DIFABEL NEWS Dec.

2009 - 1 -









DECEMBER 2009 EDITION #4
Difabel
news
CENTER FOR DISABILITY STUDIES AND SERVICES: A CENTER
PROMOTING SUPPORT TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND
RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Greeting everyone! Happy International Day of Persons
with Disabilities! What more appropriate as a title of this
editorial than the motto of Indonesia United in the
Diversity . The motto has never been as meaningful than
today as UIN is jumping into the world wide mainstream
wagon to include and support best its students with
disabilities. It does not mean the University finished its
job with for instance the creation of a center (PSLD) or
the accessibility to new buildings (the mosque and the
religious lab). Far from it. Our work is just beginning, but
all together we can make a difference until difference
makes a difference (anon).

Today, the celebration of the diversity is the perfect
moment to remind everyone the importance of continuing
advocating in favour of the inclusion of people with
disabilities. This special December edition of the Difabel
News is pleased to have various collaborators sharing
their work with UIN. All of them are to congratulate, not
only for their participation but also for their good work,
high spirit and beautiful dedication.

With this issue, the members of PSLD hope to highlight
the admirable commitment, enthusiasm, and motivation
of UIN students with disabilities to pursue their studies,
despite little means. We also hope that everyone reading
this issue will speak up not only for people with
disabilities but for all people encountering difficulties.

Enjoy your reading!

Table of Content

1 Table of Content / Together United in Diversity
2 International Day of Persons with Disabilities / Program of the day
3 Inclusive Approach in the Islamic Higher Education
by M. Amin Abdullah
4 Profile : Andayani , a Spirited Woman at the Head of the First Center for
Disability Studies and Services in Indonesian Higher Education
by M. Steff
5 Opening the Doors for the Visually Impaired through
Education for all Visually Impaired (EFA-VI) Campaign (part 1)
by B. Mogesa
6 EFA-VI Campaign in the Africa Region (part 2)
by B. Mogesa
7 UIN as an Inclusive University
by H. Wibowo
8-9 Sending a Disability Specialist in UIN
by S. Davis, R. Mudzakir & W. Allen
9-10 AEBC Fights for Equality for Blind Canadians
by J. Rae
11-12 Teaching Students with Visual Impairments: Tips for Inclusion (part 1)
by W. Aryanti
12 Teaching Students with Visual Impairments: A Case Study (part 2)
by W. Aryanti
13 Disability and Islamic Higher Education
by F. Husein
13-14 Greetings to you from the Students and Staff at the Office for Students
with Disabilities at McGill University, Montreal, Canada
by J. Wolforth
15-16 Hello from the African Braille Centre!
by W. Maina
16 Thank you Terima Kasih!
16 Ideas and Credits
Together
United in Diversity
DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 2 -




PROGRAM OF THE DAY
All events take place in the multi-purpose building

8-9:30 Disability Awareness March Students of the Center for Disability Studies and Disabilities will
rally for the cause and walk in the campus. Various activities are planned such as fundraising
and the masangin game (walking blind folded).
Departure in front of PSLD
End in front of the multi-purpose building
9:30-10:30 Speeches Special guests have been invited to share their knowledge and perspective on disability
issues and empowerment.
Pak Amin Abdullah, Rector of the University Sunan Kalijaga
Handicap International
10:30-12:30 Forum on Disability, Inclusion, and Best Practices Two questions will be posed:
How can UIN continued to be a leader and increase its best practices on the campus?
How can UIN become a model among Indonesian universities and promote higher education
and disabilitiy?
Moderators: Andayani; Marion Steff; Wawan; Yoni Yulianto
Projection of the Indonesian documentary Against Incapability by Yaketunis (2004)

11:30-13:30 Music and poems with the Difabel Band
13:30-15:30 Projection of the American movie The Miracle Worker by S. Beugen-Bishop (2000)

Originally telecast November 12, 2000, on ABC in United States, The Miracle Worker is a
television remake of William Gibsons classic play about Annie Sullivan's efforts to draw
Helen Keller from her world of darkness and silence. Following in the footsteps of Patty
Duke and Melissa Gilbert as the young Helen Keller is Hallie Kate Eisenberg. Alison Elliot
co-stars as Annie Sullivan, the dedicated, no-nonsense teacher who ultimately draws the
blind, deaf, and mute Helen out of her lonely shell (literally kicking and screaming at times)
and into the "normal" world.


16:00-17:00 Football and Thanks




International Day of Persons with Disabilities,
celebrated in UIN December 2nd


The International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is usually celebrated December 3
rd
,
is an exciting time of the year to promote individual differences, underline the various abilities of every one,
and fight for the right to inclusion of people with disabilities.

To celebrate, the Center for Disability Studies and Disabilities has prepared a one of a kind event
where everyone is welcomed to attend.




Left: Poster of PSLD for the International Day
of Persons with Disabilities

Right: Logo of the Secretariat for the
Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities, Department of Economic and
Social Affairs of the United Nations
http://www.un.org/disabilities
DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 3 -



Inclusive Approach in the
Islamic Higher Education
Dr. Amin Abdullah is currently serving his second term as the Rector of the Islamic State University
UIN Sunan Kalijaga in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He received a Ph.D. in Islamic Philosophy from the
Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey; and has conducted a post-doc at McGill
University in Montreal, Canada. Dr. Amin is well known as an Islamic philosopher internationally
recognized for his role in promoting a modern, pluralistic and tolerant understanding of Islam. He is
the author of numerous books, dozens of articles, and frequently speaks at international seminars.
Dr. Amin is currently engaged in the process of modernizing UIN by supporting the inclusion of
students with disabilities to receive a mainstream instruction. He also advocates in favor of Adapted
Higher Education by regularly presenting the pioneer role of UIN in the field.

Management of highly civilized societies is
evolving in accordance with the level of
educational progress and their relationship
with the diverse nations of the
world. Relationships and exchanges of human
experiences between countries have an
important influence on the emergence of a
new awareness related to the need of
improvement. Clearly, awareness, sensitivity,
values, and respect of human life differ
between developing and developed
countries. In the latest, awareness relates to
issues such as environmental conservation,
waste management, transportation, traffic
regulation, sensitivity to the different
communities and sub-groups, and respect to
human and equal rights. It is without
mentioning the growing importance of
science, technology, and state management
which links to the emergence of sovereign
states in the XIX century.

As a leader of Islamic Higher Education
whose responsibility is to transform and
transfer new values to students and learners in
general, I am interested to look at new
contemporary worldwide issues. Sensitivity,
empathy and care for community groups with
different abilities is now a major concern. A
"real" sensitivity is needed to care for people
with different ability. Different ability is
shortened in English using the term difabled
and in Indonesian "difabel. The common
word disabled is no longer used in the
country because of its negative connotation
relative to inability. Difabled is more
appropriate and respectful to each ones rights.
The UNESCO later popularized the two terms
into the notion of Inclusive Education: An
education that aims to accommodate, support
and include all people with or without
disabilities, refusing segregation of any type.

How it all begins in Islamic Higher
Education
This began when I visited McGill University
in Montreal, Canada around 1999. At this
point in time, I was a Vice Rector whose
responsibilities were related to academics. I
went together with the Rector and the Director
of Higher Education of IAIN Jakarta. We were
by Amin Abdullah, M.
appointed to look for the opportunity to extend
our partnership between Indonesia and Canada
for the next five years. The proposal of the
new program was finally submitted and
accepted and it is currently known as IISEP
(Indonesia, Islamic Social Equity Project).
Amongst others, we visited the School of
Social Work because of its relevance to the
IAIN faculty of Dakwah (Education) and were
introduced to the concepts of Disabled and
Difabled. Later, some lecturers of IAIN (later
known as UIN Sunan Kalijaga) studying
Social Work at McGill, as well as some top
leaders of UIN, decided to establish the Pusat
Studi dan Layanan Difabel (PSLD; Center for
Disabilities Studies and Services).

