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Crawford invited to contribute at the Qatar Foundation 2010 World Innovation Summit for Education
Posted by Life Development Institute on August 26, 2010 0 Comments
I recently received notification of being invited to participate in the second installment of the Qatar Foundation’s hosting of the 2010 World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE). WISE is a three day global conversation with 1000 thought leaders about building concrete, innovative, and sustainable education practices for the world’s diverse learning communities in Doha, Qatar on December 7-9, 2010.
WISE 2009 snapshot review
Last year’s event was an ambitious beginning aimed at convening a representative cross section of professionals & practitioners to take an open-minded look at the overall status of the world’s efforts to provide educational access, quality, and meaning. The Qatar Foundation and Summit attendees worked towards creating a balanced perspective between celebrating technological breakthroughs, the resilience of the human spirit, & noteworthy achievements with facing the realities of unconscionable/unacceptable deficits of teaching/educational infrastructure, poverty, and inequalities that block access to the majority of the world’s educational minorities daily.
For me, it was an opportunity to connect, listen, and share with other program leaders about the critical need to include people of all ages with disabilities into any educational reform calculations. Our voices were few, but clearly heard and important for those from other sectors of the K-20 system to appreciate that nearly 750 million people have conditions that require unique planning/implementation considerations for meaningful global reform.
These would include- at minimum- effective assessment/diagnostics, teacher training, curriculum design, accessible technology, differentiated instruction, and combinations of academic outcome assessment methodologies to truly tap their potential abilities for success in the educational continuum or home communities. These are all critical areas I always hope to see included in serious discussions about systemic and inclusive education change initiatives, but past conference experiences have shown a lack of institutional, governmental, or societal will to achieve.
WISE 2010 has higher expectations to establish itself as the world's premier educational Summit
Will this year’s WISE be the triumph of hope over experience?
The 10 Global Educational Priorities identified at the close of the 2009 Summit generated considerable expectations, skepticism, and questions about how the 2009 conference participants and the Qatar Foundation would be able to sustain a consistent follow up effort to deliver on these mutual roles and responsibilities. Part of the answer for those concerned with learners (particularly adults) who have disabilities comes from looking at the 30 WISE Award finalists to see how they are being represented through these exemplary practices.
The Shine Centre Literacy Programme in Cape Town, South Africa, works with K-5 students and specifically identifies at risk students with learning disabilities, dyslexia, and other interferences as their target populations. Shine has a well-researched, proven program using standardized and diagnostic assessments. They embrace educational technology evidenced by developing 56 literacy games as a user-friendly way for volunteers to teach literacy skills without needing a formal educational background. There is ongoing collaboration between parents and teachers ensuring that children reach their potential. The objective is to develop independent readers by raising the literacy level of the entire school thereby creating learners that ’learn to read’ so that they can ‘read to learn.’
A second clear example is the Save the Children’s Rewrite the Future submission, which is also front and center about helping students who have physical and sensory impairments obtain critical education services as part of their efforts to bring quality education to 8 million children in countries affected by conflict. 16 countries are working together to ensure access to education for 3 million children and improve the quality of education for 5 million more ultimately seeking to influence national governments and international institutions to make quality education a priority for children affected by conflict.
The inclusion of students with barriers to technology and higher education is being addressed through the MIT OpenCourseWare (MIT OCW) . This work is an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to put educational materials from over 1900 of its undergraduate and graduate-level courses online, partly free and openly available to anyone. It is worth noting that the courses are compliant with W3C standards and accessibility requirements. The templates designed for content management system (CMS) meet Sec. 508 & WCAG AA Web Accessibility recommendations. Upon continous evaluative reviews from their users and MIT”S self-imposed standards require all images to contain ALT attributes, data tables contain heavy use of the scope and headers attributes making it easier to navigate using screen-readers such as JAWS. They work closely with the MIT Adaptive Technology for Information and Computing Lab to ensure that the MIT OpenCourseWare course sites are as accessible as possible. As they expand their offerings and as resources permit, are creating transcripts and subtitles for course lecture videos. Approximately half of all lecture videos now contain transcripts.
