The Inaccessible Road Not Taken: The Trials, Tribulations And Successes
Of Disability Inclusion Within Social Work Post-Secondary Education
Irene Carter, PhD.,
University of Windsor
Roy Hanes, PhD.,
Carleton University
Judy E. MacDonald, PhD.,
Dalhousie University
Abstract
The authors share
a common vision with respect to social justice and disability rights,
displaying a common interest in making professional post-secondary education
more responsive to persons with disabilities. While the focus of this research and advocacy is stemming
from the work of the Canadian Association of Social Work Education, Persons
with Disabilities Caucus, the authors believe it is transferable and applicable
to any faculty, school or department within an academic setting. Within this paper, the authors will
highlight eighteen years of work by the caucus including the initial formation
of this group, a small group of academics across Canada who joined together
with the purpose of transforming post-secondary social work education into an
accessible, inclusive environment for disabled persons. Further, the authors
will report on research findings related to disability inclusion within
Canadian schools of social work, drawing upon the data from the initial survey
in 2003 (Dunn, Hanes, Hardie, & MacDonald, 2006), with the primary focus on
the most recent survey in 2010 – 2011. Finally, the authors will conclude
this paper by presenting the barriers they faced while bringing about
curricular and structural changes and the lessons learned from their journey.
In essence, they will demonstrate how academics can unite to challenge
post-secondary institutions in becoming more accessible to persons with
disabilities.
Keywords
Disability; Inclusion;
Accessibility; Education; Social Work; Curriculum; Activism
The Inaccessible Road Not Taken: The Trials, Tribulations And Successes
Of Disability Inclusion Within Social Work Post-Secondary Education
Introduction
In
this paper, the authors will share their collective experiences, including the
struggles and achievements toward making the profession of social work, social
work education, schools of social work and universities more accessible and
accommodating to people with disabilities. Within Canada 4.4 million people live with a disability,
representing 14.3% of the population (Human Resource and Skill Development
Canada, 2007). Between 2001 and
2006, the number of people who reported having a disability had increased by
21.2%. The population of people
with disabilities in Canada is growing and research shows that far too many
youth with disabilities face enormous difficulties transitioning from
adolescence to adulthood (Lewis-Fleming, 2007; Milsom & Hartley, 2005).
And, because of the lack of availability of supports and services, as well as
accessible colleges and universities, many have very limited opportunities to
gain a post-secondary education. ÒNearly half of Canadians agree that even if
they could afford tuition, groups such as Aboriginals and disabled persons,
would still face significant difficulties attending post-secondary educationÓ
(Human Resource and Skill Development Canada). In a 2007 Canadian survey of high school students, 43%
of disabled students were planning to go onto post-secondary education compared
to 71% who did not identify as having a disability (Malatest
& Associates, 2007 in Kirby, 2009). Williams
(2006) reports that about one third of persons with disabilities employed have
a post-secondary certificate or diploma. However, this is still much lower than
the general population wherein approximately 48% of the population have a
post-secondary certificate or diploma.
Although Canada certainly
needs to improve its record as far as people with disabilities are concerned,
there have been some significant policy developments during the past two
decades: For example, Canadian Human Rights Act (1977) and the Canadian Charter
of Rights and Freedoms (1982) include protection of people with disabilities;
all provincial and territorial human rights legislation provides coverage to
people with disabilities, and in April 2010 Canada ratified the United Nations
Charter for the Protection of the Rights of People with Disabilities (2010).
While
there have been improvements to the lives of Canadians with disabilities in
recent years, the struggle for improved quality of life continues. Greater access to a post-secondary
education for people with disabilities would address many quality of life
issues. As the authors share their experiences of working toward greater
accessibility and accommodation within post-secondary education, they will
begin with the historical and ideological development of the Persons with
Disabilities Caucus of the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work (now
named the Canadian Association of Social Work Education), moving to focus on
organization change and policy development, and concluding with a research
report on the status of disability inclusion within Canadian Schools of Social
Work.
Literature
Review
From a social justice perspective, the
authors believe that disability discourse and the accommodation of people with
disabilities within post-secondary institutions must be linked to debates
pertaining to oppression and discrimination (Dunn, Hanes, Hardie, Leslie, &
MacDonald, 2008; Dunn, Hanes, Hardie, & MacDonald, 2006). Canadian history is riddled with
examples of marginalization; for example, the last racially segregated school
in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada remained in operation until 1983
(Dominion Institute, n.d.). Some
universities had quotas on the number of Jews to be admitted, as illustrated by
the Jewish quota at the University of Toronto, Medical School in the late 1950Õs
(Levi, 2003). Women were
excluded from designated Ômale facultiesÕ, for
example, it wasnÕt until 1943 that Òmen only admittedÓ was removed from Queens
University Medical School calendar (Cataudella, 1999). Such practices are no
longer acceptable in liberal democratic countries such as Canada. However, while not overtly stated
similar practices that directly or indirectly restrict opportunities for people
with disabilities do exist.
