One out of every four people in the U.S. self-identify as having a disability, according to the CDC (2019). That includes adult learners, adult educators, and program administrators and staff. People with disabilities cross all categories and demographics of learners and program employees, which include race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, culture and language, geography, and economics. Dahlia Shaewitz, Vice President of Transition, Disability & Employment for the Institute for Educational Leadership, will provide a deep dive into disability awareness that includes learning about disability prevalence, ableism, and inclusion, and a discussion about why this is important in supporting States’ goals for equity and inclusion in adult education programs. Participants will have an opportunity to share perspectives with colleagues, identify strategies to expand their network of partners, and begin to build their plan to improve disability diversity inclusion in adult education.
To help you prepare to engage fully in this discussion, the following pre-readings are suggested:
- Read the Executive Summary from “Evaluating the Accessibility of American Job Centers for People with Disabilities” (https://impaqint.com/sites/default/files/project-reports/AJC-Accessibility-Study.pdf)
- Skim “Higher Education’s Next Great Challenge: Ensuring Full Inclusion for Students with Disabilities” (https://iel.org/higher-education-inclusion-guide)
Presenters:
- Dahlia Shaewitz, Vice President, Transition, Disability & Employment, Institute for Educational Leadership