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  • Inclusive Futures Book Club Wrap-Up: A Conversation with Ken Brandt

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    Photo of Ken Brandt, a bald man with a white moustache, standing outdoors in front of green trees, wearing a black Nike zip-up hoodie. In the top right corner is the cover of his book Positive Vision: Enjoying the Adventures and Advantages of Poor Eyesight by Ken Brandt. Ken Brandt, author of 'Positive Vision'.

    It was a delight to host Ken Brandt, author of Positive Vision: Enjoying the Adventure and Advantages of Poor Eyesight, at our recent Inclusive Futures Book Club event.

    Ken opened with a powerful reflection on how medical advances at the time of his premature birth allowed him to retain some vision—an outcome shaped by the evolving understanding of oxygen therapy in newborns.

    Ken’s story is one of courage, humour, and a zest for life. He shared how his mother’s unwavering support instilled in him an attitude to give anything a go, encouraging him to pursue adventure while being kind to himself when things didn’t go as planned. From learning to parachute to navigating life with low vision, Ken offered a refreshing perspective on how disability can shape, but not limit, one’s experiences.

    Attendees were clearly engaged, asking thoughtful questions about community perceptions of disability. Ken responded with insight and warmth, furthering our collective understanding of how embracing diversity leads to a more inclusive world.

    Ken’s book Positive Vision is available in hard copy, electronic, and audio formats at many online and physical bookstores. He is also available for public speaking engagements. For more information, visit www.kenbrandt.com.

    A heartfelt thank you to Ken for sharing his story and helping us continue the conversation around disability, inclusion, and positive living.

    Read more: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/news/news_feed/inclusive-futures-book-club-ken-brandt-author-of-positive-vision

    View on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XWfJiHEZFTw?si=fYJWO5Ej9O45n-ca

  • Inclusive Futures Book Club: Ken Brandt author of Positive Vision

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    Photo of Ken Brandt, a bald man with a white moustache, smiling and holding a pair of spectacles. Text - Inclusive Futures Reimagining Disability. Inclusive Futures Book Club. Disability Inclusion Author Talk Series: A conversation with Ken Brandt - author of Positive Vision, hosted by Dr Maretta Mann.

    Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability invites you to join a lively and inspiring conversation with Ken Brandt, author of Positive Vision, hosted by Dr Maretta Mann.

    Ken Brandt has lived a life full of adventure, humour, and resilience. Despite being legally blind for much of his life, Ken has galloped across Montana, chased thieves in New York, and even skydived, all while embracing the quirks and advantages of poor eyesight. His memoir is a celebration of optimism, filled with real-life stories, corny jokes, and uplifting insights that challenge conventional views on disability.

    Ken’s professional journey spans decades in IT and cybersecurity across four continents, and he now resides in Melbourne with his wife Judy. He’s also an amateur jazz trumpeter and a passionate advocate for eye health, donating a portion of his book royalties to eye research and blindness prevention.

    Join us for this engaging author talk as Ken shares his unique perspective on disability, vision, and the power of positivity.

    This event was held on:

    Tuesday 12th August 2025, 12:00pm – 1:00pm AEST

    Online via Microsoft Teams

    View the Recording on YouTube:

    https://youtu.be/XWfJiHEZFTw


    All text included in the caption / text above.


  • See Me. Hear Me. Respect Me.

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    Have your say – help shape better healthcare for people with disability in Queensland.

    Griffith University researchers want to hear from people with disability and their supporters about healthcare experiences – what’s improved and what still needs to change.

    This work is part of an evaluation of the "See Me. Hear Me. Respect Me." campaign — a Queensland Health initiative co-designed with people with disability to help health professionals and the community better understand, respect, and include people with disability.

    A young woman with long wavy hair, wearing a green dress with white dots, stands confidently with arms crossed, smiling. Behind her is a colourful background featuring orange, pink, and yellow wave designs. A speech bubble above her reads, “SEE ME. HEAR ME. RESPECT ME.” Theatre mask icons and music notes appear in the background. Text below says: “See, hear and respect me for who I am.” The words “respect me” and “for who I am” are highlighted in colour. Logos at the bottom include Improving Healthcare for People with Disability, QDN (Queenslanders with Disability Network), and Queensland Government.

