FINISHED!!!!

My ARP is finally completed and has been submitted, with time to spare too! Now it's time for summer vacation and the relaxation to begin. Nice... :-)

Week of April 26

I actually almost forgot about this time has gone by so quickly...

So for the ARP. Every time I think I've finished making points in the discussion section, I realize something I forgot. Sigh... I have like two more points to make and then its onto final revisions. But that's just because there's no more time. I could turn this into even more of a beast than its become...

Apr. 25- ARP almost finished!!!

I have almost completed the ARP. I need to revise the analysis section and add some information and then finish the APA formatting, and then I will be DONE!

April 16th update

So finally the UGRS is over and I can breathe a sigh of reflief. That is untill I realize everything else that I have somewhat avoided during the semester so I could focus all of my attention on this project. However, the UGRS allowed me to finsih my final MGRW. I can now focus all of my efforts on my final revisions of my ARP, which has turned into an absolute monster... But at least there is still time for that.

April 8, 2009 Data Overload!

I have way too much data to analyze... I'm working on the discussion section and wondering what all to piece together for my poster. I also went around campus today and got pictures of places that are not handicap accessible. I found it very amusing that when I was taking a picture of Sullivan Hall where the huge ledge is that no wheelchair could ever get up some lady came out and was like, "What are you snapping pictures of?" I'm like, "Umm, a doorway?" Funny after that I kept coming across security guards wherever I went. I'm sure it was just a coincidence. I refrained from getting a picture of the lovely guardhouse that doesn't let me come on campus as any other student though... >_< I figured there would be trouble then.

April 2, 2009 Update

So this week I submitted by research results as well as MGRW 2. I am in the process of working on the 3 one. I am thinking about creating a hypothetical organization that works to promote the positive interaction between handicapped and non-handicapped people. I also which to some how incorporate lack of accomodations (like STU) into it. Not sure how its all going to fit together yet. Of course I have to rename the school. I want to make it something that mocks the "developing leaders for life" thing because the school (or some of it) does a bad job with that. I'm also looking at re-working my ARP and adding additiong sources to it. So much work, so little time...

March 31 2009 Update

I have created a MG 2 but I'm not all that thrilled about it. It seems so plain and not creative. I seems to lack the imagery I can usually put into a poem. This was inspired by several of the responses I got from my survey. I am considereing creating some sort of pamphlet to promote like the civil rights of handicapped individuals, but I don't think I have the time to do it for this MG... Here is what I have so far...

The world towers over me.
It controls my life and everything I am able to do.
Where I go and what I can do is all predetermined for me.
I am forced to follow the scarce blue lines that form the only path I can follow.
I feel helpless and insignificant from this lowly position.
This world was not made to include me.
It did not account for the lifestyle I lead.

Society tries to shun me away, afraid to show the world that people like me exist.
Fear is drawn out in the “normal” when they look at me.
My presence is as welcomed as the cry of the banshee.
The wail of her cry shatters the illusion of control people hold so near and dear;
It forces people to face their own mortality.
They hurriedly try and look away as if ignoring my presence spares them a fate like mine.
They cover their eyes, cover their ears, and cover their mouths not wanting to acknowledge the evil that is being done.

I struggle to survive in a world that would rather ignore my existence.
I strive for a normal life, but I do not fit society’s definition of normal.

I am at the mercy of others.

I feel humiliated and inadequate as I blunder through a world not suited for me; a world that views my very essence as a hindrance.

Just out of my reach, dangling over my head, is a light waiting to be turned on.
I stretch to reach the pull-chain, but my fingers can only graze it.
If only I could stand up and reach it.
Perhaps then I could light up the darkness the world lives in and illuminate the desecration caused for people like me; the physically disabled of the world.

March 27, 2009 Update on Issue

After Dr. Dvorak spoke yesterday about narrowing down our issues, I thought of something I would like to do with my paper.

Dr. Grace gave me some ideas, but I wonder if it will be to late to implement them. She was speaking of how sometimes when people see a disabled person, they find it to be an inspiration. So I want to see from a survey I created if this applies and how could this affect the negative attitudes that people often see. I'm trying to link they two idea together. I guess somehow show how people often have negative attitudes but how instead people can find them to be a motivator or something.

Damn this medicine for making it so hard to think and link things together...

