Students with disabilities as co-researchers: In Deep project at the University of Padova

Over the past three decades, many higher education institutions have begun to rethink their institutional missions and implement a variety of community outreach efforts. Strand et al. (2003) affirm that today a growing number of Universities are forging connections with the communities: schools, social services agency, businesses, neighbourhood organizations and health care provider. Moreover in recent decades, increasing attention has been focused on the development of policies and practices regarding education and services for university students with disabilities. In Italian context, since 1996, the University of Padova helps students overcome architectural and didactical barriers in their daily university life, providing, through the Disability and Dyslexia Support Office (DDSO), services and organizing initiatives meant to ensure the Right to Education and the social inclusion of students with disabilities to make the University as accessible and inclusive as possible. Coherently with the Human Development paradigm (Alkire 2002; Biggeri et al., 2011; Walker, 2006, 2012) and the debate on the new curricular theories (Biesta, 2013; Booth, 2011), InDeep project (Inclusive Development and Enhancing Education at University, Santi, Di Masi, Ghedin, Aquario, Visentin, 2014) aims to build together with the different actors (students with disabilities, their families and associations), tools and methodologies for designing academic curricula in an inclusive life projectsoriented perspective (Biggeri et al, 2011) adopting the Community-Based Research methodology. The paper aims to present the results of structured focus group discussions (Biggeri, Ferrandini, 2014) conducted with students with disabilities in order to assess how the University of Padova DDSO supports their agency and to co-construct guidelines for innovative and inclusive academic curricula towards the promotion of an authentic autonomy.