So far, I have really enjoyed listening to all the speakers and learning about different cultures.  At today’s conference, I was really intrigued  by Dr. Shivaun Quinlivan’s presentation on inclusive education for children with psychosocial disabilities. I have learned about inclusive education before in some of my courses at UMass, but I was excited to hear about her thoughts. Continue reading →

After completing the first day of conferences and hearing from today’s panel, I have an entirely new perspective on mental health. I learned a lot about what has been going on in different countries around the world. Continue reading →

After traveling around Dublin and going on some site visits, I noticed how some of the sites, such as the Dublin Castle, are inaccessible. I understand that the city is old and did not keep individuals with disabilities in mind when being constructed, but it is unfortunate that an individual with a wheelchair would not be able to experience the Dublin Castle in the same way that I am. Continue reading →

Today we met with Dr. Christine Linehan who was extremely informative and passionate about disability rights in Ireland. During her talk, I was surprised that the Irish government allocates 106,000 euros for individuals with an intellectual disability. However, I am curious if the government takes into consideration how much the individual will have to pay for private services (such as having access to an OT, PT, SLP, etc.,) or if the amount given to them has already taken that into consideration. Continue reading →