Inclusion through Language?

During the last UTS Disability Action Plan most of the work concentrated on the ‘normalising’ of disability. We moved beyond ensuring access for people with disability rather our focus was of including people with... [ view full abstract ]

During the last UTS Disability Action Plan most of the work concentrated on the ‘normalising’ of disability. We moved beyond ensuring access for people with disability rather our focus was of including people with disability into the mainstream of UTS.
Initiatives like AppreciatingAbility saw performers, speakers and participants with disability incorporated into a range of mainstream UTS activities. These were not activities or events raising awareness about or celebrating disability, but mainstream UTS community and cultural events like the 25th anniversary celebrations, art exhibitions and cultural festivals. AppreciatingAbility also saw wheelchair sports being introduced into the university's existing social sports competition. We are building a culture where people of all abilities are valued and contribute to the creativity and ‘ability’ of the UTS community.
The very existence of a mainstream of course suggests there is also an ‘other’, a group or groups that were marginalised and not fully part of our community. To counter this marginalisation, our 2015 Access and Inclusion Plan is not a disability action plan, it does not refer to people with disability and will ensure that the whole community benefits from a more accessible and inclusive university.