Disability Studies Curricula Joyojeet Pal New York University Poly and CU Boulder

Goals  A general disability studies curriculum  Can be adapted for various levels  Primarily intended as on-site, but online adaptations possible  Builds on existing disability studies programs, primarily North America  Objective: Visibility  Feedback

Basic Elements  History of Disability  Medical Model of Disability  Social Model of Disability  Disability Policy  Assistive Technology

History of Disability  Religion and disability  Medieval and Industrial rev disability  Radical movements  Disability rights  Sports

Medical Models of Disability  Introduction to rehabilitative medicine & therapy  Communication: introduction to elementary sign language, Braille Injury / Loss of limb / OrthoMobility NeuromuscularCommunicative / Mobility SensoryCommunicative / Mobility Psychological / MentalCommunicative / Intellectual  Medical conditions v/s functional disabilities

Social Models of Disability  Introduction to social models  Exercises / Awareness of accessibility and equity Understanding physical access to spaces  Wheelchair paths, Braille signage, non-audio information, captioning Recognizing information access  Accessible material  Introduction to ‘terminology’  Discussions on media & visibility of disability

Social Models of Disability  Disability across populations Age: Childhood disability, Ageing Culture: Disability in various regions of India Gender  Disability and employment & social participation  Disability and Art

Disability Policy  International policies historically  Rise of disability legislation  UN Convention  Indian laws post 1990s  Interpretation and activism in disability policy

Technology  Basic rule: MUST discuss state of art Because the scope of ability needs discussion  AT across the spectrum Physical Access / Mobility Cognitive support Vision Communication  UDL principles and AT fabrication techniques (free courses online)  Intro to and assessment of accessibility  Barriers to AT adoption & AT abandonment

Functional deployment  Extensible – lecture series/single- semester/multi course Trainer-aided model possible  Build on existing Disability Studies curriculum Much material open, available Most social & policy focus on West, but these helpful in building our own Less AT material online, but many good Accessibility links

Thanks 