Research informs pioneering disability education centre in Indonesia
A thriving new disability centre in Indonesia has become a beacon of hope for people with disabilities in Makassar, South Sulawesi. The Centre, which has just celebrated its first anniversary, was influenced by University of Melbourne research and owes much of its success to the collaborative efforts of the Partnership for Australia-Indonesia Program (PAIR).
The Centre was established at Hasanuddin University (Unhas) to improve the competency of lecturers and teaching staff when working with students with disability and to boost participation and retention of students with disabilities at the university.
Key contributors to this initiative include Professor Shanton Chang from the School of Computing and Information Systems in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology and Dr Andrew Martel from the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning (ABP).
Brightly coloured dancers from the diffable community during celebrations for the first anniversary of the Disability Centre. (Picture: PerDIK)
Several PAIR projects exploring issues affecting the diffable community informed the centre's creation, aimed at demonstrating what can be achieved within a university environment.
Professor Chang co-authored a report on digital inclusion guidelines for people with disabilities at Unhas, published by the Australia-Indonesia Centre (AIC) earlier this year.
This report, based on work by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute at the University of Melbourne, offers digital inclusion guidelines for people with disabilities. These guidelines are pivotal in ensuring that technological advancements are accessible to everyone, reinforcing the importance of inclusivity in education and beyond.
Dr Martel conducted two studies that explored diversity and inclusion in the university context, focusing on the University of Melbourne and Unhas. Together with Unhas lead researcher Dr Ria Wikantari and her team, as well as research assistant Dr Nataly Garcia from ABP, a report was created to emphasise the importance of physical accessibility and the role of legislation in supporting productive workplace rights, responsibilities and freedoms.
This report was also published by the AIC and contributes to the development of initiatives that promote fair, diverse and inclusive studying environments, ensuring that everyone can participate fully.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly established park and lounge. (Picture: PAIR)
Professor Adi Maulana, Vice-Rector for Partnership, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Business at Unhas, praised the commitment to addressing disability issues and improving accessibility for students with disabilities at the university over the past year.
The anniversary celebration also served as the opening ceremony for the new Jalinan Jiwa Inclusive Park and the Mosaic of Identities Lounge, both designed with accessibility in mind. These spaces feature wheelchair ramps, pedestrian markings and swings, specifically made for wheelchair users.
The event not only honoured the progress made at Unhas but also showcased the potential for other institutions to follow suit in creating inclusive environments for people with disabilities.
Find out more about the centre here: https://pair.australiaindonesiacentre.org/news/empowering-students-with-disabilities-unhas-seeks-to-unleash-potential-and-ensure-inclusivity