What does a disabled person look like?

Editor's Notes

• #2: Facilitator: Knowing what the definitions are now we can begin to look at the diversity of our community through different eyes. So.. What does a disabled person look like? Click to advance slide
• #3: Facilitator: Here is an opportunity to choose who is disabled and who are not. (Students are to pick out who are disabled in this picture. Facilitator: Students you are to pick out who are disabled in this picture. You may pick as many or as few people by putting X’s over their faces or mark them 1,2 3, etc.. So take a moment and do so. Wait for 10 seconds. Pick three students and ask them who they think they are. Facilitator: It takes 3 seconds to size up a person at a glance so. Facilitator: Are some, all, or none ? Facilitator: The point of this exercise is to enhance your inner prospective and change what you take for granted at first sight. On first glance You can not tell who among these people have a disability. Some people have disabilities that you can not see; they are referred to as hidden or non-apparent. Facilitator: They are referred to as hidden or non-apparent. Some disabilities are accepted more readily than others. Often people make the mistake of assuming that someone who does not have a visual aid (e.g. wheelchair, hearing aid or cane) to define their condition, is a person that has a mental disorder. There is a societal misconception when someone looks like you, wlakes like you, or talks like you states that they have a disability, that is must be a mental condition. Do you know what they are? Click to advance slide. Facilitator: Here is an opportunity to choose who is disabled and who are not. (Students are to pick out who are disabled in this picture. Facilitator: Students you are to pick out who are disabled in this picture. You may pick as many or as few people by putting X’s over their faces or mark them 1,2 3, etc.. So take a moment and do so. Wait for 10 seconds. Pick three students and ask them who they think they are. Facilitator: It takes 3 seconds to size up a person at a glance so. Facilitator: Are some, all, or none ? Facilitator: The point of this exercise is to enhance your inner prospective and change what you take for granted at first sight. On first glance You can not tell who among these people have a disability. Some people have disabilities that you can not see; they are referred to as hidden or non-apparent. Facilitator: They are referred to as hidden or non-apparent. Some disabilities are accepted more readily than others. Often people make the mistake of assuming that someone who does not have a visual aid (e.g. wheelchair, hearing aid or cane) to define their condition, is a person that has a mental disorder. There is a societal misconception when someone looks like you, wlakes like you, or talks like you states that they have a disability, that is must be a mental condition. Do you know what they are? Click to advance slide. Facilitator: Here is an opportunity to choose who is disabled and who are not. (Students are to pick out who are disabled in this picture. Facilitator: Students you are to pick out who are disabled in this picture. You may pick as many or as few people by putting X’s over their faces or mark them 1,2 3, etc.. So take a moment and do so. Wait for 10 seconds. Pick three students and ask them who they think they are. Facilitator: It takes 3 seconds to size up a person at a glance so. Facilitator: Are some, all, or none ? Facilitator: The point of this exercise is to enhance your inner prospective and change what you take for granted at first sight. On first glance You can not tell who among these people have a disability. Some people have disabilities that you can not see; they are referred to as hidden or non-apparent. Facilitator: They are referred to as hidden or non-apparent. Some disabilities are accepted more readily than others. Often people make the mistake of assuming that someone who does not have a visual aid (e.g. wheelchair, hearing aid or cane) to define their condition, is a person that has a mental disorder. There is a societal misconception when someone looks like you, wlakes like you, or talks like you states that they have a disability, that is must be a mental condition. Do you know what they are? Click to advance slide.
• #4: Facilitator: Please refer to your handouts. Facilitator: Students pick out which of these are considered to be disabilities by marking them thru or circling the items listed. (Take a 30 seconds) Facilitator: Ask “How many picked out food, obesity, aberrant pruiritus, Insomnia, or hoof and mouth disease?” Tell them what aberrant pruiritus means ( irregular itching), Chronic Instillation means (constant teaching). Facilitator: Knowledge is empowerment. Knowledge of Terminology is a must, as a professional, in the business world. To understand how to communicate with others is equally important in your personal development as a student within a student community. Facilitator: You don’t need to know everything surrounding the disabled; however, the knowledge of what a disability encompasses allows for communication and community to develop among students, co-workers and creates tolerance in your world. Click to advance slide
• #5: Facilitator: We limit ourselves by failing to recognize the knowledge that is hidden within our expression, thought, culture or values. If we are to be a community with true diversity amplified within it, we must possess the knowledge of how to communicate with everyone. Treating each person as unique can be demonstrated by taking interest in your community to include everyone in every process and application of what you do while at CSU. Facilitator: Putting together presentations in your classes for other students that are visual impaired but can mentally visualize your words can be a start. Observe that the hearing impaired can feel your passion in the tones of your voice. Those that have learning disabilities become understood and understand you when you attempt to present information in a way that they can understand. Facilitator: Preserving the uniqueness of each individual is the first step in community. Each person enhances our success in the business, professional, and scholastic worlds. Facilitator ask to student : Can you name three hidden/ non-apparent disabilities now? What are they. Ask for three students volunteers to name different ones. Click to advance slide