The uniqueness of UIN
The existence of PSLD on the campus brings
about our uniqueness and somewhat different
(I dare not say it is contrary) from our "old"
tradition. These kind of services are very rare
in our country, especially in the context of
Islamic Higher Education. It may not be the
case with the Ministry of Social Affairs who is
most commonly concerned with the issue.
This is why I was then invited by the Ministry
of Education to speak on Inclusive Education,
together with the Rector of UPI Bandung and
the Rector of UNJ, in a panel. We were also
invited by Asia Branch UNESCO to speak at
an international seminar on the same topic in
Bali. Currently, 32 students with disability use
the services of PSLD as well as the support of
volunteers. These volunteers are students of
UIN who have a great deal of sensitivity as
well as commitment to the cause of
disabilities.

The campus slowly but surely is
accommodating the students with disability
and continually provides adaptive facilities. Of
course, these are insufficient, especially if we
compare our adaptations to the University of
Melbourne in Australia whom I visited
recently. Purposely, I visited its library in
order to know the type of facilities available
and what they are look like. It is fascinating
and impressive. The 1st floor provides adapted
equipment for all disabilities. I can only dream
of a similar library here. Aside from PSLD,
the new mosque and religious laboratory,
which are being rebuilt due to the severely
damaging earthquake of Bantul in 2006, will
be equipped with adaptive toilets and stairs.
The message behind the establishment of our
new facilities is to explicitly inform the
students, the academic community and the
young generation in general, the campus is a
place where new leaders are born. To be a
leader requires a great deal of knowledge,
skills, and experiences, including awareness,
sensitivity, advocacy and empowerment of
marginalized people, whether in terms of
physical, social, economical, religious or
environmental issues. Islamic Higher
Education has to play a pioneer role.

Our commitment to start and establish a new
road in the disability field has gained lots of
appreciation from: the Ministry and
Department of Social Affairs, the Ministry and
Department of Education, NGOs, students
around Yogyakarta and also from the ex-head
of partnership project between the Ministry of
Religious Affairs in Indonesia and the
Canadian International Development Agency
(CIDA) in Canada, Mrs. Wendy Allen.
Through her new work as the Executive
Associate Director of the Canadian NGO
Academics for Higher Education, we now
welcome a disability specialist, Marion Steff,
Ph.D, who also graduated from McGill
University. She was sent to give support to
PSLD during 12 months, from August 2009
until July 2010. We really hope that our early
initiative will grow and inspire Islamic Higher
Education in Indonesia. We wish that other
institutions will instigate similar actions for a
better world.

Good luck to PSLD and happy
International Day of Persons with
Disability!


Logo of the Islamic University
UIN Sunan Kalijaga
DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 4 -




Profile: Andayani, a Spirited Women at the
Head of the First Center for Disability Studies
and Services in Indonesian Higher Education

Two years ago, in 2007, Mrs Andayani was appointed as a
director of the newly opened Center for Disability Studies and
Services (Pusat Studi dan Layanan Difabel; PSLD) at
University UIN Sunan Kalijaga. Despite an active schedule as
a lecturer in communication and English at the Social Work
department and a busy mom of four, Andayani still manages
to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, especially
students in higher education. But how did this super busy
woman start to get involved in the Disability field?

After a Bachelor in Political and Social Sciences at the
University Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Andayani
flew to McGill University to successfully complete a Bachelor
and Master in Social Work. Her experience abroad was funded
by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
in partnership with Sunan Kalijaga in the framework of the
IISEP (Indonesia, Islamic Social Equity Project). Andayani
was selected for her excellent grades, her spirit, and her
capability to adapt to the Canadian culture. Her thesis master
focused on spiritual approaches in palliative care for social
workers. The results showed that the participants, in the
difficult context of accompanying their clients to rest after
various sufferings. were not attached to one religious. Rather,
they were driven by a common language of spirituality which
united them with their clients.
Upon returning to UIN Sunan Kalijaga in 2005, Andayani
reintegrated her work as a lecturer and started to be fully
involved in human rights. She was an activist for the Rifka
Annisa Women Crisis Center NGO, where she coordinated and
conducted research for four years. Andayani was also involved
in the board of directors of Sakina Foundation, which focuses
on fundraising to support Rifka Annisa Women Crisis Center.
She is the author of numerous articles related to violence
against women and gender issues. PSLD was founded in 2007
by Andayani along with Rector Amin Abudullah, Rofah
Mudzakir, Muhrisun, and other people sensitive to disability
issues.

What is Andayanis vision as the director of PSLD?
Andayani is a very efficient and resourceful woman. She has
lots of ideas to improve the center and to guarantee best
inclusive practices for people with disabilities inside and
outside the campus. When asked what her vision of PSLD, she
replied without hesitation: To create a strong academic
environment for students with disabilities and advocate for an
inclusive and democratic society. She wants PSLD to be a
model for other Indonesian universities, especially in Islamic
Higher Education. She hopes to make a difference in the field
of disabilities even if presently, the support from the
Ministries of Religious Affair and Education is minimum and
focuses mainly on children.
Andayani is continually pushing UIN students with disabilities
to go beyond their capabilities. She reminds them, with her
vibrant sense of humour and her generous spirit, they can do
more than just singing in the street and give massages. They
have a huge potential that only need to be revealed for other
diverse professions such as journalists, professors, activists.
This cohort of students are the first ones in Indonesia to
receive the support of a center in higher education and they
must assume their role as models and messengers in the area
of disabilities. Andayani motivates all students of the center,
with or without disabilities, to initiate a human rights
movement.

What makes Andayani proud?
Andayani is also delighted of the new visibility PSLD is
started to gain on the national and international scene. She
mentions her collaboration with (1) the Canadian NGO
Academics for Higher Education (AHED) which sent for one
year a disability specialist to support their efforts, (2) the
growing projects with Handicap International Indonesia who
are ready to be more involved within the center, and (3) the
partnership with ICEVI (International Council for Education
of People with Visual Impairment) who just invited PSLD to
their 13
th
World Conference in Bangkok in August 2010 to
present itself.

What would make PSLD perfect?
While the center has the full support of Rector Amin
Abdullah, the whole university staff now has to catch up and
be aware of disability issues. Everyone must do everything
they can to best include students with disabilities. A culture
has to be created. Andayani thinks that only then, it would
make PSLD perfect. She added that policies of each faculty
has to be clearly outlined with regards to higher education and
disability so staff will rigorously follow its content. Andanayi
concluded that PSLD is just at its early beginning. Like any
other initiative, it takes considerable efforts but overtime, it
will succeed.


Andayani

by Steff, M.
DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 5 -



Opening the Doors for the Visually Impaired
through Education for all Visually Impaired
(EFA-VI) Campaign (part 1)

The Dakar Declaration states that education for all children will be achieved by the year 2015. Education For All means
education of children with disability too as education is the fundamental human right of every human being.
Through the Dakar Declaration governments
throughout the world have pledged to develop
access to education for all children with
disabilities including children with visual
impairment as part of the overall goal of
achieving education for all children. However,
the present reality in many developing
countries is that education of these children
still assumes a low priority and this needs to
change.

According to estimates of the World health
Organization (WHO) there are 161 million
persons who live with a disabling visual
impairment, of whom 37 million are blind and
124 million are persons with low vision. At
least 6 million of them are preschool and
school age children and 80% live in
developing countries. Less than 10% of these
children are receiving education and usually
the girl child with visual impairment receives
less attention and is doubly discriminated
against. Almost none of the growing number
of visually impaired children with additional
disabilities receives any educational services.

The following factors emerge as the reasons
for the existing low coverage:

The general education system often fails
to include children with impaired vision,
A lack of initiative to mobilize and
empower blind persons and their families
to become effective advocates,
Lack of public policy or failure to
enforcement such policies where they
exist,
Public policies that result in children
being placed in custodial care facilities
rather than appropriate educational
programs,
Severe shortage of trained general and
special educational human resources,
Weak or non-existent early identification
and intervention programs,
Insufficient empirical data on program
models that are effective and sustainable
within the context of a developing
country,
Shortage of the affordable and accessible
teaching aids, low vision devices,
textbooks and new technologies that
today allow blind and low vision persons
by Mogesa, B.
to do things that were only a dream just a
few decades ago.