Interesting Observation

I'm a bit slow today, but I realized that I made somewhat of an interesting observation. So the restroom in the Science and Tech building is a tight space. But it was convenient. Well, like people so often do, someone went into the handicap accessible stall even though there was another stall open. So there's this little tiny space. For anyone who has been in there, the trashcan is pretty big and takes up a lot of space. I didn't want to go out and have to fight to door to get back in, so I just sat there blocking the aisle. There was about 6-8 inches on the other side of me that people could get past. If I moved back I would have been slammed with the door. well one student walks in and was very polite and everyone. Another student comes in looks at it, looks irritated, and then walks back out. Then someone who I think is a faculty member comes in. (All this time one stall is empty). She looks at me and says something to the effect of "what are you waiting for?" I'm thinking well... maybe because the one stall is occupied. Before I could respond though, she realized why I was just sitting there blocking the way. She squeezes past me. Well the polite young lady I first came across came out of the second stall and said to something along these lines, "I really have a greater respect as to why they have these handicap facilities. I used to use the handicapped one because of my wheelie bag, but now I see what that can do. It makes you have to sit there and wait." I was shocked to hear someone say that. I don't mind waiting, but I was blocking the whole bathroom. However, as the person finally came out of the handicapped stall, and while the lady who I think is a faculty member was in one of the other stalls, I just went, "No, this bathroom is just too small!"

Perhaps my dopiness today is what made it so interesting...

March 25, 2009

I conducted my third interview yesterday with a social psychologist. This person gave me some thoughts to think about for my paper. One of the discussions we had is how to define what is "normal". I would like to see if the definition of normal differs in those who are physically disabled from those who are not. I'm still thinking about how to incorporate normal into my paper, but I am thinking about linking it to the accessibility issues that exist today. Is it because the majority don't consider "normal" to include ramps and elevators?

I have made this survey to gather some information.

Click Here to take survey

Interview Update

So today I did yet another interview. SJ, as I will refer to the person here, gave me some insights about what she began to realize after spending a day in a wheelchair for a class project. It gave me ideas to contribute to my findings and also a way for me to look at myself and try and check what I notice. It gave me some ideas for observations.

I cannot judge a person's behavior towards me, but there are certain things I can look for. I can see who opens a door despite there being a door opener that allows me to be perfectly able to open a door myself (unless they forget to turn them on). Or how people go about their normal business and let me manage on my own in those situations. Also, as one person just completely avoided my gaze today when I noticed this person was staring and I returned it with a smile, I can look for certain behaviors like that. I cannot interpret the message with certainty, but there are some universals about behaviors like that.

I am also starting to get some hits for my survey for disabled individuals to take thanks to one of the forums.

I was told some rather disturbing information today as well. Apparently before the elevator in Kennedy was installed, the school rather paid the fines for not having one instead of installing some sort of lift or elevator. Also, it was a student initiative that had the accessibility features installed around campus. Is it really "developing leaders for life" or are the students the ones trying to tell the faculty they need to "become leaders for life"?

Another Update

Okay, so for some reason I have suddenly had all these ideas come to mind. I have created yet ANOTHER survey. However this one is for a small specific population. It is intended for people who are disabled. I went ahead and created it, but I am not sure how to spread this survey. It seems as if I would be harping on a person to express what may be sensitive feelings about a their disability. I am unsure about proceeding with this...

Here is a link to the survey.

Click Here to take survey

March 20th Update

So I decided today to go ahead and become a member of a couple of forums that will hopefully allow me to talk with other people who are disabled from different areas around the country or the world even. I really need a perspective from someone else who is disabled and this seemed an easier way of doing it than confronting a person for an interview. I am hoping it will generate some results. I looked back at my research proposal and was reminded of something I included in it; accessibility issues and the impact they have as well. They do, because how well are people willing to accomodate a person who is unable to get somewhere because they are disabled? Why will some and not others? I have a feeling that most people at STU don't even realize there is NO elevator in Sullivan, so anyone who is wheelchair bound or just not able to make it up the stairs, cannot go and see a majority of the professors. Fun eh? They are building that whole new health complex or whatever, but they can't put money aside to put in an elevator that should already be there because of the ADA?

Anyways, this is not a place for me to go on a tangent. I only wish I had thought of this sooner!

March 19 2009

I decided to rework my multi-genre piece a bit. There was just something about it that I wasn't happy about. The research I found that sparked this MG was an article that addressed the use of media to influence a young child's knowledge and understanding about disabilities. When this article was written (1980) there was less than 1 percent for children that had anything to do with a disabled child. A study showed too, that children who showed the greatest positive change in attitudes had been exposed to these books. The article says that, "almost all the recent books stress the handicapped characters' positive outlook on life and the great gains that these individuals have made despite their disability. The handicapped are realistically portrayed as productive members of society who contribute much to the lives of their family and friend."