• #6: Facilitator: Move over ET! Approach is everything. Think of what your community looks like to others on the outside. Facilitator: How do approach a person for the first time? Do you find them unique? Do they blend in? Do look like the rest of the crowd? Do you make judgments on what they are wearing or how they appear to you. Do you size them up as “friendly” or “avoid”. Facilitator: Do you treat the disabled as an encounter of the other kind? Do you feel uncomfortable talking to people with disabilities? Then your not alone. Click to advance slide if on DVD it will say “Survey Says” . CD users click to advance slide. Flash card there is no audio for” survey says”. Survey says: 1 out of 11 people on campus have never spoken with a disabled person. Several people don’t know how to approach disabled members in our community. Continue with notes from this slide. Facilitator: So let us do a demonstration of communication. I need Four volunteers please. “ This is called what is in your pocket.” (perform demonstration) Without use of a cell phone the following students have to work through this scenario Facilitator: Tell the first student they are deaf ( provide ear plugs) Wait to give instructions until all students are in place. Tell the second student they are wheelchair bound (sit them in a chair) Tell the third student they are unable to see. (put bandana over eyes) Facilitator: Instruct the fourth student that they have to communicate with the deaf person the scenario, the blind person give instructions and the person simulating being in a wheelchair how they can get out of the room. Wait 5 minutes to see if the connection is made. Students can use charades but can not yell, scream at the deaf person or text message them. Instruct the audience to observe the situation. The fire alarm wires are cut. The wires are 1 foot above the head of the wheelchair person and are 4 inches short. How are you going to help them? Facilitator: Using only what is in their pocket to get out of a sound proof room with no door knob and only two disconnected wires to a fire alarm that are cut and too short to reconnect without getting shocked, they have figure out how to connect the wires to send help to them. Facilitator: The point of this exercise is to emphasize knowledge is power and how you approach a problem has to be done with the right tools. Most people are not born disabled. When people of disability accept that they are disabled, there is an adjustment made in learning how to communicate with the world. It can be frustrating. The room represents your surroundings. What is in your pocket represents things in your life that you use. A person comes into a room that has no way to open it except with your help. Not being able to get help with what they use to know or what is available can equate success or frustration. It is everyone's responsibility to promote community and equality. Click to advance slide.
• #7: Facilitator: The way you approach a formal dinner reflects on how you were raised. This type of knowledge indicates to your host that you have manners and are of a civilized society. Being equated to someone that has culture and education in the business and professional worlds, often is recognized internationally as protocol in setting a business deal in motion. People that possess such knowledge are invaluable to their professions. Please refer to you hand outs regarding Communication and Terminology. Facilitator: Today many colleges offer course on how to use the right tools when attending a business dinner. Different course offerings provide a tools of first contact. For people with disabilities, this approach is also applicable. Learning how to approach a disabled person shows good manners. Take a few minutes to look over the hand out. Then I will take three questions from the audience. We will take a small break and you may stretch and introduce yourself to your fellow student. Facilitator: Discussion: Are there any questions?
• #8: Facilitator: Good manners and success do go together just like A B C’s and reading. We are all ambassadors for the college when people visit. Success of your campus is also showcased in how easy it is to get around. Imagine you get into a skiing accident. You become a wheelchair user. Temporarily, your world is upset because mobility becomes an issue. Facilitator: What your campus looks like to the disabled ? What you have to seen as potential problems that they would encounter. Then look at how you would cope in having to get into Weber Hall and to the computer lab. What is wrong with Weber Hall? Facilitator: You would need to know the following information for all buildings you encounter on campus should you have a visitor. You become a person who is an active human resource of information. Creating community is created by the enhancement of knowledge. Facilitator: Next we will touch on the offices at CSU, where resources that are available disabled students. Should you be surveyed in the future or asked where to find help this is good information to know. Please refer to you hand for resources available. Note: Click to advance The next program is automatically timed. If on DVD can pause.
• #9: What sources available that you can list right now? Where can they be found?
• #15: Facilitators: Student Affairs can help with several areas of interest. They are literally under-construction at this time. Please refer to them in your other materials you receive in your packet from this orientation. Get to know where your resources are and who to contact. Always be aware of your surroundings, not just for yourself but for your community. These resources are for all students. We all need to know where to seek help and where it is located. Click to advance slide
• #16: Facilitator: Read the power point. Click to advance. Ask students to look check their maps in their handout after this presentation.