The International Council for Education of
people with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) is
committed to bringing change through
creating demand for quality education for the
visually impaired globally. Founded in 1952,
ICEVI is an international umbrella
organization of individuals and agencies
concerned with the formal and non-formal
educational needs of children with visual
impairment throughout the world.

ICEVI brings together at the global level
educators, administrators, parents and others
to promote equal educational opportunity for
children with visual impairment. ICEVI works
closely with UN member agencies,
government and non-government
organizations concerned with education, as
well as with organizations of persons with
visual impairment.

Of particular concern to ICEVI are the rights
and needs of children and youth in developing
countries where blindness is most prevalent
and where, on average, less than 10 per cent of
these children have access to any education.
This situation perpetuates a cycle of illiteracy
and poverty that must be broken as it ensures
that people with visual impairment are among
the most marginalized groups in the world.

ICEVI is addressing the challenge of breaking
this cycle with the launch of its Global
Campaign on Education for All Children with
Visual Impairment (EFA-VI) acting in
partnership with the World Blind Union. This
campaign is creating a demand for education
and is working within the framework of the
EFA campaign on global, regional and
national levels in order to ensure access to
appropriate educational services for all
children with visual impairment.

EFA-VI GLOBAL CAMPAIGN-
PRESENT STATUS

This campaign commenced in 2006. Currently
campaign activities are going on in nine
countries (Ecuador, Fiji, Honduras, Nepal,
Nicaragua, Pakistan, Paraguay, Dominican
Republic and Vietnam). There is a
considerable achievement in terms of
additional children enrolled in schools as a
result of the campaign (Vietnam nearly
7000, Paraguay -249 and Dominican
Republic-70). There is a situational analysis
being initiated in China which will eventually
inform the way forward regarding the
campaign. India is not a focus country for the
EFA-VI campaign but the education of the
blind children has been taken up by the
government and other stakeholders on priority
basis. ICEVI is working towards bringing
more players on board to support this
campaign.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR





Bernard Mogesa is currently the regional
coordinator of ICEVI EFA-VI
(International Council for Education of
people with Visual Impairment;
Education for All Children with Visual
Impairment) for the Africa region. Mr
Mogesa is also a PHD candidate in
Special Needs Education at the American
University in London, United Kingdom.
His research interests include visual
memory and coordination problems
among dyslexic children. Mr Mogesa
works in Nairobi, Kenya.

DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 6 -



EFA-VI CAMPAIGN IN THE AFRICA REGION (part 2)

The EFA-VI Africa regional secretariat was opened in January
2009 with a full time regional coordinator. The secretariat has
been established at the premises of the African Union of the
Blind, Nairobi, Kenya. ICEVI has a Global Task Force which
selects countries for the campaign based on a criterion. The
countries selected in Africa for the campaign are, Ethiopia,
Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda and
Uganda. For 2009, Ethiopia and Mozambique are the focus
countries for the first phase of the implementation of the
campaign. National workshops involving key stakeholders
have been conducted and the two countries are prepared for
the campaign activities planned for 2010 and beyond.

Enrolment of visually impaired children in Ethiopia
The ministry of education has statistics of children with
special needs enrolled across the country. These statistics are
dated 2007/2008. There are 5170 visually impaired children
attending school (3178 male and 1992 female). According to
the ministry of education estimates, these figures represent
about 2.2% of the total estimated population of blind children
who should be enrolled in school. This means that about 98%
of these children have not been reached and are therefore not
accessing education.

Enrolment of visually impaired Children in Mozambique
There is a huge problem in accessing data on children with
disabilities in general and visually impaired in particular.
There are 136 visually impaired learners enrolled across the
education system. It is difficult to estimate the number of
visually impaired children out of school. However data held
by other stakeholders and based on estimates calculated in
relation to the population matrix of children up to the age of
15 years, there are 10,110 visually impaired children in
Mozambique. This therefore means that only 1.3% of visually
impaired learners are accessing education. The EFA-VI
campaign will focus on the almost 99% of visually impaired
children out of school.

Campaign activities in non focus Countries
The EFA-VI campaign activities are also carried out in non
focus countries as well. The Canadian government through the
World Braille Foundation funded an inclusive education
project for Swaziland and Niger. This is a partnership project
with the African Union of the Blind. The projects commenced
in July and implementation will be for the next two years. The
launch of the project has been done in both countries and
ICEVI provides technical support. National lobby committees
to oversee the project in each country have been established.
There is government support for this project in the two
countries and the move now is to ensure that visually impaired
learners have access to quality education. It is anticipated that
the project will increase enrolment rates in the two countries
by at least eighty children over the next two years.

by Mogesa, B.
The following challenges were identified during the
situational analysis conducted in the focus countries and need
to be addressed for the EFA-VI campaign to succeed:

1. Capacity building of teachers and education officers in
teaching of mathematics, Braille and low vision skills,
Orientation and Mobility, pedagogy, identification and
placement of visually impaired children.

2. There is limited production of Mathematics books
because the governments have not in most cases provided
an adapted curriculum. There is need to review the
curriculum to be more focused on the needs of blind
children.

3. The Braille centers experience technical problems and
hence the need for properly trained personnel to handle
the equipment.

4. There should be government involvement in the
production and provision of teaching and learning
material for the blind.

5. There is need to offer refresher courses to teachers
handling blind children especially on methodology and
material production for the classroom needs (teaching
aids)

6. There is an urgent need to develop a data bank to capture
accurately the numbers of visually impaired children
accessing education.

7. Policy guidelines and procedures for assessing and
admitting disabled children to mainstream / special
schools should be put in place if meaningful inclusion is
to be realized.

8. There is an acute shortage of qualified special needs
education assessors at all levels. There is need therefore
to mount in-service trainings to fill this gap.


DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 7 -



UIN as an Inclusive University


by Wibowo, H.
The effort to improve the education is the effort to increase the welfare
of a population. It can be observed in the developed countries which
have a rather high quality of life, and a good education system that can
accommodate to the needs of all the population. Based on the above,
we can assume that the level of quality of life is proportional to the
level of education. In consequence, to improve the Indonesia nation,
we have to increase its quality of education. The latest is also directly
based on its implementation. Has the education in Indonesia
accommodated the needs of all citizens, including people with
disability?
Article 4(1) of the national education system laws states: Education is
implemented democratically and fairly, without discrimination,
respecting the human rights, religion and cultural values, and the
nation diversity. People with disability embrace a nation diversity and
equally, they should have access to Inclusive Education. Inclusive
Education include all children together in one learning process with
appropriate learning and teaching services suitable to the potential,
skill, condition, and individual needs of students without any
distinction.
The State Islamic University (UIN) of Sunan Kalijaga is a good
example of an inclusive university in Indonesia, with numerous
adaptive services provided to students with disability as well as its
Centre for Disability Studies and Services (Pusat Studi dan Layanan
Difabel; PSLD). PSLD also advocates to overcome all types of
discrimination in the university, especially regarding to accessibility. It
provides many adaptive services such as talking computer, electronic
book (eBook) production, buddy system, reading service, etc
However, the services are exclusively for the needs of students with
visual impairment. No students with other types of disabilities such as
individuals with mobility impairment have registered yet to UIN. The
Center and all its members hope very much that in a near future,
people with all kinds of disabilities will register and PSLD will extend
its services. The mission of PSLD and the good work of UIN should
be followed by all Indonesian universities.
Law No. 4(12) of 1997 explains that every educational institution
must be capable to give the same opportunity and treatment to people
with disability as a student. They have the right to accessible services
either physical or non-physical. The physical services relates for
instance to facilities accessibility for people in wheelchair and adapted
literature for people who are blind. the non-physical services focus on
the respect of students with disability, with no discrimination.
The members of PSLD sincerely hope that UIN will continue be a
pioneer and pursue increasing its competency as a leader of adapted
higher education. For instance, its lecturers still do not know how best
to teach students with disabilities, so the latter cannot learn optimally.
Motorbikes are parked randomly instead of designated places where
they should be and this does not facilitate the access to students who
are blind. Besides, the design of UIN buildings are not yet accessible
to people with wheelchair even if the mosque and the religious lab
presently in construction will be. The inclusion of students with
disabilities in UIN is not only the duty of the universitys
administration and PSLD, it is the responsibility of all staff and
students.

















