Speaking Me, Hearing You
Creators: name: Muir, Rebecca
Publisher: name: Deakin University
Year: 2024

description: What's the issue?Almost 1 in 6 Australians have a disability. That's 4.4 million people!But even though disability is very common, we're often not taught how to talk about disability respectfully and openly. This means that when we need to start talking about disability at work, school, or in everyday life, we can find these conversations really difficult. We might be worried we'll say something that will upset or hurt the other person. We might not know what words to use or how to use them. We might even be scared that we'll say the wrong thing and break the law!<br>It's normal to feel worriedWhen we need to talk about something that we've not been taught to talk about, using words that we might not really understand, in places where we need to do 'the right thing' - it's normal to feel nervous or worried. We might avoid talking about disability, or we might make up or use different words (like "diff-able") to talk about disability instead.But when we avoid talking about disability in the workplace or school, or we replace 'disability' with other words, we tell others that disability is something 'bad' or 'wrong', to be 'hidden away' and ignored. Because we don't talk about disability, people with disabilities may be less likely to join the workplace, or may not receive the support we all need to thrive.<br>We all benefit from inclusionLearning how to talk about disability at work, school, and in everyday life helps us to build more inclusive places, where everyone is able to thrive. Inclusion isn't only 'the right thing to do'. Workplaces that include people with disabilities are more likely to attract more customers, have happier and more productive teams, better respond to changing needs in their sector or area, and be more sustainable.When our spaces are more diverse and inclusive, we all benefit. That's why we've created Speaking Me, Hearing You (SMHY).<br>Speaking Me, Hearing YouSpeaking Me, Hearing You (SMHY) aims to help us to feel more confident and comfortable when talking about disability at work, school, or everyday life.<br>A cuppa for inclusionWe know that finding time to learn about disability, inclusion, and communication is hard in today's busy world. So SMHY is separated into parts (or sections), each containing several learning modules. Each module is able to be completed in the same amount of time it takes to drink a cup of tea (15-30 minutes). Learners can complete modules in sequence, from the start to the end, or can pick and choose which modules they complete.A neuro-affirming learning kitSMHY is a neurodivergent-designed learning kit. Designed for people across the neurodiverse spectrum from neurotypicals to neurodivergents, SMHY offers different learning reinforcement opportunities like videos, games, Padlets, quizzes, and open access articles. In addition, Learning Sandpits provide safe places for learners to put their skills into practice, while Learning Reflection Emails keep the learning happening after the fact - including links to resources and communities to ensure that learners are always supported.Open. AlwaysBuilt on an open philosophy, SMHY is available openly to all: both in and outside the Deakin community. Open Access resources have been prioritised, helping to build a learning culture before, during, and after Deakin.We're learning with youSMHY has been designed as a learning platform - and that means that as you learn, others learn too. Shared learning sandpits offer opportunities for learners to share their reflections and learnings with others from the safety of their home, while shared learning workshops provide opportunities to come together with others and to work through - and talk through - modules together over a cuppa. We call this our InclusiviTea! suite.<br>SMHY: Coming soonThe first 11 modules of SMHY have been fully designed. Current works are focused on ensuring coding stability and building learning reinforcements.The anticipated release of SMHY is September 2024.We look forward to seeing you then. We so hope that you enjoy learning how to talk about disability with us.<br>Talking about disability is hard. We can't change that: but we hope that we can help you feel more confident and capable when having these conversations.