    You can take the survey even if you haven’t heard of the campaign.

    🕒 It takes about 15–20 minutes
    ♿ Accessible formats are available
    🎁 Go in the draw to win 1 of 3 $50 gift vouchers

    Who can do the survey?
    People aged 18+
    Living in Queensland
    A person with disability, or a carer/family member/significant other of a person with disability

    📣 Your voice matters!

    Your feedback will help improve healthcare and create more respectful, inclusive services across Queensland.

    👉 Share your experience or learn more about the survey: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/evaluation?utm_source=ehq_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ehq-Inclusive-Futures-April-Monthly-Roundup&utm_campaign=website&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ehq


    📩 More information:

    Dr Kelsey Chapman
    Research Fellow
    Griffith University
    dignityproject@griffith.edu.au

    This project is proudly supported by Queenslanders with Disability Network and the Queensland Government.

    Let’s make sure everyone feels seen, heard and respected in healthcare.


    A woman with long dark curly hair, wearing a red top, smiles at the camera. Behind her is a colourful background with orange, pink, and yellow waves. Blue icons of music notes and a smiling face appear on the left. A speech bubble at the top says, “SEE ME. HEAR ME. RESPECT ME.” In the lower section, the text reads: “Disability doesn’t define me. We are all diverse.” The words “doesn’t define” and “all” are highlighted. Logos at the bottom include Improving Healthcare for People with Disability, QDN (Queenslanders with Disability Network), and Queensland Government.

  • Exciting Start to 2025 with QDRN!

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    A collage of photos showcasing the diverse membership of the Queensland Disability Research Network (QDRN).

    Happy New Year! We're thrilled to bring you the first Queensland Disability Research Network (QDRN) update for 2025.


    A big thank you to everyone who expressed interest in serving on the 2025 QDRN Advisory Group and Sector Stakeholder Committee. Your support drives our mission to foster impactful disability research and inclusive collaboration.


    We’re proud to announce the members of these groups, representing diverse expertise and lived experience:


    2025 QDRN Advisory Group


    2025 QDRN Sector Stakeholder Committee


    The QDRN unites researchers, advocates, and stakeholders to advance inclusive research through quality co-design and collaboration across Queensland universities, government, and community sectors.


    Our vision? To improve the lives and participation of people with disability through sustainable, impactful research partnerships.


    Stay tuned for updates on our work throughout the year!


    To learn more or get involved, reach out to us at qdrn@griffith.edu.au or connect directly with Dr. Talitha Kingsmill at t.kingsmill@griffith.edu.au.


    Let’s make 2025 a year of transformative progress for disability inclusion and research.

    QDRN Logo: A green background featuring a white map of Queensland with location dots representing universities involved in research. Below, the text reads 'Queensland Disability Research Network' and 'Dr. Talitha Kingsmill, email: qdrn@griffith.edu.au.

  • Inclusive Futures Disability Research Writing Competition 2024

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    🌟 Celebrating Inclusive Futures and Outstanding Research! 🌟

    On this International Day of People with Disability, we’re thrilled to announce the winner of the Inclusive Futures Disability Research Writing Competition 2024—a celebration of research that reimagines a world where disability is no barrier.

    Text in the caption below.

    Judges' Choice Winner:

    Ms Casey Doherty, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
    Her paper, Reimagining Protest: Artivism in the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) Community, demonstrates how art and activism intersect to drive inclusion and understanding. Casey’s compelling narrative and accessible communication earned her the AUD$500 prize and a feature in our annual digital compendium.


