The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) team recently sat down with Berna Bouwer, the Corporate Head of Inclusion with GEMS Education in Dubai. Bouwer is a current Certified Autism Specialist™ (CAS) and has worked in the education industry for over 25 years. As the team spoke with Bouwer, it became immediately clear that she has a genuine dedication to improving the educational well-being of her students. At the very start of the interview, she spoke about the necessity of bringing educational quality beyond just a simple box to be checked, stating that “inclusion is not something we do, it’s who we are.” This ideal resonated throughout the rest of the interview.

In speaking about how IBCCES’ training had influenced the way that she approached inclusion for autistic and neurodiverse children, she noted that “if we do the right thing for the right reasons, everybody wins. There’s no reason for us not to do it.” Going into greater detail, she spoke about the value of the research being provided by the IBCCES training. The evidence provided by the training outlines the techniques that have been tried, the effect on the sample size, and the basis for this effect. Bouwer excitedly shared how the knowledge base helped her build upon her existing knowledge and related that she directed her colleagues to several of the research papers referenced in the training. Understanding the techniques and knowing how and when to use them is essential for educators in the UAE, particularly as they often form the foundation of support for neurodivergent students and help guide the education system. Bouwer remarks, “In a child’s life, there’s no time for trial and error.” For this reason, she recommends that educators should be among the first people to go through training and certification. 

When asked if any parts of the training particularly resonated with her, Bouwer recounted that she was immediately reminded of sensory integration. She mentioned that educators want to have beautiful, immersive, and engaging classrooms, but that can make the classroom overwhelming and overstimulating for some children, particularly those with autism. She comments that educators should be aware of the stressors that these children have and how these can make the learning experience more difficult, which can prove detrimental to the children’s educational bandwidth. These children are already struggling with the classroom environment, and adding more layers with other students and learning expectations can exacerbate the experience. Whether the lesson plan is appropriate for the child should always be at the forefront of the educator’s mind, whether it suits the child who is overwhelmed or the one who is already struggling. She also mentioned that it’s important to include the student themself as much as possible, that the student should have the opportunity to self-advocate, and their opinions should be respected. The other aspect that educators should remember is that even as adults, people may struggle to perform at the same level day after day, and accordingly, a student’s best may look different every day. As many also acknowledge, if you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. Each student must be judged and accommodated on their own standards for their own needs, and no one else’s.

Bouwer credits her own training as a CAS as providing her with the impetus to assist with making a systemic change in Dubai’s educational system. “The world and education system isn’t designed for neurodiverse people. We need to be more aware of the differences and how to assist people with different needs,” she says while advocating for the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that is spoken about in detail and recommended within the certification training by IBCCES. She notes that with this methodology, the student can share what they know in the manner that is best for them to do so, which enables them to have a less stressful and more valuable experience in the educational setting. The world is changing because people are more aware of cognitive differences, and people are more open to sharing their neurodiversity. Although the stigma of being neurodivergent is starting to go away, the changes aren’t occurring fast enough for those affected. With the training and certification provided by IBCCES, educators learn how to create and know what the next level of educational experience should look like for students. The hope is always that the next generation of learners will be more able to advocate for themselves because they’ve been taught the skills that they need.

Bouwer credits her own training as a CAS as providing her with the impetus to assist with making a systemic change in Dubai’s educational system. “The world and education system isn’t designed for neurodiverse people. We need to be more aware of the differences and how to assist people with different needs,” she says while advocating for the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that is spoken about in detail and recommended within the certification training by IBCCES. She notes that with this methodology, the student can share what they know in the manner that is best for them to do so, which enables them to have a less stressful and more valuable experience in the educational setting. The world is changing because people are more aware of cognitive differences, and people are more open to sharing their neurodiversity. Although the stigma of being neurodivergent is starting to go away, the changes aren’t occurring fast enough for those affected. With the training and certification provided by IBCCES, educators learn how to create and know what the next level of educational experience should look like for students. The hope is always that the next generation of learners will be more able to advocate for themselves because they’ve been taught the skills that they need.

In order to address the diverse needs of all students from a holistic perspective, IBCCES, as requested by Bouwer, other educators, and learning facilities, has created the Accreditation for Comprehensive Student Wellbeing™ (ACSW) program. This ACSW program empowers schools to become places where all students thrive by equipping educators with the tools they need to understand and support students with autism, depression, anxiety, ADHD, as well as other mental health concerns. This accreditation ensures that educators at all levels of their careers are equipped with research-backed knowledge and practical strategies for implementation within the classroom setting that enable students to receive effective educational experiences within a safe, nurturing educational environment.

About the Accreditation for Comprehensive Student Wellbeing™ (ACSW)

The Accreditation for Comprehensive Student Wellbeing™ (ACSW) showcases an educational facility’s dedication to the wellbeing of every student. By equipping educators with the tools to understand and support students with autism, depression, anxiety, mental health challenges, and more, the ACSW program empowers schools to become places where all students can thrive.

Program Competencies:

• Autism & Neurodiversity
• Trauma-Informed Practices
• Supporting & Understanding Student Mental Health
• Depression & Anxiety
• Behavioral Challenges
• Collaborative & Preventative Approaches

Accreditation Requirements:

• Ensure 80% of student-facing staff complete IBCCES training & certification.
• Participate in a facilities audit to ensure the school environment supports student wellbeing.
• Commit to ongoing professional development & training during the accreditation term.