Teaching & Learning Workshop Course/Training Design Thursday 30th November 2006 Teaching & Learning Workshop Group A Course/Training Design

COURSE / TRAINING DESIGN “I just don’t have time for inclusive course design” Universal design practices not only assist learners who have a disability but ‘value add’ to the experience of all learners.    This Workshop will consider how we design for inclusivity in our demanding, ‘time-poor’ world and address issues including: rigid curriculum specification and industry requirements defining essential course requirements/core competencies accommodating diverse cultural and social backgrounds ‘authentic’ learning: framing learning in the real world context to make it personally meaningful for the learner

Professional Development Module for Inclusive Academic Practice Dr. Simon Darcy

1 in 5: Professional development module for disability and inclusive academic practice Reflections on Implementation Dr Simon Darcy ALO and Senior Lecturer School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism Faculty of Business University of Technology, Sydney Simon.Darcy@uts.edu.au

Presentation Overview Introduction Success Critical Review Conclusion Management by a committee – the problem of the three humped camel Problems with voluntary attendance Newbies – I didn’t know that… Preaching to the converted – have I got a story for you The recalcitrants – nowhere to be found! Opportunities lost – orientation program/diploma in higher education Risk management SHOUTS – required attendance

Pathways VIII Presentation Program Philosophy – Personal Story I remember my first year at university with enormous delight and affection, because for the first time – I had polio when I was six months old so it’s been a lifelong experience – I was in an environment where, as a student, I was there on my own merits and engaged in the same enterprises as anybody else. Nobody said “Oh well, at least it helps to pass the time”. This is what they say about my current employment [as Disability Discrimination Commissioner] “oh it’s nice you’ve got a job dear”. And it’s because everyone valued their education, and we all valued it for the same reasons. So I was as ordinary at university as I could ever have hoped to be anywhere, and that’s what the DDA and your action plan seeks to bring, is the extraordinary experience of being ordinary and the unfamiliar taste of belonging, and the opportunity to choose one’s path and travel along it to a destination of one’s own making. Elizabeth Hastings (1949-1998) at the launch of the UTS Disability Action Plan 1993

Aim and Outcomes Aim is to: develop understanding and knowledge of disability issues as they affect students and staff Learning Outcomes are to: be familiar with measures that support students with disabilities in a teaching context identify where to go for help and advice within UTS know what is meant by disability have an overview of how the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) impacts upon the University provide reasonable accommodations for colleagues with disabilities

Delivery (n=152) Deans (11); Associate Deans for Teaching and Learning (12); Pilot program with cross Faculty Academic Liaison Officers (12); Faculty of Information Technology (15); Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (two separate sessions) (26); Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health (17); Faculty of Education (Two separate sessions for Teacher & Adult Education) (13); Faculty of Law (15); Institute of International Studies (14); Institute of Multimedia and Learning (12); Office of the Registrar’s – Registrar + Managers (5); Student Administration staff (to be determined); a module has been designed for incorporation within the orientation of new academics to UTS (to be determined); and an open session for academics from all faculties (to be determined).

SUCCESS Material Thirst for knowledge Newbies Updating knowledge New foci Connections Agenda

CRITICAL REVIEW Management by a committee Preaching to the converted The recalcitrants Casuals, where are they? Opportunities lost Risk management SHOUTS

Maximising Educational Participation 10 Years of the DDA The point of understanding stereotypes of disability is highlighted in this slide. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Publication reviewing 10 years of the DDA states ‘Don’t judge what I can do by what you think I can’t’ This comes from a poster that HREOC put out that has people of diverse backgrounds interacting together. As lecturers your responsibility is to provide educational opportunities and not to make assumptions re what people with disabilities can and cannot do. In the University context I have called this Maximizing Educational Participation We are largely here today due to the DDA and through the University’s implementation of a Disability Action Plan. Two actions of the DAP were a review of inclusive disability practice within the curriculum and alternate assessment procedures. Both these reports identified the need for professional development with regard to disability issues within the university learning environment. Source: HREOC 2003 Maximising Educational Participation

CONCLUSIONS A benefit to those who attended No impact on those who did not attend Ad-hoc Voluntary Compulsory Alienation Other systemic approaches Not one off Dynamic and on-going