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www.zeroproject.org
office@zeroproject.org
060 - Inclusive Education Program, Centre for Disability Studies (CDS),
Australia
C
ONTACT
Centre for Disability Studies (CDS)
Ms. Patricia O'Brien
Australia
http://www.cds.org.au/+61 (02) 9036 3600
patricia.obrien@sydney.edu.auO
VERALL GOAL
/
MISSION
The vision of CDS is to advance the rights of people with intellectual disability (ID) through its research, clinical services
and training programs. In particular, CDS is passionate about inclusive educational practices that promote quality
education for people with ID. Australia is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities
(CPRD). Given the moral as well as practical importance of providing inclusive education to people with ID, CDS, under
the leadership of Prof Patricia O’Brien conceived, planned and implemented a pilot Inclusive Education Program (IEP) in
2012 for people with ID at the University of Sydney. The model of the IEP builds on and extends inclusive education
practices at Trinity College in Ireland, which were previously established by Prof O’Brien. The IEP provides a university
experience for participants in a range of unit of studies of their interest across all faculties. Students participate in
lectures and tutorials, and attend 1:1 tutorials to develop an individualized project. IEP students receive academic as
well as social mentoring through a peer mentoring program. The IEP was piloted with five students in 2012 to great
success, and has since continued with a cohort of ten students who participate in the program for up to two years.
T
HE SOLUTION THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED
The IEP seeks to address the desire of people with ID to be part of an inclusive learning community along with their non-
disabled peers. It supports ten students per cohort to attend university lectures across all faculties. Each IEP student
participates in up to two units of study of their choice. The IEP is the only fully inclusive tertiary education initiative of its
kind in Australia.
C
OUNTRY IN WHICH IT WAS DEVELOPED
:
Ireland/Australia
C
OUNTRY
/
COUNTRIES IN WHICH IT IS OPERATING
:
Ireland/Australia
F
ACTS ABOUT SIZE AND SCOPE
To date, the IEP has supported 23 people with ID to attend the University of Sydney
The IEP has had the support of 65 peer mentors