fgff

Education is a basic right for all citizens without exception. That statement can be found in the main constitution of
Indonesia, article 31(1), which states that every citizen has the right to get a proper education and access teaching. It means
it includes everyone, no matter their culture, religion, wealth, ability, and ethnicity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hendro Sugiono Wibowo is a student at the State Islamic University UIN Sunan Kalijaga in Arabic Education, a member of the Center
for Disability Studies and Services, and an activist in the field of disability. He believes in the importance of promoting human rights,
especially in Indonesia where disability issues are paid little attention by the government and in the community. He finds his experience
on the campus sometimes difficult because he does not have enough access to media to improve his learning experience. After
graduating, Hendro would like to be a lecturer and teach disability right and Arabic. His favourite quote is "I have to run faster than
others!".

DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 8 -





Sending a Disability
Specialist to UIN
It was the result of a long history of personal connections and institutional networks and the establishment of a new NGO,
Academics for Higher Education (AHED; www.ahed-upesed.org).

AHED was initiated by Dr. Steven Davis who
was a professor of philosophy at Simon Fraser
University (located near Vancouver, Canada)
and at Carleton University in Ottawa. His idea
has caught the imagination of many people
who also see university development as a key
element in national development. AHED has
attracted an impressive Board of Directors and
has an Advisory Council. It also has
representatives in 40 institutions of higher
education in Canada who support the
organization on their campuses.

The creation of the Center for Disability
Studies and Services
One of the original board members of AHED
was a professor from School of Social Work,
McGill Universitys, Dr. Carol Cumming
Speirs who had taught at the UIN in
Yoygakarta for three months in 2004 and who
knew Rofah Mudzakir as a graduate student
at the School and as a friend. Rofah and her
two colleagues, Muhrison Affandi and
Andayani, submitted a proposal on behalf of
UIN Sunan Kalijaga for a volunteer to work in
the Centre for Disabilities Studies and
Services (Pusat Studi dan Layanan Difable;
PSLD).
This Centre was one of the unexpected results
of the IAIN Indonesia Social Equity Project
(IISEP), part of the long cooperation with
McGill University. IISEP was designed in
1999 by three Indonesian scholars who have
all since become rectors, Prof. Dr. Amin
Abdullah, Prof. Dr. Komaruddin Hidayat and
Prof. Dr. Azyumardi Azra. One afternoon
during the design mission, suffering from jet
lag, they visited the School of Social Work at
McGill and instantly perked up. That was the
moment that the Community Development
component of the project was born. The notion
of bringing Islamic teaching down to earth
found a base at the State Islamic Universities
by Davis S., PhD; Mudzakir R., MA; & Allen W., MA
(UINs) in the Faculty of Dakwah and in the
new graduate program in Interdisciplinary
Islamic Studies.

Building Capacity
After the UIN proposal was approved by the
AHED board of directors it was advertised
widely. One of the candidates who responded
was Dr. Marion Steff who had been contacted
by Handicap International Canada because
they knew the ad corresponded to her profile.
Marion was a volunteer for Handicap
International and was interested to go abroad
to broader a perspective on disability issues.
Steven Davis and Rofah interviewed her and
decided that she was the right person for the
UIN.


Wendy and Marion

The UIN project, developing PSLD and the
participation of the AHED volunteer, Marion
Steff, were also an ideal combination for
AHED. The Centre for Disabilities Studies
and Services is a bottom-up initiative that
reflects the values of the lecturers who
established it. It is also an expression of the
UIN vision of social justice. The strong UIN
leadership enables AHED to play a supporting
role and contribute by providing a qualified
volunteer to respond to current needs. Marion,
with her background in services, research and
policy for people with disabilities, her passion
for travel and her intercultural skills, is ready
and able to fill many roles. The fact that she
came with her husband, Kelvin Thursby,
skilled in Information Technology, has been
an added bonus for PSLD.
For AHED, this partnership with UIN Sunan
Kalijaga rests of the firm base of three
successive bi-lateral projects funded by the
Canadian International Development Agency.
We know firsthand that UIN Sunan Kalijaga
has become a leader among Indonesian
universities with highly qualified faculty,
effective and efficient management and the
mission of a modern, Indonesian Islamic
university. We were able to arrange this
cooperation easily through our network of
Canadian alumni that included Jarot Wahyudi.
And we could confidently recommend Marion
to our old friends and vice versa.
In short, this is a cooperation that is based on
having a great project and the right volunteer,
not on a big budget. The UIN provides Marion
with accommodation. AHED provides airfare,
health insurance, visa, etc. And Marion and
Kelvin provide their time, their energy and
expertise.
It will bring results that are of value to all of
us. The UIN role as a leader in social justice
will be strengthened. Marion and Kelvin will
have the satisfaction of having worked
alongside their colleagues at the UIN and with
the members of the Centre to develop it and
promote inclusive education. They will also
have had an experience of a lifetime. And
AHED will benefit by being associated with
UIN SUKA and this groundbreaking initiative
which brings inclusive higher education to
Indonesia.

Congratulations to you all on the
International Day of Persons with
Disabilities!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Steven Davis is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Simon Fraser University and Carleton University and
Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at McGill University and the Universit du Montral. He is chair of the
Board and Executive Director of AHED. Dr. Davis was the founder and director, from 2002 to 2007, of
the Centre on Values and Ethics at Carleton University and one of the founders of the Cognitive Science
Programme at Simon Fraser University. He was also the president of the Canadian Philosophical
Association and Anglophone editor of its journal, Dialogue. He has edited several collections of essays
and published a book and articles in various areas of philosophy, including philosophy of language and
mind and normative ethics.

DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 9 -





























Rofah Mudzakir is a lecturer at Sharia Faculty, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University (UIN),
Yogyakarta, She is currently a doctoral candidate at the School of Social Work, McGill University,
Montreal, Canada. Her dissertation is on educational policy for children with disabilities in Indonesia, with
particular reference to Inclusive Education. Her research interest also covers broader disability related
issues. She is one of the founders of the UIN Center for Disability Studies and Services (PSLD).

Wendy Allen was the Project Director of the Indonesia Social Equity Project from 2001 to 2007. She first
visited IAIN Sunan Kalijaga in 1989 on the inception mission for the first phase of the Canadian
International Development Agency cooperation to develop Islamic Higher Education in Indonesia. After
retiring from McGill University in 2007, she became the Associate Executive Director of AHED.

by Rae J.



AEBC Fights for Equality for Blind Canadians

John Rae is former President and current 1st Vice President of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians/L'Alliance pour
l'galit des Personnes Aveugles du Canada (AEBC).

Founded in 1992, the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC)
works hard to change attitudes towards blind Canadians, and to
influence the development of legislation, policies and programs that
affect the lives of members of our community. This work involves
fighting to remove old barriers, and perhaps surprisingly to prevent the
introduction of new ones.
Canada is a country that consists of 10 provinces and 3 territories. It is a
huge country when it comes to land mass, but small in population (only
about 33 million persons). Thus, organizing local groups or "chapters"
is a challenge. These local groups are important, however, as they give
our organization a presence in local areas, provide a vehicle for work on
somewhat more local issues, and offer members the opportunity to come
together for mutual support and collective action on issues identified as
important. Externally, some of the issues identified as important that we
work on include:

Guarantee of Rights: Although Canada was the first nation to include
disability in its national Constitution, and our Charter of Rights and
Freedoms provides that "Every individual is equal before and under the
law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law
without discrimination ... ,"obtaining and enforcing these rights and
seeking new ones requires constant vigilance. Since the introduction of
the Charter, Canada has become a far more litigious country. Canadians
now go to courts and human rights tribunals more often than ever
before, and while these efforts consume a tremendous amount of energy
and resources, to date, disabled Canadians have been far more
successful winning legal victories than we have in obtaining substantive
equality and financial independence in our everyday lives.

