Mannelyn Cabrera
March 24, 2025
INST 968
Book Reflection
Opinion About the Book
The book, What a Body Can Do? How We Meet the Built World by Sara Hendren,
provided another perspective about disability and assistive technology. It made me critically
think more about how the world was built and to whom it was designed for. The book was
written highlighting the relationship between bodies and design with examples of history of
people with disabilities, designs of assistive technology, and social justice stating issues and
funding that has affected individuals. The book displayed an understanding of disability not
being something to be fixed or a problem to be solved. It gave me the potential to think about all
possible ways designs can be for all kinds of bodies because there is no one solution. It helped
me understand that design is a mixture of utility and significance (Hendren, 2020, p. 8).
Throughout the book, it gave an exploration between personal experiences of individuals and the
history of designs. I admire the way the book was written because it prompted me to rethink
about designs that were made to assist individuals in various ways.
Ethical Issues
One ethical issue I found in the book was the comparison of the two mental models of
disability, the medical model and the social model. The medical model views the person with
disability as an individual issue to be responsible for, whereas the social model views the
interaction and barriers of the environment and the abilities of the body (Hendren, 2020, p.16). I
found this as an issue because of the different perspective on what is focused on varies based on
people’s beliefs. There are treatments, services, or therapy available for individuals for
intervention. However, Hendren emphasizes the barriers of the environment or the world that
restricts individuals to participate. The medical and social model made me reflect on the
experiences faced in the school system. One way this can affect my work possession is the
conflict between what is decided for the child. I have been a part of instances where therapists or
doctors prescribe treatment for a child with a disability to take, but the parents do not want their
child to take it. This scenario then examines ways to assist the child, perhaps thinking about the
social model. This ethical issues goes back to fidelity and being making decisions between what
health care professionals may say to what is to be believed is right, what the individual wants or
parents want, what is expected, what the policies are, or what is abided by the law which is a
common conflict with situations this these (Cook et al., 2020, p.73).
Another ethical issue I found in the book was designs being more about appearance than
accessibility. Hendren critiques how designers often exclude people with disabilities or are not
prioritized in the fundamental designs and later need to be redesigned to become accessible,
often done by people with disabilities (Hendren, 2020, p. 146). I found this as an issue because
oftentimes, from experience and reports, changes are made after the fact an instance has already
happened that could have been prevented if it was designed better or changes are made at the
moment when needed but should have been part of the design. School districts were required to
provide assistive technology that benefited the student in their educational program, rather than
the best or most advanced device (Etscheidt, 2016, pg. 190). One way this can affect my work
profession is building designs being inaccessible. For instance, not having ramps or automated
doors for students using wheelchairs. With assistive technology in education, to maximize
independence and participation for all students, appropriate designs, methods, and improvements
are essential to provide an accessible and functional space for all (Donnelly, p. 4).
In addition to the ethical issue of accessibility in the environmental space, accessibility to
assistive technology is also an ethical issue I found in the book. The book offers many ways
assistive technology is used and many stories with life-changing devices. However, there are
many devices that are expensive and limits access to those in need of them. Hendren gives an
example of simply furniture being affordable to the middle class (Hendren, 2020, p. 75).
Assistive technology is expensive and when funding is not fully covered, it will cause a major
burden to the families in need of it (Cook et al., 2020, p. 112). One way this issue can affect my
work profession is the accessibilities to tools needed in the classroom. Oftentimes, schools need
to find funding in order to purchase tools or devices needed to help support a child’s education.
Another example is not having the tools available to purchase on-site and needing to be ordered
and taking a while to ship and becomes more expensive because of shipping cost added.
Legislation/Funding Affecting Individuals
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 and affected individuals
with disabilities (Hendren, 2020, p.147). This act led and transformed urban planning where
accessibility in public places, workplaces, and transportations are required, features like ramps,
curb cuts, or elevators. Stated in the Assistive Technologies: Principles & Practice Textbook,
“The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, PL 101-336) prohibits discrimination on the basis
of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial
facilities, transportation, and telecommunications that attempts to legislate formal mechanisms to
remove barriers to full participation in society for individuals with disabilities” (Cook et al.,
2020, p. 49). The ADA improved accessibility and showed a perception that disability is not an
individual limitation but like Hendren states throughout her book, a mismatch between bodies
and the world or the way the world was built (Hendren, 2020, p. 178).
Hendren addresses that being legally protected access was rare and only came about to
the world in recent decades (Hendren, 2020, p. 201). Stated in the Assistive Technologies:
Principles & Practice Textbook, “Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits any activity
receiving federal funds from discriminating solely on the basis of disability; to remedy
discrimination, federally funded activities and programs must offer reasonable
accommodations to facilities, programs, and benefits to ensure that people with disabilities
have equal access and equal opportunity to derive benefits (Cook et al., 2020, p. 49). This law
affected individuals because it provides legal protection, accommodations, and accessible
designs.
Viewpoint on Assistive Technology
After reading the book, my viewpoint Assistive technology affected my understanding
about the topic. One point that impacted my understanding is simply what Assistive Technology
is. Assistive Technology is all around us and we have used it in school, at home, and in public
places. Assistive technology at home can be simply any assistance in need of reaching, bracing,
or connecting. We use ordinary objects such as kitchen utensils, school supplies, or glasses that
are all considered assistive technology (Hendren, 2020, p. 25). Human needfulness is universal
and at some point in people’s lives we will both be giving and receiving assistance (Hendren,
2020, p. 32).
Another point that affected my thinking is really the question throughout the book about
who the world is built for. After reading through the history and personal experiences, it made
me reflect on things the body can do with and without the designed world around it. Hendren
questions if it is the individual that should be encouraged to have skills more aligned to the world
or ask the world to change or bend structures around (Hendren, 2020, p.18). There is no one fit
solution as well as one problem. Disability is not an individual challenge but a limitation and
barrier that is faced because of the accessibility they are put into the way the world is designed.
Reference
Cook, A.M., Plogar, J.M., & Encarnação, P. (2020). Assistive Technologies: Principles &
Practices (5th Edition). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier
Donnelly, M. Assistive Technology in Education. EBSCO Research Starters.
Etscheidt, S. L. (2016). Assistive Technology for Students With Disabilities: A Legal Analysis of
Issues. Journal of Special Education Technology.
Hendren, S. (2020). What Can A Body Do? How We Meet the Built World. Riverhead Books.