Post-secondary institutions need to embrace a disability-rights perspective
by fostering inclusive environments that welcome disabled students. Able-ism, the discrimination of persons
with disabilities by stereotyping and generalizations (Barker, 2003) should no
more be accepted then racism, anti-Semitism, or sexism.
Genesis
of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus
The Persons with Disabilities Caucus of
the Canadian Association of Social Work Education has had many struggles over
its eighteen years of existence.
With the ultimate goal of promoting disability inclusion,
accommodations, and curriculum, members have engaged in numerous battles and
strategic maneuvers, resulting in many successes and occasional setbacks. Demographics within post-secondary
education are changing. ÒDiversity
has become a fact of life in higher education.Ó(Burgstahler,
2008, p. 4). Within the
United States, Burgstahler (2008) notes that what used to be a campus of white,
young, abled-bodied males is now represented by students from other
racial/ethnic groups (25 %), women (over 50 %), older students, and students
with disabilities (6% or more).
One Canadian school of social work just accepted one-third of the
incoming class from designated equity categories, with 12.5 % of campus BSW
acceptances identifying as having a disability (Dalhousie University,
2010). Post-secondary
institutions, faculties, departments, and professional schools have a
responsibility to address the educational needs of all students, including
students with disabilities. A
fundamental purpose of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus is to ensure that
all schools of social work in Canada accept this responsibility; ultimately
meeting the educational needs of all disabled social work students.
The Persons with Disabilities
Caucus of the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE) was founded
in June 1993. The development of the caucus emanated from a two-day conference
hosted by Carleton University, School of Social Work, Ottawa, Canada, in
conjunction with the CASWE Annual General Meeting and the Congress of the
Humanities and A grant of
$26,000 was received from the Disabled Persons Participation Programs,
Department of Health and Welfare, Canada. The grant was used to cover
operational, transportation and accommodation costs for twenty-seven people
from across Canada including social workers working with people with disabilities,
representatives of disabilities rights organizations, social workers with
disabilities, disabled and nondisabled faculty members from schools of social
work, and social work students with disabilities. The objectives of the conference were to address the lack of
social work education and research pertaining to people with disabilities in
Canadian schools of social work. The conference served to bring stakeholders
together, including social work educators, practitioners, students, and persons
with disabilities and to establish a working group to organize the Persons with
Disabilities Caucus within CASWE (Wills and the Persons with Disabilities
Caucus, 1993; Hanes, 1994). Issues
discussed within the conference included, lack of resources in courses, course
material and social work research, insufficient academic supports for, and
isolation of, disabled students, and, the inaccessibility of schools of social
work including field placements (Wills and the Persons with Disabilities
Caucus; Hanes, 1993).
Prince (2009) identifies
disability politics in Canada as having three components, Òmaterial (education,
health care, income security), cultural (attitudes, beliefs, identities), and
structural (autonomy, participation, collective voice)Ó (p. 192). The caucus has embraced these
principles in the following way:
material - through efforts to promote disability inclusion within
post-secondary education; cultural – by challenging stereotypes,
assumptions and biases pertaining to access and accommodation; and, structural
– through continual efforts to include students, faculty and staff with
disabilities as members of the caucus, at the same time promoting their
participation in school governance.
The conference and the
development of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus provided then and now, a
context wherein people with similar interests are able to discuss common
concerns, research, and educational interests. The gathering in 1993 brought
greater visibility to persons with disabilities and created an opportunity to
put disability issues, as well as the needs of people with disabilities, on the
agenda of the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (Hanes, 1994). But
most importantly, the gathering demonstrated the importance of collective
action within academia by challenging the existing status quo of the CASWE
specifically and schools of social work in general.
The newly formed group of
academics and students that joined together during the conference sought formal
approval for the creation of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus within CASWE
at the 1993 Annual General Meeting.
A motion was brought forward to the membership to approve the formation
of the caucus and to get a commitment from the organization to pursue
educational equity for persons with disabilities, which would include the
writing of educational policy statements and the development of accreditations
standards for university social work education in Canada. The motion was
carried unanimously and the Persons with Disabilities Caucus became formally
established within the CASWE.
