Tal Asher, of Ono’s “Being a Student” Program. Tells of Her Experiences
Tal Asher, a 31 year old woman on the autistic spectrum, is part of Ono Academic College’s “Being a Student” program. She was given a platform by the “Shavim/We are Equal” website to discuss her experiences.
Tal begins by saying:
“My name is Tal and I am smart. However, for many years this was a secret. Until three years ago, they thought I had an intellectual disability, so the special education system I was enrolled in never taught me anything. We could sit for hours in class and just draw. For many years they tried to silence me. But I’m done being silent.”
Tal continued:
“I am studying at Ono Academic College, as part of a program called “Being a Student”. I am integrated with students without disabilities, and I have a support system. This week they asked the class where everyone went to school, and I felt humiliated. I didn’t know what to say, because I studied in special education, but in practice they didn’t teach me anything and that’s why I’m suffering and having a hard time in my studies now. Special education is a trauma in my life. It is another trauma, in addition to the injuries I went through.
Ono’s “Being a Student” program, now in its seventh year, enables people with complex disabilities to enter the gates of academia and undergo the academic experience of ‘being a student’ in higher education. The program allows participants to integrate into various academic study tracks, from taking individual courses to enrolling in full degree studies, while receiving individual and group support and accommodations according to their needs. Students in the program must cope with a variety of challenges – sensory, motor, cognitive, communication or mental. Each student has a personal program, case manager, individual tutoring, an accompanying workshop (on “becoming a student”), learning strategy workshops and accessibility and examination accommodations. To read the complete article, click here: https://shavvim.co.il/2023/12/03/%d7%a7%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%90%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%9c%d7%99-%d7%98%d7%9c-%d7%95%d7%90%d7%a0%d7%99-%d7%97%d7%9b%d7%9e%d7%94-%d7%a8%d7%a7-%d7%a9%d7%94%d7%a8%d7%91%d7%94-%d7%a9%d7%a0%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%96%d7%94/?fbclid=IwAR1ud-bCGRmpIx_2a-xxpadYezwGLSRtpbdK59TBGP555HRqIa7nysVXrzc