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    ✨ Short-listed entrants:

    • Mrs Rhonda Beggs, Metro South Health
    • Ms Belinda Coleman, RMIT / Aurecon
    • Sarah Fulton, Redland Hospital, Metro South Health
    • Dr Catherine Maitland, Australian Disability Network
    • Mrs Laura Ryan, University of Queensland
    • Dr Rebecca Soole, University of Queensland
    • Ms Jane Wardlaw, University of Tasmania
    • Mrs Louise White, Autism Centre of Excellence, Griffith University

    Communicating complex research in an accessible way, is a challenging but essential skill. This competition highlights the importance of not only advancing academic knowledge, but also ensuring it reaches those who can benefit most.

    We encourage all participants to continue honing their communication skills alongside their research. Accessible storytelling is a powerful tool for driving understanding and advancing disability inclusion.

    A heartfelt thank you to all entrants for their impactful contributions. Together, we’re breaking barriers and building a more inclusive future. 💡

    We would like to thank our sponsor The Hopkins Centre, who kindly donated the prize money, and our esteemed judges Dr Talitha Kingsmill, Dr Monique Lewis, Dr Faith Valencia-Forrester, Lisa Cox, Sara Shams and our moderator Delena Amsters.

    Interested in next year’s competition? Learn more about how your research could make a difference!

    Follow us on social media and join our Inclusive Futures Mailing List for updates:
    https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au

    Visit our Inclusive Futures Hub to read the Judges’ Choice and short listed entries.

    https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/inclusive-futures-research-writing-competition

    For more information email: inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au



  • Disability Action Week 2024 – Accessible communication: connect, include and empower

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    Griffith University: Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability. Disability Action Week - Accessible Communication. Connect. Include. Empower. Cartoon graphics of diverse people standing above the Hopkins Centre Logo.

    🎉 It’s Disability Action Week 2024 (24 Nov – 1 Dec)! This year’s theme is Accessible Communication: Connect, Include, Empower.

    Join us in celebrating inclusive communication for everyone! We’re excited to share some of the effective strategies and creative solutions we use at Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability and The Hopkins Centre, Griffith University, to make communication more accessible for all.

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    Did you know?

    More than 1.3 billion people worldwide–including 21.4% of Australians–live with a disability or chronic health condition?

    Disability results from the interaction between people with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that impacts full participation in society on an equal basis with others.


    Disability: The Statistics

    • 16% of the world’s population or over 1.3 billion people experience some form of disability.[1]
    • 21.4% of Australians or 5.5 million people experience disability and live with an impairment.[2]
    • 7.6% of Australian children <15 experience some form of disability.[3]
    • 650,000 people in Australia are active NDIS participants with approved plans.[4]

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    Accessible Communication for Everyone
    Accessible communication is essential for creating a society that connects and includes everyone, regardless of ability. Clear, inclusive communication helps to ensure that information, services, and opportunities are available to all people, breaking down barriers and fostering genuine engagement in every aspect of life.


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    Consider your Audience
    When creating content, consider the divers learning and communication needs of your audience. Accessible technologies and inclusive communication materials are essential to effectively reach and support people with disability, with approximately half of all Australians with disability reported to use some form of aid or assistive device. Further, almost 1 in 10 have experienced discrimination or unfair treatment because of their disability needs.


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    Accessibility for the d/Deaf and signing community
    Approximately 466 million people (or 6.1% of the world’s population) are living with hearing loss. In Australia, one in six people are affected by a variety of forms of hearing loss. There are 30,000 Australian Sign Language (Auslan) users.[5]

    Some ways of supporting the d/Deaf and the signing community include:

    • Use subtitles and captions – preferably live captions where possible
    • Use the services of an Auslan interpreter (where needed)
    • Provide verbatim transcripts of live events, meetings and events
    • Enable technology access
    • Facilitate the use of online chats in virtual meetings (as an option) – NB: lipreading, captioning and Auslan interpreting is preferred
    • Use digital whiteboards, this is especially helpful in medical settings or emergencies.