Computer & Elearning accessibility levels the educational playing field for people with disabilities
Finally, while not specifically identifying their students as having disability-related learning issues, NIIT Yuva Staris a replicable model Career Development Centre (CDC) designed as a vocational training center in Jahangirpuri, India providing employability skills to young adults between the ages of 17-25 years. The CDC has a history of providing relevant skills to unemployed urban and rural Indian youth living in high poverty for making them employable for jobs in various industry sectors such as retail, automobile sales, telecommunications, hospitality, health care, etc. The program has identified a large number of employable youth in urban slums and other semi-rural areas whose lack of appropriate communication, grooming, etiquette, affective attitude and other functional education deficits makes them unemployable even at the entry level. These are common themes and issues for same age young adults with disabilties.
WISE 2010: Get points for positive steps and pointers for broader representation of learners with disabilities
It is widely assumed and documented that the issues of poverty and disabilities share a common place of suffering and exclusion throughout the world. WISE 2009 served as a fairly representative world platform to discuss and argue about the immediate, given, and unassailable facts that nearly one billion members of humanity have educational needs that cannot be ignored in any gathering of “the brilliant” who contemplate meaningful global, national, or local reforms. WISE 2010 has recognized and showcased some programs that are addressing needs amongst some early-age, higher education capable, and workforce development segments of education for people with disability.
No one Summit or conference can be all things to all people, including the Qatar Foundation’s WISE gathering., but that is exactly the point to make. The planners of WISE are making an effort that must be joined by other collective bodies of intellectuals, policy makers, and program planners. This Summit to me, is an expression of social morality demonstrating our collective and individual willingness to be accountable to the suffering, loss, and exclusion of any/all learners- especially those who are non-traditional learners with disabilities.
Looking and working for inclusion of learners with disabilities
This year, I expect more voices to be heard about ways to move forward to eradicate educational exclusion for people with disabilities and broader inclusion of students beyond the ages of 25 in our educational reform efforts. It is a personal concern of mine that we must still argue about what constitutes life long learning and its validity in the educational systems. Our lack of attention to improve it contributes to unnecessary poverty, loss of personal meaning, and workforce vitality. This expression is not to servce notice of my declaration for an impending confrontation. It is a hoped-for and sought-after expression of empathy and mutual respect.
I yearn to be part of experiencing the transformative dignity that will be at the heart of reconciliation between those “in charge” generally recognized to possess the power of educational change at the moment they choose the path of purpose, inclusion, and integrity which openly embraces learners with disabilities representing the largest and most powerless educational minority in the world. I look forward to an in-depth exploration of our shared responsibilities and experiences in building a better world and will provide update on this topic as they occur.
Tags: Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al-Thani, education inclusion, education reform, Qatar Foundation
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Global Opportunities for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
Posted by Life Development Institute on August 20, 2010 5 Comments
I am pleased to share the news with you of our invitation to present a Plenary session for the upcoming US Business Leadership Conference in Chicago on September 21, 2010!
The topic is “Global Opportunities for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities’, and represents an early public recognition on the exciting potential of people with disabilities helping themselves build successful start up’s or grow an existing business through expanded international marketing channels.
View more presentations from Rob Crawford.I have published the presentation on Slideshare, and it has earned a place as a Featured Presentation on their Home page. This is a great distinction as this site gets thousands of PowerPoint slideshows and slidecasts daily. Please click on the presentation slide above to see it!
An important part of our message is that for many adults with disabilities, the motivation to succeed in business is not necessarily the same as it is for entrepreneurs without disabilities. Our motivations come from a different place for different reasons… some out of necessity to not be dependent on government or family support and others to make a signature difference in the world through their unique business talents.
We will also cover what we consider the “Top 3 Emerging Business Opportunities” for entrepreneurs with disabilities, and I will post YouTube highlights in a future blog to try to capture the essence of our message and thank you for your continuing interest in this publication and in service of adults with disabilities.
I am honored to co-present with my accomplished and esteemed colleagues (themselves successful entrepreneurs) Debra Ruh of TecAccess and John Little of Successful Resumes’ International, inviting you to look them up by clicking on their names to see the quality and humanity of their services.
Tags: entrepreneurs, US BLN, workforce development
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Aligning Disability with the Bottom Line: US Business Leadership Network Conference themes
Posted by Life Development Institute on August 10, 2010 0 Comments
With the release of the July 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics showing unemployment rates for working-age adults with disabilities at 16.8% for men and 17.8% for women (compared to 9.5% for non-disabled workers), any good news on the business front addressing this national shame of wasted talent is welcomed.
The US Business Leadership Network is hosting a conference in Chicago on September 19-22, 2010 filled with pragmatic workshops and speakers from business, government, and entrepreneurs with disabilities share their methods and strategies for improving meaningful employment and career opportunities across a broad spectrum of private and public marketplaces.