Further, it was understood that CASWE would establish accreditation
standards that would ensure the development of disability related courses and
research, and the admission of persons with disabilities into social work
programs. The 1993 conference and
the creation of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus of the CASWE proved to be
a pivotal moment in the history of social work education in Canada, offering
guided principles to the caucus, the CASWE and schools of social work to this
day.
Creating
Disability Inclusion
Caucus initiatives moved slowly during
the first few years of its existence, as the caucus members advocated for the
development of an educational policy statement on disability inclusion and worked
with other CASWE caucuses, including the WomenÕs Caucus and the StudentsÕ
Caucus, to push for organizational change, as outlined in Table 1 A Chronology
of the Activities of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus. Over the years caucus members presented
papers at the annual CASWE conference, challenged organizational policies, such
as the Professional Unsuitability policy brought forward in 2003, and
consistently worked toward raising awareness of disability accommodations and
inclusion within the membership.
In 2003, caucus members crafted a survey to be sent to schools of social
work within Canada, asking about their practices for admission and
accommodation for students with disabilities and curriculum pertaining to
disability rights and advocacy. A 10-page
comprehensive questionnaire was sent to the 35 Directors of schools of social
work across the country, yielding a 71% return rate.
The 2003 survey of Canadian schools of
social work, the first study of its kind in Canada to investigate how schools
of social work were addressing the needs of people with disabilities, produced
two significant findings. First,
while schools identified university wide policies on students with
disabilities, only one-third of the schools had school specific disability policies
and of these only 17% had written policies. Second, the survey findings indicated that the number
of students who identified as having a disability declined as the data
collection moved from Bachelor (5.5%) to Masters (4.1%) to PhD social work programs
(1.3%). Not surprisingly,
this translated to a similar pattern with the number of faculty (4%) and staff
(3%) who identified as having a disability. While 72% of the schools had employment and education equity
policies, few schools actively recruited faculty, staff, or students with
disabilities. Less than a quarter of the schools had accommodation policies for
students with disabilities in field practicum. Dunn et al. (2006) recognizes that Òfor accommodations to be
realized, budgetary allocation, attitudinal acceptance, and governance/policy
structure need to be part of the infrastructure (p. 13).
In 2005, the Persons with
Disabilities Caucus hosted a national conference ÔPromoting Disability
Inclusion in Canadian Schools of Social WorkÕ at the University of Manitoba
(Winnipeg). The conference presentations and its related discussions included
such topics as accommodations for students, faculty, and staff, curriculum
development in disability rights and inclusion, and promoting social change. The presentations were recorded and
used to develop a video and workbook that was distributed to all schools of
social work in Canada. The
teaching kit was an educational tool to help schools address issues of
accommodation, inclusion and disability curriculum that could be adapted to
other professions and other academic disciplines (Canadian Association of
Schools of Social Work, 2007). To this point the authors have focused on the
historical underpinnings of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus, including
policy development and previous research.
In the remainder of this paper, the authors will focus on the most
recent research conducted by caucus members regarding social work and
disability in Canadian schools of social work (2010-2011).
Method
The
Canadian Association for Social Work Education, Standards for Accreditation
stipulate that, at the Bachelor of Social Work and
Masters of Social Work levels (SB 5.10.17 and SM 5.7.12.):
The
curriculum shall ensure that the student will have: An understanding of
theories relevant to disability and their
implications for social policies and the
practice of social work (CASWE, 2008).
The authors approached
Canadian schools of social work regarding disability inclusion by requesting
information about courses, programs, field experiences, scholarly activities,
accommodation practices, equity policies re: admission, and the number of students with disabilities
within their programs. The primary objective of the research was to
gather information about the nature of disability education in Canadian schools
of social work. By soliciting information from the
Deans and Directions of Canadian schools of social work, the researchers hoped
to be able to reflect on how social work educators have included disability
content in social work education and how they have made education more
accommodating and inclusive for people with disabilities.
Data Collection
There are thirty-six Canadian
schools of social work accredited by the Canadian Association of Social Work
Education. In 2010, a letter was sent to the Deans and Directors of
twenty-seven accredited English-speaking schools of social work. If the researchers did not receive a
response within a two-week period subsequent emails and telephone calls were
made to the Deans and Directors or other designated faculty, such as MSW and
BSW Program Coordinators or to Persons with Disabilities Caucus members. If after two requests a response was
not forthcoming, a third follow up attempt by email or telephone was made. In
2010, a total of twenty out of twenty-seven English-speaking schools responded
to the questionnaire. In 2011, after securing translation services, the
questionnaire was issued to nine French-speaking schools of social work and
re-issued to the seven English-speaking schools that had not responded the year
previous. Of the seven English-speaking schools of social work, three responded
to the survey for a total of twenty-three out of a possible twenty-seven
responses. In addition, four of
the nine French-speaking schools responded to the questionnaire. In short,
there was a 75% response rate with a total of twenty-seven out of a possible
thirty-six schools of social work being represented.