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    Accessibility for blind, low vision and other vision impairments

    • Use large, scalable, legible fonts – preferably sans serif, upper and lower case, with high contrast such as bold and normal text
    • Avoid the use of all caps, italics and underline (unless a hyperlink)
    • Use clear, high contrast colours – use an accessibility colour checker
    • Ensure your communication is screen reader accessible
    • Use alternative (Alt) text on images and label decorative objects as such
    • Use braille where possible, especially on signage in public spaces
    • Provide multiple / alternate formats
    • Use pattern, texture, shapes and labels rather than colour, especially on graphs, charts and diagrams
    • Do not use too much red or colour, just for the sake of using colour – this is not helpful for individuals with low vision or those who are colour blind.

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    Communication accessibility for mobility disability

    • Use accessible spaces and conduct site visits where possible
    • Offer hands-free options such as lapel microphones
    • Offer multiple formats e.g. print, written, audio, video and digital, depending on your target audience and their requirements
    • Use assistive technologies such as speech-to-text, eye-tracking systems, adaptive keyboards, headsets and mounted devices.

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    Cognitive considerations

    • Visual Aids – Provide visual aids, step-by-step instructions, or prompts for individuals with cognitive impairments
    • Be Patient – Be patient with slower or non-verbal communicators; confirm understanding with repetition or paraphrasing
    • Assistive Technologies – Use apps or devices that facilitate simple, customisable communication (e.g., ACC or communication boards)
    • Avoid Special Effects – Avoid the heavy use of effects such as animation, transition, flickering or strobing in multimedia
    • Use Plain Language – Use plain, straightforward language to reduce cognitive load for individuals with brain injury / processing difficulties
    • Easy Read & Visual Aids – Incorporate gestures, visual aids and easy read formats to supplement standard verbal and written communication.

    Social Media Tile - Text in the caption.


    Design for equal access
    By embracing accessible designs and tools, we create environments where everyone has equal opportunities to connect, understand, and participate fully.

    • Design for accessibility and inclusion
    • Use inclusive language
    • Apply universal design principals
    • Embrace co-design
    • Test your content
    • Facilitate inclusion training for your staff.

    Our Commitment at Inclusive Futures and The Hopkins Centre
    At Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability and The Hopkins Centre at Griffith University, we’re dedicated to leading the way in accessible practices. Here’s a look at some of the ways we’re advancing inclusion and accessibility:

    Together, we are building a world where everyone can connect, be included, and feel empowered. Discover how you can integrate accessible communication practices into your workplace, starting with small, impactful steps.

    Thank you for committing to a future where communication is accessible to all.

    MORE INFORMATION For more information, collaborate or to partner with us in creating inclusive accessible content, research, projects or events, please email: inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au or hopkinscentre@griffith.edu.auMORE INFORMATION

    For more information, collaborate or to partner with us in creating inclusive accessible content, research, projects or events, please email: inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au or hopkinscentre@griffith.edu.au


    DISCLAIMER
    We use person-first language and follow the definition provided by the CRPD. However, we fully respect and support each individual’s right to use language and describe their identity in ways that feel authentic to them.


    REFERENCES

    [1] The World Health Organisation, 2024.

    [2] Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022.

    [3] Queensland Government, 2024.

    [4] NDIS, 2024.

    [5] Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022.

  • Inclusive Futures: Welcoming Dr. Lisa Stafford, ARC Future Fellow

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    A montage of three photos of Dr Lisa Stafford, a wheelchair user and middle age white woman with long blonde hair.Dr. Lisa Stafford, ARC Future Fellow

    Griffith University researchers have secured over $8.5 million in funding for eight out of 22 projects announced in the latest Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship round. With eight fellowships granted, totalling $8,587,849, Griffith achieved an 36.4% success rate—one of the highest in the country.

    Among these outstanding researchers, we’re excited to welcome Dr. Lisa Stafford to the Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability team. Dr. Stafford has been awarded $1,052,822 for her project, "Transport Equity for All".