I am hoping that this revised version does a better job of that, although they were just simple little things. Unfortunately, I have no younger siblings or great experience with children to know if this would suit a young child around the ages of 4 or 5. I don't want the language to be too repetitive or simple, or too challenging. Any feedback would be great!

Sally lay in her bed trying to fall asleep. It was way past her bedtime. But Sally was too excited to sleep!

Sally was four years old. She was starting pre-school tomorrow! Images of a magical place full of boys and girls to play with filled her mind. She imagined crayons of all the colors of the rainbow! She could almost picture enough blocks to build a tower as tall as her daddy! Most of all though, Sally pictured lots of boys and girls to make friends with.

Finally Sally fell asleep. She dreamed of what her new preschool would be like.

Morning came and Sally’s mommy came in to wake her up. “Wake up Sally,” her mother called, gently shaking her awake. “Your big day is finally here!” Sally quickly sat up in bed. The day had finally come!

Sally’s mommy helped her to get dressed. Before Sally put her new jeans on, her mommy helped her put something on her legs. They were leg braces. The leg braces helped Sally to stand up. After Sally put her braces on, she stood up and smiled. She looked just the same as all the other boys and girls starting preschool now!

Before Sally could walk with her mommy to breakfast, she was handed two sticks that clasped to her arms. They were called crutches. Sally was wobbly when she walked. These sticks kept her from falling.

Sally went down the stairs and into the kitchen. She got her cereal and sat down to eat. She was so excited she could hardly eat. She raced through her breakfast!

After she ate breakfast it was time to go. Sally’s mommy brought her the new backpack she had just bought and she put it on her shoulders. Sally and her mommy then left for preschool.

When Sally and her mommy arrived at her new preschool, she climbed out of the van with her crutches in hand. She clasped them onto her arms. She was ready for school!

Sally walked into the classroom. She was the first one to arrive. The teacher, Mrs. Boyd, walked over and greeted Sally and her mommy. Mrs. Boyd walked Sally over to a table. “This is your seat Sally,” she said kindly. Sally sat down and set her crutches under the table.

“You’ll be a good girl for mommy won’t you,” Sally’s mommy asked. Sally grinned and nodded. Her mommy gave her a hug and a kiss before leaving.

After several minutes more children arrived. “Hi, I’m Daniel,” a little boy said. Sally looked at him and smiled. “I’m Sally.”

Sally and Daniel sat at the table and played with some brightly colors blocks. Together they built a tower that was taller than Sammy’s mommy!

After awhile it was time for school to start. Mrs. Boyd rang a bell to get all of the children’s attention. “Good morning children, I’m Mrs. Boyd. Welcome to preschool!” “Good morning Mrs. Boyd,” the children shouted back with excitement. Daniel and Sally looked at each other and smiled.

The morning continued on. The boys and girls played games to learn each others’ names. Then it was story time! All the children gathered around the rug on the floor. Sally picked up her crutches from under the table and stood up slowly. She made her way over to the rug carefully and sat down, placing her crutches next to her.

“This is our magic carpet,” Mrs. Boyd explained. It’s a very special carpet that will carry you children to different worlds!” The children looked up at Mrs. Boyd in awe. That day Sally was carried away to a land full of princes and princesses.

After story time was over it was time to go outside for snack time and recess. Mrs. Boyd and her helper got all of the children in a line. Sally got to lead! She felt proud.

The class was led to a picnic table that was in the playground. Mrs. Boyd came up and carefully lifted Sally to help her get up to the bench. Daniel sat next to Sally. After they ate their snack Daniel looked at Sally with excitement. “Want to play tag,” he asked.

“But I can’t,” Sally answered quietly. “Don’t you want to play with me,” Daniel asked. Sally nodded. “Then come on!” He gently grabbed Sally’s arm to pull her along with him.

Mrs. Boyd saw what happened and came over. “Are you two okay,” she asked kindly. “Sally won’t play with me,” Daniel answered sadly. “What did you want to play Daniel?” “I want to play tag,” he answered with enthusiasm, “but Sally doesn’t want to.”

Mrs. Boyd sat down next to Daniel. “Daniel, Sally can’t run,” she explained. “Why not,” he asked puzzled. “Sally has something called Cerebral Palsy.” “What’s that,” he asked. “Well, it’s something that effects the everyday things Sally does. Her muscles aren’t quite as strong as yours or mine.” “Really,” Daniel asked.

