Project promotes inclusion
2/9/2001 3:57:44 PM
February 12, 2001 - In May of this year four students from College of the North Atlantic and the University of PEI will travel to Finland as part of a three-year project between post-secondary schools in this country and Europe. Next year European students will come to Canada.
On the surface it sounds like any other student exchange program, however this one has a twist.
Dubbed the Canada-European Community Project, this exchange involves students with disabilities and is designed to promote better inclusion of these students at the college and university level.
“There is a wide momentum for change in the field of education, especially for change that provides equal opportunities for all students – specifically the need for full inclusion of students with disabilities within post-secondary institutions,” says Dan Goodyear, coordinator of Special Needs Delivery for College of the North Atlantic and the project’s Canadian coordinator.
In total, 64 students will take part in the Canada-EC project over the next three years. Of that, 12 will be from College of the North Atlantic, 12 from the University of PEI, six from Nova Scotia Community College and six from Brock University. There will also be four secondary students from Canada taking part in the third year. From Europe there will be seven students from the post-secondary institutions Kemi Tornio Polytechnic in Finland, the University College of Dublin in Ireland, University of Salamanca in Spain and the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland. Four European secondary students will also take part in year three.
“In Canada, governments at all levels have recently mandated regular classroom placement as the norm for all students,” says Goodyear.
“In Europe, school divisions and centers of higher education are now renewing their efforts to transform traditionally segregated, special education settings to more inclusive classrooms. Government departments are being encouraged to implement inclusion and special education coordinators are now in place in many schools. As well, teacher training agencies are identifying the key competencies and standards for initial teacher education in this field.”
On both sides of the Atlantic, a process has begun for enhancing the skills of teachers and faculty to break down barriers that have existed and have often prevented students with disabilities from accessing appropriate post-secondary education, making this project very timely.
“The Canada-EC project brings together centers of teaching and community agencies which are pioneering efforts to enhance and enrich the lives of students who have in the past presented a wide range of learning and behavioural challenges in post-secondary classrooms,” says Goodyear.
“This program will allow all participants to actually review existing inclusionary practices and models of program delivery. It will heighten the awareness of the need for full inclusion and will demonstrate that by including students with disabilities in our schools and in our communities, we all benefit.”
The program is being funded by Human Resources Development Canada under the Canada-European Community Program for Co-operation in Higher Education and Training and the European Commission Directorate General for Education, Training and Youth in Brussels. Associate partners include the Canadian Association for Community Living, the Newfoundland and Labrador Association for Community Living and the Prince Edward Island Association for Community Living.
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For more information contact:
Stephen Lee
Communications Officer
College of the North Atlantic
Phone: (709) 643-7928
Fax: (709) 643-7932
Email: stephen.lee@northatlantic.nf.ca