Disability Studies Report PDF

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Student I.D #: 816015140 Name: Jeremy Carrera

Course Title & Code: Disability Studies & SOWK2007

Course Facilitator: Ms. Maria D. Thomas

Assignment: Disability Studies Paper

Brief Profile of the Institution Name of the Institution: Bishops Anstey & Trinity College East Location of the Institution: #35-51 College Avenue, Millennium Lakes, Trincity Nature of the Business: Educational Institution Types of Activities/Services: Educational environment Recreational centre Provides a safe environment to hold different social events or sporting events

Historical overview: Bishop Anstey High School East (BAHSE) and Trinity College East (TCE) came on the horizon in 2001, under the auspices of the Anglican Church in Trinidad and Tobago. The Church pooled is resources with the Government and private sector organizations. The land and construction services for the project were procured from Home Construction Limited. These schools are the latest of the Bishop Anstey Association (BAA) schools, so they are sister brother schools to Bishop Anstey High School, Port of Spain, Fyzabad Anglican Secondary School, St. Stephen’s College, Princess Town, Bishops High School Tobago, Bishop’s Centenery College and Trinity College, Maraval.

Focus of the Observations

Disability awareness as a skill refers to being mindful of the disabilities of people and managing to communicate and work with them effectively. In Trinity College and Bishops Anstey East, the disabled population is few but still over the years due to the schools’ religious and ethical background, the institution has made a habit of making the nature of disabilities and the disabled. For example on Friday 18th January, 2019, the schools hosted a Disabilities Day in their auditorium. According to one of the staff, the day focused on awareness of people with disabilities mainly emphasising what it is like to be a person with a disability. The event was spearheaded with the intention for the participant to experience the life of someone with a disability and with the quote “See the person, not the disability.”

Acceptance: ‘Disability is a matter of perception, this quote emanates from TCE and BAHSE and their policy for the disabled population. The institution has derived their policy for treatment of the disabled with their religious faith. The school has taken a serious tone towards the social inclusion and treatment of the disabled student that attend. Firstly, in selection of candidates to attend the school, the board takes a certain pride in accepting as much students as possible who disabilities range from hearing, scoliosis, cerebral palsy and mental disabilities as well. In the overall club activities, the school asks that the preference of disabled persons be taking consideration as if they want to participate. The staff and workers in general acquire different teaching methods in aid of students with learning disabilities. Management of the curriculum is done by the board of directors who confirm that they take a large consideration and thought in design the curriculum for the disabled population in the school. Extra tutors are provided and collate information on students with learning disabilities in order to help them understand the assignments and subject matter. From Sports to Academics, the differently abled are given an opportunity to participate in the school. Without all of these configurations, the disabled population would have a very hard social and school life.

Accessibility: The institution holistically has made the buildings and facilities accessible to those with disabilities. With construction of ramps for wheelchairs, elevators for those who are missing limbs and handicap parking lots and toilets. Notwithstanding, that accessibility includes not only building codes and additions but the right of access people with special needs. Their access to technology and computer labs has been secured through the hiring of individuals to ensure they are caught up and not left behind. Both direct and indirect access has been given to the differently abled through assistive technology or volunteers that can use the technology on behalf of those not able to. Screen readers or Braille copies of certain textbooks in the libraries are available. For the most part, sporting facilities are the only parts in need of better accessibility. Football fields or tennis courts are not outfitted for the use of the differently abled. The school prefers their differently abled population to engage in more social activities than physical ones due to the safety of the student and their wellbeing. Social activities performed by the disabled include drama, poetry, debate club and Junior Achievers.

Application: According to the social model, without removing barriers that restrict the inclusion and participation of people with disabilities in the social life of the community. Inclusive education is one of the most important tenets of the social model. A social model compared to the school’s complex and decent inclusion of differently abled provided an outlook on the wider student population. Meaning that though the institution has taken in to consideration major factors for the people with special needs. A built environment, collaboration and removal of barriers are noted in the organization’s framework. Students without disabilities are proved to stand and view the differently abled in a better light. This can be shown in the attitude observed in the environment by which students show their counterparts with disabilities. Wheel chair bound students or crutch holding students are assisted by volunteers that offer to be an assistant for the day. This vision and attitude is an essential point of reference for wider society for the treatment of disabled people. The distance between those who are able bodied and disabled is closed when both collaborate in the goals that given in the school. A social model reassesses the proper needs for the disabled and proves that TCE and BAHSE are an environment encompasses the needs of disabled in their school and provision of education.

Assessment: When assessed by the researcher, the capacity of the building and its modifications are well implicated thus developed for the differently abled. Overall, the compensation and fees spent for the disabled population allows more access and direct and indirect benefits to the disabled. Many frameworks in disability studies connect the ignorance and the prejudice of a institute provokes a negative attitude towards the disabled. Thus, the promotion and celebration of World Disability Day and the securing of an appreciation for the voice of the disabled is encourage in TCE and BAHSE. Designs for a promotion of the differently abled and their inclusion are well thought out. Transportation especially for disabled is provided for their arrival and departure from school. Disability is a statement that one can function but that an individual needs to adjust his way of current functioning for his environments. The school environment holds a very high and important title for individuals in their development, thus the choice to promote disabled and highlight their achievements are a great pillar for an organization to stand on.

Alignment/ Empowerment Strategy Empowerment is a process whereby individuals struggle to reduce personal and powerlessness and dependency by having increased control over our lives. I believe within the organization there is a need for more active role and decision making in their treatment. Though by design, the building is developed well for differently abled persons, the discussion between those students who are living and engaging with the building on a daily with their special need should be involved in the process. With the support of other organization that are promoting the empowerment and equality of the disabled like Rotary Club, Blind Welfare Association, Autistic Society and National Centre of Persons with Disabilities. Linkages between these organization such as conferences, sporting events, beauty contests even awareness campaigns specifically design for participation by all student body will provide those are abled bodied and disabled to provide their own perception of the disability and the nature of life with a disability

Personal Response: In pursuit of the higher understanding of disability with in the walls of the institution formally known as Bishops Anstey and Trinity College East, it can be stated and emphasized that the information was very fulfilling and impactful. Observing the different measures and design of the organization propelled the researcher to compare this framework to other organizations. With an ability to collect information and desire to investigate, I faced challenges due to the outbreak of a global virus, information was not fully gathered. However, I used the articles and definitions gathered online to best adjust to these challenges. I utilized a strategy in researching both scholarly articles and comparing the information gathered in the organization. Overall, I gained and shared a lot of information between the school and myself and was given a great opportunity to be an advocate and a researcher on behalf of the disabled community.

Citations: Erikson’s Stages Of Development. (2014, June 12). Retrieved from https://www.learningtheories.com/eriksons-stages-of-development.html Lecroy, C. W. (2001). Human Behavior In the Social Environment. California: Wadsworth Press. Newman, B. M. (2008). In P. N. Barbara Newman, Development Through Life: A Psychosocial Approach (pp. 23 -56). Michigan: Cengage Learning. Quinn, P. (2002). Understanding Disability . California: SAGE PUBLISHERS....