Meagen Mispah Bremner’s Post

In an article in The Conversation, Professor Linda J. Graham, C4IE Director, criticises the Australian government's response to the Disability Commission's final report on school segregation for students with disabilities. She highlights the division among commissioners, with some advocating for phasing out special schools due to their devaluing effect, while others support maintaining a dual-track system. Graham criticises the federal government for avoiding a clear stance by deferring to states and territories, despite acknowledging the role of special schools and parental choice. This ambiguity raises concerns about inclusive education, which aims to include all students with appropriate support as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Graham argues that strong political leadership is needed to advance genuine inclusion, warning that the government's current approach risks maintaining the status quo and limiting incentives for mainstream schools to enhance inclusion. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/gz8exK2k QUT (Queensland University of Technology)

When DEI came up during a panel I was on recently, my co-panelist shared that it’s become a four-letter word in her state. Many agreed that they’ve been seeing the same thing. But in IP, DEI still matters because diversity leads to innovation. Some of history’s most important inventions and discoveries were made by someone with an outside perspective. Key insights about the structure of DNA were revealed in the 1950s by chemist Dr. Rosalind Franklin, not a biologist — or a man. Because Gutenberg’s mother was a commoner, he couldn’t succeed his father in his leadership position at the mint, and later invented the mechanized printing press in Europe. Diversity in thought, experience and identity are critical ways to unlock innovation. Highlighting one of those identities, October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a cause dear to my family - my wife helps individuals with disabilities find and keep rewarding jobs. This USPTO post highlights inspiring innovators with disabilities who are using their unique lived experiences to make the world a better place. #intellectualproperty #inclusiveinnovation #diversityinIP

Yesterday, we celebrated International Disability Day with the theme: Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future. Leadership drives change, yet the voices of persons with disabilities remain underrepresented in decision-making spaces. This absence not only limits their potential but also deprives society of the innovation and resilience that comes from diverse perspectives. As the UN slogan rightly reminds us: “Nothing about us, without us.” At the University of Twente, we recognize that accessible and inclusive education is the foundation of transformative leadership. By ensuring equitable access, resources, and opportunities for students with disabilities, we are not just opening doors—we are empowering future leaders. When every student can thrive, contribute, and lead, we pave the way for a truly sustainable future. But our commitment doesn’t end there. We strive to be a workplace where all staff can grow, excel, and lead. Through inclusive hiring practices, accessible work environments, and career development opportunities, we aim to build a culture where everyone has a seat—and a voice—at the table. Together we need to continue to break down barriers, foster belonging, and amplify every voice in our community. #DisabilityDay #InclusiveLeadership #InclusiveEducation #AccessibleWorkplaces #SustainableFuture #DiversityAndInclusion #UniversityofTwente

Keene State College has been awarded a nearly $100,000 Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) grant to promote teaching disability history in rural communities. Since 2006, Congress has appropriated funds to the TPS program to establish and support organizations working to incorporate the Library of Congress’s digital collections into educational curricula. The initiative includes engaging local teachers to develop a series of guides to conduct research on disability history in middle- and high-school classrooms, a one-day conference in July 2025 to discuss ways to expand and strengthen the teaching of stories of disability history in K-12 schools, and collaboration with experts to share research and work on the curriculum. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gkNMzG-v

Back in February, I had the honour of being part of a discussion on "Finding a Balance That Works for You" at the first-ever Ontario Summit for Students with Disabilities alongside co-panelists Tam Pham, Corbin M., and our skilled moderator Jules Koncovy. The conversation unpacked our respective experiences managing wellness and productivity, juggling competing demands, and prioritizing health as individuals and students navigating the world with disabilities. Themes that emerged ranged from identifying priorities that align with our individual values to managing the delicate equilibrium between career demands and personal wellness. I shared my experience going from engineering to law as a neurodivergent person with speech difficulties and my advocacy for greater inclusion in STEM spaces. The Summit has now released a pivotal report that consolidates the experiences of over 100 students, shedding light on the barriers faced by students with disabilities and proposing pathways for enhancing accessibility and inclusion on campuses across Ontario. This report is not just a summary of Summit discussions but a call to action for all stakeholders in the educational sector to engage meaningfully with the experiences of disabled students and to drive change toward more inclusive academic environments. I invite my network to read the full report and join in advancing the crucial conversations about accessibility and disability inclusion. Download an illustrated PDF or a MS word document version of the report here (please reach out to Samantha Fowler, MScCom if additional alternative formats are required): https://lnkd.in/g35brkup A special thanks to the University of Waterloo, McMaster University, University of Windsor, and Toronto Metropolitan University for supporting the event and, most importantly, to the incredible Samantha Fowler, MScCom and Emma Collington for leading this groundbreaking initiative! #Accessibility #Inclusion #DisabilityAdvocacy #disabledstudents