The three themes include:
Talent: Encompassing Operations and Human Resources from Recruitment through Retention- Workshops from companies explaining the success they have had in employing people with disabilities within their operations.
Measurable ROI increases corporate disability confidence
These sessions will focus on how including people with disabilities and expanding diversity improves the bottom line.
Most readers of this blog already grasp and accept that companies gain by targeting all aspects of the disability workforce, including youth preparedness, disabled Veterans and additional talent sourcing.
Some of these sessions will go deeper into the metrics of understanding the ROI for hiring, promoting and retaining employees with disabilities and discover solutions to common challenges including transportation and universal access.
A major point will be to help new/interested organizations understand this business imperative through the creation and development of disability-focused Employee Resource Groups and much more.
Market Share - Key trends, strategies and dynamic practices on how to effectively market to consumers with disabilities will be offered, while also making marketing more accessible and tapping into a loyal consumer base.
Because there is so much diversity within disability conditions, progressive companies who are able to find out about improvements to product development that supports enhanced customer experiences for the disability community will be better positioned to tap into a customer base with $220 billion in spendable, discretionary income.
Customers with disabilities will buy from companies branded as "disability-friendly"
Supplier Diversity - A push to enhance business and corporate diversity and inclusion efforts by including businesses owned by entrepreneurs with disabilities in supplier diversity program.
Again, key to the success of these efforts is to present and learn the business case and strategy for the inclusion of certified disability-owned businesses, and begin building relationships with certified businesses in attendance.
This strand is part of a recent effort begun earlier in 2010 as BLN launched the first third-party, national certification program for disabled-owned businesses.
The USBLN® Disability Supplier Diversity ProgramSM (DSDP) offers businesses that are owned by an individual(s) with a disability, including service disabled veterans, an exciting opportunity to increase their access to potential contracting opportunities with major corporations, government agencies, and one another.
Through the USBLN® DSDP, a business can obtain Disability-Owned Business Enterprise Certification and get connected to a nationwide network of corporate and government procurement professionals, disability advocates, and other certified disability-owned businesses.
Certified Disability-Owned Business Enterprises are incorporated into the USBLN® Certified Supplier Database, where procurement representatives from major corporations actively seek potential candidate vendors for bidding opportunities.
Additionally, certified disability-owned businesses are eligible to participate in DSDP matchmaking and educational seminars for certified businesses. Aditi Dussault, Director of Affiliate Relations & Disability Supplier Diversity Program hopes to have at least 60 disability-owned businesses signed up by the end of the year and LDI is on target for approval as one of them. For more information go to http://www.usbln.org/programs.html.
I have been invited to present at the BLN conference with two other colleagues as part of a plenary session devoted to talking about the recent development of the Global Network of Entrepreneurs with Disabilities.
The Network is unique in being able to share our expertise, first hand experiences, provide case studies, and leverage contacts/connections to a worldwide audience. It provides realistic encouragement because we have confronted (and in some cases still are facing) the challenges and barriers of business start-ups and ongoing operation with a disability.
It is valuable and life-affirming to begin to connect with so many individuals and disabled-peoples organizations from around the world as we work together to solve the problems we ourselves have struggled with so much.
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Tags: Bureau of Labor Statistics, disability discrimination, disabled workers, workforce development
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New logo created for upcoming EmployAbility Rally!
Posted by Life Development Institute on July 19, 2010 0 Comments
It's all about equality of opportunity and equality of ability
The winnining logo submission we chose is a clear and easy to see image representing equality, community inclusion, and the business case for abilities-based employment.
The logo selected to be used for the EmployAbility Rally was designed through a great service located at www.logotournament.com. A fast and easy-to-use form is filled out that tells artists the look, theme, and feel of the logo which then receives entries from designers around the world competing to win a cash prize for the design. Our contest had 86 logo designs within the week the contest ran. There were a wide range of ideas with some good design elements, but none were as clear, unambigous in message and strong as the one selected.
The Rally
The EmployAbility Rally is a free-to-the public event is set for October 28th, 2010 and will occur on the east side of the Arizona state Capital Mall from 9:00 a.m. until 12 p.m. In fact, the response has been so strong that we will have the area on 17th Avenue between Jefferson and Adams blocked off to allow full accessibility to all that attend as well as a larger area to accommodate the 18 agencies and businesses that will host information tables throughout the event.
