3. A Conversation to facilitate with Faculty and Staff:

4. Re-thinking the Disability Paradigm Randall Ward, M.A., LPC Director Disability Resource Center Eastern Michigan University

5. Ground Rules for Conversations  Create a safe and open environment to grapple with, and mull over concepts.  Recognize differing opinions come from different backgrounds, but all are with good intentions.  A willingness to examine what it is we think we know, and challenge ourselves to see where we can think differently.  Allow ourselves to freely add to the pool of meaning.

6. Small Group Discussion  1. What do Faculty often request that we cover?  2. What does administration ask us to review?

7. “Sometimes when we take a risk the rewards exceed our expectations.”  Invited to present at the end of a week long faculty development event hosted by Academic Affairs.  1 of 3 panel members, the other 2 were faculty.  We were at the end of a long week for selected faculty whose focus was redesigning a course.  Earlier in the week the “traditionally” identified diversity centers presented.  Did not know about the faculty feedback that would arrive later.

9. The Take Away For Me  “Randall’s talk brought home the issue of what we face at college level because the students come to us with their K-12 experiences.  “I find the idea of shifting from a “medical model” of disability to a “social justice model” to be provocative and compelling.”  “Ward’s presentation was a wonderful and effective introduction to the social construction of disability and quite thought-provoking.”  “…the changing paradigm and that the deficit model of disability is inappropriate…”

10. Faculty and Staff are Ready for this Conversation.  Let me share with you what I shared with them.

11. Social Construct  By Definition: Any phenomenon “invented” or “constructed” by participants in a particular culture or society, existing because people agree to behave as if it exists or follow certain conventional rules (Wikipedia).  Acting/thinking without challenging or questioning why the construct is shaped as it is.

12. Historically the Disability Social Construct reflects the Medical Model.  Disability is a deficiency or abnormality.  Being disabled is negative or less than.  Disability resides in the individual.  The remedy for disability-related problems is cure or normalization of the individual.  The agent of remedy is the “professional” who affects the arrangements between the individual and society with a focus on the person.

13. A Media Lens of Disability  madd best friend 1 - YouTube madd best friend 1 - YouTube

14. An Advertisement

15. Medical Model leads to a Social Welfare Approach  Sort, label, and determine eligibility.  Retrofit activities to fit needs (accommodations).  Offer segregated or parallel services.  Disabled students are needy clients.  Disabled students have to ask (self- advocate) to be included in a system (classroom) or society that does not fit the individual otherwise.

16. A History with Lots of Viewers  Jerry Lewis speaks about the disabled and “Jerry’s Orphans.”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tM4t TUMwGE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tM4t TUMwGE

17. Let’s explore a Different Model  Social Justice and Civil Rights Model  Based on the concepts of human rights and equality.  Demands that people have equal rights and opportunities.  Full inclusion and participation.  Freedom from discrimination.

18. By Reframing the Concept of Disability, we are called to see that:  Disability is a difference.  Disability, in itself, is neutral.  “Disability” is derived from the interaction between the individual and society/environment.  The environment is the focus of remedy and the agent of intervention can be anyone who can affect the design of an environment.

19. Social-Political Model of Disability  Human variation is natural and vital in the development of dynamic communities.  Disability is a social/political category that includes people with a variety of conditions who are bound together by common experiences (oppression and marginalization).  Inclusion and full participation are a matter of social justice and civil rights.

20. Continued:  Design is powerful and profoundly influences our daily lives.  Good design is essential for achieving inclusion and full participation.  Creating usable, equitable, sustainable, and inclusive environments is a shared responsibility.

21. The Faculty-Student Interface  Faculty are the “Designers” of the classroom experience.  Students sign up for classes without a lot of information about the design and delivery of course content.  Students rely on what other students have said about our classes. How reliable is that?  At this stage, we rely on accommodations that are developed with DRC staff and students and result in a “Letter of Accommodation.”

22. The Student Lens  A Study conducted to gain insight from SWD’s regarding: Barriers to Using DS Office.  Marshak, L. et al. (2010). Exploring barriers to college student use of disability services and accommodations. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(3), 151-165.

23. Student Feedback Regarding Barriers to Approaching DS Office  Identity Issues  Desire to shed stigma of high school identity.  Desire to not integrate the presence of disability into their identity.  Desire for self-sufficiency.  Insufficient Knowledge  Question fairness of receiving accommodations.

24.  Insufficient Knowledge (cont.)  Confusion about accessibility and ODS services.  Lack of training in how to explain their disability to others.  Desire to Avoid Negative Social Reactions  Fear of resentment of other students for special treatment.  Not wanting to be singled out.

25. Barriers Continued  Perceived Quality and Usefulness of Services  Expediency of service delivery.  Lack of compatibility with accommodations.  Negative Experiences with Professors

26. Where Does This lead Us?  We work on multiple planes.  Faculty and staff are key partners.  Students come to us influenced by their K-12 experiences.  The DRC is responsible for student accommodations, and approach this recognizing design and delivery of course content is crucial.  The 3 parties need to dialogue with each other in an effort to design a more accessible educational environment.  We can think in terms of Universal Design.

27. What Have Some of You Experienced?  Opportunities?  How Might Our Work Look Different Going Forward!  Approach you have taken?  Concerns?

28. What Opportunities Do We Have to Influence our Campus Environment?  New Faculty training through Faculty Development.  TA and GA Orientation.  Develop a Faculty Advisory Council.  Academic Advisers  Diversity Events  Individual “Teachable Moments.”  At the Academic Department Level.  Friendly Faculty and Faculty Requests.  Disability Studies “Book Club.”

29. Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education  Are we using the CAS standards to help us shape our campus culture?

30. Questions & Comments  Thank you for your Time.