THE University of Guyana- Early Childhood Centre of Excellence (UG-ECCE), in collaboration with the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), Texas Southern University (TSU), and other international partners hosted a virtual programme, ‘Exploring the Impact of Disability Access Across the Spectrum: Birth to Employment,’ on Thursday last.

Supported by the Ministry of Education, the conference was held under the theme, “Empowering Inclusion, Transforming Futures,” with nearly 700 participants from around the world.

Director of the UG-ECCE, Dr. Lidon Lashley said this conference is the first of its kind in Guyana.

The university which is the lead research institution in Guyana for disability, neurodivergence, and inclusive education, sees it as a privilege to be a part of such a great initiative, she said.

Dr. Lashley stated further that similar to the TSU, UG leads the way in the Global South and Caribbean Region in research, and in understanding the evolving and emerging trends in neurodiversity.

The ECCE director remarked that UG’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin, alongside the institution’s esteemed senior leadership team, has been supporting research and innovation for the past 20 years. This effort became more expansive in 2020, during the novel COVID-19 pandemic when the university relaunched its inclusivity, diversity and equity policy.

This was done to complement UG’s 2040 blueprint, which ensures one graduate per household, including persons with disabilities, additional diversities, commodified identities, and other forms of neurodivergence.

“As an institution, the University of Guyana is proud of its records and its service to the Guyanese, Caribbean, and wider Global South community in the areas of expanding research to understand some of the socio-cultural challenges we face here in the Caribbean, and Guyana, in terms of providing accommodation, culturally sensitive responses, and indigenous resources for persons who are living with different types of impairments and challenges,” Dr. Lashley stated.

Meanwhile, Assistant Vice-President of Student Affairs and College Ombuds at the Santa Fe College, Florida, Dr. Bea Awoniyi, asserted that in thinking of barriers and inclusive practices, we must look at the types of policies and practices in place that encourages accessibility, inclusivity, and environments that welcome students, not discriminate against them.

“When we think about the barriers that people face, we need to think beyond the compliance, we need to think about belonging,” she said, adding that when designing curriculums, we need to also design our environment, and the experiences that we want to give to students, with accessibility in mind.

She mentioned that disability is one identity that individuals will face, along with race, gender, and socio-economics.

Dr. Awoniyi said further that when learners come to the environment within higher education or general school systems, they come to be embraced and accepted, to feel like they belong.

In addition to being culturally responsive in dialogue with learners, she stated that we need to be able to recognise their intersections of identities to truly understand where they may be coming from, so that they can be their authentic selves.

The conference featured expert-led sessions exploring inclusive pedagogy, disability rights and policy, neurodiversity, accessible technology, early childhood intervention, employment pathways, and culturally responsive practices across diverse contexts.

Participants were also engaged in knowledge-sharing and explored strategies for strengthening disability support systems from birth through adulthood.

The event was part of UG’s sustained efforts to champion equity, diversity, access, and inclusion across Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

To access a selection of UG-ECCE’s research, persons can do so at the following link: https://ecce.uog.edu.gy/research-professional-development