Improving Access to Information: Technology, it was said about two
decades ago, would be our great equalizer, but technology has proven to
be a "double edged" sword. Today, more and more household
appliances, like television sets, microwave ovens, and call phones are
operated by touch screens that do not contain any buttons and this
represents a new barrier to independence on the part of blind persons
worldwide.

Access to Print Information: Blind persons now have access to far
more information than ever before, but we must now contend with the
presence of new barriers, especially the amount of information on
websites in pdf format, a format which a screen reader often cannot
recognize. At a time when it is easier than ever before to produce
documents in Braille, fewer and fewer are being produced. Some argue
that as technology increases, Braille is no longer as necessary as it once
was, but Braille remains a blind person's real road to literacy. Moreover,
some individuals learn best by reading a document with their fingers,
and some documents like statutes, poetry or foreign language texts are
most usable when read using Braille.

Elections: Voting is considered the most important act an individual
performs in any democracy. While sighted electors can take this right
for granted, persons with a disability often encounter polling stations
that are physically inaccessible, election materials in print that are
inaccessible, and a ballot that blind electors cannot read. Thus, unless
we are willing to bring a friend or ask a poll clerk to verify how we
voted, we will leave the poll not knowing for certain that we actually
voted for the candidate of our choice.

Education: In Canada today, most young people attend regular schools,
and a considerable number go on to university and study in a widening
range of disciplines. In elementary and secondary schools, some of
these students are well accommodated in the local school, while others
are more "dumped" than fully integrated. At the post-secondary level,
getting textbooks and other course readings on time and in readable
formats remains a problem, though more and more institutions are
developing their own on campus transcription services.

Fighting Poverty: Although Canada is considered a "have" country,
there are wide variances in income. Blind persons remain among the
poorest of groups in our country, along with indigenous peoples (known
as First Nations peoples), and today, several provinces are developing
anti-poverty programs which we hope will bridge some of these gaps in
employment and income.

The Dangers of the Quiet Automobile: We see an increasing number
of quiet, hybrid automobiles on the streets of our towns and cities.
While these vehicles are environmentally friendlier (and we applaud
this aspect of their design), they are so quiet, especially when moving at
slower speeds, that they are dangerous, not just to blind pedestrians, but
too all pedestrians, who may miss their approach. Legislation is
currently being sought internationally to add a device that would emit a
sound sufficient for a pedestrian to hear the approach of such vehicles.

Searching For Equality: As we approach the 2009 celebration of the
International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with the theme of
"Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Their Communities
around the World," I am reminded that the theme of the International
year of the Disabled Person way back in 1981 was "full participation
and equality." So on this day each year, it is worthwhile to reflect upon
how far we have come in realizing what remains a rather elusive
objective, how far we still must travel, and how we shall achieve that
lofty goal.
DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 10 -
















The first human rights treaty of the 21st century, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol came into force
on May 3, 2008. This Convention aims to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy all human rights on an equal basis with others, and is expected to
make a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities, especially those who live in developing countries. To date, 71 countries have ratified the
Convention, and 45 have ratified the accompanying Optional Protocol. While Canada has had an impressive human rights record, and was among the
countries who signed the Convention when it first became available, Canada's provincial governments continue to study its provisions, and Canada is
yet to ratify either the Convention or its Optional Protocol. Indonesia is also among nations that have not yet ratified either.

We should be encouraged that more and more organizations of persons with disabilities, organizations that we in the AEBC now refer to as "rights
holders," like the World Blind Union, Disabled Peoples International, the Council of Canadians With Disabilities, the Alliance for Equality of Blind
Canadians and similar organizations around the world have been created and are actively providing persons with disabilities a greater voice than we
have ever had in shaping our future. These organizations need adequate resources, if they are going to provide us the collective voice we need to
influence the development of new legislation, policies and programs in our respective countries and at the international level. And they need our active
participation in developing new and forward looking approaches that will shape a brighter future for ourselves and those who will follow us!

But there is another important part of the search for true equality and inclusion and it must come from inside ourselves. How do we see ourselves in
today's wider society? Have we developed the personal confidence and skills to go out and participate in all aspects of life in our communities
alongside our non-disabled counterparts? Can we travel comfortably from place to place? Is training in the use of the white cane available? Are
materials readily available in Braille - a blind person's road to true literacy - in all educational levels? Have we developed the ability to advocate for our
own needs, and to assist others to do similarly? And are those of us who are making a better life for ourselves prepared to give something back by
helping those who are following us, or by serving in leadership roles in organizations of the blind?

On December 3, 2009, I invite you to also reflect on some of these and other issues in your country and local communities, and ask yourself what you
are doing, and what more you and your friends are prepared and able to do to advance our situation! If we truly believe in what has become the clarian
call of the disabled rights' movement worldwide, "nothing about us without us," we must continue to search for new allies, but we must be the leaders
in our struggle. We must show the way in overcoming our current obstacles and barriers, and redouble our resolve to achieve that elusive 1981 goal of
Full Participation and Equality wherever we may live in this wide world of ours. The struggle is sometimes tough, but the benefits in both new
victories for us all, and the new skills you will gain, make it all worthwhile. If you are new to this worldwide movement, I say to you "welcome, you
are needed, join in" and if you are still a bit reticent, please throw off that reticence and join us. There was never a better day to make new
commitments than on our International Day, Dec. 3, 2009!


The author, John Rae, at the National Conference on
Access to Art Galleries and Museums, before his
presentation entitled "Connections, Collections and
Communities: Making Museums and Galleries in
Canada Inclusive. Picture taken by April D'Aubin,
October 2009
For more information on the Alliance for
Equality of Blind Canadians/L'Alliance pour
l'galit des Personnes Aveugles du Canada
(AEBC), consul their Website at
www.blindcanadians.ca

John Rae, camping at Old Fort William in Thunder
Bay, Ontario, Canada. Picture taken by Greg Snider,
July 2009
DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 11 -


Teaching Students with Visual
Impairments : Tips for Inclusion (part 1)


by Aryanti, W.
Learners with visual impairments have different needs compared to sighted students. The learning strategies have to be adapted to
fully support their inclusion in the classroom. Various teaching strategies suitable for sighted students might not be appropriate for
individuals with visual impairments like asking a student to describe a picture with mountains. However, asking to describe his/her
own representation of mountains can be a perfectly suitable adaptation easily implemented. As an English professor, my duty is not to
merely teach students but also to motivate and support them for empowerment, self-esteem and independence. Thus, the question is:
What teaching strategies are meaningful to a learner with visual impairment in a regular classroom? The following are suggestions of
adaptions for students with visual impairment. They are based on the Services for Students with Disabilities at the University of
Indianapolis, USA (http://www.uindy.edu/ssd).

General Tips for Positive Communication
- Do not hesitate to ask a student what accomodations, if any, are required in the classroom. The student is the "expert" about
his or her particular needs.
- A comprehensive syllabus with clearly delineated statements about exception is helpful to students who need help with
structure and organization. Include a disability statement in the syllabus and read it aloud during the first class meeting.
- Introduce yourself and anyone else who might be present when speaking to a student with vision impairment.
- Use a normal voice level when speaking; remember a student with a vision impairment has sight problem, not hearing loss.
- Speak directly to the student with vision impairments and address him or her by name.
- Do not hesitate to use such word as look or see; students with vision impairments use these terms also.
- When walking with a student with vision impairment, allow him or her to take you arm just above the elbow. Walk in a
natural manner and pace.
- When offering a seat to a student with vision impairment, place the student;s hand on the back or arm of the seat. This give
the student a frame of reference to seat him or herself.

