ipl-logo

Pearson's Statement On The Social Construction Of Disability

976 Words4 Pages

When operating from a critical disability framework, professionals in the higher education field must remember Pearson’s (2010) statement on the social construction of disability: “people with disabilities are not born, but made by society” (as cited in Peña et al., 2016, p. 91). In the context of the college environment, the institution may further engender the status of “disability” on their students. This “disability” status may be seen when universities do not fully accommodate their students’ needs, or make the accommodation a spectacle on campus, such as a completely separate wheelchair entrance on the opposite side of a campus building.
As student affairs professionals, we must analyze how students with disabilities experience the …show more content…

As interactions become more complex there is the need for buffers to support the individual, which draws on Astin’s (1984) theory of student involvement and Sanford’s (1966) idea of challenge and support. However, what do these “buffers” look like for students with disabilities? When individuals have issues regarding their accommodations, they are often told to self-advocate. This is supported by Vaccaro, Cano, and Newman (2015) who state that through self-advocacy, students will be able to communicate their “needs and wants and make decisions about the supports necessary to achieve them” (p. …show more content…

If a student’s disability is their most salient identity throughout every context of their life in higher education, this will affect their overall experience, such as making friends, participating in class, etc. In addition, students who are “out” in their disability identity may feel the need to overcompensate. Johnstone’s (2004) second category of disability identity states that these students “feel compelled to perform at high levels to overcome obstacles to prove to others they are not impaired or deemphasize it” (Guido et al., 2016, p. 234). Since universities have furthered the social construction of disability, these students feel that they must prove to others they are more than their identity of “disabled,” and that they can perform to the same caliber as any “normal” college

Show More
Related
777 Words | 4 Pages

There are a various people prejudicially placed into classrooms for students with disabilities because of their race, gender culture/ethnicity, social class, gender and sexual orientation. The way a person identifies occasionally determines if they will be assigned in a class for students with disabilities. David J. Conner discusses Michael’s story, a participant researcher who was placed in a class for students with disabilities; some factors that contributed to the Michael being labeled as disabled is his race and class. Connor came to a realization that there appears to be a high number black and Latino students in classrooms for students with disabilities and he explores some of the reasons through Michael’s story.

Read More
1996 Words | 8 Pages

That included; being given the same opportunities as people who do not have a disability. I found that people were either accommodating or they just ignored me. Had I not had the help of some of my classmates, I may not have been able to get around easily in the wheelchair. I found it difficult in the computer lab because I could not reach the printer to put my password in so that I could print, and no one offered to help me. I actually had a student (who appeared very young) ask me if I was finished so that they could use the printer and he did not even consider asking me if I needed help even though I was struggling a bit (hello frontal lobe).

Read More
1749 Words | 7 Pages

Andre Dubus was once able-bodied, who then lost both legs in a car accident. He has experienced both ends of the spectrum, pitying for the disabled and rejecting that pity placed on him. He begins his essay, Why the Abled-Bodied Still Don’t Get It, with two contradictory anecdotes: “I read the newspaper story about a 34-year-old man...he is a quadriplegic.” (Dubus). He then juxtaposed to “I was hit by a car...lost my left leg above the knee; my right leg was too damaged to use.” (Dubus).

Read More
1280 Words | 6 Pages

In Andre Dubus’ “Why the Able-Bodied Still Don’t Get It”, Dubus similarly describes how he recognizes himself being treated patronizingly by others. Furthermore, Dubus explains how prior to being hit by a car and losing the use of his legs, he had not understood the disabled community. While discussing this Dubus states, “I lacked the compassion and courage to imagine someone else’s suffering” (Dubus). This statement shows a perspective that is true for many people who do not understand how a disability affects one’s life, and Dubus is able to convey this message in his essay. Harriet McBryde Johnson also has a valuable perspective on disability representation and treatment that she argues in her essay “Should I Have Been Killed at Birth?”.

Read More
799 Words | 4 Pages

By showing how discrimination, exclusion, and inequality are the consequences of such attitudes, Wong aims to educate and empower readers about disability rights and activism. Wong's audience includes a broad range of individuals, including disabled people, disability activists, advocates, scholars, policymakers, and non-disabled individuals interested in disability rights and inclusion. The essay mainly targets non-disabled individuals who may be less familiar with disability issues. It offers insights into the experiences and struggles of disabled people and guides how non-disabled individuals can be allies in the fight for disability justice. It challenges ableist attitudes and assumptions prevalent in society and encourages readers to reconsider their views on disability.

