Equal Opportunity
I think evryone should have the right to an education regardless of their handicap.
Stephanie,
I agree. Now the question is, what barriers are in place at your school or in your program that could be removed to improve access?
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I really don't believe that there are any barriers at our school that render the handicap.
Stephanie,
I gather that means there are no architectural barriers to the participation of students with disabilities, and that's great. It gives you the luxury of looking deeper... at attitudinal barriers, or barriers that exist in the unintended consequences of policies (such as technical standards that automatically exclude someone BECAUSE of disability). Take a look around, see what you can find, and what you might do to improve things.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I believe that it was our forefathers who said to give us inailenable rights..Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness. Education should be available to those who wish to pursue it with or without a present disability.
Darrell,
You are on the right track. This is definitely an issue of civil rights. The whole point is to see people with disabilities as FULL participants in our society.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I find this topic very interesting. My son has a few friends with disabilities and I have a few clients with disabilities. And to see how the educational world helps to equal the playing fiels is great.
Laura,
Yes -- the laws now mandate equal acccess, and I think society is getting better and better at understanding WHY that equal access is appropriate and, to some extent, how to make it happen. But we lead by exaple, so the more folks who can model appropriate behavior at the college level, the better.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
