Identifying and quantifying sources of exclusion in Further Education courses

Higher education institutions play a significant role in providing professional training for high-level jobs and the education necessary for developing the personality of all their students, including individuals with disabilities. Universities are crucial for promoting social inclusion and participation in mainstream society. Whilst universities are doing their efforts to eliminate the architectural barriers by enhancing the built and classroom environment for people with disabilities and mainly wheelchair users, little effort are made to improve the accessibility level for the built environment and the teaching and learning methods for students with sensory and cognitive disabilities. 

It identifies the excluded groups who are encountering barriers that limit their full inclusion in a university setting. It specifically aims to use the exclusion calculator and the traditional access audit assessment techniques (Approved Document M Standard for building access, and WCAG, for digital access to the course modules) to quantify and qualify the barriers. Furthermore, the study will evaluate and then compare the students’ learning experiences at the University of Cambridge and the American University of Beirut. 

Another objective of the study is to investigate students’ experiences with and without disabilities in accessing the built environment and teaching and learning modules. Furthermore, the research aims to examine the input of lecturers to respond to the diverse students learning needs, including students with sensory, cognitive, and physical disabilities. 

Moreover, the overall aim of this research relates to the objectives of the two universities in supporting evidence-based studies regarding disability inclusion in education and enhancing local, regional, and international capacity. The study aims to address inclusive education in higher education settings; by formulating a format for inclusive education plans that can be adopted in other educational settings; and by contributing to re-shaping a better understanding of barriers and excluded groups from gaining access to education.

Activities 

1. Literature Review + Research tool preparations+ IRB application submission
2. Data Collection 
3. Data Analysis (online survey data entry, exclusion calculator data entry, transcribing interviews)  
4. Writing one academic journal article: presenting the results from the research and submitting a research paper to a peer-reviewed academic journal after completing the visiting scholar fellowship
5. A report to both institutions regarding the issues uncovered and potential interventions to address them. This entails working with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre at Cambridge University and the Disability Hub- Centre for Lebanese Studies. 
6. Webinar to share the key findings at the two institutions. 
7. The Inclusive Design Centre group at the Engineering department at Cambridge University and the Centre for Lebanese Studies and its Disability Hub will hold a webinar and have panelists from the two universities share the research findings. The webinar will be open to people with and without disabilities, lecturers, and academics from the education, architecture and engineering, representatives from the accessibility and Disability Resource Centre at the University of Cambridge and the Disability Hub at the Centre for Lebanese Studies.
8.  Infographics about the key findings of the research will be shared on the two universities’ websites and social media networks.