Owen Wattelle
2/11/18
SPED 117
Chapter 2: From Charity to Independent Living The issues highlighted in this chapter are the immobility that those with disabilities experience and the public’s resistance in changing things for minority groups. Ed Roberts was a high schooler who was paralyzed by polio. In order to finish high school he would have to overcome obstacles of immobility and public opinion. After the dean would not let him graduate due to him not fulfilling the driving nor the physical education requirement, he got the media involved. With public opinion on his side he got the requirements exempted and graduated leading him to fight for a spot at Berkeley. At Berkeley, Roberts was able to carve out a place for himself and in the process he created a community for those with disabilities. When a high school counselor of his, went to Washington D.C. to draft a proposal for keeping minorities in college, Roberts was able to assist in ways help those with disabilities. The money from D.C. helped create a more connected community which promoted independence and self help. Heumann, another individual with quadriplegia fighting for equality, focused her effort on the political side of the fight. The two joined forces at the Center for Intercultural Leadership (CIL),
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The president making obstacles surrounding those with disabilities an issue that he personally wants to deal with, has to be very encouraging. The fact that at the highest office in the country someone has heard what you had to say, would mean that you are on the right track in your fight. Also he made the program incorporate local government with disability advocate groups. This means that those groups had a direct impact on policy and legislation. This probably fulfills a dream of Roberts, where on a large scale those with disabilities were able to dictate what rules would be in place in order to assist