Opening the door: Lessons learned in an inclusive classroom

According to Lakeland College environmental sciences instructor Brendan Ganton, all he did was leave the door open and student Tylan Andrews, with the support of Inclusion Alberta, did the rest. Andrews and his family, who nominated Ganton for the Inclusion Alberta’s Community Inclusion Award he won in 2024, might disagree.

“I appreciate the nomination, but all I really did was keep the door open for him. I just tried to think of how we could include him in everything we’re doing.” Ganton says.

As a result, Andrews spent three years at Lakeland having a typical college experience that included attending class, doing his homework, braving the elements for outdoor labs and making friends, with the support of Inclusion Alberta. Ganton spent those same three years learning that sometimes something as simple as holding open a door for someone can mean the world to them.

“On day one, I was totally uncertain about how it would go, what it would look like having a student with an intellectual disability in our class,” Ganton says. “Fast forward three years and he’s just a totally different guy.”

From the very beginning, Andrews exceeded expectations, a habit he’d keep up throughout his three years in the program.

“When it comes to including students with intellectual disabilities, you just have to be a little bit more prepared and think about how you can accommodate them,” Ganton explains. “And then be prepared for them to surprise you.”

He remembers how at first, Andrews struggled with the discomfort of outdoor winter labs. Flash forward to this past semester, Ganton recalls, and Andrews was out of the van, down the hill and on the ice at Jack Fish Lake, studying the aeration system with his classmates.

“That’s a big success,” Ganton says. “Just like with any of our students, it’s incredible to see the differences these years can make.”

Another winter success, Ganton recalls, is when other students from his class and the Enviro Club decided there had to be more ways to involve Andrews in class and started advocating for him. They brainstormed ways to overcome the obstacles that seemed to hinder Andrews’ participation, like the cold and navigating the deep snow. Together, they came up with a number of ways to help Andrews navigate the cold and snow so he was able to more meaningfully participate in outdoor labs for longer.

“He totally exceeded my expectations time and again,” Ganton says. “Right when I think there’s a limitation he will be challenged to navigate, he’ll always do it and more, especially as he got more comfortable and familiar with what we were doing and having a good time.”

Ganton received one of six Community Inclusion Awards at Inclusion Alberta’s annual conference on April 12, 2024. The award is given to individuals and organizations in Alberta whose day-to-day actions result in those with intellectual disabilities having increased opportunities to be included in community life. He was nominated by Andrews and his family.

“I was surprised and absolutely grateful that they thought to nominate me for the award,” Ganton says, though he’s quick to say, again, that all he really did was hold the door open.

He says, “I benefitted so much from the support of Inclusion Alberta staff who were supporting Tylan. Those folks are the ones who deserve these accolades. They supported me as much as they supported Tylan. All I had to do was think of how we could include him. They were with him when it came to accommodating assignments or exams, making sure he was ready and in class in the morning or waiting until lab in the afternoon, and then coming back in the evening for Enviro Club event. They did all of the modification and adaptations to make this happen for him.”

Ganton also attended the Inclusion Lloydminster breakfast in May, which had a huge impact on him.

“When you see Tylan within the full community of Inclusion Alberta and you see the other folks who are nominated and hear their stories and how meaningful it is, it’s so impactful,” he says. “All I did was leave the door open. It feels like it’s not a big deal for me. But it’s a huge deal for families and folks who are working with or supported by Inclusion Alberta, because so many doors are closed. We can do better. We can get more doors open to make sure these folks have these important milestones and experiences, like having a job, graduating, and having friends and classmates alongside you as you go through them.”

Andrews walked across the stage at Lakeland’s Vermilion campus convocation in June with his friends and classmates, with Ganton at his side. As Andrews’ high school graduation was heavily modified due to Covid-19, Ganton says, this was first graduation experience.

“I fully supported and loved my time with T. in the classroom and the support we got from Inclusion Alberta. They’re doing such important work helping folks have a full life experience,” Ganton says.

As for what he’ll remember most, Ganton says, “Tylan’s a warm weather guy. Those were the labs he loved the best, being outside, soaking up the rays. Some of my fondest memories are just driving out there with him sitting up front with me on our way out to the lab sites. I hope those are his as well.”

Photos: Top - Brendan Ganton receives his award with Tylan and his family. Bottom: Tylan walks across the stage at convocation.