• #17: Facilitator: Emergency call boxes should have easy access and point to first picture with call box. This is what they look like. Facilitator: Point to the second picture where the box is located. State: They are usually put higher for easy sighting, however, the third picture is misleading? Where is the call box located? Facilitator: Show them that at the far end of the picture blocked by a building the first picture call box is located. Facilitator: The fourth picture is in the parking lot near the disabled parking, however, it is misleading because there is no direction as to where to find the call box and on what building. State: The building where the box is located is not named nor the location on which side. Then point to where the sign indicating the box is located in that picture. Facilitator: The fifth picture is clearly misleading. The emergency box is around the corner by the van and it is not clearly marked on the building. You would have to go one building to the south to find the sign that would point you down a walk area that is clearly not marked that there is a emergency call box. Click to advance
• #18: Facilitator: Topical versus Practical applications. Topical applications is the bureaucratic answer for compliance. Often such compliance is not a practical application that addresses safety, and is not functional for the disabled student or visitor. Here are some following examples. Facilitator: Parking should be marked for easy recognition of parking sites with ease to get onto sidewalks. Symbols and signage should be in good repair. The first picture is in front of the engineering building. However, signage indicating location is crucial information of how to access the building must be easily found. It is not found on or around this building currently. Facilitator: Parking should be practical for safety reasons. of the disabled symbol is in front of the presidents office which begs the question in picture number two. Where are the curb cuts located? Do you have to get into the parking lot and travel through the parking lot to get to the sidewalk where the cuts are made? Facilitator: Access to any building should be worry free. Having disabled parking is a great; however, if you have no ease of getting to a building when there are no direct and quick easy access curb cuts, this then poses a safety is at risk for the disabled person especially, when there is ice snow and other cars that enter into the parking lot. The picture three asks where the curb cuts are. Note that curb cuts are placed on the corner of two streets and are not directly accessible to a side walk unless going through the parking lot in picture three. This particular parking lot without direct curb cuts is in front of the presidents office and student services. Facilitator: Mortor cycle parking is next to the handicapped symbol in picture #2 and #3. It should be moved to the end of the parking lot thus allowing a curb cut and direct access to the side walk to the presidents office in picture #5. Currently you have to go through the parking lot to the end of the side walk area and around to the side walk and guess where the elevator to the president’s office is because there is no signage. Facilitator: The ugly picture is the sidewalk that goes directly from both parking lots that have no obvious connection to the parking lot with any curb cuts up to the sidewalk which would keep the disabled person safe from being run over in the parking lot. This side walk has a direct link to the president’s building. Click to advance
• #19: Facilitator: Do you see something wrong with these pictures? Pause for 10 seconds then ask two students what they see wrong. Facilitator: There are level areas where access could be made in Weber Hall from the disabled parking lot area. with picture where bikes are, and there are good wide side walks that are level or graded to make access for getting into the building, but come around a corner and you might find:…. No signs, no automatic buttons or a van blocking legally access to the building and there you sit in your wheelchair. Can’t get into the building because you don’t know where the entrance for the disabled is located, have no way to open the door, parking was pure deception in posting that it would be easy to access the building or there is a safety issue as you have to wind your way through the parking lot past the motor cycle where a curb cut should be. Facilitator: Take note of the double doors. Point to Picture 5.. Middle bottom picture. Facilitator: There appears to be a phone according to the door at the entrance is level. There is an automatic button. Is it good working order? Facilitator: Once inside can is there signage as to where the bathrooms or elevator is located? Is there really a phone? Click to advance
• #20: Facilitator: Well, there is no phone so … WHO YA GONNA CALL? What are you to expect from your University? Community includes all aspects of consideration and courtesy. Students are ambassadors and therefore, there is a responsibility to keep each other safe and provide a pleasant experience for all students and visitors. CSU as an employer shares an equal responsibility to ensure community members ( which include employees) will be safe. Facilitator: Courtesy is important. Signs are important and should be respected. Accurate locations and ease to get help should be a consideration. Parking in a disabled parking spot without displaying a tag or improper plates is rude and against the law. Some people have different tags to hang on the mirror, and others are issued for work at the college. Disabled employees are assigned special disabled spots ; however ,employers must be the example keeping a safety measure with practical applications and not topical applications. It is important to have employees situated closer to their building. Assigning such parking consideration ability to walk or a safety hazard when weather is icy, snowing, wet are a fiscal risk to an employer if such measures are not taken to limit the possibility of falling or no practical curb cuts for access into their buildings. Facilitator: There are topical applications and practical applications for compliance with the laws. Safety is one where topical applications on campus should be an example of what should be above the norm in providing alternative parking when the only disabled parking space is needed for facilities. Replacement of that parking spot should be made and considered before the placement of any trash receptacle which would block the only entrance to that building for the disabled. Facilitator: Failure to provide an alternative parking spot for the disabled parking spot indicates the need for education of university staff who also need to see the disabled as part of the university community. Whether it be the lack of parking or curb cuts in front of the presidents office, providing phone service, accurate signage, signage with directions for safety reasons, curb cuts with practical applications, fixing automatic door openers within a few days and not waiting a few years or providing additional disabled parking in the row of the presidents office you need to know who your gonna call. If you see violations or problems don’t hesitate to report them. Know who ya gonna call! Keep calling until it is repaired or changed. This concludes our presentation. If you have learned something new or would like to add to our presentation feel free to email us through the Resources for Disabled Students. Thank you.