Inclusion Alberta has receive $1.19 million in funding from the Ministry of Community and Social Services in order to expand Inclusive Post-Secondary Education opportunities at several institutions across the province .

By Alessia Proietti

Red Deer Polytechnic Included in program

Inclusion Alberta receives $1.19 million in funding for post-secondary education

Dec 20, 2021 | 11:06 AM

Inclusion Alberta has received $1.19 million in funding from the Ministry of Community and Social Services in order to expand Inclusive Post-Secondary Education opportunities across the province for students with developmental disabilities.

Inclusion Alberta is a non-profit federation that has been partnering with provincial post-secondary institutions for more than 30 years with aid and services to include students with developmental disabilities in participation of regular programs of study and campus life.

Students audit programs of study to pursue individualized learning goals related to regular course content and complete modified course assignments and exams to demonstrate what they have learned. While not receiving credits, they do receive a certificate acknowledging their work after completion of the program and participate in convocation at graduation.

“As a parent and an educator, I know how life-changing a post-secondary education can be for our family members with developmental disabilities,” says Inclusion Alberta President Monica Braat. “Higher education can open the doors to a meaningful life and career, perhaps even more so for a person with an intellectual disability.”

The new funding will allow 15 additional students across the province to pursue their aspirations for higher education, friendships and employment this winter and fall at the following post-secondary institutions:

2024 Spring Rocket League Tournament

St. Patrick's Community School Esports team wins top spot in national tournament

13h ago

update

Mistrial declared in case against Red Deer massage therapist

19h ago

Rev it!

City of Red Deer offers free decibel reading event this Saturday

19h ago

• Lakeland College
• Medicine Hat College
• Red Deer Polytechnic
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
• University of Lethbridge

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has partnered with Inclusion Alberta for 16 years and currently has six students registered with the organization. The new funding will allow for three more students.

“A big part of Inclusion Alberta’s work with students is to integrate them into student life so that students not only get to go to classes but that they also get to do extra-curricular activities, they get to be part of student groups,” said Kristine Plastow, Dean of Students at RDP.

The goal for the school is to have a total of 10 students with Inclusion Alberta in the next 12 months.

Aside from Inclusion Alberta’s services, RDP has a 10-month “Transitional Vocational Program” that focuses on teaching work skills and etiquette to adults with developmental disabilities through classes and on-the-job training with local businesses. Rod Holt, Associate Vice President of RDP Academic Entrepreneurship, calls them “micro-credentials”.

Three micro-credential initiatives in the works for the program, he says, are to transition students to independent living on campus, aid in gaining employment, and digital literacy learning so they have the opportunity to apply to other educational programs.

“As we started to build these micro-credentials, which are targeted for Inclusion Alberta,” he says, “there’s been a tremendous amount of excitement and positive feedback. Some of the early things that were heard is, this is a way for more learners to access this type of programming and these types of opportunities. They’re shorter in term and more bite-size. They’re allowing for more flexibility and creating alternative pathways for learners to have that post-secondary experience and also to transition into strong employment opportunities.”

Officials say Alberta has more post-secondary institutions providing fully inclusive post-secondary opportunities for students with developmental disabilities than any other jurisdiction in the world.

They add that on average, employment outcomes for students completing their studies are between 70 to 80 per cent, which is in stark contrast to the nearly 80 per cent unemployment rate that Albertans with developmental disabilities typically experience.