Faculty, staff walk a mile in someone else's shoes

Photo: Professor of Occupational Therapy Linda Gatewood attempts to maneuver into seats in the Lincoln auditorium.

Disability: living the daily realities

For CCRI security chief Jim Ellis, Changing the Culture was an eye-opening experience, and for business professor Joann Warren, it was one of the best workshops she’s ever attended.

The seminar, “Changing the Culture: Information and Experience for the Disability Resource Mentor,” trains CCRI staff to advocate for those with a wide range of disabilities. The seminar is part of a URI/CCRI partnership coordinated at the college by Tracy Karasinski, director of student access and mentoring, and Maureen McGarry, dean of health and rehabilitative services.

“There is a major bias in our society by people who believe that those with disabilities are different than the rest of us,” Karasinski said. The seminar offers information, knowledge and sensitivity to prevent these negative stereotypes and to remove the barriers.”

As part of the Changing the Culture training, would-be mentors spend part of the day with a simulated disability, whether they must navigate campus in a wheelchair or with special vision-limiting goggles. Ellis said that many of his front-line officers have participated in the training to experience first-hand the daily challenges of a disabled person. “In dealing with so many constituents on a daily basis, it’s important that we understand the problem in order to become more customer understanding,” Ellis said.

Photo: Professor Kathy Gazzola navigates the dining area in a wheelchair.

Warren walked away from the session with a greater awareness of her strengths and weaknesses as they relate to helping students become more successful. “While many of the strategies I use in the classroom were affirmed, I also learned that I may not be doing enough for some of my students with disabilities, particularly for hearing impaired students,” Warren said. As a result of what she learned, she vowed to make changes in her classroom presentations.

The intensive seminar is held over four consecutive days for 6 hours a day and includes lectures, panel discussions, films, and disability simulation. To date, nearly 90 CCRI faculty and administrators have graduated from the program. For more information about the Fall 2005 seminar, call 825-2402.

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Faculty, staff walk a mile in someone else's shoes

Disability: living the daily realities