    This project builds on Lisa’s existing body of work and aims to enhance how transport equity is understood, included, and applied in transport planning. Through a collaborative approach with people with disability and transport planners, the project will co-design a practice framework and tools to guide more inclusive decision-making. By co-creating this knowledge and developing practical methods, the project seeks to significantly advance transport equity for people with disability across Australia.

    About Dr. Lisa Stafford

    Lisa is passionate about inclusive sustainable communities and transport equity. With over 25 years of experience as a researcher, educator, and planner across government, non-government, and university sectors, Lisa continues to lead change at the intersection of disability participation, urban planning and transport. Her work also champions inclusive participatory and co-creation methods to ensure the ‘voices’ of all people, particularly children and people with complex communication needs are heard in research and public planning.

    Lisa has lead research, practice and strategic transformation in inclusive community planning and mobility/transport equity to improve social-economic participation of people with disabilities. Her recent work has included:

    Lisa brings valuable insights from her lived experience as a woman with disability. Lisa lives with multiple autoimmune diseases and uses a walking stick and power wheelchair for daily mobility. Additionally, her leadership experience across various boards and committees continues to be instrumental in advancing inclusive communities and cities, systems, transport, and disability rights for all Australians. Currently Lisa serves as an Australian Human Rights Commission Includeability Ambassador and recent appointment as Chair of Disability-Informed Ethical Oversight Panel for National Disability Data Asset. Lisa is also a member of the Transport Australia Society (TAs), Disability Leadership Institute, and the Planning Institute of Australia (MPIA).

    She will join us in 2025 to begin the next chapter of her important work on transport equity.

    A group of attendees and panellists at the Transport Conference 2024 including Dr Lisa Stafford, a wheelchair user who is seated front right. This image is courtesy of Justin Cooper Photography.Photo credit: Justin Cooper Photography, Transport Conference 2024.


    How Lisa’s project will benefit Australians

    Better ways of planning transport to ensure its fair and accessible for all Australians is a significant need.

    Transport is essential to everyday life yet remains one of the most reported forms of discrimination experienced by Australian with disabilities.

    Every Australian will have an experience of disability in their lifetime, and transport equity is a way of ensuring access needs are met for the most disadvantage to ensure same level of services as everyone.

    Problems persist due to little knowledge and practice know how, and gaps in existing national standards. Without fit-for-purpose knowledge to guide planners, applying equity in transport will remain makeshift.

    This research will work directly with Australian transport planners and people with disabilities to co-create new knowledge and practice tools, and will be freely available on public website, public information hubs, professional bodies magazines, and through free professional seminars. Applying the new knowledge will inform better planning of transport for everyone, removal of barriers to social-economic participation, and creating fairer access and increased opportunities to work, education, health, recreation, and family/friends critical to everyday life.

    An inclusive fit-for-purpose transport systems will reduce spending on expensive disability transport support for some due to improved access to public and active transport, as well as lowering emissions with mode shift and increase usage.

    Transport Equity for All – Project Summary
    Read more: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/NCGP/Web/Grant/Grant/FT240100262

    More information

    inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

    lisa.stafford@griffith.edu.au




  • Disability Inclusion Author Talk Series: Dr Sarah Brooker

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    INCLUSIVE FUTURES BOOK CLUB

    A Conversation with Dr Sarah Brooker - Neuroscientist, teacher and author of My Lucky Stroke.

    Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability invites you to attend our Author Talk with esteemed guest Dr Sarah Brooker (author of My Lucky Stroke), hosted by Dr Maretta Mann.

    In 2002 Sarah Brooker was only 20 years old and on the brink of realising her dreams. She had graduated from Monash University and was about to become a neuroscientist. Then, a series of catastrophic events – a stroke, a car accident, a coma – and she was robbed of that life forever.

    I woke up in her place. I was a broken body, with little memory of who I had been, and little understanding of the world I was in. I have spent the past 22 years trying to put my life back together. In that time, I have had to learn to walk, talk, and eat again. That was easy.

    I have completed several University degrees, including returning to Neuroscience to complete my PhD. That was easy too. What has been difficult has been learning and re-learning my place in the world, and what it means to live with an acquired brain injury.

