Staff Training: Vision
Benchmarks:
  • We seek to expand lives through the experience of post-secondary education
  • We minimize difference
  • We support the community
  • We look for evidence of exclusion
  • We seek valued roles

In order to facilitate inclusive post-secondary education well, we must be clear in the vision that we are working towards. The evolution of this perspective will take time, intense learning, and iterations of conversations as we learn from the unique ways in which a dynamic inclusive community is supported and the inclusive decisions of students and families.
Inclusion is not so much about changing the individual, as it is about how we change ourselves to be citizens of an inclusive welcoming community.
We aim to train a team of critical thinkers !                
Although we are working in the context of post-secondary, our true vision is one of life-long inclusion for people with developmental disabilities. This means that while we are focusing on campus and employment, we are always thinking about how this connects to the life-long vision of full inclusion. Sometimes, the student's vision for inclusion may not match the family’s vision. This is okay. We recognize that students are the strongest voice for their own inclusion, and that if we can support them to be engaged and valued members of the academic and campus communities, they will often be the catalyst for inspiring families to think differently about what happens after university/college is finished. Inclusive facilitators:
  • Encourage students to Dream big and develop confidence
  • Keep checking on the authenticity of the student's and community's experience – is this a normal pathway?
Fundamentally we want our staff to feel strongly about inclusion. To understand this is different, that his is ground breaking.  This is exciting!
STEPS Forward's Guiding Principles
  • Applicants are interviewed to determine what they want to study, their level of motivation and their goals. Admission is not dependent on labels, academic prerequisites or IQ.
  • Students attend their local college or university on an inclusive basis. They do not attend separate classes, classrooms or separate curricula.
  • At least one student on each campus has significant and/or complex support requirements.
  • Students select courses based on personal interests. As with any other student, they direct their own course of studies and select a concentration of studies in a specific field.
  • Classroom learning is only one aspect of education, Students also participate in recreational, social, and athletic activities. During the summer they are supported to find and be employed in paid jobs.
  • Students do not serve as research subjects, or practicum opportunities, to learn about their disability. Students prepare to become active, valued members of society and, as such, are fully involved, active, valued members of their educational community as a peer.
  • Student educational experience is commensurate with the expectations for the experience of a typical post-secondary student.
  • The goal of inclusive post-secondary education is to make full inclusion the norm, rather than attempting to ‘normalize’ students with developmental disabilities.
  • The role of Families, or Advocates, is critical to the success of the student and as such they are encouraged to learn about inclusive post secondary education, provide input and support.