October 5, 2006 Source: :
http://www.brocku.ca/webnews/displaystory.phtml?TEMPLATE=template.html&sid=1533 Brock launches a Master of Applied
Disability Studies for students and working
professionals A
newly created graduate program in Applied Disability Studies at Brock will
provide education and training that is particularly suitable for specialists
currently working in the field. The Master of Applied Disability Studies (MADS) with a specialization in
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is the first graduate program of its kind
in Ontario. It is administered by the Applied Disability Program in the
Faculty of Social Sciences at Brock. The degree will allow students and working professionals the opportunity to
apply for certification as a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst by the
Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB) in the U.S. (Ontario will soon
be implementing a co-ordinated certification process with BACB to establish
Ontario ABA certification). "The University established the Applied Disability Studies Program to meet
the growing need for professionals in the disabilities and ABA fields," says
Maurice Feldman, Graduate Program Director for the Applied Disabilities
Studies Program. "Ontario funds nine regional Intensive Behaviour
Intervention programs for about 1,000 children with autism and ABA is their
primary teaching and therapeutic modality. There is also a need for ABA
professionals in special education, children's mental health, acquired brain
injury, and other disability-related fields." The Program has accepted 60 students into the first year of the specialized
master's degree. Many students are currently working as senior or instructor
therapists in Intensive Behaviour Intervention programs or as behaviour
consultants and therapists in Community Behavioural Programs. Faculty members in the Applied Disabilities Studies Program at Brock are
internationally respected in disabilities and applied behaviour analysis.
Students enrolled in the program will be able to follow a carefully-designed
program of study that meets their current and future interests and career
aspirations. "Brock is uniquely qualified to mount these programs," he adds, "since we
probably have more faculty and adjuncts with expertise in ABA than any other
university in Canada." The MADS professional degree is designed to be
completed on a full-time (two years) or part-time (three years) basis and
classes will be offered at various locations. This year, courses are offered
in Toronto and the Brock University Hamilton campus. Plans are also in the
works to offer weekend and summer courses to accommodate working students. In 2007, the program will commence the Master of Arts option for students
interested in intensive research and preparation for doctoral studies. As
well, a graduate diploma option will be available in 2007 for professionals
who would like to upgrade their educational qualifications without obtaining
a graduate degree. Faculty within the program have expertise in diverse areas of disability
studies including autism, intellectual disability, learning disability,
acquired brain injury, inclusion, policy, services, mental health,
education, leadership, resilience, rights, ethics, early intervention,
counselling, applied behaviour analysis, qualitative and quantitative
research and program evaluation. Faculty members have published extensively and many serve as consultants to
governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Faculty members have
received grants from federal and provincial agencies such as Social Sciences
and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Canadian Institutes of
Health Research (CIHR), Ontario Mental Health Foundation and the Ontario
Trillium Foundation.
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