University for all

• Published in: Netla
• Main Authors: Björnsdóttir, Kristín, Jónsson, Ólafur Páll, Stefánsdóttir, Guðrún V.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Icelandic
• Published: Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands 2022
• Subjects: post-secondary education; inclusive education; students with intellectual disabilities; university for all; háskólanám; inngildandi nám; nemendur með þroskahömlun; háskóli fyrir alla; Iceland
• Online Access: https://ojs.hi.is/netla/article/view/3612; https://doi.org/10.24270/serritnetla.2022.81

For the past fifty years disabled students have steadily gained access to the education system and been recognized as active participants in society. Nevertheless, the inclusive education policy has had limited effect on post-secondary study opportunities for disabled students. For the longest time, post-secondary education has mainly been reserved for those who have completed a matriculation examination and people with intellectual disabilities have mostly been offered segregated adult or life-long learning education programs. In 2007, the Iceland University of Education offered for the first time a vocational diploma studies for people with intellectual disabilities. This was a response to the demand of people with intellectual disabilities for more education opportunities. The aim of the programme is, on the one hand, to prepare students for specific jobs within the field of education, in pre-primary schools (nurseries), after school clubs, libraries and within the field of disability and self-advocacy, which are the jobs School of Education provides training for; on the other hand, the aim is to give them an opportunity for post-secondary education. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on providing students with practical knowledge and skills in inclusive education settings to promote their participation in society. Since the start of the programme, much has been accomplished. The Iceland University of Education has merged with the University of Iceland as its School of Education and 102 students have graduated from the program (autumn 2021). Post-secondary education for people with intellectual disabilities challenges the idea of universities and critics have argued that inviting students with intellectual disabilities into the school risks reducing their quality. In this article we examine this critique by answering several questions: (a) What is a good university? (b) For whom is post-secondary education? (c) What is inclusive post-secondary education? (d) Does an inclusive university contribute to the ...