the teaching and learning strategies and interventions that have helped educators to support the learning development of people with ID on the CGLPD programme at MIC.
Capturing the student voice in the implementation of a third level programme in the TU sector for students with intellectual disabilities.
Ms. Jennette Kilroy1, Ms Roisin McCormack2, Ms. Edel Hannon3
Programmes both in Ireland and the United States have existed for the past 20 years and have evolved to create a wide range of academic opportunities for student with intellectual disabilities. The success of these programmes is well documented. (Grigal, M., Papay, C., Bukaty, C. (2023). Inclusive Higher Education for Students with Intellectual Disability: What We Know from the Most Recent Data, Boston, MA: University of Massachusetts Boston, Institute for Community Inclusion). Path 4 funding in Ireland has opened the door to allow third level institutions to create inclusive education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities.
The ATU programme funded through Path 4 was developed by capturing the interests and needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Working with community organisations, ATU conducted focus group sessions with individuals
with intellectual disabilities across the northwest and western regions of Ireland. In total 8 focus group session were held with a total number of 64 participants.
This presentation will demonstrate how the “student voice” guided the development of ATU’s third level programme for students with intellectual disabilities and how the student voice continues to influence the direction of the programme. Strategies for including the community in the development and implementation of the programme will be shared. At present, ATU has 23 students enrolled in a two-year Certificate in Personal and Vocational Development programme. A participant in the focus group session who is now enrolled at ATU will share their experience on being included in programme design and the importance of the student voice.
An Exploration of How People with Intellectual Disability Experience Post-Secondary Education and Perceive Higher Education.
Owen Doody1,2, Therese Hennessy1,2, Jennifer McMahon1
1Department of Nursing and Midwifery University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland, 2Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
Aim
To explore how individuals with intellectual disability perceive higher education and their expectations following secondary school.
Background
Higher education institutions are increasingly taking steps to provide access to individuals with intellectual disability. Countries like Ireland are exploring ways to include individuals with intellectual disability in higher education, supported by national and international policies. Despite these efforts, the number of students with intellectual disability in higher education remains small, and implementing inclusive education poses significant challenges. Therefore, it is important when developing third level educational opportunities for this population to listen to their experiences of education and what they want from education programmes. This study explores the perspectives of people with intellectual disability on third level colleges and their experience of education.
Design
A qualitative descriptive study.
Methods
A semi-structured focus group interview was conducted with five individuals with intellectual disability and an educator. The interview was audio recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.
Results
The findings describe how individuals with intellectual disability perceive university focusing on their educational and social experiences. The findings are captured within four themes, social connections and inclusion, likes and aspirations, education and educational achievements and Imagine Studying in University.
Conclusion
Findings show that while participants hold strong educational and social aspirations, they encounter significant barriers, including unfamiliar environments, limited social integration, and insufficient support systems. The study concludes that higher education institutions need to adopt more comprehensive inclusion practices that address both academic and social needs, aligning with the aspirations of students with intellectual disabilities. Key recommendations include developing tailored academic programs that meet the needs of students with intellectual disabilities, enhancing opportunities for social integration, providing structured support systems, and creating work placement opportunities to support future employment.
C3: Workshop
Equity and inclusion in Science education for all: practical strategies and resources
Dr Gabriel Lemkow-tovias1, Mrs M. Lluïsa Sort-Garcia1, Dr. Miryam Navarro-Rúperez1
1Faculty of Social Sciences in Manresa (UVic-UCC), Manresa, Spain
In current democratic societies, striving towards equity and inclusion in the different education fields should be primordial. Furthermore, currently we live in a world in which technological and scientific developments generate new opportunities and impact in our daily environments (climate crisis, health lockdowns, AI development, sustainable resources, etc.) leading to important decisions that ought to be taken by the affected communities. Yet barriers to inclusion in science education impede allowing them take democratic informed decisions. It is thus important to offer tools on how to dismantle barriers to scientific knowledge also to persons with Intellectual Disability and/or other forms of Disability. Also to allow them become visible central actors in science initiatives, thus positively impacting local and global territories. The Horizon 2020 project “Communities for Sciences (C4S) – Towards Promoting an Inclusive Approach in Science Education” raised awareness and
produced practical tools on how to make science education truly accessible and inclusive, striving towards equity in scientific pedagogical activities aimed for children and youth.