Sally pulled up the leg of her jeans. She showed Daniel her braces. “What are they,” Daniel asked touching the braces. “They help me walk,” Sally said. “And I use these too,” Sally added, picking up her crutches.

Daniel looked concerned. “Am I gonna get sick too,” he asked. “No Daniel, Sally was born with this. You can’t catch it from her. She really isn’t much different from you. There are just some things that she has to do differently.

“So no tag,” Daniel asked Mrs. Boyd. “Not with Sally she answered. Some of the other boys and girls are playing though.” Daniel looked over at the other children and ran over to them.

Sally looked sad as she watched her new friend playing with the other boys and girls when she couldn’t. She was thought Daniel was afraid of her.

Several minutes later Daniel ran back to Sally with two other children. “Mrs. Boyd, we want to color here at the table. Can we?”

“Why sure! I will go get you some coloring books and crayons.”

Mrs. Boyd had the helper watch the class as she went inside. Daniel scooted in next to Sally. “Will you color with us,” Daniel asked. “Sure,” Sally said with excitement. She and Daniel giggled.

“You’re not scared of my legs?” Sally asked. “What’s scary about them?” Daniel asked. “Cause they are different and I have braces.” “I think it’s cool,” Daniel said excited. “It’s like you have superhero equipment!”

Mrs. Boyd came back outside and handed the children some coloring books and crayons. “And these are for you two,” she added, handing Sally and Daniel both a large golden star sticker, “for being so kind to each other.” Daniel and Sally looked at each other and smiled. They both colored happily for the rest of recess.

Preschool is going to be great, Sally thought as she sat with her new friend.

March 17 Update

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

Today I had an idea strike me for a second survey. I am unsure about how well it will work or generate results, but I thought I would go a head and give it a try.

Click Here to take survey

Here is the survey if anyone would like to take it!

March 14 Update

So I thought of another angle for my paper as well. At least as interviews go. I thought it may be interesting to interview someone who has a close relative or friend that was once not disabled and now is and compare the attitudes or changes that may have occured as a result. I am in the process of setting up an email interview to find out how this may work.

March 10 Children's Story

So I began working on one of my Multi-genre writings. It is a children's story that is supposed to explain disability to children. I'm not sure about this, but it is just a rough draft for ideas. Unfortunately I can't draw to save my life, but hopefully I won't need illustrations... Any comments, critique... anything is welcome!





Sally lay in her bed trying to fall asleep. It was way past her bedtime. But Sally was too excited to sleep!



Sally had just turned four years old. She was starting preschool tomorrow! Images of a magical place full of boys and girls to play with filled her mind. He imagined crayons of all the colors of the rainbow! She could almost picture enough blocks to build a tower as tall as her daddy! Most of all though, Sally pictured lots of boys and girls to make friends with.




Finally Sally fell asleep. She dreamed of what her new preschool would be like.





Morning came and Sally’s mommy came in to wake her up. “Wake up Sally,” her mother called, gently shaking her awake. “Your big day is finally here!” Sally quickly sat up in bed! The day had finally come!





Sally’s mommy helped her to get dressed. Before Sally put her new jeans on, her mommy helped her put something on her legs. They were leg braces. The leg braces helped Sally to stand up. After Sally put her braces on, she stood up and smiled. She looked just the same as all other boys and girls now!






Before Sally could walk with her mother to breakfast, her mommy handed her two sticks that clasped to her arms. They were called crutches. Sally was wobbly when she walked. These sticks kept her from falling when she walked.




Sally went down stairs and got her cereal and sat down to eat. She was so excited she could hardly eat!





Finally she finished eating. Her mommy picked her up and carried her out to the car. “You’re starting to get too big to carry!”






When Sally and her mommy arrived at her new preschool, she climbed out of the van with her crutches. She clasped them onto her arms. She was ready for school!







Sally walked into the classroom and sat at a table with a little boy. His name was Daniel. Daniel and Sally sat at the table and played with some brightly colored blocks. They built a tower together. It was taller than Sally’s mommy! While Sally and Daniel were playing her mommy leaned down and gave her a kiss before leaving.





The teacher, Mrs. Boyd, rang a bell. “Good morning children!” she said cheerfully. “Good morning,” the children shouted back. “Welcome to preschool!” Sally and Daniel looked at each other and smiled. “How about we go outside to the playground boys and girls,” Mrs. Boyd asked. Sally’s smile quickly turned downward into a frown. All the other children cheered as the teacher and her helper lined the children up to go outside. Sally remained in her seat.





