Dr. Michael Feely

Summary

The principle of striving to include people with intellectual disabilities in mainstream education and research is now wholeheartedly embraced by the disability rights movement, by the social work profession, and by Trinity College. The disability rights movement adopted the slogan 'NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US' decades ago, insisting that people with disabilities should have a role in developing and shaping policy and research relevant to their lives (Charlton, 1998). Mirroring this, over recent years, the social work profession has also embraced inclusion and participation, establishing these as ethical imperatives in all aspects of practice, including education and research (CORU, 2010). Finally, Trinity College has, for some time, been at the cutting edge of including people with intellectual disabilities in mainstream third level education. Trinity's pioneering Certificate in Contemporary Living, in particular, has allowed hundreds of adults with intellectual disabilities to attend, and participate in the student life of, the university. Moreover this innovative course has also served as a model for third level institutions throughout Ireland (and abroad) to emulate, which has - in turn - allowed many more adults with intellectual disabilities experience student life. In keeping with the inclusive aspirations of the disability rights movement, of the social work profession and of Trinity College, and in attempting to break new ground in inclusive teaching and research, our project's aims and objectives are: 1. To provide adults with intellectual disabilities with the opportunity, and the necessary support, to become co-lecturers and co-researchers and to experience academic life in Trinity. 2. To provide undergraduate social work students with the opportunity to learn best practice for supporting adults with intellectual disabilities from adults with intellectual disabilities. 3. To research the experiences of adults with intellectual disabilities as they become university educators, as well as the experiences of the students they teach, and to publish the findings of this research in relevant peer reviewed journals. 4. To provide an example of innovative and inclusive teaching that could serve as a model for other departments in Trinity that prepare students to work with adults with intellectual disabilities and other marginalised groups.

Funding Agency

CAPSL: Trinity Teaching Innovation Grants

Programme

Trinity Teaching Innovation Grants