This seminar will put into play and discuss the current social perception about science and discriminatory practices in the science field towards persons in vulnerability risk situation (such as persons with ID), with practical activities on how to tackle science education from an equity perspective. Also will present some C4S practical resources to confront inequity and lack of accessibility in pedagogical initiatives related to science education.
Parallel Sessions D
D1: Enabling Voice and Expression with Students using Creative Methods
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Utilizing Photo Elicitation and Photovoice for Inclusive Storytelling by College Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Dr Catherine Kelly Mason1, Ms/Mr Student Representative1, Ms/Mr Student Representative1, Dr Sara Kennedy1, Dr Clare Power1, Professor Martina Gooney1, Dr Vicki Anderson1
1South East Technological University, Waterford, Ireland,
The use of photography or photovoice as a methodology has been used successfully in many studies (Wang and Burns 1997; St John et al. 2021). Photo elicitation, a method that uses photographs to trigger deeper reflection and conversation, has proven to be particularly effective in facilitating dialogue for students with intellectual disabilities (Harper D 2002). Photovoice, a complementary technique, enables participants to capture images that represent their lived experiences, fostering a platform for expression that transcends traditional verbal communication.
This presentation showcases the innovative use of photo elicitation and photovoice as participatory research tools to empower college students with intellectual disabilities in sharing their personal stories and experiences. Through these visual methods, students are able to articulate their perspectives in a more accessible and engaging manner, highlighting their journeys in education, social inclusion, and self-advocacy.
In this presentation, some of the students from the Certificate in Personal Development level six programme will share their own photos and narratives,
demonstrating the power of visual storytelling in advocating for greater inclusion and understanding within educational settings. They will also reflect on their educational journey in SETU and the impact of this experience on their lives. In addition, this approach will be presented as a communication model for inclusive practices in higher education and research.
The Inclusive Music Ensemble at Cork School of Music – an initiative for artistic and creative expression, participation, and education within higher education
Dr Andy Ingamells1, Mr Hugh McCarthy2
1MTU Cork School of Music, Cork, Ireland, 2MTU Cork School of Music, Cork, Ireland
The Inclusive Music Ensemble (IME) collection of college courses commenced in late 2021. Many of the learners have disabilities, intellectual and physical, ranging from moderate to profound, that would usually exclude them from partaking in Higher Education Institution activities.
IME consists of several programmes of learning being co-delivered in a single inclusive classroom setting in MTU Cork School of Music (CSM). IME strives to be an inclusive initiative for artistic and creative expression, participation, and education. We welcome a diverse mix of participants of various levels of ability in the ensemble and facilitate social and cultural interaction between everyone involved through the medium of music and performance.
In the past year IME has collaborated with Irish National Opera (INO) to create a composition for film inspired by Vivaldi’s opera l’Olimpiade. The group worked closely with mezzo-soprano Gemma Ní Bhriain from INO alongside the Everyman’s education and community manager Maev O’Shea to develop the piece. In this presentation we will screen the film (duration 5 minutes) and discuss how this work emerged from the open, creative and collaborative environment of the ensemble. We will cover how our methods for developing musical pieces through prose scores, annotated Digital Audio Workstation sessions and audiovisual documentation can serve as open educational resources that can be used by other groups nationally and internationally to foster inclusive musical education and performance.
Human Rights in Action
Ms. Deirdre Bonar1, Mr Sean Donegan2
1TU Dublin, North Road, Blanchardstown, Ireland, 2Avista, Blanchardstown, Ireland
The Learning Together Programme in TU Dublin caters for students with intellectual disabilities. The programme is inclusive, with students from the programme completing up to 5 modules per year from other programmes.
An important topic for the students on the programme is that of human rights. A significant amount of time is dedicated to teaching and discussing human rights and the place of human rights in the lives of the students. At the same time first year Social Care students are learning about human rights and the importance of the human rights approach as a basis for the work they will undertake as social care workers.
This paper will give an account of a human rights project undertaken by 4 first year students on the Learning Together Programme and 4 first year students on the Social Care Programme. This project is student lead with support from a lecturer and a social care worker. The students worked together on a weekly basis over 12 weeks. Using photovoice methodology the 8 students as rights holders photographed and discussed how their human rights are realised through their participation in the Learning Together and Social Care programmes in TU Dublin. They also highlight any limitations or challenges to their human rights which they experience.