The Deans and
Directors were asked to relate what efforts their particular schools were
making in creating an inclusive environment and generating scholarly work
related to disability, as outlined in Table 2 Survey on Disability Inclusion
within Canadian Schools of Social Work, 2010 - 2011. The content of the responses from these
schools is summarized in the following section.
Findings
The most impressive finding emanating
from the 2010 – 2011 survey is the significant shift in momentum toward
disability services and curriculum development. While variations between schools still exist, the data suggests that courses and programs on disability, as well
as service provisions, have been moving at an accelerated pace.
Programs and Courses
Twenty-three of the
twenty-seven Deans or Directors who responded to the survey indicated that at
least one course related to persons with disabilities was offered in their
school of social work. Further,
results show that most Canadian social work programs
have specific courses on disability, with a range of 1 to 3 disability related
courses being offered. Findings further suggest that all programs integrated
topics on disability into a variety of BSW and MSW courses, especially courses
pertaining to direct practice, social policy, and diversity. Some schools also
mentioned that course work relevant to disability focused on the
intersectionality of marginalized populations. One school of social work
combined courses from a university based disability studies program and social
work as a means for creating opportunities of greater integration.
Committees
Less than 50% of the Deans and Directors
of schools of social work who responded to the questionnaire reported committee
activity by faculty and students related to disability. Four of the schools
described committees that were student driven and concentrated on
accessibility. Other committee activities reported involved broader university
committees on disability issues and board membership in community disability
focused agencies.
Field
Experiences
Findings from the questionnaire suggest
that most social work programs had several disability-related field placements
and a large portion of these placements included direct service provision to
persons with disabilities. Four programs did not offer placements that
specifically dealt with disability issues. Interestingly, given the strong
probability that social workers will work with disabled persons, be it in areas
of mental health, health care or working with elders, the connection to
disability theory and practice often was not explicit, as the relationship of
disability to field was not highlighted in most programs. Another pressing
issue that needs further exploration is the accommodation needs of students
with disabilities within their field placements. Each school of social work should have formalized policies
pertaining to students with disabilities accommodations within field
placements. Questions such as, ÔAre agencies equipped to accommodate students
with disabilities?Õ; Ôwhat is the relationship between
the university accommodation services and field agencies?Õ and Ôwhat barriers
have students with disabilities encountered within their field placement
experiences?Õ need to be explored.
Scholarly
Activities
Seven of the respondents reported that
faculty and graduate students were conducting research on disability. In
addition, several universities were doing presentations and/or organizing
conferences on disability, as well as assisting graduate students, at both the
MSW and PhD level, with research on disability. An increase in disability scholarship most likely is
contributed to the establishment of accreditation standards pertaining to
ableism and disability rights curriculum established in 2009. This raises concerns for the new
accreditation standards (CASWE, 2011a) do not specifically identify ableism or
disability curriculum. The
standard is now streamlined under the category of diversity.
Equity
Most schools provided an opportunity for
applicants to the BSW and/or the MSW programs to declare disability as part of
an education equity statement in the admission process and a few Deans and
Directors mentioned that their schools also included equity statements in the
hiring process for faculty and staff. In previous research by caucus members, Dunn
et al. (2008) advocated greater equity in Canadian schools of social work by
encouraging recruitment and admissions standards that promote disability
inclusion. These authors reference social workÕs history of advocacy for
persons with disabilities and propose equity admissions policies as an essential
responsibility of social work educators. Crosby and Clayton (2004) advocate
affirmative action as the only effective method for addressing discrimination.
Number of Students
Most
Deans and Directors indicated that students might not disclose their disability
due to the continued stigma attached to disability. Equity and anti-discrimination legislation protects
applicants from the requirement to declare medical problems and obligates
universities to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the students when
these problems are presented as disabling. Thus, most Deans and Directors were unsure of the actual
number of students with disabilities enrolled in their social work programs.
Having stated this, most Deans and Directors reported that their universities
had a disability student services office wherein students could discuss
accessibility issues privately and apply for educational supports and services.
.
Limitations
Although the response rate was high for
the English-speaking schools (twenty-three out of a possible
27), the response rate from the French-speaking schools was less than fifty per
cent (four out of a possible nine).