    I have been a rehabilitation counsellor, a radio DJ, a student support officer and have finally found my place as a teacher. I am Dr Sarah Brooker and I have come along today to share the story of my recovery with you.

    Find out more about Dr Sarah Brooker and her book “My Lucky Stroke” here.

    EVENT DETAILS

    Tuesday, 13 August 2024
    12 noon–1 pm AEST | 11.30 am–12.30 pm ACST
    This online event will be hosted on Microsoft Teams. A meeting link will be shared with you upon registration.

    RSVP

    Please register your attendance before Thursday, 9 August here or via the QR code.

    MORE INFORMATION
    inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

    THIS WILL BE AN ACCESSIBLE EVENT WITH LIVE CAPTIONS AND A TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE POST EVENT.


  • National Pain Week: Making our best guess of the world - how personal narratives help and hinder the chronic pain experience

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    The Hopkins Centre and Griffith Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability invite all members, subscribers, individuals with lived experience of pain, practitioners and anyone with an interest in chronic pain management to join us for this very special Hopkins Hour for National Pain Week, 2024.

    Originally created by Chronic Pain Australia, National Pain Week is Australia’s annual awareness event for chronic pain and aims to draw attention to the experience of people living with chronic pain. National Pain Week is a significant awareness campaign for many people who have experienced brain and spinal cord injury, who experience persistent pain, as well as those living with other disability. It’s equally important for pain researchers, clinicians, allied-health industry professionals and all others working in the field to comprehend the pain experience for our clients, collaborators and cohorts.

    This National Pain Week, The Hopkins Centre and Griffith Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability are inviting "painchangers', clinicians and pain researchers Dr Nicholas Aitcheson and Kim Talaber to host this Hopkins Hour, where they will share the latest research into the chronic pain experience, including strategies for management and the latest therapeutic models.

    Dr Nick Aitcheson is a rehabilitation and pain medicine specialist at Metro South Health Pain Rehabilitation Service. He has a particular interest in spinal injury rehabilitation, social prescribing, and the management of polypharmacy. Nick's current areas of research are pressure injuries in spinal cord injury, chronic chest pain, social education groups for social integration, and low dose naltrexone in the treatment of chronic pain.

    Kim Talaber, is a trained Physiotherapist and current PhD candidate with The Hopkins Centre and Griffith University. Her research investigates brain mechanisms to treat chronic neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury. Kim is completing her research with the Musculoskeletal Health & Persistent Pain Research Group, with support from a Seed Grant from The Hopkins Centre.

    During the session, Dr Aitcheson and Ms Talaber will be joined by special guest and Inclusive Futures Engagement Council member, Mark Berridge, to explore how individual experiences of pain can be influenced by personal perceptions and beliefs.

    Mark Berridge is an experienced business leader, TEDx speaker and multi-award-winning author. Mark’s extensive corporate expertise combined with the life changing lessons he gained overcoming a severe spinal injury provides a unique lens to inspire people and organisations to pursue their potential, undaunted by the uncertainty of their circumstances.

    We hope you can join us for this fascinating discussion.

    Head to our website to join this online event, live on Wednesday 24 July, 2024, at 12:30pm: https://lnkd.in/gBDvUKQm

    Hopkins Hour flyer containing information about this event and the link to access: https://tinyurl.com/zthbccv4

  • Disability Reform Summit: Moving from recommendations to evidence-based solutions

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    The Disability Reform Summit was hosted by the Dignity Project and funded by an Engaging Science Grant from the Department of Environment and Science.

    The Summit brought together a diverse group of citizen scientists, Queensland disability researchers and academics, and key disability persons and advocacy organisations for a collaborative agenda-setting workshop.

    The workshop sought to co-create priorities for research based on the NDIS Review recommendations, Disability Royal Commission recommendations, and the Voice of Queenslanders with Disability report recommendations, while moving towards evidence-based solutions that will directly contribute to government and service responses.