The presentation will be jointly delivered by the student group, lecturer and support staff. The presentation will feature photographs taken by the student group along with a commentary on their observation and their learning from being involved in the project.
D2: Workshop
Building Professional Knowledge about Inclusive Higher Education: Critical Factors of Success
Dr Clare Papay1, Dr Meg Grigal1, Dr Beth Myers2
1Think College, Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston, Boston, USA, 2Taishoff Center for Inclusive for Inclusive Higher Education, Syracuse University, Syracuse, USA
This session will explore key elements supporting growth and sustainability of inclusive higher education programs and practices. In the US, a national conference, a dedicated journal, and comprehensive technical assistance are all used to expand capacity and build a professional knowledge base in the field. The State of the Art conference fosters a community of professionals who exchange ideas and share practices. The Journal of Inclusive Postsecondary Education plays a vital role in disseminating evidence-based practices. The technical assistance available through Think College’s grant-funded centers provides ongoing support to improve access to higher education and implementation of inclusive practices.
The session will emphasize how these elements—community building, researchbased practice dissemination, and technical assistance—interact to ensure that professional development remains strong, impactful, and accessible. The session will provide insight into how these factors work together to create an ecosystem of support, ultimately driving success in inclusive higher education.
Through interactive discussions, this session will provide attendees with the opportunity to self-reflect on their existing mechanism of these three critical elements, identifying current and effective resources as well as gaps and needs in their institutions and their communities. Discussion questions that will be part of the workshop include: Where do you go for professional development? Where do you find community? How do you learn about research-based practice? Attendees will be supported to identify actions to build their own capacity regarding advancement of professional knowledge.
D3: Workshop
BLuE Inclusive University Programme - “New Perspectives on Inclusion and Empowering Yourself” (C. Penn)
Mrs. Christina Penn1, Mr. David Deutsch1, Dr. Verena Hawelka1, Mrs. Maria Kreilinger1, Dr. Theresa Thalhamer1
1Pädagogische Hochschule Salzburg Stefan Zweig, Salzburg, Austria
This workshop is for people who are connected to inclusive university programmes. We want to talk with them about their experiences.
We are all connected to BLuE. BLuE is an inclusive university programme. The programme is at the Salzburg University of Education in Austria. (https:// phsalzburg.at/studium/blue-hochschulprogr/; https://phsalzburg.at/wp-content/ uploads/2023/07/BLuE-Inclusive-Post-Secondary-Education-Programme.pdf)
Two of us are former BLuE students. Both of us now work in the regular labour market. Three of us are lecturers at the Salzburg University of Education. One of us is responsible for the internships in the programme. Two of us teach a course called tutorial. This course is for all the BLuE students and tutors. Tutors are students training to be primary school teachers. In the workshop we want to discuss a few questions:
• What makes a university programme inclusive?
• What makes a course inclusive?
• What helps you get a job in the regular labour market?
We will work together on the questions in a “world café”. In a “world café” people meet at tables. They talk about the different questions together. Then they choose another table to talk with new people.
We have some goals for the workshop:
• We want to share what we have learned.
• We want to learn from other people in the workshop.
• We will use the new things we learn to make our programme better. (Abstract in easy-to-read language)
Practice Showcase 2
Co-learning in Practice: Inclusive Approaches
Dr Eva McMullan-Glossop, UCC Department of Music
Dr Therese Kenna, UCC Department of Geography
Katie Doyle, UCC Geography peer buddy 2023/24
Gemma Healy, UCC Certificate in Social Citizenship Graduate 2023/24
Dr Anne-Marie Martin, UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery
In this practice showcase session, we will share and explore some examples of good practice in inclusive teaching and learning approaches related to planning, design, delivering and assessing.
In the opening section Eva will focus on the ‘how to’ approach in designing course content that increases accessibility to all learners. Through her creative practice, Eva will demonstrate the ways in which course materials can be adapted to make the environment a rich and dynamic space in which all learners can succeed. She will also provide some practical approaches that will be adaptable to a diversity of contexts and settings.
