Webinar 42: Supporting Higher Education

Date

June 9, 2017 at 10:30am - 12pm

Access

Open to the Public

Presenter

Dr T. Jarus, Mr. M. Lee, Dr J. Gagnon & Ms L. Bulk

Organization

BC PSR Advanced Peactice

Location

Webinar

Engaging in higher education is the dream of countless people.  However, there are many barriers to fulfill that dream.  It is even harder for people with disabilities, especially those with non-visible disabilities.  The challenge is steeper when studying in a Health and Human Service program. This workshop will share with you some of the challenges we identified through multiple studies and projects we implemented on our campus, and highlight some of the strategies we can use to better support people with disability to make this higher education dream come true.

Key objectives for this session:

• Identify systemic barriers that hinder people with disability’ access to higher education
• Recognize the diversity of disability experience
• Discuss the benefits of having people with disabilities entering the workforce, in particular Health and Human Service professions
• Understand the concept of universal design of learning and its application in developing flexible and inclusive curriculum
• Outline hands-on strategies that can enhance mental well being of college and university students, including those with disabilities.

MEET OUR PRESENTERS

Dr. Tal Jarus
Tal Jarus is a Professor at the Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy department at the University of British Columbia. Her research stem from the disability studies, focusing on investigating barriers to full participation of diverse groups of people with disability. Her most recent endeavour is heading an international interprofessional consortium working to increase the inclusion of people with disabilities, in particular in the health and human service workforce and society, and thus impact on quality of life, social justice and development of human capital.

Mr. Michael Lee
Michael Lee is a senior instructor at the Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy department at the University of British Columbia.  In addition to being an occupational therapist, he is also a keen advocate of psychosocial rehabilitation.  As an instructor, he is interested at promoting students’ success in their studies, as well as their wellbeing.   In past decade, he has been creating mental health awareness on campus, enabling students to advocate for their own mental health, identifying and promoting teaching practices that foster students’ wellbeing.

Dr. Jennifer M Gagnon
Jennifer M. Gagnon (PhD, Political Science) is the Research Coordinator for the Inclusive Campus Project. Her research is interdisciplinary and embraces a broad range of topics in political theory, classics, disability studies, and gender studies. Her main area of research is in the intersections between ancient political thought and disability studies, especially as concerns gender, inclusion and exclusion, and visible and invisible disabilities. She is also a sessional lecturer in Political Science at UBC.

Ms. Laura Yvonne Bulk
As a practicing occupational therapist, recent graduate of the Master of Occupational Therapy program, and a current PhD student in the department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia, Laura offers a variety of perspectives on the topic at hand. Her research activities include working with Dr. Jarus on the Inclusive Campus Project, aiming to promote inclusion in health and human service professions education. Other areas she is addressing through her work include exploring experiences of blindness, promoting a sense of belonging, and addressing end-of-life care issues. All this is with the aim of promoting flourishing, human rights, and social justice.