Transcript Slide 1

Origins of the
Disability Studies Program
at the University of Windsor:
Past, Present, Future
Dr. Debra M. Hernandez Jozefowicz
Coordinator of Disability Studies
Converging Opportunities for the
Development of a Disability Studies
Program at University of Windsor
• Locally, emergent interest in the development of a
program on Autism at the University of Windsor
• Department of Psychology, Summit Centre for Autism, St. Clair College,
and community members
• Nationally, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
(1982) and Human Rights approach.
• Provincially, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA)
(2001) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act (AODA) (2005).
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Other Program Development Opportunities
• As part of the ODA, universities were required to
develop an annual accessibility plan that identified
any barriers to full accessibility to universities by
people with disabilities.
• An opportunity for university and programs to
exemplify commitment to social justice and
accessibility.
• Vision of persons with disabilities, practitioners and
academics who had the courage to listen and act.
• Idea of an Honours BA in Disability Studies
emerged.
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Program Development:
Accessibility, Social Justice and the Social
Model of Disability
• Inter-disciplinary, department and community collaboration
• International review of approaches to DS.
• The Interdisciplinary Degree in Disability Studies at the University of
Windsor was an Interdisciplinary effort and commenced in 2008.
• Emphasis on including persons with disabilities and the disability
community, made selecting a Social Model of Disability essential to
the program’s philosophy.
• The Social Model of Disability (Goodley, 2000; Shakespeare, 1998)
reflects a collective commitment to social justice and accessibility.
Program Approach
• Focus on the environment and social justice.
• Integrating the personal with professional.
• Community Connections
– Wheel Chair Hockey League
http://www.thewchl.com/
– Autism
Program Establishment
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Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario:
“Shine a light on how to apply acceptance
throughout the rest of our culture”
(University of Windsor, 2009).
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The Interdisciplinary Degree in Disability Studies at the University of
Windsor was an Interdisciplinary effort and commenced in 2008.
•
First graduating class with Honours BA was in June 2010.
•
Establishment of combined degrees in Disability Studies &
Psychology and Social Work & Disability Studies occurred in 20112012.
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President’s
Accessibility
Steering
Committee (PASC)
Office of Human
Rights, Equity,
and Accessibility
Faculty of Arts,
Humanities,
and Social
Sciences (FAHSS)
School of Social
Work
Psychology
Disability
Studies
Accessibility
Planning
Committee
Student Success
Centre
(Student Disability
Services)
Disability Studies
Student Association
(DSSA)
Nature of Interdisciplinary Disability
Studies
• Students enter DS directly from High School or as a
transfer student from other universities and colleges
or as employees seeking expertise and promotion.
• Degree completion program for CAAT graduates
and St. Clair College CYW Graduates.
• Offers degrees in Disability Studies and combined
programs with Social Work or Psychology. A Minor
in Disability Studies is also available.
• Community project in 4th year provides students with
experience in the field.
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Program Requirements for Disability Studies
The student completes a total of 40 courses
• Major Requirements:
• Two introductory psychology courses
• Two introductory social work courses
• Four disability emphasis courses
• One social science research course
• Three human development psychology courses
• Five disability studies courses
• One disability studies community project
• Option Requirements: 6 courses
• Other Requirements: 14 courses
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Five Disability Studies Courses
Starting at Year 3
• 37-301 Theories of Disability and the Social Model
• 37-302 Historical approaches to People with Disabilities
• 37-401 Community Approaches, Advocacy &
Empowerment
• 37-402 Service Delivery Systems and Independent
Living
• 37-465 Community Orientation to Disability Issues
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Poster Presentations show value of Practicum Placements
courtesy of the Daily News
When Community Living Essex County earns
accreditation, it will have a pair of UWindsor
students to thank.
Disability studies majors Kelly Bauer and Jenelle
Rinkel spent hundreds of hours researching
accreditation options for the organization, which
provides services to people with intellectual
disabilities and their families.