The Rally will be in front of the Capitol Mall along 17th Avenue
Beginning in September, we will make a push to bring out as many people with disabilities and those who share the concerns of employing ability to show up for the morning rally. It is our time show our pride and share common experiences as part of a community-building effort dedicated to updating public perceptions and attitudes towards the capabilities of People with Disabilities. Pre-registration for this free event can be made here for the EmployAbility Rally.
The tagline for the rally- New Labels for Building a Better Bottomline expresses an initial step in creating better partnerships among & between community organizations, business, government agencies, and job seekers- all of whom want the same thing- employment based on abilities. We have nationally recognized and home-grown leaders slated to speak for the event, and details of the can be found here for EmployAbility Rally.
What can we do to sustain the Rally?
There is the start of a conversation about joining forces with agencies dedicated to employing capable people with disabilities and businesses looking for qualified candidates through the establishment of an Arizona affiliate of the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN).
The USBLN is the only national business to business disability organization that serves as the collective voice of over 60 Business Leadership Network affiliates across North America, representing over 5,000 employers. The USBLN helps build workplaces, marketplaces, and supply chains where people with disabilities are respected for their talents, while supporting the development and expansion of its BLN affiliates.
The ability to join forces within the state and the USBLN would be a recognition and support of best practices in the employment and advancement of people with disabilities; enhance the preparedness for work of Arizona youth and students with disabilities; expand direct marketing to consumers with disabilities; and facilitate opportunities for contracting with vendors with disabilities through the development and certification of disability-owned businesses.
Please contact me if you are interested or click on the USBLN website link here for their services and national conference
Tags: ADAA, disability rally, unemployment, workforce development
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The Global Network for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities announces the soft launch of its website!
Posted by Life Development Institute on July 12, 2010 0 Comments
A few months ago, I ”met” and started working with a great group of persons from around the world on a new startup organization called the Global Network for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities . Social media has enabled us to find each other, reach common ground on basic objectives, and facilitated worldwide efforts for the “Gang of 8″ whom, except for John Little and myself, have never met each other in person. It is the beginning of a very exciting time for us and hopefully, people with disabilities from around the world yearning for a better life!
The Network is a newly formed organization which recognizes that it is within our capabilities as PEOPLE with disabilities to initiate a call to action-to challenge and change international policy, practice, and participation of disabled people in developing and building their own successful businesses. The world economy is starting to experience the beginnings of a recovery (economists & general public don’t see it yet), and it is an opportune time for the inclusion of PwD into emerging 21st century marketplace schemes as entrepid startup’s and successful business people.
There is already postitive business recognition and support being expressed with the Network being invited to present a plenary session for the US BLN conference in Chicago on September 19-22, 2010 and this new helpful article from Tim Berry of Entrpreneur.com copied below:
Entrepreneur.com's call to help and action!
Key global facts about the status of PwD
• In developed nations up to 14% of economically engaged people with disability run their own business or are self employed. As opposed to only 8% of economically engaged non disabled people.
• US and worldwide studies of working age people with disabilities show consistent & continuing patterns of unemployment for these individuals, as compared to their non-disabled working peers.
• The UN Millennium Development Goals Report indicates the unemployment rate for people with disabilities as high as 90% in some of the world’s developing countries. Globally, there are over 750 million persons with disabilities, and around a third of these are people between the ages of 18-30.
• According to the UN World Program Action for Youth, nearly 80% of young adults with disabilities live in developing countries forming a significant proportion of the youth population in every society. Despite being the world’s largest minority, appropriate employment and educational programs for persons with disabilities of any age are largely ignored. People with disabilities are amongst the most marginalized and poorest of the world’s adults. Adult education related to starting a business or improving chances for meaningful employment is even more critical for realizing the full potential of adults with disabilities than it is for their peers.
• More than 98% of people with disabilities of any age in developing countries do not attend school. Not receiving skills and qualifications to function in the wider society, limits the employment opportunities for PwDs. Unemployment rates for persons with disabilities are higher than the non-disabled population in every society and discrimination and negative perceptions pose a formidable barrier to otherwise capable people considered to be disabled looking for employment.
Next Steps
The Network plans to become a global resource of business owners and entrepreneurs with disability to which potential business owners with disability can turn at any stage of their business journey. It is a place to build community, dignity, and self-determination through a market place for disabled and non-disabled business people to connect and collaborate for mutual benefit.
Visit the website and blog…. get involved!
www.entrepreneurswithdisabilities.org
Tags: business startup's, disability discrimination, disabled workers, entrepreneurs