Mrs. Boyd walked up to Sally. “Don’t you want to go outside,” she asked her. Sally looked down. “But I can’t play like the other children,” children answered sadly. “Sure you can!” Sally shook her head no sadly. In her imagination, Sally hadn’t thought about having to run around.




Sally looked and saw that her new friend was with the other boys and girls that were going outside. Daniel looked at her confused. Daniel left the line and walked over to Sally. “Don’t you want to go outside and play with me,” Daniel asked Sally. She shook her head no. “Why?”





Mrs. Boyd kneeled down to Daniel. “Daniel, Sally can’t run. She’s afraid no one will play with her then.” “Why can’t she run?”




“Sally has something called cerebral palsy. It made her legs not as strong as other boys and girls. She walks a little bit slower than other boys and girls, but she isn’t much different than the other children.”






“Really?” Sally pulled up the leg of her jeans. She showed Daniel her braces. “What are they,” Daniel asked touching the braces. “They help me walk,” Sally said. “And I use these too,” Sally added, picking up her crutches.





Daniel then ran out of the classroom. Sally looked sad. She thought Daniel was afraid of her. “Don’t you want to come outside with me?” Mrs. Boyd asked. Sally shook her head no.




Daniel ran back into the classroom. Two girls came in with him. Sally was sad to see her new friend with someone else. She watched Daniel root around in one of the large boxes of toys.



Daniel walked to Sally’s table with the other two girls. “Can you color,” Daniel asked. “Sure,” Sally answered. Her face brightened up.




“You’re not scared of my legs?” Sally asked. “What’s scary about them?” Daniel asked. “Cause they are different and I have braces.” “I think it’s cool,” Daniel said excited. “It’s like you’re a superhero with equipment or something!”



Daniel, the two other girls, and Sally all sat at the table coloring together and laughing. Preschool was going to be great after all, Sally thought!

Observation at STU

1.) I sat at the only picnic table around the wannabe pond that I can access. It is on the chapel side of the pond.

2.) a.I just sat there at the table as if I were writing something, letting all of my senses experience what went on around me. I decided on this because I tend to sit there on breaks so it was interesting to see what goes on around me that I don't even pay attention to on a normal basis.
b. I was objective. I would rather take a passive stance and see what other people are doing.
c. I just brought a pen and a notebook, and my senses because it was all I needed to observe.
d. I just made a bulleted list.

3.)I watched all the locations I could see from where I was sitting. I am able to watch a decent amount of the campus from where I was sitting. I used as many senses as were necessary to record any movement or activity that occurred around the portion of campus that I could see. I saw people walking around, laughing, sleeping. I was attentive to what was occurring in nature as well such as the breeze and leaves falling from the tree around me as a result.
What went on seemed pretty natural for a college campus while a class is in session.
I believe most of all I was looking for anything "nature wise" but besides the breeze and leaves blowing there was not much else. The sun shines down towards my back from where I was sitting. It was also a clear sky. A perfect day for sitting outside. However, most of the movement was human related so I recorded that most of all.

4.) I saw more went on than I realized.Although it was quiet out, outside of this screeching sound that I hear every now and then, there is some life on this small and relatively quiet campus. It appeared that people tend to mind their own business and go their own way. I never noticed people laying on the benches in front of the pond resting or paid attention to what people were doing at other tables. Not a whole lot of activity goes on around the pond. It's mostly the same sort of thing. Just walking, taking shortcuts through the grass to the library, sitting and talking. People don't do much out of the ordinary, although the guy laying down on the bench sleeping surprised me a bit.
I see how much people use golf carts around this campus. At least four times in about a 15 minute period someone rode past me. This campus isn't that big...
It did surprise me that most of the people I saw around were not studying but rather carrying on conversations with someone. I suppose people are just readjusting from Spring Break and being back on campus.
Besides the person taking a shortcut through the grass, most people walked at a leisurely pace. Perhaps it is because of the beautiful weather today.

March 7

So yeah, I planned on using Spring Break to make some head way with my research. Well, that hasn't exactly happened. To keep it short, I needed a break to make it through the rest of the semester.

