Reframing Disability
A Diversity Fellow Conversation
Agenda
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How disability impacts our community
Reframing disability
Universal design (definition and examples)
Applying universal design to your work
What is disability studies
Applying a new way of thinking to your work
Disability Statistics
• 56.7 million people in the US have a disability
(18.7%).
• 38.3 million people have a severe disability (12.6%)
• Majority of Americans will have diabetes or prediabetes by 2020.
• 14.1% of people with disabilities are unemployed
compared to 7.1 % of the non-disabled population.
• Globally, this market represents $3 trillion dollars
of disposable income.
Disability Statistics
• The disability community is the largest HEG that
anyone can become a member of at anytime….it is also
the fastest growing community on college campuses
around the United States.
(Vogel, Summer 2011, Insight into Diversity)
• This number will continue to grow.
Aging population
Medical advancements
Wounded warriors
The Impact
• How does this impact our community?
• Does it relate to our public affairs mission:
Ethical Leadership
Cultural Competence
Community Engagement
• How does this all intersect our work?
• Are we addressing this in our teaching?
• Are our students aware and prepared for it will
intersect their future work?
Paradigm Shift
“In order for full inclusion to take place, we must
move beyond the thinking of minimum compliance
and completely change how we perceive
disability…only then will real inclusion occur.”
-Katheryne
Paradigm Shift
• We need to change how we perceive disability.
• We need to think about how disability intersects
our work/our lives.
• We must embrace disability as a part of diversity
and value the disability community as a powerful
identity group.
Model Comparison of Disability
Medical Model (Old)
Interactional/Socio-Political Model
(New)
Disability is a deficiency or abnormality
Disability is a difference
Being disabled is negative
Being disabled, in itself, is neutral
Disability resides in the individual
Disability derives from the interaction
between the individual and society
The remedy for disability-related
problems is cure or normalization of the
individual
The remedy for disability-related
problems is a change in the interaction
between the individual and society
The agent of remedy is the professional
The agent of remedy is the individual, an
advocate, or anyone who affects the
arrangements between the individual
and society
* Disability is a social construct
•
Carol J. Gill, Chicago Institute of Disability Research
Social Model Animation
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s3NZaLhcc4
Sue Austin
• Deep Sea Diving…in a wheelchair
• http://www.ted.com/talks/sue_austin_deep_sea_div
ing_in_a_wheelchair.html
Different perceptions
• An online poll of 1,000 people.
• 52% of Americans would rather be dead than
disabled.
• However, the majority of disabled people, if given
the choice, would rather live their lives with their
disability.
(Disaboom, 2008)
Disability Pride
“Disability pride represents a rejection of the notion
that our physical, sensory, mental and cognitive
differences from the non-disabled standard are
wrong or bad in any way and is a statement of our
self-acceptance, dignity and pride. It is a public
expression of our belief that our disabilities are a
natural part of human diversity, a celebration of our
heritage and culture, and a validation of our
experience…” Sarah Triano (2006)
Disability Pride
Why Autism is a gift? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fll676-aTQU
Universal Design
Universal Design (UD) is the design of products and
environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest
extent possible, without the need for adaptation or
specialized design. – Ron Mace
UD is designing for people with a broad range of abilities,
disabilities, ages, reading levels, learning styles, native
languages, cultures, and other characteristics. – DO-IT
Who Benefits?
Who Benefits?
Video
• Order Assist,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtebZVskmms
Video Discussion
• Less than $1,000 per store
• 30 new customers per week
• Who else might benefit?
Campus Recreation
Infusing JUST design in campus recreation. Journal of
Postsecondary Education and Disability, 25(3), 247-252.
Planning for an Inclusive Campus Recreation Facility and Program.
Recreation Sports Journal. 36(1) 37-44.
What Can You Do?
• Think about a physical space, program, policy, area in
your unit. How could you make it more inclusive for those
with disabilities?
Resources
Disability Resource Center
Carrington Hall, 302
836-4192
Access Technology Center
Meyer Library, Rooms 201B – 201G
836-4275
Faculty
• Dr. Shannon Wooden
Associate Professor, English
• Dr. Telory Davies
Assistant Professor, Theatre and Dance
Questions