Support Systems for Inclusive Post-Secondary Education: A Case Study on the University of Winnipeg’s ACCESS Education Programs

Abstract

The goal of this study is to understand the importance of inclusive learning practices in post-secondary education to alleviate social barriers for underrepresented students. There is a disconnect between access to university and ongoing support systems within and outside the classroom. This problem can be attributed to a long history of exclusive, euro-centric post-secondary structure that is often unwelcoming to underrepresented students. This thesis will discuss the social barriers to underrepresented students and the practices being implemented by intuitions to provide equitable, inclusive access to higher education. Then, it will use the ACCESS Education Programs at The University of Winnipeg as a case study to evaluate the support systems offered to students in 3 programs: Winnipeg Education Centre, Community-Aboriginal Teacher Education Program, and Immigrant Teacher Education Program. Through qualitative, open-ended interviews and a focus groups, this study explores what support systems are working at ACCESS Education to create a welcoming learning environments for their students.