The Ability Ally and Disability Awareness Program will be available during the spring semesters. Sign ups will be sent out in February. For any questions, please email abilityally@miracosta.edu.
Thank you so much for your interest in exploring how to support our various student populations here at MiraCosta College. We have put together a comprehensive canvas course that will provide you with deeper understanding of people with disabilities, the history of the Disability Rights movement, barriers that people with disabilities encounter plus additional opportunities to learn throughout by exploring resources, engaging in discussion boards, and finally participating in a live session with a wonderful SAS student panel. Responding to the call to uplift and support multiple marginalized groups is no small undertaking and requires a lot of effort and active reflection and action.
This self-paced Canvas course has six different modules of curated information, videos, and discussion boards. Each module ends with discussion questions and an opportunity to reflect on the information.
- Week One: we will explore what it means to be an Ability Ally. What Allyship entails and your thoughts on when and how you have been an Ally.
- Week Two: covers the history of ADA and the Disability Rights Movement.
- Week Three: provides a breakdown of disabilities. Develop deeper understanding of what our students with disability encounter and explore scenarios to put your allyship to task.
- Week Four: we will discover diversity and disability. People with disabilities make up the largest minority group in the United States – estimated over 20% of the total population.
- Week Five: discusses barriers, ableism and microaggressions. Are we sensitive to barriers people with disabilities encounter? Do we understand ableism and it’s negative effects?
- Week Six: will review inclusive language and practices to ensure accessibility for all. We will also explore the Social vs Medical model of disability, explain UDL and best practices and culminate our learning with student voices during our live student panel. There will be an option to join this even virtually and we will resubmit a request for your attendance preference (in person on online) prior to the final event day.
Learning Objectives
After participating in the Ability Ally Training, attendees will be able to:
- Appreciate and understand the need for ability allies and commit to being an ally for inclusion by advocating for awareness, acceptance, and inclusion of people with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of people with disabilities and the disability movement.
- Demonstrate inclusive language and understand its importance.
- Display a greater sensitivity to the struggles faced by people with disabilities in the past and the challenges people with disabilities encounter today and in the future.
- Understand disability and how it impacts diversity.
- Understand the value of such concepts as universal design, and person-first language.