Suggested Classroom Accomodations
- Discuss necessary classroom accomodations and testing adaptations early in the semester (within the first couple of class
days) with the student.
- Allow student to work with a partner or allow a volunteer in the class to support the student.
- Make sure materials are organized and easily accesible to the student.
- Taped textbooks may be available. Check with the publisher company.
- The student should also be familiar with other ways to make print accesible, such as ebooks. Ask him/her about it if the
textbook is not yet adapted.
- Be open to students' taping your lectures
- Allow student to record result verbally instead of writing them.
- Provide appropriate written and verbal descriptions to accompany any visual aids, diagrams, film or videos that you might
use in class
- Provide student with a copy of vocabulary words, definitions and examples ahead of time in either large print or braille, so
he or she is familiar with concepts as they are introduced
- As you are writing on the white board or discussing a diagram, verbalize what you are writing. When using technical terms,
remember to spell them out or give descriptions if appropriate.
- Try to speak directly to the class, remembering that turning your head away can muffle sound, body language and gestures
cannot be seen.
- Appropriate seating is important for a visually impaired student; sice the student cannot see visual cues, he or she needs to be
seated in a position to receive verbal cues. Control background noise.
- Arrange computer lab accesibility with IT technician and PSLD.
- Allow student to do worksheets/papers on a computer using appropriate hardware and software.

Exam Accomodations
- Discuss exams; arrangements with student early in the semester to assure that the process will be smooth when it is actually
time to schedule and administer exams.
- Tests can be administered by having the questions read to the students by a volunteer.
- Reproduce exams in a large print if the student has a low vision.
- Allow extra time (about 50% longer) for test taking in a separate, quiet setting.


DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 12 -




























ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Widya Aryanti, is currently an English lecturer at Islamic State University UIN
Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. As a lecturer, Widya Aryanti is deeply
concerned by offering the best environment possible to all students in her
classroom. She believes she can make a difference in the inclusion of people with
disabilities with innovative and stimulating strategies to inspire each one to reach
his/her academic potential.

Teaching Students with Visual
Impairments : A Case Study (part 2)


by Aryanti, W.
One of the most difficult things when I started
to teach English was to value each student in
the classroom regardless of their abilities. The
experience proved to be even more complex
when I received the first student with visual
impairment in my class. Rini (name changed
to protect privacy) had different learning
needs.

Inclusion not only means to be in the same
classroom together with peers. It also means
that the content of the course is similar for all
students but involves some type of
adaptations. Rini, like all students with special
needs, requires specific instructional methods
and adapted material to reach her academic
potential. During the first class, I was slightly
worried about how best to teach Rini.
Alhamdulillah (all praise is to Allah in
Arabic), she is very open-minded and helpful,
personally asking me to help improve her
English during our first meeting. It encouraged
me to seek information about the most
appropriate way to teach her without
neglecting the rest of the class.

Some inclusive adaptations
While other students in the classroom can
understand what is written on the whiteboard,
Rini needs to have it read out loud by myself
or the writer. When other students can read
and practice exercises in their academic books,
Rini would have it read by a colleague in order
to accomplish the exercise. When other
students can simply describe pictures, play
cards, complete crosswords and mime
activities, I would adapt them to ensure she
can follow. It is also the case with role play,
line up, and bingo so Rini can join and share
enjoyment in class. It is important to use clear
words (e.g., left, right, in front of) to
describe any situation. The use of this or
that must be refrained because it does not
make any sense for students with visual
impairment. As a lecturer, I realized that
forcing myself to be more descriptive not only
facilitate the inclusion of Rini but also other
students seem to benefit as well.
In terms of body behavior and verbal
communication, students in general can
actually feel the teacher's emotions through
gestures, and it affects learning awareness. A
teacher who is funny, warm and smiley, with a
passionate soul would influence students to
work better. With Rini, the contact through a
smile happened with a clear and pleasant
intonation and sense of humor. She can feel
that I am motivated to teach her efficiently.

The English of Rini is better than her peers in
the class. I uses this advantage to ask her to
help by leading discussion group and solve
problems together with the other students. In
reading groups, Rini has the directive to check
the other students pronunciation or to
translate. Then, she has for example to make a
summary of the passage. Rini enjoys this
activity because she is with her colleagues, she
is learning as well, and is not bored.
Moreover, by joining discussion groups, all
students become closer and bound better.

An issue that requires immediate solution
Rini loves English very much. When I asked
her about how she studied English, she said
that practice makes perfect. She likes to listen
to English news, and read English Braille
where she studied grammar from. When Rini
was in high school, she used to talk in English
with her teacher. As said earlier, her level of
English proficiency is much higher than the
other students. However, she was put in my
class which is for beginners. When I asked
why, she explained to me that when she
completed her placement test, the volunteer
that read to her the exam was not from the
English department. He had difficulty
speaking English and she could not understand
everything he was saying. The support she
received at that moment was very weak.
Besides, no extra time was allocated during
the test taking so she did not have time to
listen to the volunteer reading the questions,
think of the answers, and dictate and spell
them to the volunteer.

This astonishing situation leads to the fact that
Rini can help her colleagues but not
surprisingly, the material studied is too easy
for her. Therefore, she dominates the flow of
the discussion. Rini needs higher challenges in
order to not get bored or sleepy during the
class. My next steps to provide her with the
best teaching possible is to future adapt
reading materials or worksheets in Braille and
to allow her to work on a computer using
JAWS software which reads out loud the
screen. A learner with visual impairment, like
Rini, needs to be understood. While she is a
student just like other people of her age, she
has special needs that needs to be taken into
account.

Conclusion
This paper aimed to understand which
teaching strategies are meaningful to a learner
with visual impairment. As an English
lecturer, I am really affected by these matters.
My duty is not to merely teach my students,
but also to motivate and support them so they
can maximize their learning. The commitment
of the University UIN Sunan Kalijaga to fully
support the equal and inalienable right to
education and accessibility to students,
regardless of their differences is laudable. We,
as the lecturers of UIN, need now to facilitate
this process.



DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 13 -




Disability and Islamic Higher Education
In terms of legislation, people with disability in Indonesia are actually
entitled to receive fine services and good protection in various aspects
of life with for instance, guaranteed access to education and social
welfare. Law No. 4 of 1997 which was followed by the Government
Regulation No. 43 in 1998 on Social Welfare Improvement Efforts for
Disabled Persons has for example a clear mandate highlighting the
importance of efforts to improve social welfare for people with
disability in all aspects of life and livelihood. Article 6 (1) of Law No. 4
of 1997 especially states the guarantee of appropriate education services
for each person with disabilities at all level of education.

But in reality, daily exclusion of people with disabilities in our social,
economic and political communities is common in Indonesia. A series
of regulation and legislation on protection of people with disability may
not have significant impact if these efforts are not supported by devices
and instruments for clear implementation. These often do not guarantee
the service and protection of people with disabilities, especially since
legislations are sometimes contradictory with other government
regulations, such as the "Healthy Physical Requirements" that prevent
individuals with special needs to participate actively in the community.

Issues mentioned above can be linked to the theory of Social
Constructionism which was initiated by, among others, Peter L. Berger
and Thomas Luckman. Berger and Luckman asserted that reality is
socially constructed as well as the sociology of knowledge to analyze
the process where it takes place (Berger and Luckman, 1971: 13). Social
construction theory emphasizes that: 1) We must be critical of the
knowledge received as well as its meaning (taken for granted
knowledge); 2) We must pay attention to the ways we use it to
understand historical and cultural events (historically and culturally
specific); 3) The ways that we use in understanding world-wide issues is
the result of construction done by other people, and not the result of
objective observation (Burr: 1995: 2-5). In relation to disabilities, the
Social Constructionism theory can be used as a method to see the
complexity of the problems faced by communities with for instance, the
false belief that someone with a physical disability received a curse
from God for sins committed by their parents.