Also, the data was primarily received from Deans and Directors who might
have an invested interest in having their schoolsÕ appear more accommodating
and accessible than that was actually the case. Surveying faculty, students, and staff could provide a
fuller picture of the experiences of disabled students. Further, due to time limitations and a
lack of funding the method of inquiry was not as systematic or as structured as
it could have been, for example recruitment span over two years because funding
for translation services was not available. Finally, one group member secured the assistance of a
bilingual colleague. The authors
realize that future directions should include collecting course syllabi for
disability related courses and for each course that may have a designated
disability component to it as this will provide a more detailed picture of what
is being taught about disability in schools of social work. Ideally, it would be helpful to conduct
a full document analysis of each school, as well as interview faculty, students
and administrators to develop a more complete understanding of how each school
actually embraces disability inclusion.
Discussion
Since its inception, members of the
Persons with Disabilities Caucus have asserted that post-secondary education is
a right and a social work education should not be denied to persons with
disabilities. The Persons with
Disabilities Caucus adheres to the belief that schools of social work should
have education equity policies, which include people with disabilities. In addition to equity based admission
policies, universities and schools of social work need to develop accessibility
standards that would include accommodations for assignments, exams, and
presentations, along with technical and personal supports. Accessibility to social work education
needs to be more than a barrier free environment (CASSW, 2007). Inclusionary
measures should not be developed in such a manner as to Òcompromise existing
standards of academic and practice competenceÓ (Wills et al., 1993). Equity
does not equal sameness. Certain
groups within society have been educationally marginalized and to address this
inequity, specific measures are necessary (MacDonald, Bernard, Campbell, Fay,
MacDonald, & Richard, 2003).
These measures involve accessible work environments, curriculum
development, and awareness and advocacy as outlined in the following
discussion.
Accessible Work Environments
Students
presented the lack of instructors with disabilities as an issue at the
inaugural meeting of the caucus in 1993.
Equity admissions of students and equity hiring of faculty members with
disabilities are an important component of disability inclusion within
post-secondary education. As
identified earlier in this paper, initial research by the Persons with
Disabilities Caucus found that faculty and staff with disabilities represented
less than five percent of employees (Dunn et al., 2006). The lack of people with disabilities
within PhD programs in Social Work, 1.3% (Dunn et al.), suggests that these
numbers are not going to improve in the near future. Disability inclusion needs
to be at all levels within the academy.
Curriculum
Development
A core objective of the Persons with
Disabilities Caucus has been the development of more social work courses
pertaining to people with disabilities. In 1993, there were only two core
courses offered on a regular basis at schools of social work in Canada. Now, out of the twenty-seven schools
surveyed, twenty-three schools had at least one course related to
disability. In recent years,
caucus members have written about the need to develop courses specializing in
disability, as well as the need to offer generalist courses that have content
directed at social work and people with disabilities (Dunn et al., 2008;
Carter, Leslie and Angell, 2011). All social work students should have basic
disability content and the option to delve deeper into disability scholarship
should also be available to students.
Opportunities to explore disability scholarship can be provided through
independent studies, thesis research, interdisciplinary studies, and programs
in disability studies (Carter, Quaglia, & Leslie, 2010).
Awareness
and Advocacy
Academics within social work and the
universities in general are not always aware of the needs of students with
disabilities, nor do they possess knowledge of pertinent disability theories or
disability related research. Over the years members of the Persons with
Disabilities Caucus have attempted to address this underdevelopment by engaging
in activities and research aimed at increasing faculty awareness through
research, course teachings, guest lecturing, and advocacy. As a small collective, representing
schools of social work from across Canada, members of the caucus have
contributed to changes that have made social work education more inclusive for
people with disabilities. Members of the caucus encourage faculty members to
broaden their course material by including ableism as part of the analysis and
classroom discussions. Members of the caucus have been instrumental in getting
equity statements expanded to include people with disabilities thus encouraged
more people with disabilities to apply to BSW and MSW programs. Moreover,
caucus members have challenged their own universities to be more accessible and
more supportive of students with disabilities (Carter, Leslie & Moore,
2010; MacDonald & Farry, 2009).
And, members have advocated within their own professional body to have
disability curriculum and accommodations included within the accreditation
standards for all schools of social work. Advocating for change has been part
of the legacy of the caucus, it was a founding principle of this caucus, and
members continue to work diligently toward disability rights and inclusion.
Barriers
Faced by the Persons with Disabilities Caucus
One of the
most significant barriers to the advocacy work and research of the Persons with
Disabilities Caucus was the lack of funding. Member worked with a
Ôshoe-stringÕ budget, only receiving between five hundred and one thousand
dollars annually from the CASWE, and supplementing this funding with in-kind support
from the membersÕ host universities.