Using an example of co-learning in a geography module at UCC, in the second part of the showcase, we will share student experiences of collaborative learning and assessment, specifically related to a fieldwork activity in Cork City that explored questions of inclusion and accessibility. We will offer the student perspective of co-learning about diversity and rights to the city, including reflections on their collaborative approach to assessment and their diverse learning outcomes.
Lastly, Anne-Marie will share tips for designing meaningful assessment informed by her experience of including students in a communication and interaction skills module in a nursing programme. She will discuss creating opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning cognisant of learning objectives. She will illustrate how assessments can be tailored to enable students to participate in the assessment process robustly, equitably and meaningfully.
We will conclude this session with an interactive panel discussion and welcome participation from the audience to engage with the topics raised, and ask any questions related to their own practice in inclusive education.
Posters
Riding the WAVE of Success Over and Under the Challenges of Third Level Education: The voice of three students.
Mr. Marc Bolger1, Ms. Deirdre Garvin2, Ms. Mary Ruane3
The poster presented is from three of us studying at the ATU Castlebar campus. The WAVE programme encourages us to be independent, we take modules such as Equality Diversity and Inclusion and inclusive elective modules. After two years, we will receive an SPA in Personal and Vocational Development. Through our modules and membership in campus societies we learn to be empathetic, aware, and more ourselves. Some barriers to success in the programme that we face are transportation difficulties such as bus schedules and access. Also, it can be hard to mix with other students on campus. Sometimes, we need more patience from lecturers and staff as they can be harder for us to understand. To be successful in the programme we will need support from family, motivation from college staff and lecturers, and strong community networks. It is also important to have accessible technology that accommodates how we learn.
US: The voice of the student’s from ATU Letterkenny’s Project WAVE (Working towards Academic and Vocational Equity)
Shaun Bradley1, Meg Carr1, Anna Hennessy1, Roisin McCaughan1, Kyle McCormack11, Sinead McDevitt1, Maire Eibhlin Ní Ghallachoir1, Michael O’Donnell1
1ATU, Letterkenny, Ireland
This poster, designed by WAVE students shaped like a tree, illustrates the lived experiences of students with disabilities in ATU Donegal. The tree metaphorically represents the journey and challenges faced by these students.
The roots, symbolising barriers, highlight obstacles such as inaccessible facilities, lack of academic accommodations, financial constraints, and limited awareness
among staff and peers. These deep-rooted challenges can hinder or prevent students from pursuing higher education.
In contrast, the leaves of the tree represent the supports that enable attendance and success. These include disability services, support staff, including Student Success Coach and ESW, inclusive policies – co-learning modules, UDL, assistive technologies, social opportunities peer mentoring and supportive learning environments.
By visually mapping these elements, the poster aims to raise awareness, promote understanding, and advocate for a more inclusive and accessible higher education system. It underscores the importance of addressing barriers and enhancing supports to ensure that students with disabilities can thrive academically and socially in college.
Innovating Inclusion: A Partnership Between Higher Education and Disability Services
Ian Coleman Horgan1, Niamh Cronin1, Phil McSweeney1
1MTU
Kerry Campus, Tralee, Ireland
Traditional inclusion models often focus on integrating students into existing systems, requiring them to adapt. Our “Blended Inclusion Model” goes beyond these limitations by combining the resources of a university setting with the tailored supports of a disability service. This dual-model approach creates a holistic environment where students with disabilities experience the best of both worlds: academic opportunities within higher education and individualized support designed to meet their needs.
Through this model, students gain access to academic resources, participate in campus life, and develop essential life skills, all while receiving the specialized support necessary for their success. This approach not only enhances academic growth and confidence but also fosters social belonging and independence, empowering students to see themselves as capable participants in lifelong learning.
Early outcomes highlight significant improvements in communication skills, selfconfidence, and problem-solving abilities. By redefining inclusion as a dynamic, empowering experience rather than a static placement, our model demonstrates how bridging diverse environments can remove barriers to participation and open new pathways for education and employment.
This model exemplifies the value of an 18-year partnership between Munster Technological University (MTU) and Saint John of God (SJOG) disability service.
It illustrates how collaborations between higher education institutions and support services can create innovative programs with a meaningful place in higher education, offering a model of inclusion that can work for all.
