Course on Disability Awareness and Sensitivity for Non-Academic Staff
Under the AHEAD Project- Faculty of Arts courses on Disability Awareness and Sensitivity for Academic and Non-Academic Staff were introduced from 6th and 8th October 2020 in collaboration with the Staff Development Centre of the University of Colombo. For the initial round 25 academic members from the Faculty of Arts and 25 non-academic staff members attached to the Faculty of Arts were selected to follow the courses. Each course will run for 18 weeks. Those who complete the course successfully engaging with the assessments and securing 80 percent participation will be awarded a certificate signed by the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar of the University of Colombo.
The course for non-academics introduces administrative staff members to dominant frameworks of conceptualizing disability. It challenges staff to re-think their understandings and assumptions of disability through interactive activities and encounters. It introduces staff members with basic disability etiquette in order to ensure that their interactions with students and staff with disabilities are sensitive and respectful. Staff will be encouraged to critically assess common practices, procedures and protocols in their divisions and departments to test for accessibility and usability as per the Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Both courses will be offered once more under the AHEAD Project after which the Centre for Disability Research, Education, and Practice (CEDREP) of the Faculty of Arts will take over the management of the course. It is hoped in future to open the courses to all academic and non-academic staff in the University system.