CASWE occasionally provided office support in the form of translation
and mail services. Caucus members
sought funding from federal government departments but with the exception of
the inaugural conference in 1993 funding was never secured. Without creative
maneuvers and the ability to draw upon individual schools for services like
research assistants, teleconferences, photocopying and office supplies, the
work of the caucus would never have come to fruition.
Another
barrier that remains constant along the lifespan of the Persons with
Disabilities Caucus is the struggle for increased membership. The active working group of the caucus
has been between three and six members.
Members have been faculty and students from schools across the country,
who traditionally only get together once a year at the associationÕs annual
conference. Extra efforts have to be made to stay connected through such means
as teleconferences, e-mails and website communication. Caucus work is volunteer
time; it is not regarded as part of deployment for faculty workload, it is
often not well recognized for tenure and promotion nor is it awarded credit
value for students. Members juggle
the demands of their jobs, research, writing and publications in other areas,
family responsibilities and for many, health issues associated with living with
a disability. Student members have
the additional demands of their programs.
Members have to be truly dedicated to disability rights of inclusion in
order to stay focused and continue this invaluable work.
In addition to
the lack of funding and low membership numbers, the most significant barrier to
disability inclusion, access and accommodation has been the lack of awareness
disability issues have received within the academy, and specifically, within
schools of social work and CASWE.
Ableism needs to be acknowledged as part of the anti-oppressive
discourse within schools of social work and universities. It took 16 years, from the beginnings
of the caucus to the establishment of Accreditation Standards to reach the
point where all social work schools in Canada were mandated to provide
accommodations to students with disabilities and include disability curriculum
as a required field of study.
Interestingly, in an attempt to address racism with social work
education, the association fully funded and sponsored a national examination of
schools of social work between 1998 and 1999 (CASSW, n.d.). Research was
conducted, consciousness-raising tools were developed, and site visits were
available to help schools develop policies, procedures, and curriculum
pertaining to anti-racism. Members
of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus supported these efforts and have advocated
for similar funding for the work of the caucus. However, as stated earlier, this was not forthcoming, as
funding remained a struggle through all of the endeavors of the caucus. The Persons with Disabilities
Caucus had to work relentlessly to keep disability-rights on the platform of
CASWE and its associated schools.
Part of the caucusÕ mission was to Òdestabilize dominant ways of knowing
disabilityÓ (Snyder and Mitchell, 2006 in Titchkosky, 2007, p. 5) to unsettle
how disability is understood in our culture as Òa clear-cut problem in need of
a solution, . . . as an undesired difference, . . . as an add-onÓ (Titchkosky, 2007, p. 9). Rethinking disability, be it in the
form of pedagogy, curriculum, services to students, faculty or staff with
disabilities, needs to be part of each and every school of social work in
Canada and abroad.
Collaborative
Alliances as Pathways to Success
As noted above, getting disability
recognized as an important issue within schools of social work, the Canadian
Association of Social Work Education and the academy has been a long
struggle. Through sharing the
lessons learned in this journey it is hoped that others will be able to deem
insights to help facilitate making their learning environments more accessible
and accommodating to students, faculty, and staff with disabilities within
post-secondary educational institutions.
One of the most significant lessons
learned from the work of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus has been the
necessity of a multi-layered approach to change. The journey toward inclusive social work education has
involved organizational examination and change, policy analysis and
development, and curricular review and implementation. Organizational change began with the
establishment of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus in 1993 and continues as
a focus today. As an example, in
May 2011 at the Annual General Meeting of CASWE the various caucuses of the
Association were not identified on an organizational chart being presented to
the overall membership (CASWE, 2011b).
Members of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus lobbied CASWE executive
board members prior to the meeting and raised their concerns at the AGM. As a result of this action, a motion
was passed to amend the chart and subsequently the various caucuses were
included (CASWE, 2011c).
From its very inception the
Persons with Disabilities Caucus recognized that there were no policies on
accommodations for students with disabilities within CASWEÕs Accreditation
Standards, which is the document that governs the performance of schools of
social work across the country. The original motion to create the caucus
identified this initial concern, yet it took years of lobbying, networking and
consciousness-raising to finally have accreditation standards implemented to
acknowledge and support students with disabilities (CASWE, 2008). Unfortunately, in May 2011, a taskforce
charged with streamlining the Accreditation Standards for the CASWE presented
changes to the membership that had significantly diminished the gains related
to disabilities that had been accomplished just two years prior, including
curricular emphasis on ableism (CASWE, 2011, c). The caucus raised these concerns with the board and the
membership alike and prepared a report to the taskforce. The work of the caucus continues as
focus is now on ensuring that the gains realized in 2008 are not lost.
