Crystal Gray
Final Reflection
After taking SPED 330.50, I was able to better introduce myself to concepts regarding people who
are disabled including disability history. My current field of choice is Social Work and I plan on working with
various populations of people involving policy, advocacy and overall assistance. This course enlightened me
to concepts that I have learned in the past, but wasn’t provided with much detail. It’s interesting, because
by reading some of the history of disabilities, it makes me want to practice social work even more. By this
course strictly focusing on the oppression and discrimination of people with disabilities, I’m extremely
interested in specifically working with this population. I can be the person to advocate for changes in
disability policy, I can work with people who are disabled or I could just be another person willing to help.
As a social worker, I have been taught to look at each person as a unique individual who has both
strengths and weaknesses that make them who they are. Of course I have my bias, but by following the
code of ethics, I vow to keep my personal bias aside from my clients as much as possible. In no way should
my personal beliefs to be expressed to my clients. The biggest challenge that I feel I will one day face, is
attachment. By taking this course I have been able to relate it to my personal life which makes me more
willing to want to help people who are disabled, but it also involves me too much personally depending on
the person, and the form of disability I plan to work with.
This course has allowed me to discuss personal experiences, research the past, and read about
personal experiences to better understand disability and policies. The most important thing that this
course has provided me with is the idea that people view disabilities in numerous ways. This idea is
important when trying to create public awareness, because I must be able to understand all peoples
approach to disabilities and find a way to help them understand that people who are disabled are simply
people. Their disability is what comes second. I want to help other people who are less aware of the
problems people who are disabled face, by finding an approach which allows a person to know that in a way
they are also disabled and that disability comes in various forms. This course has provided me with
information that I can never forget, and I am more than willing to help educate people who are unaware of
the issues people with disabilities face. Once society becomes more accepting, disability will be viewed as a
normal thing. People don’t choose to be disabled; and by being disabled doesn’t allow people to pass
judgment.
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