DISABILITY SIMULATIONS

Do they really work?

Understanding disabilitysimulations

Involved participants responses and reactions

Linguistic connotations: person-first language and identity-first language

Public simulations

Logistics

Ethics: Coercion & confidentiality Benefits for participants Benefits for persons with

disabilities Benefits for larger community

Risks Pressure to participate Sress Consequences of results

What do disability simulations (claim to) aim to accomplish? Awareness

Acceptance

Understanding

Appreciation

What do disability simulations actuallyaccomplish? Awareness Problem

Acceptance or reduction

Admiration

Frustration

Consideration/Appreciation

Pity

Awkwardness

Three main outcomes:

Thank Goodness I Dont Have a Disability I See Things Differently Now Im Just Not Sure About All This

To describe someones lifestyle as difficult, stressful, frustrating (due to lack of time), tedious, loathsome, anxietycausing, pressured, unpredictable and confusing demeans

their being. (Armstrong, 2003)

Why are disability simulationsineffective? Poor design

Lack of explanation of objective

Redirected focus: dependency, embarrassment, frustration inferiority

Poor evaluation, too easily accepted

Recreation

Attitude vs. Behavior, future implications

Dialogue in the DarkDuring this journey the visitors are forced to take a break from the visual world and try out a completely new way of experiencing themselves, in their social surroundings as well as in their physical world. No longer able to rely on visual input, they come to relyon the blind person [guide] who nowbecomes the perception expert. . . . The aim is to foster more opennessand tolerance for all disabled people, especially the blind.

Results

Positive emotional experience

Gratitude towards guide

Appreciation for sight

90%: the exhibition made themmore aware of the world of theblind

100%: the exhibition has achievedits objective

80%: thanks to the exhibition theyare now better informed aboutdisabled people

Other visitors point out their pleasure and the excitement they felt by interacting in thedark: the darkness increased the wish of thegroup members for closeness. Looks becomeunimportant. What counts is togetherness, which makes things easier.

UD MobilityChallenge

Custom-designed straps to restrict upper-body mobility will be availableat the event for attendees to wear as they negotiate tasks including a baseball throw, tie dying, coloring, and 3D printing.

This event will be a fun way for the community to gain firsthandappreciation of the central role movement plays in our daily lives.

- Cole Galloway, Pediatric Mobility Lab and Design Studio director

Whether its an infant reaching for a toy, a preschooler running on theplayground, or an adult walking with friends across campus, we hope to raise awareness of and joy in the human right of daily movement.

In addition to the three-hour event, the organizers will challengeinterested participants to wear the straps throughout the day as theycarry out routine tasks.

Alternatives

Explicit education

Panels

Legislation

References

Armstrong, E.K. (2003). Applications of role-playing in tourism management teaching: An evaluation of a learning method. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 2, 516 10.3794/johlste.21.24. doi:10.3794/johlste.21.24

Kiger, G. (1992). Disability Simulations: Logical, Methodological and Ethical Issues, Disability, Handicap & Society, 7:1, 71-78, DOI: 10.1080/02674649266780061

Ladau, E. (2014, March 11). I Won't Pretend That Disability Simulation Works. RetrievedOctober 12, 2015.

Scullion, P.A. (1999). Disability in a nursing curriculum. Disability & Society, 14, 539559 10.1080/09687599926118. doi:10.1080/09687599926118