Students and staff from Skills for Life: Ian Coleman Horgan, Niamh Cronin, Phil McSweeney
Think
College at the University of Vermont, USA
Prof. Bryan Dague1
1University of Vermont, USA, Burlington, United States
In 2010 the University of Vermont received a 5-year federal grant to establish an inclusive college program for students with intellectual disabilities. Think College at the University of Vermont is an innovative, inclusive, academic, social, and vocational program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism seeking a college experience and career path. Think College incorporates student-centered planning, academic advising, and peer mentors for an inclusive, supportive college experience. Think College is a 2 to 3-year, certificate program through the University of Vermont Professional and Continuing and Education Department and the Center on Disability and Community Inclusion within the College of Education & Social Services.
This poster will share the establishment and evolution, successes, challenges, and lessons learned from this innovative program. During the tenure of our program, we’ve had 50 students complete the program with a 90% employment rate. Presenter will share the impact and results of the program on the students, families, peer mentors, faculty, and the university community.
Creative practice and UDL: exploring inclusive and collaborative learning for students and their peer buddies
as part of ID+ project, UCC
Ms. Michelle Finnerty, Aisling Walsh, Con Creedon, Emma O’Connor
This poster presentation explores students’ experiences of engaging in creative practice pedagogy as part of the ID+ Performing arts strand in the ID+ Project at UCC. The poster highlights how students engaged with MU2112, a Music Education module at the Department of Music, UCC. It considers how principles of UDL were embedded into the teaching, learning and assessment of the module and how this facilitated integrative learning for all students.
The poster will highlight how creative practice pedagogy enables inclusive practice in education, and it will share insights into students’ perspectives on their musical identities. The poster will demonstrate how creative group work facilitated students to share their perspectives on their own musical worlds, tastes and interests and create musical pieces to express their musical identities as part of the UDL process. This poster is a collaboration between the course lecturer and students.
Inclusive Learning in Action: The UniversiMés+ experience
Mrs. Àngels Fusté-Gamisans1,
Dr Gabriel Lemkow-Tovias1, Ms. Rosa Carné-Espelt1, Mr Francesc Padró-De la Fuente1 USA Prof. Bryan Dague1
1University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UManresa campus), Manresa, Spain
UniversiMés+ is a collaborative learning initiative implemented during the 20232024 academic year. This experience brings together students with intellectual disabilities and students from the Early Childhood Education degree to work together on educational projects. Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), participants collaborated to create materials and educational activities.
UniversiMés+ is an extension of the UniversiMés program, which has been run by UManresa (UVic-UCC) since 2016. This program provides individuals with intellectual disabilities the chance to experience university life, focusing on personal and social development rather than labor market integration. The groups that participated in this initiative focused on three SDGs: Zero Hunger, Clean Water and Sanitation, and Reduced Inequalities. Interviews
Project
with both students with and without intellectual disabilities revealed several important outcomes. First, the experience helped challenge preconceived ideas that some students had about intellectual disabilities. Additionally, the contributions of students with intellectual disabilities enriched the quality of the final projects by providing new perspectives on social realities. These students also expressed a strong sense of pride in their ability to make valuable contributions to academic work, overcoming initial feelings of insecurity. This pilot project also provided key insights for future improvements, particularly the need for emotional support and training in digital tools for students with intellectual disabilities. These lessons have been incorporated into the next edition of the program, which will begin in October 2024.
Co-creation: Making Documents Together.
Ms. Emer Murphy1, Ms Gillian Cronin, Mr Dale O’Neill, Ms Saoirse Keogh, Ms Emma McGrath, Ms Cliodhna O’Rourke, Ms Shannon Brooker
1TCPID, Dublin, Ireland
We will present a poster on a project to make documents accessible in our course. In college there are lots of different forms to fill out and read. Some of the forms use language that is hard to understand. We worked together to make forms that help students with intellectual disabilities understand what consent means, what you need to have to give consent and we made forms that can be used in our course. We got together as a Project Team with 6 students and 1 Occupational Therapist from TCPID. We meet up and we talk about the forms. We talk about how to make the forms easier to read and to understand. We talk about how the information should be worded and about pictures to go with it. We do this at our meetings. We hope these forms will be used in TCPID for new students who will do the course. The poster will go through all the steps we took to create these easy to understand forms. The Project Team of recent graduates are keen to present their project in a poster and talk to people about their work.