The gains the Persons with Disabilities
Caucus has achieved over the years could not be
realized if it were not for networking, building alliances and collaborating
within and outside the organization. From the very beginning, the Persons with Disabilities
Caucus was formed because people came together out of concern for students with
disabilitiesÕ access to post-secondary social work education. While the caucus membership has been
small, members stretch across Canada, coming from Dalhousie University in
Atlantic Canada, Carleton University, Ottawa, Wilfrid Laurier University and
the University of Windsor in Central Canada, and the University of British
Columbia (Fraser Valley) and University of Manitoba in the West. As a working group, members of the
caucus adhere to the same principles of inclusion and access, whether members
live with a disability, have family members with disabilities, or have worked
in the field, demonstrating aligned commitments to disability rights.
The Persons with Disabilities Caucus has
been strategic in forming alliances with other caucuses within CASWE to promote
organizational change. On its own
the Persons with Disabilities Caucus could not prevent problematic policies or
organizational change from ensuing, however, with the support of the Student
Caucus, the WomenÕs Caucus, and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
Caucus, resistance can be stirred and much can be accomplished. For example, in the last few years the
Standing Committee on Racial and Ethnic Affairs of the CASWE pulled panels of
diverse faculty together to present on emerging issues within anti-oppressive
theory and practice. A
member from the Persons with Disabilities Caucus has been involved in each of
the presentations involving topics such as teaching from the margins and
diversity within the academy. Such
initiatives help consciousness-raise about pressing issues and demonstrate the
intersectionality of oppression, be it originating from race, sex, class,
ability, and excreta.
Within
the larger university structure, the Persons with Disabilities Caucus members
have been involved in interdisciplinary work. This work included being founding
members of the Canadian Disability Studies Association (2004), which united
academics from a number of disciplines, including history, sociology,
anthropology, political science, and women studies, to mention just a few. Other examples include the creation of
disability studies programs such as the one established at the University of
Windsor and the one in its development stage at Carleton University. Working with disability rights
activists from the community, other academic disciplines and within social work
helps inform the issues and provides a broader understanding of the
complexities involved.
Members
of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus adhere to the ideal of social justice,
believing that all members of society should have equal opportunities and that
historical inequalities caused by discrimination and institutional inequities
should be addressed. Exercising
principles of social justice, leading by example and instituting change through
advocacy has led caucus members through many hurtles and toward their goals of
disability inclusion. Beyond
caucus work and promoting disability inclusion within CASWE, caucus members
have been actively involved in promoting disability access and accommodation
within their own universities and communities. Members push universal design principles within their
universities, be it structural (as in access to buildings) or instructional
(pedagogical principles of inclusion).
They work with disability organizations, such as Independent Living Centres
or the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, and they promote and engage with
disability research. Being
involved in various and multiple areas of interaction with disability inclusion
provides a holistic perspective in which to inform change.
Finally,
perhaps the most significant learning from the experience of the Persons with
Disabilities Caucus membership has been the realization that change is possible
and to never underestimate the power of a small group of people who are
committed toward a common goal.
From the beginning, the Persons with Disabilities Caucus established a
vision, worked toward their goals, one step at a time, not letting set-backs
derail their mission or get in the way of the vision of an accessible,
inclusive and accommodating education for all students, faculty and staff with
disabilities within post-secondary social work education. As Jack Layton repeatedly proclaimed
ÒdonÕt let them tell you it canÕt be doneÓ (Layton, 2011).
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Table 1
A
Chronology of the Activities of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus
Date |
Activity/Event |
1993 |
Establishment
of the Persons with Disabilities Caucus. |
1995 |
WomenÕs caucus, student caucus and disability caucus held a
joint meeting to develop strategies regarding
the Board of Directors platform at the Annual General Meeting
(AGM). Caucus funding was being
threatened. |
2001 |
PhD
students with disabilities invest in Caucus work. |
2002 |
Continued
discussions on adapting an Educational Policy on disability. |
2003 |
Presentation
CASSW Congress, Dalhousie University -
Disability: From Curriculum to Accommodations: A Decade of Reflections.
Caucus members discussed and planned survey of schools of social work
across the country re disability policies and curriculum; surfaced idea of
Disability Conference as a pre-congress workshop for the following year. |
2003 |
CASSW AGM
– Educational Policy Committee presented a policy on ÔProfessional
UnsuitabilityÕ for vote.
