Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Health & Society
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Health & Society

School of Education Doctoral Students Present at United Nations in Vienna

Thursday, March 10, 2016, By Jennifer Russo
Share
disabilitiesSchool of Education

Two School of Education special education doctoral students, Brent Elder and Michelle Damiani, presented at the 2016 Zero Project Conference, convened by the Essl Foundation, the World Future Council and the European Foundation Centre at the United Nations Office in Vienna. The conference was held from Feb. 10-12 and highlighted 98 innovative policies and practices concerning inclusive education from 500 contributors representing 70 countries around the world.

Brent Elder and Michelle Damiani at the 2016 Zero Project Conference in adfasdf

Brent Elder and Michelle Damiani at the 2016 Zero Project Conference in Vienna

Elder and Damiani have each earned a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in disability studies from the School of Education. As part of this interdisciplinary program, they took law courses from Arlene Kanter, director of the College of Law’s disability law and policy program. Kanter introduced them to Judy Heumann, the special advisor for international disability rights for the U.S. Department of State, at a disability law symposium in Baltimore in 2013. Heumann encouraged them to pursue their interests in sustainable inclusive schools, and remained in touch.

It was Heumann who notified Elder about the Zero Project Conference, asking him if he wanted to submit the work done by him and Damiani on inclusive education in Kenya in 2013. Elder consulted Damiani and their Kenyan colleague and co-author, Benson Oswago, who agreed. The group submitted their paper and they were invited to speak as experts on disability in Africa. The presentation was titled, “From Attitudes to Practice: Utilizing Inclusive Teaching Strategies in Kenyan Primary Schools.”

“For me, aside from just being in a building with such palpable history, the most powerful moment of the conference was presenting our work in a room filled with so many world leaders on disability,” says Elder. “They included special advisor Heumann, diplomats from all over the world, members of the Austrian parliament, a prince from Jordan, a princess from Saudi Arabia and directors of NGOs that shape international disability policy.”

Elder taught special education for eight years at a public elementary school in Goleta, Calif., before applying to the School of Education doctoral program. He worked in Bahrain, Thailand, Belize, Cuba and Kenya during his breaks from teaching, and realized he wanted to work on international projects. He is currently conducting his dissertation research on a Fulbright award in rural Kenya.

Damiani’s research agenda reflects a sustained commitment to inclusive teacher education practice and universal design for learning. She is a 2013 recipient of an outstanding university teaching assistant award.

Damiani feels the conference opened new opportunities, and she and her co-authors have been able to connect with individuals from around the world to discuss future collaborative partnerships. She also feels the conference helped her learn about the implementation status of policies and practices directly from representatives of countries and regions where the work is happening

“Presenting our work at the United Nations among so many world leaders, who share a global commitment to inclusive education and a barrier-free world was most impactful,” says Damiani.

Joanna Masingila, dean of the School of Education, invited Elder and Damiani to travel to Kenya 2013 to conduct a series of workshops focusing on inclusive teaching strategies for a group of teachers in rural Kenya, the basis for their paper and presentation. She says that the School of Education is extremely proud, and encourages other interested students to pursue doctoral studies in the area of special education. The School of Education has been consistently ranked in the top 15 nationally for its special education graduate programs.

Elder and Damiani are invited to a meeting of disability experts at the World Bank in April. Elder believes that these opportunities will help him develop transnational projects in the future, to encourage inclusive education for students with disabilities around the world; while Damiani feels that she learned about other areas of need in her work, for example innovative practices around inclusive education in emergency and refugee situations.

The article they submitted to the UN has recently been published in the International Journal for Inclusive Education: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13603116.2015.1082648.

  • Author

Jennifer Russo

  • Recent
  • Activities for the Weekend of March 4-7: Get Involved, Stay Safe, Have Fun!
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • Message From Chancellor Kent Syverud
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • Final Report of the Board Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • Stadium to Reopen to Fans Saturday, March 6
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • University’s Service of Commemoration to Be Held Virtually on March 16
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff

More In Health & Society

Five Maxwell Scholars Contribute to Aging Studies Handbook

Four professors and a doctoral student from the Maxwell School’s Department of Sociology and Department of Public Administration and International Affairs have contributed to the completely revised ninth edition of the “Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences” (Elsevier Academic…

CAS in Intercollegiate Athletic Advising and Support Addresses Unique Needs of College Student-Athletes

The Department of Higher Education in the School of Education is expanding their curriculum offerings to prepare current and future higher education professionals (e.g., advisors, administrators and coaches) to learn how to support and advocate for the success of intercollegiate…

Boost Your Immune System With These Expert Tips (and Recipes!)

A healthy immune system is important throughout the year, but even more so during cold and flu season and while we remain at-risk of contracting COVID-19. In honor of National Nutrition Month, celebrated in March, we tapped into campus experts…

Application Deadline Approaching: Five Reasons to Be a Barnes Center at The Arch Peer Educator

The deadline to apply to be a Barnes Center at The Arch Peer Educator for the 2021-22 academic year is Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, and all students are encouraged to submit an application. Students who are interested in applying for…

CRS Professor’s New Book Focuses on the Rhetoric of Antisemitism

Amos Kiewe, a professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies (CRS), has authored the new book, “The Rhetoric of Antisemitism: From the Origins of Christianity and Islam to the Present” (Lexington Books). It…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2021 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.