The Disability Services Sub-Directorate of Universitas Brawijaya (SLD UB) held training related to services for people with mental, psychosocial, and intellectual disabilities, Sunday (7/21/2024). For one day, this training focused on three types of disabilities.
The training participants consisted of SLD UB management and the Sub-Directorate of Inclusive Education Development (SP2I) which is under the auspices of the Directorate of Innovation and Educational Development of Universitas Brawijaya. Although it is different institutions, these two sub-directorates have two common goals to maintain and improve the quality of disability services at UB.
Presenting Ulifa Rahma., S.Psi., M.Psi, Head of Counseling, Prevention of Sexual Violence and Bullying Sub-Directorate of Brawijaya University and two representatives of students with mental, psychosocial, and intellectual disabilities, the training took place from morning to evening. The three of them provided a comprehensive explanation regarding the concepts, principles, and academic experiences of students with disabilities.
“This activity originated from the consideration to improve the quality of services for people with mental, psychosocial, and intellectual disabilities at UB,” explained Zubaidah Ningsih AS, Ph.D., director of SLD UB.
On the same occasion, the service coordinator at SLD UB, Sinta Swastikawara, explained that the follow-up to this training was the preparation of a disability service pocket book that specifically addresses mental, psychosocial, and intellectual disabilities.
“Because previously the issue of mental disabilities was not fully addressed, this training was held,” said Sinta.
Deepening Concepts, Variety, and Experience
During two sessions, Ulifa Rahma explained the concepts and variety of mental, psychosocial, and intellectual disabilities. She explored many of the derivatives of each type of disability and gave examples. Occasionally, training participants gave direct responses to questions or related experiences in the academic field so far.
She also emphasized that the conditions of disability in the various types that she explained tend to sometimes be comorbid with other disability conditions.
“And we need to know that in these various types, sometimes even often these conditions are comorbid with other disability conditions,” said Ulifa.
Ulifa also reiterated that, so far, although not clearly recorded in the disability service database, academics with mental, psychosocial, and mental disabilities at Universitas Brawijaya are spread across various faculties and lines.
“It may not have been recorded properly. And in the future we can tidy it up again so that lecturers, especially, can know where they are and what they can do in the teaching and learning process,” explained Ulifa.
This was responded by the SLD UB management so that database integration could be expedited before the semester begins, along with the distribution of service pocket books that will be made soon.
In the next session, sharing of academic experiences of mentally disabled students with training participants was guided by Sinta Swastikawara which was presented in the form of questions and answers. Thus, participants can also ask questions related to the purpose of being able to compile a good guidebook. [mahali/sitirahma/ UB PR/ Trans. Iir]