AM I FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE? Honestly… when I read articles like the one that I’ve read over the weekend, my heart sinks and it really does feel like I am losing the battle. The headline read “Outrage as parents offered choice of class photo with or without disabled pupils”. The article spoke about a photography firm who were employed by a primary school to take professional photographs of their pupils. When the firm sent the email out to parents with the link to the photographs they could order there was a choice, they could order photographs with the whole class… but then there was also a choice of ordering photographs “without those with disabilities and additional support needs”. Reading something like this fills me with sadness and also makes me question where we are going… it highlights just how much work there’s still to do if we are really going to achieve true inclusion. There are a number of reasons why this article raised alarm bells for me. First of all I am disappointed that this business, or the photographer employed by them were openly being discriminatory by even taking the photos in the first place, let alone clearly offering parents the two options. Secondly, what message is it saying to a) the pupils with disabilities that were affected and b) the other pupils in their class? I will tell you… it’s saying that those children with the disabilities are ‘different’! Thinking about this group of children, both the ones who have disabilities and those who don’t, at such a young, impressionable age surely it is vital for both parties that we not only promote inclusion but celebrate any differences. Whilst I am aware that history plays a role in the challenges that we face when fighting to achieve inclusion, I also believe that this education has to start at a young age - we have got to move forward… But, situations like this stop us from achieving the inclusion that we all deserve! What do *you* think, am I fighting a losing battle? #disabilityinclusion #inclusion #inclusionmatters

Inclusion begins with grassroots changes in mindset; it is not something that will happen just by talking about it. We need to act out inclusion in front of children so they can adapt to it. Children learn effectively by observing, and this is the best way to teach them. When I became disabled, I didn't initially know how to navigate this new reality or how I wanted to be treated. As I grew into this process, I understood the dos and don'ts. Then came an important part of my life: children. When they saw their mothers, fathers, and others treating me correctly and acceptably, they learned to do the same. They don't see the wheelchair as something alien or view me as a different person but as part of their community. This approach trains the next generation to be more accepting, humble, and accommodating toward people with disabilities, creating a society that is not only inclusive but also welcoming. According to a study by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, early exposure to inclusive environments significantly enhances children's social and emotional development, fostering empathy and respect for diversity. #Inclusion #DiversityAndInclusion #InclusiveEducation #DisabilityAwareness #Empathy #Respect #InclusiveSociety #ChildDevelopment #SocialChange #Diversity #Accessibility #CommunityBuilding #EqualOpportunities #InclusiveMindset #TeachByExample

Following the recent proposal by Ofsted to introduce the inclusion “criterion”, I’m reflecting on how this could be more than just a box-ticking exercise. The real goal is to shift from seeing inclusion as a compliance issue to actively tackling ableism, creating truly inclusive schools. According to Edutopia - George Lucas Educational Foundation, “When we stop looking at inclusion as a compliance measure and start confronting ableism, we can achieve authentically inclusive schools.” – and frameworks like LEAD might just help us get there. What is LEAD? LEAD: Listen, Examine, Acknowledge, Disrupt. 🔉 Listen: Emphasise the voices of those with disabilities and challenge society to actively listen to and learn from the disability community. 🔎 Examine: Identify and address ableist barriers in schools, move beyond compliance towards authentic inclusion by reimagining classrooms, question segregation practices, and create environments where all students, regardless of ability, can learn together and thrive. 🤝 Acknowledge: Continuously re-evaluate and update educational practices through initiatives like Universal Design for Learning, acknowledging past mistakes with humility, and staying informed about current trends. 💡 Disrupt: Emphasise that recognising ableism empowers educators to interrupt it at all levels, from challenging discriminatory language to initiating systemic changes, ultimately dismantling ableist structures in education. 🔗 Useful resources: More about LEAD - https://lnkd.in/eYyHQYkF 4 Inclusive Practice Strategies for Any Classroom by Inclusive365 - https://lnkd.in/ehi-yiXW About Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by Belinda Evans from LGfL - Broadband and Beyond - https://lnkd.in/eTSmQThp #Inclusion #Accessibility #UniversalDesignForLearning

What if every young adult with intellectual disability in the United States saw college as an option? On May 1st, we’ll be celebrating #IPSEDay! IPSE Day, or Inclusive Postsecondary Education Day, is a day to raise awareness and spread the word about college options for students with intellectual disability. This video shows why it’s so important that we all Think Higher. Think College. https://lnkd.in/g6JXFDbw We can’t wait to celebrate with you on May 1st! #ThinkHigher #ThinkCollege #IPSEDay2024 #ChangingExpectations #IncreasingOpportunities

I have found it interesting that my friends would send me news, social media posts, or videos about a blind or low-vision person doing a sport, being able to land a job, etc. to help my work in promoting STEM education and careers for the blind and low-vision population. This got me thinking: 1. Many people do not know how a blind or low-vision person learns or does STEM; and 2. This reality also points out that "STEM for the blind and low-vision" is a field that is very new to many people. To be more direct, many people do not think "STEM for the blind and low-vision" is a field. The above goes beyond visual disability. The disability part tends to stand out when it comes to STEM education and careers for the disabled population. Much more fundamental work needs to be done to integrate STEM and Disability. We must introduce a lot of basic things to society, beginning with the people around us. If more people know how a person with a disability or multiple disabilities learns or does STEM, they will know how to provide better help.