Evolution of Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities: A Lifelong Journey
Virtual Conference Explores Disability Access Across the Spectrum
A groundbreaking virtual conference titled "Exploring the Impact of Disability Access Across the Spectrum: Birth to Employment" is set to take place in October, co-hosted by Texas Southern University (TSU), the University of Guyana, and the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD).
The conference aims to examine disability access and its effects throughout life stages, from birth through to employment. Its purpose is to explore how access to accommodations and inclusive practices can support individuals with disabilities across education and employment sectors, highlighting challenges, strategies, and opportunities for improving outcomes.
The conference brings together a diverse group of participants, including educators, policymakers, disability advocates, and other stakeholders from the U.S., the Caribbean, and other global regions. TSU views inclusion as an active responsibility and aims to help manufacture more inclusive and seamless pathways from early childhood through adulthood.
The University of Guyana brings a critical Caribbean perspective to the conference, given that Guyana has a significant proportion of the population being persons with disabilities, emergent and evolving diversities, and various forms of neurodivergence.
The partnership with AHEAD suggests a focus on higher education’s role in facilitating successful transitions into employment for individuals with disabilities. The conference's global focus is to unite people across geographic bounds and share lived experiences to shape more inclusive practices.
The conference is not limited to academic interests but aims to connect students with faculty to address real-world issues. Glennis Daniels-Bacchus, a disability practitioner and member of AHEAD, is originally from Guyana and consults on disability support services. She emphasizes that disability access must be seen through a continuum lens, considering schools, cultural groups, families, and employers.
Stephan Smith, CEO of AHEAD and a co-sponsor, emphasized that while the focus is on higher education, the importance of disability access is recognized at all levels. As a Historically Black University located in Houston, Texas, TSU has a history of serving students from marginalized communities.
The conference's co-sponsors include the University of Guyana and AHEAD. Paloma Mohamed Martin, Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, is one of the conference organizers. Carl B. Goodman, provost at TSU, stated that the conference directly supports the mission of TSU's College of Education's special education program.
The conference aims to influence policy, teaching, and public understanding of the topic. Its goal is to rethink how systems can be built around access, dignity, and full participation. Lidon Lashley, a faculty member at the University of Guyana, is the Director of the Early Childhood Center for Excellence at the University.
While direct details from the search results about this specific conference are not available, related contexts indicate such conferences generally address topics like reasonable accommodations, assistive technologies, fostering inclusive environments, and sharing best practices and case studies for inclusion across systems supporting individuals with disabilities. They also emphasize empowerment from early life stages through adult employment, illustrating a commitment to lifelong support and inclusion goals.
If you would like, I can help locate specific agenda details or descriptive summaries provided by the host institutions to confirm the exact focus and goals of the conference.
- According to the virtual conference's purpose, it aims to discuss the impact of disability access across various life stages, with a focus on education-and-self-development and policy-and-legislation within the university settings, such as the University of Guyana, Texas Southern University, and Rutgers University.
- To further extend the conference's global influence, it invites policymakers, advocates, and stakeholders from various regions, including politics and general-news, to unite for sharing lived experiences and live chat conversations, fostering an inclusive environment and promoting strategies and opportunities that uphold access and accommodations for people with disabilities, ultimately shaping more beneficial access, dignity, and full participation practices.
