Disability Justice: Centering the Voices of Students with Disabilities in Practicum Placements

The next Equity and Inclusion Speaker Series event invites the social work community to take a critical look at how practicum (field) education across the profession can better support students with disabilities. Field placements are designed to be transformative learning experiences, yet accessibility practices vary widely across agencies and institutions. This session will explore how those differences shape students’ experiences and what it means to build more consistent, proactive approaches to inclusion in social work education. Dr. Kanako Okuda, assistant dean of Practicum (Field) Education and clinical associate professor at BU School of Social Work (BUSSW), will be joined by BUSSW MSW students Mia Parra and Miku Hayashida for a conversation grounded in both research and lived experience. Together, they will discuss how social work programs and community partners can strengthen practicum environments by centering disabled students’ voices and disability justice in the field. This event is part of the BUSSW Equity & Inclusion Speaker Series presented by BU School of Social Work’s Equity & Inclusion Committee. Please visit bu.edu/ssw/eiss for additional details, past event recordings and more. One CE credit will be available to social workers licensed in Massachusetts. If you wish to receive CE credit, please provide your license number in the registration form. The webinar will be conducted using the online Zoom webinar platform. This webinar is open to all members of the BU community including alumni, students, faculty, staff, and the public.