Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Disability Employment

A program of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

U.S. – East Partnerships for Disability Inclusion May 27, 2020 Procedures

 Please keep yourself on mute throughout the webinar to prevent noise interference.  Kindly put all questions or comments for the presenters or organizers in the chat box.  Please type your name, organization, and country when you submit a question or comment.  Chat messages will go directly to a coordinator who will record your questions and comments, and hold them for discussion during the Q & A. Agenda

Introduction - Welcome Remarks

Presentations: Creating U.S. – East Africa Partnerships  Dr. Martin Blair, University of Montana Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, USA  Elizabeth Shiakamiri, Leonard Cheshire, Nairobi,  Dr. Margo Izzo, The Ohio State University Nisonger Center, USA  Bijal Lal, Tujumuishe, Dar es Salaam,  Dr. Macdonald Metzger, University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration

Q & A

Conclusion Background

 This webinar focuses on inclusive education and employment partnerships between U.S. university centers on disabilities and disability leaders in East Africa.

 These originally started via U.S. Department of State – sponsored exchange programs that have connected disability leaders in Kenya, Tanzania, and with U.S. university experts on disabilities.

 Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Disability Employment (PFP-IDE)  ADA International Fellowship on Inclusive Education (ADA-PFP)

 U.S. university experts host/mentor these Professional Fellows, advise them, and collaborate on project proposals for their home countries.

 The U.S. Department of State issues a limited award to select Fellows and U.S. mentors to support a project in East Africa.  This program is implemented by:  Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)  Humanity & Inclusion (HI)  Institute for Community Inclusion UMass Boston (ICI-UMB)

 75 Professional Fellows alumni in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

 29 U.S. university centers have mentored or hosted Fellows.

 All panel presenters are program alumni who built independent U.S. – East Africa partnerships. AUCD John Tschida Executive Director Humanity & Inclusion (HI) Ryan Duly Regional Program Director – East African Region (EAR) (Kenya--Uganda) Martin Blair, Ph.D. Elizabeth Shiakamiri Executive Director Programme Manager University of Montana Innovation to Inclusion (i2i) Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities Leonard Cheshire Missoula, MT, USA Nairobi, Kenya Towards the Development of an Interagency Early Intervention Framework: Kenya NGO & University of Montana Collaboration May 27th 2021

Elizabeth Shiakamiri (Leonard Cheshire) Martin Blair (University of Montana, Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities) The Fellowship:

VISION  All children (with disabilities) within 12 months of their 3rd or 4th birthday will be enrolled in their neighbourhood or preferred choice of school under home-based or center-based programmes

GOAL  The early intervention framework will be developed by and for education, health and social services sector/ providers to facilitate transition from home to school, on-time school enrollment and inclusive education for children with disabilities of ages 0-6

KEY HIGHLIGHTS  Sense International-East Africa representation in the U.S.A, April-June 2017  University of Montana Rural Institute representation in Kenya, October 2017  Joint conference paper presentation at the East Africa Inclusive Education Conference, March 2018  Interdepartmental roundtable meeting with Directors of Health, Special Education, Children and Social Services, June 2018  Sense International-Kenya and University of Montana MoU, July 2018  Recipient of the AUCD Mini-Grant to conduct a Status Review of Early Intervention Services in 5 Counties, in Kenya, March 2021 Developing Independent Partnerships The Process: • It requires the seeking and building of strategic relationships. The fellowship has grown: AUCD, University of Montana, Sense International-Kenya, and its stakeholders: Administration and teachers in schools with units for learners with deaf-blindness, Maseno and Kenyatta Universities, Kenyan Ministries of Health, Education, and Social Protection, Teachers Service Commission, Kenya Medical Training College, other NGOs

• It requires an extensive scoping of information and possibilities towards a deep and common understanding of the what is the end aim of the partnership and the local context. A convergence of ideas and aspirations by the different parties to finally arrive at a mutually beneficial partnership/s

MoU Development:

• It requires key persons and offices beyond the fellow and the mentor. Rope them in as required with proper briefing of the project e.g., the university’s international office • It takes different forms depending on the institutions-University to University MoU, University to NGO MoU, Students to Students MoU • It requires a good understanding or seeking of guidance on Kenya, US laws on contracting as well on policies of the respective parties

Challenges: • Its tedious, who signs what? What are the respective processes? It requires persistence • Delays and staff changes • Global pandemic that has shifted focus Reciprocal Benefits and Value

Kenya Perspective U.S. Perspective

• It has facilitated the messaging on • Rural Kenya and rural U.S. issues the importance interagency are conceptually similar partnership on early intervention, such partnerships were not there • Student group engagement takes before in Kenya LOTS of follow-up

• Sense International-Kenya has been • Internal staff conversations about bidding for funding using the what is learned proposed early intervention interagency model, at least one has been successful

• Knowledge resource-there is a lot to be mutually learnt and borrowed from the US and Kenya Essential Lessons

Kenya Perspective U.S. Perspective

• Prepare well for the fellow’s visit and ensure • Any relationship takes time to develop the fellow soaks in sufficient information and knowledge at the UCEDD

• Systemic expectations in both countries

• Anchor the project to a local organization that supports the value and contribution of the fellowship project • Start small and develop several key contacts

• Test the viability of the project idea and rally line stakeholders • Be available, not directive

• Effectively utilize the outbound fellowship • Become familiar with the UN’s SDGs and project as it creates the needed buzz for the other international instruments relevant stakeholders Promoting Sustainable Collaborations

OUR Perspective

• Expect a zero-budget; then, accomplish much through existing resources, e.g., human capital

• Take an institutional approach rather than as individuals (fellow and mentor)

• Ensure proper documentation of processes, successes, challenges etc.