Professor Debbie Hernandez Jozefowicz and program secretary
Nancy St. Onge look over a poster presentation by disability studies majors
Kelly Bauer and Jenelle Rinkel, Monday in Vanier Hall.
“One of the most common activities for this year’s
groups has been advocacy,” said Dr. Hernandez
Jozefowicz. “They are being called on to gather
information, compile it, and share it between
agencies and the community.”
She said this function has been valuable to the
partnering agencies that provided student
placements.“Service providers are so often short of
time,” she said. “The students are helping to fill in
the gaps.”
Community Partners
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Alzheimer Society of Windsor/Essex County
Al Hijra Academy
Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario
Canadian Mental Health Association
Citizen Advocacy (Family Services Windsor)
Community Living Essex County
Community Living Windsor
Family Respite Services
Greater Essex County District School Board – Special Education
John McGivney Children’s Centre
Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare
Learning Disabilities Association of Windsor-Essex County
Regional Children’s Centre
The Summit Centre for Preschool Children with Autism
University of Windsor – Office of Human Rights, Equality, and
Accessibility
• University of Windsor – Student Disability Services
Partnerships with our Community
(courtesy of Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital Frontline News – Vol. 8, No. 10, March 18, 2013)
Elizabeth Palma-Montenegro, Mike Gerard
and Meghan Stewart are fourth year Disability
Studies students from the University of
Windsor.
They are completing their Community
Experience Placement as part of the
requirements for the Honours Bachelor of Arts,
Disability Studies Program.
They will be working on accessibility projects
under the supervision of Maria Giannotti.
Currently they are working on updating
accessibility policy and procedures at HDGH to
ensure that the Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act integrated standards are met.
Successes of the Interdisciplinary DS
• Graduates of Disability Studies and its Combined
Programs possess the necessary knowledge and
skills to work with persons with disabilities.
• Students become advocates for social justice as
policy makers.
• Students gain employment in human service
professions supporting individuals with disabilities.
• Students go on to attend graduate school (e.g.
MSW) and other training programs.
• Staff in service agencies with the skills necessary to
make inclusion a reality by removing barriers.
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Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
visits the Disability Studies Program
The Honourable David C. Onley visited campus
in 2011 to speak with students, staff and
faculty. His Honour, who was visiting as a
guest of the Disability Studies program, is a
champion for people living with disabilities and
issues of accessibility throughout Ontario.
He told the crowd that removing physical
barriers and building ramps is not enough to
create an equitable environment.
He said “It is only by changing hearts and
minds that true accessibility will be a reality for
Ontarians living with disabilities.”
Other Program Activities
• Events and workshops
• Community and Academic Presentations
• Research
Challenges for the Interdisciplinary DS
• Need to maintain interdisciplinary nature.
• Need for permanent committed faculty.
• Need for resources.
• Need for graduate and research assistants.
• Need for sessional faculty.
• Need for community DS committee advisors.
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Implications for the Future at Institutions
Across the Province
• Explore the process of broadening the DS program to
allow for areas of specialization, starting with the area of
autism.
• Incorporating a disabilities focus or course to the MSW
program to eliminate the educational gap with regard to
issues surrounding disability.
• The process of sharing, exchanging and integrating
information and resources between community
organizations and academic institutions will lead the way
to collaborative community initiatives through practice,
education and research.
Conclusion
• “Doing the practice, advocacy and science
of Disability and Accessibility is within our
reach, and within our reach here at the
University if Windsor. Let’s continue this
journey together…”
– Dr. Debra Hernandez Jozefowicz
Contact Us
Dr. Debra M. Hernandez Jozefowicz
Disability Studies Coordinator
Disability Studies Program
Room 2162, Chrysler Hall North
401 Sunset Avenue, University of Windsor
Windsor, ON, Canada N9B 3
Phone: 519-253-3000 Ext. 3068
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.uwindsor.ca/disabilitystudies
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