Demonstrating Progress and Potential: Lessons Learned from Federally Funded Inclusive Postsecondary Education in the United States
Dr Clare Papay1, Dr Meg Grigal1
1Think College, Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston
Since 2010, there has been significant growth in the United States in the number of students with intellectual disability accessing higher education, driven by federal legislation and funding. Currently, over 340 institutions of higher education provide programs of study for students with intellectual disability. Of these programs, 134 have received federal funding through the Transition and Postsecondary Education Program for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) model demonstration program. The Think College National Coordinating Center (NCC), the evaluator of the TPSID model demonstration projects, has collected annual data on student activities and outcomes since 2010.
This poster presents findings from a trend analysis of data from the TPSID model demonstration program on almost 5,000 students with intellectual disability over a 13-year period. This analysis identified trends in student characteristics, university access, employment, support, and outcomes of federally funded higher education programs.
The TPSID model demonstration program and resulting student and program data substantially impacted higher education program development and quality in the US. Presenters will share implications that emerged from the study for practice, research, and policy, in the US and internationally.
The First Three Months
Rachel Taylor1, Edel Hannon1, Barry Leonard1, Andrew Leyden1, Kevin McLoughlin1
1Atlantic Technological University Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, Ireland
ATU Project WAVE (Working towards Academic and Vocational Equity) is a two-year project which provides individuals with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to attend college and undertake a comprehensive programme, which addresses students’ social, academic, and vocational needs.
The Project is delivered over three ATU campuses. This poster was designed by students from the WAVE Project - Sligo campus. The poster captures students’ reflections on their experiences of the first three months at college and offers
critical insights into the following: motivation to attend; challenges encountered; supports utilised; and impact so far of how it feels to be included at university.
The poster, which will include text, images and photographs, will be presented by students from the WAVE Project.
Presentation of the dissertation project on ‘Vocational Training of Young Adults with Intellectual
and Developmental Disabilities at German Universities’
Laura Wimmer1
1Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
Lifelong learning – which is becoming increasingly important, not least due to the rapid developments within our society – is hardly made possible for people with intellectual disabilities in Germany. Current developments in the area of inclusion and participation, which are based not least on the requirements of the UNCRPD, pose major challenges both for German education policy and for preparing this group of people for post-school opportunities on the general labour market. Opening up the tertiary education sector to vocational training for people with intellectual disabilities could be an extension of existing opportunities. Numerous programmes of inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) in the international field, show positive results and also point to a great need in Germany, which the research project aims to take into account in the sense of a ‘university for all’.
In this context, the poster is intended to outline the dissertation project by first summarising the research background and the status quo in Germany before going into more detail on the development of a research agenda as a participatory research approach. The first aim of the project is therefore to develop inductive research questions together with stakeholders with and without intellectual disabilities in order to develop a concept and curriculum for the higher education of people with intellectual disabilities at a German university. Both the analysis and the further development of the practical testing of this concept for one year are further objectives of the dissertation project.
List of Attendees
First Name Last Name Organisation
Vicki Anderson South East Technological University
Aisling Arthur Mary Immaculate College
Christine Ashby Syracuse University
Des Aston
Owen Barden
Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Ella Barry Mary Immaculate Collage
Helen Bateson Atlantic Technological University
Frieda Bent KARE
Marc Bolger
Atlantic Technological University
Deirdre Bonar Technological University Dublin
Carissa Boston Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
Kathy Bradley
National Tertiary Office Cork and Kerry Strategic Alliance
Shaun Bradley Atlantic Technological University - Donegal
Loretta Brady University College Cork
Camelia Nadia Bran University College Cork, School of Education
Kerry Brooker
Shannon Brooker
Support person for Shannon Brooker TCPID (Trinity College Dublin)
Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Alan Burke University College Cork
Laura Burke Maynooth University
Robert Butler University College Cork
Olive Byrne University College Cork
Project
First Name Last Name Organisation