• Keep talking about the project and the solutions it will provide in various settings: conferences, webinars, meetings, papers

• Continuously seek funding opportunities

• Use universally accepted technology Margo Izzo, Ph.D. Bijal Lal Program Director – Special Education and Educator and Founder Transition Services The Ohio State University Nisonger Center Tujumuishe Tanzania Columbus, OH, USA Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Creating Sustainable U.S. – East Africa Partnerships for Disability Inclusion

Bijal Lal, Tanzania Margo Izzo, PhD, OSU Nisonger Center

Acknowledgements: Drs. Paula Rabidoux & Andrea Witwer Agenda

1. What are benefits of 4. How did we evaluate? sustaining relationships?

ECHO 5. What insights can we 2. What is ECHO®? PROJECT share?

6. What are our 2021-22 3. How do we adapt ECHO®? Plans Mutual Benefits of Sustained Relationships

Building Inclusive Education Cultural . Competence

Nisonger Case Tanzania . Center Studies

Case . Studies Mutual Benefits of the Enhancing ECHO® Model Local Capacity What is ECHO® Model? Didactic Presentations

Didactic Topics

Virtual • Behavior Management Partnership • Communication & Literacy Practical Reaching support underserved communities • Online • Sensory Processing Case-studies move Recorded didactics - • Didactic • Evidence-based Teaching beyond sharing Building capacity of Teachings knowledge and many experts within • Trauma Informed Care encourageFor application More Information:the community to best: • Case of best practices reach underserved Studies www.uwyo.edu/wind/echo • Transition to Adult Life communities [email protected] What is ECHO® Model? Case Studies

Case Studies Practical support Interdisciplinar AMSEN y Network Virtual • Case- Partnership Teachers studies present case move • No Travel Involves Requires no in-person studies of beyond meetings; adapts well students who sharing • Safe knowledge during to the current need support pandemic needs and pandemic encourage application of best • Cost practices effective Adaptations to ECHO® Model?

Building cultural Overcoming Overcoming Adapted Model Tanzania Focus competence Language Audio Groups Barrier Challenges Focus group after the ECHO meetings Presentation Recorded didactic Sending in questions Recording didactic allowed for the given on current presentations with ahead of time; typing allowed for longer Tanzanian counterparts knowledge, closed captioning. queries in real-time. If case-study discussions to synthesize stats, resources, needed using a PA/mic & answering questions knowledge & address system supports system. in Tanzania for language barriers LEND Trainees Evaluations of FY21 Pilot Project: Session Evaluations & Focus Group

Knowledge BEFORE session: Knowledge AFTER session: Above Average Increase Majority of Participants Majority of Participants Of 4.14 across multiple Needed basic Able to apply skills categories as a result of information and taught during the the pilot LEND-AMSEN training on didactic didactic training with Ⓡ presentation topics. some support. ECHO Model. Insights 2020-21 Pilot Project

Cost-effective model for Sustaining Partnership – Minimal requirements of smartphone/laptop. & Internet

Cost-effective for Sustained Technical Assistance - Minimal requirements of smartphone/laptop & Internet Package

Pilot Project Trained: 5 Teachers; 1 OT; 1 school admin 2021-22 Plan

To p i c s : AUCD Handbook for Participant Future goal Mini-grant Basics Professional Focus Group Assessment Tools Development Ⓡ Characteristics of disability After the ECHO Expand to Public Toolkit for Successful Use training materials sessions, Translate didactic Inclusive Schools – Classroom Management to create the first have a 1 hour presentations in Swahili Training Goal – 15 Behavioral Assessment handbook of best discussion on for increased and teachers Daily Living Skills education practices in implementation, to improved outreach Organization IDD in Tanzania help generate Communication Strategies more local knowledge Thank You

Bijal Lal: [email protected] For More Information on ECHO www.uwyo.edu/wind/echo

Margo Izzo: [email protected] [email protected] Macdonald Metzger, M.S., DPA. Director of Outreach, Education, and Interdisciplinary Training University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration Minneapolis, MN, USA

Q & A  Thank you to our presenters!  Please submit your questions or comments via the chat box.  The coordinator will receive your questions and pass them on to the Q & A facilitators.  Facilitators:  Siddarth Nagaraj – Senior Program Specialist, AUCD  Silver Spring, MD, USA  Sarah Wang’ombe – Program Officer, Sightsavers  Nairobi, Kenya Additional Information  If you would like to learn more about partnerships like those discussed today, please visit the PFP-IDE Fellowship website:  https://pfp-idefellowship.org/blog/

 In-depth articles about such U.S. - East Africa university partnerships are available on request too. Thank you for joining us!