The Coalition was founded on principles of acceptance, access, and inclusion with the purpose of advancing the participation of individuals with disabilities in Health Science Education. This purpose has been addressed via countless research publications, numerous training opportunities such as the symposia, webinars and in-person seminars in collaboration with AHEAD.  All created by many Coalition members and have set the standard for our current practices.

While the Coalition has been a place of support for DRP’s, administrators, and faculty, we now look to our peers at AHEAD and the Docs with Disabilities Initiative. Awareness within post-secondary and professional universities/colleges about accessibility in health sciences has grown tremendously. The Coalition has determined to dissolve and transition to a Knowledge and Practice Community under AHEAD.

With this shift to a Knowledge and Practice Community (KPC), it will be a community led by committed individuals across community colleges, colleges, universities, and professional graduate programs focused on collaboration and support within our community. We are fortunate to find ourselves now in a space that has options for accessing resources and support for DRPs, Faculty and Students. To join this new KPC please follow this link to the AHEAD membership page so you may join this wonderful organization. If you are already a member of AHEAD, simply sign up to join this KPC under “Communities”.

The mission that was set by the Coalition by the founding members has been met and so we say goodbye to this particular space and thank you to all who have been part of this journey. Without every one of you, your questions, your contributions, your drive to be better, none of this would have been possible. We look forward to seeing you in the KPC, in person at AHEAD, at DWDI events, and hopefully elsewhere!