In order to meet increased issues and open to the world, IAIN (Institut
Agama Islam Negeri) became UIN (Universitas Islam Negeri) Sunan
Kalijaga Yogyakarta. As such, the terms integration and interconnection
of science progressively gained support from the UIN academic
community. It begins with the book publication by rector Dr. Amin
Abdullah Unite Back Religious Sciences and Public Works: Efforts to
reconcile Islam and Epsitemology General (Menyatukan Kembali
Ilmu-ilmu Agama dan Umum: Upaya Mempertemukan Epsitemologi
Islam dan Umum; 2002), followed by a variety of seminars, panel and
roundtable discussions, and publication of several other related books.

In the context of discussions about disabilities, integrative framework
and interconnection - which entails the development of a
transdisciplinary approach through a model curriculum and instruction
that takes into account the diversity of cultures and religions - began to
be applied, especially with an inclusive model of teaching students with
disabilities. In addition, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, which is
characterized by its proximity to marginal groups in the community, has
a strategic role in leading the movement for the improvement of the
cultural attitudes and educational services for students with
disabilities. This is partly evidenced by the establishment of the Center
for Disability Services and Studies and the inclusion and the reference
to disability in the latest Academic Guidebook of UIN Sunan Kalijaga
Yogyakarta (revised edition, November 2009) which includes an
explanation of its policies for students with disabilities.

Although the steps taken by UIN Sunan Kalijaga are quite advanced
compared to universities and non-religion institutions in Indonesia, the
future is still in need of affirmative action to support students with
disabilities, both at the level of the lecturers (related to syllabus and
learning strategies) and at the level of management and staff (related to
policy issues, facilities, and services). If this can be developed fully,
UIN Sunan Kalijaga could serve as a "model" to other universities and
higher institutions in Indonesia providing accessible learning
environment which in turn will enhance the community participation in
higher education for people with disabilities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR



by Husein F.
ABOUT THE NEXT AUTHOR


Joan Wolforth has been Director of the Office for Students with Disabilities at McGill University since 1993. Before that she held a similar position at
Dawson College in Montreal. She is also a Research Associate in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill, and an
Associate Member of the McGill Centre of Language, Mind and the Brain. She has worked with students with disabilities in post-secondary education
for 24 years and has a Master's degree in Counselling from McGill and a Doctorate in Human Development and Applied Psychology from the
University of Toronto. She was a founding member of the Canadian Association of Disability Service Providers in Postsecondary Education
(CADSPPE) and has served the organization in a number of capacities including President. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the
Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHED), and as Vice-President of L'Association Qubeoise Inter-universitaire des Conseillers pour
les tudiants ayant des Besoins Spciaux (AQICEBS). She has collaborated with a number of other researchers
on SSHRC funded projects related to the interface of post-secondary students with disabilities and technology,
and is also part of a SSHRC project investigating the possibility of identifying Musical Dyslexia in university
students who are accomplished musicians. Her other research area looks at issues related to postsecondary
students with reading disability (dyslexia), and assessment of learning disabilities in general. In June 2009 she
was the recipient of the Award of Honour from the Canadian Association of College and University Students
Services (CACUSS) in recognition of her contribution to the development of Student Services in Canada.

Dr. Fatimah Husein completed her MA
degree from McGill University in 1997,
and her PhD from The University of
Melbourne in 2004. She is lecturing at
The State Islamic University Sunan
Kalijaga and Gadjah mada University
Yogyakarta. She was the Director of the
Interdisciplinary Islamic Studies,
Postgraduate Studies, UIN Sunan Kalijaga
(2004-2008). Among her publications
include "Muslim-Christian Relation in the
New Order Indonesia" (Mizan, 2005).

DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 14 -


Greetings to you from the students
and staff at the Office for Students with Disabilities
at McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

We are a staff of nine people and this year we have around 650 students
registered with our office. This number of students increases every day
because we work with students who have chronic health and mental
health conditions, and students with temporary disabilities such as
broken arms and legs, well as students who have vision, hearing and
mobility impairments. We also have a large number of students who
have a learning disability such as dyslexia and also students with
attention deficit disorder.

We offer a full range of support services to our students and you can
look at our web page to see how comprehensive those services are
www.mcgill.ca/osd/ . Our most used services are our notetaking service
and our exam service. If students have a type of disability which may
prevent them from getting down all the notes the professor is giving, our
notetaking service matches the student with another student in the
classroom, so that they will have another set of notes to make up for
information they miss. These notes are sent to students electronically so
they get them very quickly and easily.

Right now we are very busy accommodating students who are still
writing mid-term exams and at the same time we are preparing for the
beginning of final exams in December when we will have over 700
exams written at our office.

Our students also use a lot of adaptive technology and they have access
to our two computer labs. This is also a place where many students
meet each other and become friends. We also run some discussion
groups to give students the opportunity to talk about topics that interest
them, and we have a mentor program for first year students with a
learning disability or attention deficit disorder. This program matches a
new student with a student studying at the masters or doctoral level who
meets them regularly and helps them adjust to university and stay on
track with their work during their first year.

Our campus is very spread across more than a hundred buildings and it
is situated on quite a steep hill. For several months of the winter we
have a lot of snow on the ground, including on sidewalks and streets.
This can make it difficult to move between buildings for some students
with mobility impairments, vision impairments and some medical
conditions. We solve this by having a bus which students can call on
their cell phones. The driver will pick them up and take them to any
other McGill university building they must get to. This month we are
very excited because we have just taken delivery of a brand new bus.
The bus has a wheelchair lift and space for seven people and three
wheelchairs. At the time I am writing the weather is quite cool and
sunny (9 C), but it is not yet cold (below 0 degrees), so many students
can still move between buildings independently, but in a month many
will need to use the bus. Cold weather is not a problem you have to
cope with!

McGill has a mixture of brand new buildings and very old buildings
because more than 180 years ago it was one of the first universities to
be established in Canada. We have accessible building standards which
must be used for all new buildings but we have had to make all our
older buildings accessible because even 20 years ago this was not a
consideration when buildings were planned. All our main buildings are
accessible now but we are still constantly working on improving the
entire campus with automatic doors, new washrooms, new ramps and
new or improved elevators. We have also had an extensive program to
mark the edges of outdoor stairs with visible and tactile markings which
assist people with different levels of vision impairment.

McGill is often portrayed as the best university in Canada. Our
programs cover all areas from Medicine to Engineering to Music to Arts
and Science. Students with disabilities are enrolled in all faculties and
we have close to 100 students studying at the Masters and Doctoral
level. We also have about 100 international students who have
disabilities. Some are here for their whole undergraduate degree, some
are here on exchange for one semester, and some are here for
professional training or for a graduate degree. Admission is very
competitive and students are expected to work hard in order to achieve
good results. Ninety eight percent of students registered with our
office graduate from the university and a high percentage of them
succeed at a very high level with many receiving awards, prizes and
scholarships. This level of success is an indication that, with the right
supports and academic services in place, students with disabilities can
succeed as well as any other student.

We know, a number of McGill graduates are involved with your
centre, and we send them and you very best wishes for your future
endeavours as you develop your activities and services.

by Wolforth, J.
DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 15 -


Hello from the African Braille Centre!

The African Braille Centre is happy to collaborate on this special edition of the Difabel News. On all sides of the world,
people are working hard to make a difference and celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This is what
we are doing here in Kenya.


by Maina, W.




The African Braille Centre is a regional
education and welfare NGO for persons with
visual impairment in Africa, based in Nairobi,
Kenya. It started off initially in 1987 as a
regional education project, the African Braille
Computer Development (ABCD) of Sight
Savers International (SSI), at that time called
the Royal Commonwealth Society for the
Blind (RCSB). The project was set up to
support SSIs education programmes in
Kenya, Malawi, Swaziland, Tanzania,
Uganda, and Zimbabwe in its East, Central
and Southern Africa Region. Through these
countries, ABCD was also able to extend
support to blind children in Lesotho and
Botswana in Southern Africa. The project was
later transformed and registered in Kenya as
an independent regional non-governmental
organization in 1997, changing its name to
African Braille Centre (ABC).


