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Revisiting Accessibility to Learning was researched and written in 2008 by the Independent Living Resource Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia. We contacted four sister groups to hold meetings of adult learners with disabilities in their local communities: Independent Living Resource Centres in St. John's, NL and in Miramichi and Shippagan, NB; and the Prince Edward Island Council of the Disabled.
They asked questions about people's experience with learning: why they picked a course or program; barriers they had faced; how they got past those barriers; and how to improve learning for adults. The questions are in Appendix A and Appendix B.
Independent Living (IL) is an international movement that started in the 1970s in the United States. IL puts persons with disabilities in the driver's seat. It helps them to get information they need to make choices about their own lives. It encourages persons with disabilities to be active citizens in their communities. The Independent Living Resource Centre in Halifax is one of 28 IL centres across Canada.
About 250 people with disabilities took part in the four Atlantic provinces. They had different disabilities including physical, mental, intellectual and learning.
People had many reasons for wanting to learn as adults. Most wanted to improve their skills to get a job or to find a better job. Others wanted to gain life skills so that they could live independently. Some took courses for fun and leisure. We learned they had faced many barriers to learning.
The biggest barrier is lack of accessibility. For some people, this meant they couldn't get into a building, classroom or job site. Many people said lack of accessible transportation is a major barrier. In Atlantic Canada, only major cities and towns have accessible public transit. Many people with disabilities have no way to travel to learning opportunities.
Many people with disabilities cannot afford to take courses or programs, even to improve chances of finding work. Student assistance programs have red tape and waiting lists.
Some people said they were afraid of going back for further education because of their bad memories of school. Others found their instructors insensitive and did not provide the disability-related accommodations they need, such as note-takers or more time for tests.
Meeting participants made five recommendations:
With education and innovation, seemingly insurmountable physical and societal barriers have been knocked down, marking the history of disability issues. The data collected in this study tell a story of people who have an inherent desire for self-improvement and community integration. If continued lifelong learning is to be supported as a benchmark for a successful Canadian society, it must be advocated for all – regardless of ability.
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