Fulbright has a program called the Regional Travel Program (RTP). During your Fulbright time you can travel (for up to two weeks) to another location within your region and do your thing. All you have to do is connect with a host university and apply for the RTP with Fulbright. The application for the RTP is not nearly as extensive as the original Fulbright application, but you have to have a host institution and a plan for the work you will do there.
I wanted to experience a completely different part of Africa, so I reached out to a few universities in East Africa and I was delighted to hear back from the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA). Through email conversations and a few meetings on Zoom we developed a plan. Once I had approval from Fulbright, I applied for my visa, made travel arrangements, and connected with the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.
Our plan was for me to conduct a few lectures for undergraduates on various aspects of inclusion and special needs education, deliver a two-day workshop for graduate students on Universal Design for Learning, and facilitate a discussion with faculty members on inclusive instruction and assessment for learners with disabilities in higher education. We also planned for me to visit some schools and meet members of the Ministry of Education: Inclusive Education and Life Skills Unit.
The discussion with faculty about inclusive instruction and assessment for learners with disabilities in higher education was quite engaging and I wished we had more time. We discussed common challenges related to meeting the needs of college students with disabilities. At one point, I remember thinking How amazing! I am across the world talking with my counterparts at a university not much different from mine about issues we all have. A major difference, though, is resources. In the U.S., universities provide what students need in order to minimize barriers to their success – the funding is there. In Zanzibar, the funding is lacking, but they are managing. I noticed several students with vision, hearing, and physical impairments who were thoughtfully and respectfully supported by their professors and peers.
When I walked into the room for my first lecture with undergraduates, they greeted me with a song. I was delighted and touched by such a warm welcome. The first lecture was about disability categories. In the U.S. we recognize 13 disability categories under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Zanzibar, does not have a law that governs the education of children with disabilities and so disability labels don’t really exist which, maybe is a good thing. We had a great conversation about how a person’s disability – the name, the cause, the category – really doesn’t matter. What matters is that we provide what everyone needs to be successful – identified disability or not. This led to a request for the next session to be on Universal Design for Learning, which I was more than happy to oblige.
My workshop with graduate students was my favorite because they asked me to talk about Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which is one of my areas of research and one of my favorite things to talk about – especially with other teachers! We had a great discussion about UDL and technology (if you know the UDL world, you know this is a hot topic) and UDL with huge class sizes like those in Zanzibar (and also Sierra Leone). In Zanzibar, many classes have around 80-100 students with one teacher! Is it even possible to know that many students well enough to meet their individual needs? Is it possible to provide options for learning tasks to engage students when you have that many students in one room? These are the discussions that get me excited! This is what sabbaticals are for!
I love being in schools with teachers and children, so I was very happy that we were able to fit in some school visits. Because it was the end of Ramadan the previous weekend, and Eid al-Fitr celebrations go on all week in Zanzibar, many students still had not returned to school so the usual classes of 80-100 were much smaller. The schools I visited were very nice – some with open air classrooms that I would have loved as a teacher. Just like in Sierra Leone, when a visitor comes to the classroom, children stand and in unison say, “Good morning, ma’am. Good morning, sir. How are you today?” I was told that this formal greeting ritual is to reinforce the expected respect toward elders and authority figures and to demonstrate to visitors a well-behaved and well-managed classroom.
I was excited for the opportunity to visit the Ministry of Education: Inclusive Education and Life Skills Unit. We had a good discussion about similarities and differences in how we deliver special education in Tanzania & Zanzibar and the U.S. They were particularly interested in autism and when we were finished talking, they asked me to provide a professional development session for them on autism. The session, which I delivered on my last day with SUZA, was open to ministry staff and teachers. Dr. Juma (the SUZA School of Education Dean) interpreted for me because many of the teachers were more comfortable with Swahili. They were very interested in how we diagnose autism in the U.S. and when I reviewed specific characteristics of autism (communication and social interaction deficits, repetitive behaviors, sensitivity to specific environmental stimuli), they were familiar with them and it was a moment of true connection (educator to educator). We had an interesting discussion about the impact of early intervention on autism and other disabilities. Providing early intervention is only possible when you know it is needed. In countries where resources are limited, well baby checkups – where developmental delays are often detected, are often not possible.
The great privilege of this experience is not lost on me. Every single day, even the not so good days, I think about what an honor it is to be here. On a daily basis, my perspectives are challenged and adjusted as I learn more and more about the world and the ways we are all so much alike and also so beautifully different.
I am certain that this initial connection with my colleagues at the State University of Zanzibar will lead to ongoing collaboration and I look forward to the work we will do together in the future.
It is so great to hear about your experiences. How ‘bout a couple backyard lectures about this whole fabulous adventure when you return?!
Take good care. Thanks for sharing! ♥️
I love that people a world away get to experience time with you. I’m so proud of you and the work you are doing!
amazing!