Creating a More Inclusive Environment:

1
Creating a More Inclusive Environment

• Meeting the Challenge
• Beth Pincus
• Jean Goldstein
• Bergen Community College

2
Beginning Collaboration

• Initial transfer counseling experiences with
  students who are deaf (e.g. making this slide)
• Modifying how I work/communicate
• U/D programs I attended (Deaf-Deaf World)

3
Diversity Seminar

• Background

4
MICROCULTURE DEFINED
Biology A small-scale culture of organisms,
cells or tissues. Sociology The distinctive
culture of a small group of people within a
limited geographic area or within an organization
such as a school or business.
Is a small unit of culture within a wider general
culture. It is the identity and traits of a
particular people within a dominant culture that
are never lost to assimilation.
5
DIVERSITY DEAF CULTURE

• The Deaf Community
• Deaf vs deaf

6
Diversity Seminar Capstone Project

• Background
• Proposal
• What happened
• What I learned

7
Barriers to Student Success

• Adjusting to a new environment
• Clarifying expectations
• Finding a community
• Self Advocacy Skills
• Communication
• Language competency

8
Universal Design

• which is related to inclusive design and
  Design for All, is an approach to the design of
  products, services and environments to be usable
  by as many people as possible regardless of age,
  ability or circumstance. It links directly to
  the political concept of an inclusive society and
  its importance has been recognized by
  governments, business and industry.

9
Ramps are installed to ease wheelchair access
AND
to help everyone to get up and down stairs with
suitcases, etc.
10
Curb-cuts were designed to allow wheelchair access
AND
to help a weary traveler.
11
Automatic Door openers were installed to provide
access to people in wheelchairs
AND
they also make life easier for all of us
carrying a lot of stuff.
12
Benefits of Universal Design

• Recognition that students have different learning
  styles
• Reduction of stigma involved in labeling
• Empowerment vs rescue
• Inclusion rather than accommodation

13
Little ChangesBig Results!!!

• Extended time for appointments
• Pacing
• Student to do List
• Use of visual props
• Ask lots of questions Listen to the answers

14
When deaf and hard of hearing students are
positively integrated into college life, they are
more likely to maintain a high level of
commitment to college and persist.
Anne Gray Liversidge
15
Resources

• www.pepnet.org
• faculty training, itransition, teacher tip
  sheets
• Rochester Institute of Technology, Project
  Access www.rit.edu/classact
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock
  www.ualr.edu/pace/index.php/commitment/

16
Your turn.
Questions? Comments?
17
How do you define yourself?

• Please list three words you would use to describe
  yourself that is how would you define
  yourself to others?
• Were you surprised by the words you selected?
  Consider the following
• How did you filter your choice?
• Do you think other people in your life would
  choose the same words or would they differ?