Accessibility: Unlocking Our Potential

[John Locke]

*We’re in this together: famous people living with disabilities*
Christy Brown (5 June 1932 – 7 September 1981) was an Irish writer and
painter who had cerebral palsy
<https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/cp/features/cerebral-palsy-11-things.html> and
was able to write or type only with the toes of one foot. His most
recognized work is his autobiography, titled *My Left Foot* (1954). It was
later made into a 1989 Academy Award-winning film of the same name,
starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Brown. The DVD is available on reserve at the
Feinberg Library.

*Trivia question:*
Is there a cure for cerebral palsy? Yes/No

The following text is an excerpt from Deque University's Disabilities
Etiquette Basics curriculum. As a SUNY Plattsburgh student, you have access
to a full spectrum of courses and curricula. To enroll, contact Dr. John
Locke <jlock004 at plattsburgh.edu>. <jlock004 at plattsburgh.edu>

*As an added incentive,* the first 20 individuals to email a copy of their
certificate of completion for one of the *curricula* below to
jlock004 at plattsburgh.edu will receive a custom-designed *Accessibility:
Unlocking Our Potential* t-shirt.

   - Customer Service for People with Disabilities 1.0
   - Accessibility Program Management Curriculum 2.0
   - One of the other eight available curricula.

These courses and completed curricula are *excellent resume builders* for
any field.


*Common Myths About People with Disabilities*

*Overview*
Many common myths surround people with disabilities. Myths can be dangerous
because they can make us think and act in prejudiced ways, which may lead
to frustrating and counter-productive social interactions. Have you ever
been the subject of a false belief that made people treat you differently
or unfairly? You know the truth, but maybe you don’t want to explain it to
people or correct them all the time. Below is a brief overview of several
widespread myths. Understanding and dispelling them can make a big
difference in effective communication.

*Myth 1: We should feel sorry for people with disabilities.*
Pity is an altruistic emotion, based on compassion and empathy. But it can
also imply that someone is helpless, which is offensive to a capable and
independent person. It is also counter-productive to empowering people.


*Myth 2: People with disabilities lead depressing lives.*
It's true that people with disabilities face challenges, as all people do.
But this does not mean that their lives are without joy. Many people with
disabilities lead full, meaningful lives filled with family, friends,
career and educational triumphs, fun hobbies, travel, and all the typical
aspects of the human experience.


*Myth 3: People with disabilities are brave heroes.*
It is a common attitude to view people with disabilities as heroes simply
for living with a disability. While this may be well-intentioned, it sets
the bar for achievement very low. Most people with disabilities want to be
held to high standards, rather than treating any small achievement as a
major triumph.


*Myth 4: People with disabilities have "superpowers."*
Another myth is that people with disabilities have superpowers in other
areas of their life, to compensate for their disability; for example, a
person who is blind having a superhuman sense of hearing or smell, or even
a "6th sense." A person with a disability may find creative ways to do
things out of necessity, not due to magical superpowers. For example,
Iranian artist Zohreh Etezad Saltaneh (pictured to the right), who has no
hands, creates paintings using her feet.


*Myth 5: People with disabilities don't want to work.*
A common myth is that people with disabilities don’t want to work or just
aren’t trying hard enough. For example, a student with undiagnosed dyslexia
might be seen as an underachiever, when in fact the words in a textbook may
be impossible to read. Studies show that most people with disabilities do
want to work. So what’s the roadblock? Often, it’s more limited access to
education & employment opportunities, including widespread discrimination.


Watch for our next "Accessibility: Unlocking Our Potential" post for the
answer this week's trivia question, and other important information in the
Friday, October 22 Student Digest.

Regards,

Bailey Dell'Erba
TEL Intern
Majors in TV Video Production and Digital Media
Minor in Public Relations

John Locke, Ph.D.
EIT Accessibility Officer
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