Mary Byrne University College Cork
Louise Callinan Higher Education Authority
Tamsin Cavaliero Atlantic Technological University
Olivia Clarke Department of Higher & Further Education, Research, Innovation & Skills
Úna Coates Stewart’s Care
Claire Cochrane Cork Education and Training Board
Ian Coleman Horgan Skills for Life, Munster Technological University
Melissa Collins University College Cork
John Condon Down Syndrome Ireland
Catherine Connolly Trinity College Dublin
Anne Marie Cooney University College Cork
Sophia Corral Bay High School/Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
João Costa University College Cork
Bart Cronin University College Cork
Gillian Cronin Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Niamh Cronin Skills for Life, Munster Technological University
Philip Crosbie South East Technological University
Csilla Cserti-szauer Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem
Brian Cull Cope foundation
Zsolt Cziráki
Értelmi Fogyatékosok Csongrád Megyei Érdekvédelmi Szervezete
Bryan Dague University of Vermont
Anna Delaney University College Cork
Mary Dempsey University of Galway
David Deutsch
Praktischvolksschule der pädagogischen Hochschule Stefan Zweig
First Name Last Name Organisation
Eleanor Donoghue University College Cork
Owen Doody University of Limerick
Katie Doyle University College Cork
Sarah Doyle Mary Immaculate College Limerick
John Farrell University of Galway
Mairaj Fatima University College Cork
Nolan Faulk Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
Nuala Finnegan University College Cork
Michelle Finnerty University College Cork
Aoife Flannery University College Cork
Logan Flint Bay High School/Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
Amy Flores Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
Sinéad Flynn Down Syndrome Ireland
Àngels Fusté-gamisans
Campus Manresa - University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia
András Futár Eötvös Loránd University
Michael Gannon Maynooth University
Benjamin Gearey University College Cork
Karly Grifasi
Meg Grigal
Syracuse University Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education
Think College, University Of Massachusetts Boston
Bernie Grummell Maynooth University
Dara Hanley University College Cork
Edel Hannon
Atlantic Technological University, Sligo
Verena Hawelka Salzburg University of Education Stefan Zweig
Gemma Healy University College Cork
Therese Hennessy University of Limerick
Project
First Name Last Name Organisation
Lara Herter Gulf Coast State College/Chautauqua
Péter László Horváth Apor Vilmos Catholic College
Andrew Ingamells Munster Technological University
Peter Kashiwabara Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
Amy Keane Munster Technological University
Catherine Kelly Mason South East Technological University, Waterford
Therese Kenna University College Cork
Sara Kennedy South East Technological University
Ben Kervick South East Technological University
Jennette Kilroy Atlantic Technological University
Maria Kreilinger Pädagogische Hochschule Salzburg
Yasmin Kutub Atlantic Technological University
Maire Leane University College Cork
Gabriel Lemkow
Campus Manresa - University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia
Ariana Lenko Bay High School/Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
Séamus LENNON Brothers of Charity Services Limerick
Edel Lynn Technological University of the Shannon, Midlands
Katie Lyons Skills for Life, Munster Technological University
Roisin M Cormack Atlantic Technological University
Nikki Markham University of Limerick
Anne-Marie Martin University College Cork
Nicola Maxwell University College Cork
Angela Mazzocco
Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID)
Roisin Mc Cormack Atlantic Technological University
First Name Last Name Organisation
Conor Mc Guckin
Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID)
Deirdre Mc Hugh University of Galway
Cillian McCarthy University College Cork
Hugh McCarthy Munster Technological University, Cork School of Music
Jessica McCreanor University of Galway
Emma McGrath Trinity College Dublin
Mawusi McKenzie Bay High School/Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
Eva Mcmullan University College Cork
Paul McSweeney University College Cork
Phil McSweeney Munster Technological University / Skills for Life
Catherine McVicker University College Cork
Afeefah Memon Skills for Life, Munster Technological University
Ryan Miller The International School of Brussels
Alexandra Moloney University College Cork
Trentin Moss Bay High School/Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
Sinead Mulhern Atlantic Technological University
Aoife Murphy South East Technological University
Kevin Murphy South East Technological University
Emer Murphy
Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID)
Beth Myers Taishoff Center at Syracuse University
Katelyn Nelson Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
Alison Ní Threasaigh University College Cork Students’ Union
Joseph O’Donnell South East Technological University
Margaret O’Keeffe South East Technological University
Project
First Name Last Name Organisation
Hannah O’Mahony South East Technological University
Kellie O’Mahony University College Cork
Pauline O’Meara South East Technological University
Margaret O’Neill South East Technological University
Cliodhna O’Rourke Trinity College Dublin
Hugh O’Callaghan South East Technological University
