Reference no: EM133836012

Homework: Disability Simulation

Imagine having to navigate a physical world that has not been built for you, that perhaps hasn't even considered the possibility of you. Before the Americans With Disabilities Act, public spaces were often inaccessible to those with physical disabilities and little effort was put into designing spaces that accommodated different body types and abilities. Even now, in a world of disability legislation and greater awareness, those with physical disabilities are often disadvantaged and face barriers to access. Of course, disabilities are not just physical; those with neurological disabilities such as ADHD and autism, though unseen, need to navigate the dominant social, verbal, and intellectual world.

For this Homework, you engage in a disability simulation activity and then reflect on the experience, the barriers faced, and how intersectional identities might affect the oppression already faced by someone with a disability.

To prepare:

1. Review the Learning Resources on people with disabilities and on disability intersectionality.

2. You have several options as prework for this Homework. Prior to the Homework, do one of the following:

a. Option 1: Download and run the Silktide website accessibility simulator for a visual disability, according to the How to Use Silktide instructions in the Learning Resources. Navigate the web using the simulator.

b. Option 2: Wearing a blindfold or not using your hands, perform a routine task around your house (such as making your bed or preparing a sandwich).

c. Option 3: Go to your local mall and request to use a wheelchair (the mall should provide it). Browse the mall and/or stores in the wheelchair.

3. If you would like to perform an alternative task related to disability, please contact your Instructor for approval.

Submit a 2-page paper in which you:

1. Identify the simulation option you chose. v

2. Explain the experience, including any barriers to accessibility. Describe what you had to do to overcome those barriers.

3. Reflect on any insights that you gained about individuals living with disabilities. How might other identities intersect to compound the experience of oppression?

A. Chapter 14, "Profiles of Diverse Populations" (pp. 485-491 only)Download Chapter 14, "Profiles of Diverse Populations" (pp. 485-491 only)

B. Sue, D. W., Rasheed, M. N., & Rasheed, J. M. (2016). Multicultural social work practice: A competency based approach to diversity and social justice (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

C. Credit line: Multicultural Social Work Practice: A Competency-Based Approach to Diversity and Social Justice, 2nd Edition by Sue, D.; Rasheed, M.; Rasheed, J. Copyright 2016 by John Wiley & Sons. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley & Sons via the Copyright Clearance Center. Licensed in 2023.