Presentation
Models of Equity and Inclusion for Social Work Students with Disabilities Session: Inclusion Issues In Higher Education
Council on Social Work Education
(2020)
Abstract
Background
Social work educators have made great strides in ensuring equal access for qualified students with disabilities within social work programs and field education (Barnes, McCabe, & Barnes, 2014; Cole, Christ, & Light, 1995; Cole & Cain, 1996). Yet, schools of social work and social work educators have often struggled with comfortably balancing the rights of students with disabilities and the gate-keeping role that rests on schools to ensure that trained social workers are suitable for professional practice. Our review of the literature affirms that there has been limited exploration of how social work educators prepare students with disabilities for the realities of the social work profession, particularly within social work field education. Despite awareness of challenges for students with disabilities, addressing disability seems to students a low program priority;and neither students nor faculty felt confident of program capacity to meet these challenges (Kattari, Ingarfield, Hanna, McQueen, & Ross, 2019). More training is needed for faculty, field instructors, and field supervisors about the needs of students with disabilities, the processes and possibilities for reasonable accommodation of social work students, and the opportunities to assist the student in learning about their accommodation needs and options within the social work profession. There is a need for greater integration of disability knowledge within the curriculum regarding valuing disability as human diversity (NASW,2015) and support for the development of the professional social work identity. For schools of social work to fulfill their role of preparing students to join the professional workforce, the provision of support and guidance for students with disabilities to learn to negotiate the workspace with a disability is essential. It is within this supporting structure that students can recognize the assets and capabilities that their experience with a disability lends to their emerging social work identity.
Methods
This study used a multiple case study inquiry of identified programs and practices within social work education programs that evidence advances in equity and inclusion of students with disabilities in support of their professional development as social workers. The team recruited participants through an email inquiry sent to program directors of all CSWE accredited programs. The team screened interested programs to intentionally select a variety of program levels and types (i.e., private and public programs) and type / area of supportive practices. The team gathered data through semi-structured interviews with identified informants as well as reviewed any formal documents available about the program/practice. Online focus groups were conducted with students with disabilities in each program. Our guiding research question was: what existing successful practices within social work programs may help to inform, guide, and inspire efforts of other social work programs to advance equity and inclusion for students with disabilities.
Findings/Results
This multiple case study presents preliminary findings from the interviews with key informants of programs, review of available program documentation, and student focus groups. Findings include the purpose, development, implementation, and outcomes of these practices. Several key themes emerged from these cases, including the need for individualized considerations when developing supports and services offered both in the classroom and the field setting. These supports include preparing field instructors and environments for accommodating student needs. The process of developing accommodations was highlighted and included collaborative problem-solving. Informal supports were also identified, such as peer support.
Implications for social work education and social justice
Based on the preliminary findings, there are several implications for social work curriculum and field practice. Innovative and supportive field accommodations exist but are often developed based on the individual needs of the student and their field environment. The process of developing accommodating and supportive field settings is essential and involves collaboration and problem-solving between students, field faculty, and field settings, a key ingredient to empowerment (Gutierrez et al., 2002; Joseph, 2020). No single model exists, but successful programs build on the social model of disability, with an understanding that the environment should create equity, student empowerment, and social justice.
As a profession, social work’s grounding in empowerment and social justice supports educational systems to enhance access for students with disabilities to the profession. Our values call us to create equal opportunities for students with disabilities to be contributing members of the social work profession. Access to quality educational experiences, which this study highlights, is one way to increase a diverse social work workforce to include social workers with a disability. Future studies could consider ways that students use the skills they develop in negotiating a field setting into their first employment setting to identify further growth in their empowerment.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2020
Citation Information
Sharyn DeZelar, Renee Hepperlin and Lisa Kiesel. "Models of Equity and Inclusion for Social Work Students with Disabilities Session: Inclusion Issues In Higher Education" Council on Social Work Education (2020) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/sharyn-dezelar/27/