Support Center for Inclusive Higher Education

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SUPPORT CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE HIGHER EDUCATION (SIHO)

On July 18th 2008 minister Vandenbroucke signed on behalf of the Flemish Government an agreement with the consortium University College West-Flanders, Ghent University and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. That was the start of SIHO (the Support Center for Inclusive Higher Education) for a period of 5 years (September 2008 till August 2013). On May 1st 2010 the agreement was extended with the Antwerp University and the University College of Limburg covering a period of three years, from May 1st 2010 till August 31st 2013.

MISSION: SIHO promotes equal opportunities and full participation in higher education for students with disabilities. SIHO is specialized in taking actions to remove any obstacle which undermines the full participation. This means that SIHO encourages disabled people to make the most of their living, learning and employment opportunities.

TERMS OF REFERENCE: SIHO wants to achieve these goals by taking actions towards the higher education institutions, the students with a disability and the government. The goals of SIHO are support, networking and research. To provide the different actions with content and shape, SIHO performs much research. The results of the different actions and competences are provided to all those who are concerned. SIHO prefers a bottom-up approach and a dialogue with as well the students, the different higher education institutions as the services supporting people with a disability. SIHO wants to achieve the realization of an inclusive higher education and this in cooperation with every institution of higher education.

SIHO bases itself on the Paradigm of Diversity and Inclusion. This paradigm tries to explore the concepts of diversity in higher education and more specific the growing number of students with a disability in higher education.

To give shape to the Paradigm of Inclusion, within the context of the Flemish higher Education, SIHO can refer to:

• Theoretical fundamentals translated for the practice of education by Unesco: Inclusive education is based on the right of all learners to a quality education that meets basic learning needs and enriches lives. Focusing particularly on vulnerable and marginalized groups, it seeks to develop the full potential of every individual. The ultimate goal of inclusive quality education is to end all forms of discrimination and foster social cohesion.
• The convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and in a more specific way the legal and political context of the anti-discrimination thoughts
• The principles of Universal Design for Learning for curriculum development which give all individuals equal opportunities to learn.
• The fundamentals of cooperative research (Van Hove, 1999) as a basis for the ‘research with people concerned' and the bottom-up approach

This academic year (2010-2011) SIHO will aim at goals in three different fields:

1. Culture for inclusion

We want to make people familiar with inclusion. We want them to reflect on how it is to study with a disability. We want to make them aware of their own vision on disability.

Several actions will aim at this goal, f.e.:

• We will develop a workshop ‘disability awareness’.
• We will develop a tool with portraits of students with a disability.
• We will continue doing research on students’ perspective.

2. Structure for inclusion

July 2nd 2009 Belgium ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The rights for education and reasonable adjustments are important aspects in the convention. SIHO wants to facilitate the application of the UN convention in higher education institutions.

Several actions will aim at this goal, f.e.:

• A publications about reasonable adjustments in higher education.
• We will initiate and negotiate the application of the UN Convention in higher education institutions.

3. Inclusive practice

This field consists of two parts:

First we want to make faculty aware of the competencies they can use for inclusive higher education. Several actions will aim at this goal, f.e.:

• A guide with tips for faculty and staff about support for students with a disability.
• Scientific research on the experiences of faculty in higher education.

Secondly we want to make learning accessible. Several actions will aim at this goal, f.e.:

• We will develop tips to make optimal use of digital learning environments for students with a disability
• We will explore with different actors the needs and possibilities for providing digital material.

On an annual base SIHO will organize a conference. Twice a year a meeting day will be held for the different disability officers. SIHO will answer questions ad hoc and will develop material and tools such as posters, flyers, brochures, websites …

On the international level: SIHO is a part of the LINK Network. Learning Inclusively Network + Know-how (LINK) was established in 2008 to share knowledge, best practice and experience between umbrella organizations with the aim of raising the quality of service for students with disabilities in each of its partner countries and contributing towards a more uniform approach to services across Europe.



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