Disability Caucus members voiced concern for discriminating against
students with disabilities through this policy, lobbied with Student Caucus
to work together to block the motion. |
2003 |
CASSW AGM
– Educational Policy Committee presented a policy on ÔProfessional
UnsuitabilityÕ for vote.
Disability Caucus members voiced concern for discriminating against
students with disabilities through this policy, lobbied with Student Caucus
to work together to block the motion. |
2003 |
Caucus
members were asked to advise the Educational Policy Committee re finding a
way forward that would respect students with disabilities while upholding
professional conduct. No
compromise was found. |
2004 |
University
of Winnipeg – Disability Forum – faculty, students, community workers – both disabled and able-bodied
– filmed presentations. Later information from this forum was used to
put together an educational tool on accessibility within schools of social
work. |
2005 |
Presentation
at CASSW Congress, Western University of Ontario – ÒThe Transformation
of Persons with Disabilities from Clients to Colleagues: An Overview of Best
Practices in Social Work.Ó
|
2005 |
Began
discussing an Educational Policy statement and subsequent Accreditation
Standards re disability. |
2006 |
Article
published on research findings – ÔCreating Disability Inclusion within
Canadian Schools of Social WorkÕ in the Journal of Social Work in Disability
and Rehabilitation. |
2006 |
Presentation
at Canadian Disability Studies Association, Congress, York University –
ÒPromoting Inclusion for
People with Disabilities in Social Work EducationÓ. |
2006 |
Through
lobbying efforts a Caucus member was invited to serve on the Educational Policy Committee. |
2007 |
Promoting Disability
Inclusion in Canadian
Schools of social work – educational package including a video and
accommodation information was sent out to every School of Social Work in
Canada, including a workbook to guide the SchoolsÕ through their own policy
review around disability inclusion. |
2007 |
Motion re Educational
Policy on
disability was accepted at the AGM at the University of Saskatchewan. Educational policy 1.8 ÒSchools shall respond to the needs
of faculty, students, and staff with disabilities through the education
process including recruitment, hiring, admissions, accommodations,
curriculum, field practicum, retention, and graduation.Ó |
2008 |
CASWE
(formerly CASSW) held their AGM and conference in collaboration with the Canadian
Association of Social Workers (the professional association) –
Toronto. Witnessed a major
challenge to Accreditation Standards in response to the Educational Policy
Statement on disability. |
2008 |
Article
published on best practices from the survey research – ÔBest Practices
in Promoting Disability Inclusion within Canadian Schools of social workÕ in Disability Studies Quarterly. |
2009 |
CASWE
Conference, Carleton University.
Intersection of Oppression:
Panel discussion, moderated by Ben Carniol and Jennifer Clarke.
Disability Caucus member was an invited panellists. |
2009 |
Caucus
website established – for the sharing of course outlines, articles and
other resources amongst caucus members. |
2010 |
Caucus members
present papers at the CASWE Conference, Montreal. ÔDisability and
family: linking critical disability theory and family involvement through the
structural approach to social workÕ; and ÔBest practices in providing specialized mental
health services to individuals with a dual-diagnosisÕ. |
2010 |
Research
regarding Canadian schools of social work accomplishments in areas of
accessibility, accommodation and course development. Findings to be presented at the 7th International
Conference on Higher Education and Disability – Innsbruck, Austria. |
2010 |
Caucus
presentation at the 7th International Conference on Higher
Education and Disability – Innsbruck, Austria. Follow-up to survey research;
contacted Schools re disability accommodations and curriculum, as a result of
circulated educational material and implemented Accreditation Standards. |
2011 |
Caucus presentation at the
AHEAD conference in Seattle, Washington. Eighteen years of advocacy promoting
institutional change re disability inclusion, along with updated research
findings on disability within Canadian Schools of Social Work including
francophone schools |
Table 2
Survey on Disability Inclusion within Canadian Schools of Social
Work 2010 - 2011
Questions:
á
Does your school have any courses pertaining to social work and people with disabilities?
o If
so, at what levelÉ BSW or MSW or both?
o If
such courses exist, how long have they been in existence?
o How
many students are usually enrolled in the course on an annual basis?
o Are
you aware of students, BSW or MSW, who are doing field placements with agencies
that deal specifically with people with disabilities?
á
Does your school collaborate with other departments that offer
courses on disability or programs of study on disability?
á
Does your school have any persons with disabilities caucus or
persons with disabilities committees?
á
Does your school integrate the study of disability in courses
related to direct practice, social policy or diversity?
á
Does your school have an equity
statement that addresses the needs of students with disabilities?
á
How many students with disabilities are
enrolled in your BSW program at the present time?
How many students with disabilities are enrolled in your MSW Program at the
present time?