Hi Chris

James simply asked for suggestions about running a session about disability
issues. I would suggest that as an an 'Additional Learning Needs Advisor', he
does not necessarily fall into the 'Tom, Dick or Charlotte' category.

The information you provide is helpful - but it didn't need to delivered from
the soap box.

Preaching?  Well, yes. Me too, I suppose.

Regards

Peter Hill



Chris Hopkins wrote:

> James,
>
> Firstly the description of the session that you would like to run worries
> me enormously.  There are effectively two types of disability training that
> you need to know about.  The first is called Disability Awareness Training
> and the second is called Disability Equality Training.
>
> The former can be produced/directed by any Tom, Dick or Charlotte who
> happen to be interested in things to do with disability.  Anyone who has
> read any kind of book on disability may think that they have all the
> ammunition they need to be able to organise/run a reasonable training
> session - with a couple of simulation exercises thrown in for good measure.
>
> The second type of training is really quite radical in a number of ways.
> It is presented only by disabled trainers who have undergone full training.
>  The agenda for a DET session is largely the same whatever situation it is
> produced in - but can be applied according to any specific requirements set
> down by the course organisers.  So if a group of Amateur floer arrangers
> wanted to know something about welcoming new members who may be disabled,
> the training needs that they have will be different from a group of
> university admissions tutors for example.
>
> DET is radical in the sense that it does not contain any simulation
> exercises.  Why?  Because spending 30 mins in a wheelchair or whatever -
> does not enable a non-disabled person to experience what life is really
> like for a disabled person.  All it provides (allegedly) is a brief idea of
> what it is like (albeit a poor one)to have an impairment as opposed to
> understanding what it is like to be a disabled person.
>
> A standard Disability Equality Training session will seek to teach that
> disability is a civil rights/political issue as much as any other
> "minority" oppressed group of people.  It teaches that the experiences of
> impairment and of being a disabled person are two seperate experiences.
> The training teaches that there are different ways of understanding
> disability - and according to which school of thought we belong too will
> influence the way in which we think and speak about disability issues
> and/or disabled people.  The session will go on to look at "Disability
> Etiquette" - how to interact with disabled people according to how their
> impairment(s) affect them.  This framework is built around the needs of the
> actual group receiving training so that what is being taught can be applied
> directly and immediately with the context in which the training session is
> taking place.
>
> I'm sorry if I am preaching to the converted - but I couldn't let this
> opportunity pass without my responding to this query.
>
> Regards
>
> Christopher Hopkins
>
> Since this forum isn't for advertising purposes - i'll stop there, but I'm
> sure you will find a good number of disabled people who are qualified to
> deliver such training.  I have sent this to the whole list deliberately -
> because I think its important that colleagues know where trainers
> perspectives might lie in relation to their own backgrounds (academic v.
> personal experience of being a disabled person.
>
> At 15:21 06/03/01 -0000, you wrote:
> >Dear all
> >
> >I am thinking of trying to run a session a disability issues during the
> >Adult Learning week during the 12-18 May 2001 and I was wondering if anyone
> >had run similar sessions in the past and would be prepared to make any
> >suggestions or had any ideas?
> >
> >Many thanks
> >
> >James
> >Dr James M Palfreman-Kay
> >Additional Learning Needs Advisor
> >DLG20 Dorset House Library
> >Talbot Campus
> >Bournemouth University
> >Fern Barrow
> >Poole
> >BH12 5BB
> >Tel: 01202 595327
> >Fax: 01202 595475
> >E-mail: [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> Christopher Hopkins MA
> Student Advisor
> Disabilities and Additional Needs Service
> Herbert Manzoni Building
> Loughborough University
> Loughborough
> Leicestershire
>
> Direct Line (01509) 228339
> Fax (01509) 223933
> EMail   [log in to unmask]

--
Peter Hill

Disability Coordinator
University College Worcester
Henwick Grove
Worcester
WR2 6AJ

Tel 01905 855413
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