ABC staff, Ministry of Education officials,
school staff and visually impaired secondary
school students during a monitoring field visit
by ABC.

ABC focuses on provision of reading
materials in Braille and large print to
education institutions as well as providing
teaching and learning materials in Braille to
educational programmes. It has three core
strategic areas of focus: Production and
distribution of Teaching & Learning Materials
(TLM); Lobbying & Advocacy; and
Networking, Partnership and Collaboration.
ABC also has five support areas, which
complement and enhance the three core areas.
These are: Organizational Sustainability;
Resource Mobilization; Technology Adoption
and Enhancement; Research; and Monitoring
& Evaluation.
CORE STRATEGIC AREAS

Production and distribution of Teaching &
Learning Materials

While ABC produces and distributes mainly
Braille and large print materials, it also entails
production and distribution of digital audio
and electronic text. ABC supports education of
students with visual impairment in within both
special schools for the blind and integrated
education programmes in over 50 districts in
throughout the country. ABC trains
transcription staff for other institutions in
institutions computerised Braille under this
strategy. It also produces different types of
materials in Braille for other partners in the
sector and it is in the process of developing
audio products for partners in the disability
and civil society sectors to assist them in their
advocacy and organizational development
efforts.

Rosemary Kombo of ABC showing Braille
books in the resource room.

Lobbying & Advocacy

ABC is involved in creating awareness about
the needs and capabilities of people with
disabilities in general and those with visual
impairment in particular. ABC advocates for
the inclusion of people with disabilities and
the enactment of disability-friendly national
policies.

ABC organized activities celebrating the 200
th

anniversary of Louis Braille such as printing
Braille covers of books to distribute
throughout the country with the
commemoration message of the Louis Braille
Centenary. Another follow up activity was the
organization of a Braille Stakeholders
workshop to review the state of Braille in the
country. Finally, ABC planned Braille
competition aimed at creating awareness
public about the importance of Braille in the
education of blind learners.

Networking, Partnership & Collaboration

ABC is an active player in national, regional
and global initiatives that seek to improve
access to education and other services, as well
as a better overall quality of life. ABC pursues
active partnership and collaboration with other
organizations within education, disability and
civil society sectors. It is within this sector that
ABC has been in active partnership with
international organizations like the Sight
Savers International (SSI) and International
Council for the Education of people with
Visual Impairment (ICEVI), Kenya Blind
Sports Association (KESAVI), International
Blind Sports Association (IBSA), Force
Foundation, Safaricom Foundation and
Perkins School for the Blind among others.
Currently, ABC is currently involved
disability sector initiatives to domesticate the
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disability (UN CRPD) to which Kenya is a
signatory, and align it to the Kenya Persons
with Disabilities Act.

ABC has a wide regional network and our
expertise has been extended to Ethiopia,
Tanzania, and Uganda in Eastern Africa;
Malawi and Mozambique in Southern Africa;
and Ghana, Sierra Leone and the Gambia in
Western Africa.

Finally, ABC participated in the World Sight
Day and International Day of the White Cane.
It has been a keen supporter of the UN
Millennium Campaigns Global Call to Action
against Poverty (GCAP) and was
acknowledged by the UN Millennium
Campaign Office in Nairobi. ABC mobilized a
group of people with disability in a walk and
symbolic tree planting activity in Nairobi to
mark the International Day for Elimination of
Poverty on 17
th
November.



Wilfred Maina, Executive Director of the
African Braille Centre (right) welcomes
Douglas Sidialo, Director of Kilimanjaro
Blind Trust (left).


DIFABEL NEWS Dec. 2009 - 16 -



SUPPORT STRATEGIC AREAS

The support strategic areas focus on organizational sustainability; resource mobilization; technology adoption and enhancement; research;
and monitoring & evaluation. Under these strategies, ABC supports procurement of equipment, assistive devices and accessories. ABC has
also been involved (1) in trials for the innovative WIMATS Mathematics Braille transcription software developed by Webel Mediatronics
and ICEVI with support from the Nippon Foundation, (2) in trials for the World Brailler developed by Development Technology Workshop
(DTW) of Cambodia, (and 3) in user training of the Jot-a-Dot note-taker, a product of Quantum Technology of Australia.

The organizational sustainability, resource mobilization, research, and monitoring & evaluation strategies ensure that ABC continues growing
stronger and more innovative as an organization in its desire to deliver services more efficiently and more effectively in coming years. Future
growth for ABC will see it more interested in matters to do with the welfare of children particularly children with disabilities, welfare and
inclusion of people with disabilities in development, particularly in respect to MDGs. ABC will also be interested in the effects of HIV/ AIDS
on people with disabilities, as well as social protection for people with disabilities. Consequently, ABC is constantly involved in research on
best practice in these areas, as well on devices and technology that would enhance access for people with disabilities. ABC is therefore
continuously looking for strategic partnerships that can enhance its service delivery to its beneficiaries sustainably into the future. Happy
international day of persons with disabilities!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wilfred Maina is the Executive Director and Board Secretary of the African
Braille Centre (ABC) in Nairobi, Kenya. Mr Maina is also the Regional
Chairperson of the International Council for Education of people with Visual
Impairment (ICEVI) Africa Region and the Chairman on the Project Management
Committee of Comprehensive Eye Services Organization (CESO). Mr Maina
lead numerous research and made frequent presentations at national and
international levels in the field of disabilities and visual impairment. He is also
involved in the domestication of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities (UN CRPD).

REDACTION & REVISION : Marion Steff, PhD., disability specialist
EDITION : Andayani, Director PSLD & Kelvin Thursby, volunteer
TRANSLATION INDONESIAN : Sayyidah Aslamah & Rizki Firli,
students TRANSLATION IN BRAILLE : Hendro Wibowo, student
Ideas!?!!?
Please contact Marion if you have any other ideas
of articles for the Difabel News, suggestions for the
Center, become a volunteer, or simply if you want
to help in any way.
Thank you - Terima Kasih!

The organization of the International Day of
Persons with Disabilities could not have
happened without the precious help and
support from various people. The Center for
Disability Studies and Services would like to
deeply thanks Rector Pak Amin Abdullah,
the University UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Pak
Radiman and the whole team of the Building
Management for facilitating the
implementation of the event.

Guest speakers
Thank you to the Pak Amin Abdullah and
Handicap International for sharing their
knowledge and promoting the empowerment
of people with disabilities on the campus
and in the community.

Collaborators
This unique edition of the Difabel News was
possible thanks to the contribution of
dedicated individuals who promote the
rights of people with disabilities (in
alphabetical order): Wendy Allen;
Mohammed Amin Abdullah; Andayani;
Widya Aryanti; Sayyidah Aslamah; Steven
Davis; Fatimah Husein; Wilfred Maina;
Bernard Mogesa; Rofah Mudzakir; John
Rae; Hendro Wibowo; and Joan Wolforth.
Their biographies can be found in the
coming pages.

Sponsors
The celebration of this special day has also
been possible thanks to the generous
contributions of (in alphabetical order):
Wendy Allen; Sylviane Bernon and Jean-Paul Hart;
Valrie Coulombe; Steven Davis; Stphanie Hoarau
and Aurore Vincent; Lianne Kay; the Lejeune family;
Cline Mercier; the Mirza family; Christian & Rene
Steff; and Robert & Marion Verrall. Thank you also to
the UIN Sunan Kalijaga.

Volunteers
Our deepest thanks go to the students of the Center for
Disability Studies and Services for all their efforts in
making the International Day of Persons with
Disability a great success! Thank you also to all the
students who juggled with the translations in English,
Indonesia, and French.

All together, we can make a difference!













Credits