    Twenty-one attendees worked collaboratively over a 4-hour workshop and identified key priorities, much of which was focused on improving disability data collection, better implementation of consistent disability flags across mainstream services, and increasing sustainable long-term partnerships and funding.

    Workshop attendees wanted to prioritise projects that focus on building evidence for knowledge and evidence gaps, although 50% of participants also wanted to examine existing interventions to evaluate and improve them.

    L-R: Dr Kelsey Chapman; Dr Talitha Kingsmill and Sharon White; and Nerine Williams.

    TOPICS AND INSIGHTS

    Health and Wellbeing:

    • Promoting health consumerism principles and access for all.
    • Shifting from reactive to pre-emptive health strategies.
    • Addressing disparities in health equity and access.
    • Campaigns like 'Hear Me, See Me, Understand Me' and involving lived experiences in decisions.
    • Potential research includes integrating health awareness into education and enhancing professional understanding of diverse needs.

    Employment and Financial Security:

    • Psychological safety and accommodations in the workplace.
    • Inclusive recruitment, onboarding, and raising employment expectations.
    • Examining current inclusive policies and staff training in unconscious bias.
    • Potential research includes building inclusive research teams and understanding confidence in disability-related conversations.

    Top: Panelists Prof. Elizabeth Kendall AM, Dr Talitha Kingsmill, Sharon White and Prof. David Trembath. Bottom: Dr Kelsey Chapman leads the summit workshop activities. Inclusive Education and Learning:

    • Need for inclusive school rules and evolving educational practices.
    • Redesigning assessment methods and promoting reasonable adjustments.
    • Potential research focuses on leadership attitudes and diverse perspectives in education, reassessing student success metrics.

    Inclusive and Accessible Communities:

    • Evaluating compliance vs. actual accessibility and inclusion.
    • Measuring community inclusion and the impact of co-design.
    • Opportunities like Brisbane 2032 for updating infrastructure and promoting universal accessibility.

    Disability Data:

    • Enhancing researcher capability and implementing consistent disability data flags.
    • Prioritising projects to build evidence and evaluate existing interventions.
    • Balancing academic interest with immediate social needs through co-design and sustainable partnerships.

    Top L-R: Sharon White and Prof. David Trembath; Julia Robertson.
    Bottom L-R: Dr Eloise Hummell and Nerine Williams; Geoff Trappett; Dr Maretta Mann.     We extend our gratitude to the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science for their support of this research. Our deepest thanks also go to Dr. Kelsey Chapman, Lead Researcher, and the Griffith University's Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability team, including Rebekah Barker, Joe-Anne Kek-Pamenter, Dr. Maretta Mann, and Professor Elizabeth Kendall AM, for their invaluable assistance in organising this event. Additionally, we appreciate the continuous dedication and support of our Summit participants and the wider Dignity Project team.

    Special thanks to Eric Tram, our videographer, illustrators Holly Bryant & Cate Withers and the team at Griffith University Live Worm (Libbi Reed, Jacqui Hancox and Sharon Searle) for their engaging Sketch Notes that beautifully captured the topics and insights of the Summit.

    Top L-R: Prof David Trembath; Dr Kelsey Chapman; Dr Eloise Hummell.
    Bottom L-R: Summit Participants; Prof. Elizabeth Kendall AM.

    Top L-R: Dr Talitha Kingsmill and Karin Swift.
    Bottom: Dr Maretta Mann and Dr Kelsey Chapman lead discussion amongst their group.


    Acknowledgement

    The Disability Reform Summit was funded by an Engaging Science Grant from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science and the Office of the Chief Scientist.


    Watch the Disability Reform Summit highlights on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Wz2UJ08xOP0?si=xIu1T75BSAVJTm58 (Videographer: Eric Tram).


    Join us in moving from recommendations to real change!

    More information: Dr Kelsey Chapman, Research Fellow and Citizen Science Manager k.chapman@griffith.edu.au

    SKETCH NOTES

    For an accessible / alternate format of our sketch notes, please email inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au