Read More
747 Words | 3 Pages

Leaving people who have a disability out of things and forgetting about them hurts their feelings. For instance, in Mairs’ essay she says “…you might feel as though you don’t exist, in any meaningful social sense, at all” (14). No one wants to feel that way, but people who have a disability go through it all the time. The media’s influence may convince people who have a disability to feel as if they’re an outsider since they have a “shameful” part of

Read More
1453 Words | 6 Pages

More recently than ever, the treatment and the representation of the disabled has become an important topic of discussion, with many disabled persons speaking out on the stereotypes of disability and lack of proper portrayal in the media. In her essay “Disability,” author Nancy Mairs describes her life as a woman living with multiple sclerosis, and she examens the lack of accurate portrayal of disability, especially in the media. Similarly, Andre Dubus adds to Mairs’ argument in his essay “Why the Able-Bodied Still Don’t Get It” by elaborating on how his life changed after becoming disabled, an experience that allowed him to understand why the disabled are still stereotyped and how this causes the abled-bodied to not fully understand what it’s

Read More
1621 Words | 7 Pages

However, he became an advocate; by embracing his diagnosis through representing his diagnosis, he slowly healed from the past, revealing his true identity. Growing social support correlated with a growth in his personal development. Every time social support increased it mirrored a discovery and betterment in himself. Furthermore, he progressed in an ever-changing personal growth, including managing his emotions and developing integrity. With this narrative of disability from Michael J Fox, it is evident that the identity crisis of acquiring a new disability can confound people’s lives; yet once the person accepts the disability, true stability and empowerment is found through advocacy and support.

Read More
639 Words | 3 Pages

Mary Mcaleese, one of the former presidents of Ireland, works as a current affairs journalist who truly researches her topic. In fact, she once spent a day in a wheelchair in Dublin, one of the most unfriendly wheelchair cities in the world. She once said, “people with disabilities have abilities too” (Mcaleese). Many people throughout the world develop stereotypes, and those who have disabilities make up a great number of these stereotypes. These people need to understand that their body has limits, but their mind does not.

Read More
934 Words | 4 Pages

People may tend to think they are compassionate and nonjudgmental when it comes to people's disabilities. However, everyone is judgmental in some way shape or form. Even people who don’t think are. Whether it’s a dirty look, mean comment, or fear of those with disabilities. What a majority of these able bodied people aren't aware of is their own personal invisible disabilities.

Read More
917 Words | 4 Pages

In the first section of the paper, I examine the overrepresentation of black disabled students in special education programs in order to discuss how race intersects with disability and how negative cultural stereotypes are reinforced. In the second section, I discuss the issues with the language used to describe disability and language has a bigger negative consequence on black disabled students than white disabled student. In the last section, I investigate the negative consequences of using an overcoming narrative to inspire students in special education. With this critique, I hope to add to the conversation of overrepresentation in disability studies by examining how a popular well-known children’s graphic novel meant to inspire minority students adds to the problem of stigmatization and overcoming disability

Read More
968 Words | 4 Pages

College is an appropriate option for students with disabilities who are independent in their functioning. They will feel more confident if they understand the changes they will encounter in the college environment and know that they are prepared to handle them with the help of fellow

Read More
1414 Words | 6 Pages

Technology has swarm the business environment worldwide. Businesses today use technology for numerous things such as competitive strategy, productivity, marketing, telecommuting, customer services etc. Innovations in the technology area has improved the way businesses were done compared to twelve decades ago. Operations at companies has become less stressful and more productive because of the vast improvements of technology over the years. Referring to the given case, it was seen that technology aided the companies, CPS Energy and Lloyd’s Constructions in numerous ways as they both used the Reengineering Business Processes.

Read More
715 Words | 3 Pages

This realization particularly struck me though when I met Suzie, a disabled classmate at school. A victim of down syndrome, Suzie told me she wished to be a cheerleader like me but didn’t feel that she would be able to due to her condition. This opened my eyes to the negative light in which so many disabled students view themselves. Their disabilities define who they are to so many students. Ten years from now, students like Suzie will be able to participate on the cheer team in some form due to the work of my

Read More
523 Words | 3 Pages

As the first person in my family to attend college, I realized how privileged my life has been and how much higher education could make a difference to me and my family. Being excited, I embarked on a journey to improving writing, communication and critical thinking, and exploring innovative ideas for personal development and social values. This remarkable experience inspired me to pursue a Ph.D. My goal is to develop a better understanding of research and teaching, thus building a skill set to fulfill my aspiration while serving in the academic field.

Read More

More about Pearson's Statement On The Social Construction Of Disability

Related Topics

Open Document