From October 7 to 11, Niagara College will acknowledge Disability Awareness Week, a chance to elevate the lived experiences of students with disabilities, and offering NC students and employees the chance to engage and learn.
The week is a collaboration between the Centre for Academic Excellence and EDI & Accessibility with contributions from staff in Health, Wellness, and Accessibility Services. Led by Kate Wiley, Educational Developer – Accessibility & Inclusion, the week features numerous sessions where all NC employees can deepen their understanding of disability and reaffirm their commitment to creating more accessible experiences for students and staff at the College.
While the whole week promises fantastic learning opportunities, there are two special events that offer NC employees the chance to hear directly from NC students and from one of the leading scholars of disability in higher education.
NC’s EDIA icon.
Registration for all Disability Awareness Week events is available via the CAE Events Calendar
Student Panel – Learning from Lived Experience (Oct 8; Hybrid – 1 – 2:30 p.m., AH255)
All are invited to register for a Student Panel on October 8 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The panel, “Learning from lived Experience” will take place at the Welland Campus (with virtual option) and feature a group of student panelists. Join this hybrid session for a chance to hear from disabled students about their experiences in higher education and have the opportunity to gain knowledge on what practices you can incorporate into you work to best support students. The session will include a facilitated discussion as well as time for questions from the audience
Academic Ableism and its Alternatives with Jay Dolmage (Oct 11; Virtual – 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
On October 11, the CAE will offer a webinar with Dr. Jay Dolmage called Academic Ableism and its Alternatives. Dr. Dolmage is the author of Disability Rhetoric (2014) and Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education (2017), as well as Founding Editor of the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies. In this presentation and discussion, some possibilities for building a more accessible classroom and campus will be suggested and explored. Come and share your own experiences, ideas, challenges and questions.
Additional sessions include:
Defining, Understanding, and Talking About Disabilities (Oct 7; Hybrid – 2:30 – 3:30 p.m., N018)
There is often confusion about the definition of disability and the appropriate language around disabilities. Also, many may have also heard the term ableism, but not understand what it means and its prevalence in society.
Join this session to raise awareness about the meaning of disability and suggestions on how to talk about them. Review ableism and examples of practices that you can incorporate to help reduce create safer environments for those with disabilities.
Disability Justice (Oct 8; Hybrid – 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., AH255)
Have you heard the term Disability Justice, but are unsure of what it means exactly? Are you familiar with the term, but unsure how you can be an ally and incorporate Disability Justice work into your role at Niagara College?
This session will explore the history of disability justice and its ten core principles. We will then share some ideas for best practices for how we can better bring Disability Justice for to our campus, particularly into our teaching and learning spaces.
Join this CAE & HWAS as we discuss disabilities and letters of accommodation (LOA). Accessibility Consultant, Emily Mete, will review the process through which students obtain a letter of accommodation and some suggestions on how you can support students when you receive the LOA. Additionally, Learning Strategist, Emily Appleyard, will share insights and tips on strategies you can incorporate into your teaching spaces to support students with disabilities as they navigate through their courses.
Disability Awareness: Now What? (Oct 16; Hybrid – 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.)
After the launch of the first NC Disability Awareness Week, you may find yourself wondering what to do with the information you have learned. Join the CAE and the EDI and Accessibility teams to discover ways in which you can take your learning and apply it into your work going forward.