Feb. 27 update

I recently found a very disturbing article that goes along with my issue. It is from 1996. The title of the article is A Model of Factors Affecting the Treatment of Disabled Individuals in Organizations

I have only just begun reading the article, but some of the facts I have found so far are very concerning, especially when I am living this situation. I found it disturbing that only 34.6% of disabled individuals were employed at the time this article was written. Also, those who are disabled are often given low status job offers that offer little chance of advancement. OK, so the person may be disabled, it doesn't mean they can't do something. Also, the income level of the disabled is often up to 35% less than non-disabled people's average income. What about all the medical bills and special equipment people have to buy because people hardly ever seem to make the proper provisions.

This blog isn't intended as a rant, but I could sure go on about this. My issue is beginning to hit me hard personally. So if I'm stuck like this, this is what I have to look forward to? Why are people so afraid, so unwilling to make allowances for this? Is it that big of a deal to put in elevators or ramps, or to teach children not to stare? Is it really that difficult for people to just get along, whether they are in a wheelchair or not? Granted, I might run over your foot with a wheel, but it isn't intentional, so what's the big deal?

Feb. 22

Survey Monkey has allowed a question to be skipped that shouldn't have been, so I am reposting a link just to make sure nothing was wrong with the other.

Click Here to take survey

Feb. 21 Children Story

I located a children's story I wrote awhile ago. I cannot draw for anything, but I may use ideas from it and create a multi-genre writing based off of something similar to this:

One little girl sat separated from all the other kids. She felt sad and alone.


A little boy came over to her. “Hi, I’m Tom! Won’t you come play with me?” The little girl looked up at him shyly. “I’m Sarah. But I can’t play.”


Tom looked at Sarah puzzled. “Why not?”


“I can’t run and play,” responded Sarah. “Why not?” Tom again asked. Sarah looked down at her legs sadly. “I’m cripple,” she answered sadly. “I can’t run and play with you.”


“Oh,” Tom answered. He turned and ran off.


Sarah watched him run off. She felt like she was going to cry. She watched the other children playing. She saw that Tom was with the other children now. She picked up her crutches and began to leave.


“Wait!” someone shouted from behind Sarah. Sarah turned and saw Tom running towards her. Tom came up next to her, gasping to catch his breath.


“Can you color?” Tom asked, pulling out a box of crayons and paper.


Sarah’s face lit up. “Yes!” she cried out excited. “Cool!” Tom giggled. “Let’s go to the table and color together!”


So Tom and Sarah went to the table and sat down. They spent their recess together, coloring and laughing.


As the bell rang, ending their recess, Tom and Sarah looked down at their drawings. Tom’s was of two people standing together and smiling, seemingly good friends. Sarah’s was of a little girl coloring together with another child, the handicap gone and forgotten.



I want to look into how to incorporate something like this into my research paper.

Feb. 20

I have revised my survey slightly. The link is the same but here it is again.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1UZUfN244h3vjvA4uAzDeg_3d_3d

Feb. 18th

I have created my survey and posted a link if anyone wants to review it for mistakes.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1UZUfN244h3vjvA4uAzDeg_3d_3d

I have also sent out an interview request but I am waiting for a response.

Feb. 14 2009

So my big progress for the week was completing my annotated bibliography. Outside of reading and writing for it, I have done nothing else towards my project for the week although I will be working on questions for the interview and survey this weekend.

Crap Questions

Double question: Do you like your classes or today's lunch special?

Wrong choice question: Which genre is your favorite: fiction, non-fiction, or mystery?

'Fuzzy word' questions: Should bad people be let loose?

Cover the world: What do you think about the Catholic priests?

Jargon: Did the IV or DV remain constant?

Kitchen sink: What do you think about STU? Are the professors decent? Is the univerisity too small and limited? How do companies Regard degrees from STU?

Dream questions: What do you want to do with your life?

leading: Why did Bush do such a horrible job?

hearsay: What do you think about your classmates productivity?

fallout: Do you watch TV? Are you overweight? Do you eat snacks while watching TV?

Feb. 8 2009 Update

I have been pulling together sources for my annotated bibliography. I decided to JSTOR and I hit the jackpot for some information pertaining to my topic. Several articles, although slightly outdated, gave some me some interesting ideas.

One spoke of a little "intervention" program that presents elementary aged children with situations involving a peer with a disability. They then give the students a chance to discuss and ask questions about the disability or about anything for that matter. The students were then given a "quiz" to see how they responded compared to a test they did before this program.

It made me wonder if I could somehow work out something similar in a school. Although legally it would probably be impossible to work with elementary aged children, I have been wondering about the used of my high school. My high school has implemented a "house system" with mentor groups. Mentor group takes place each school day and is the same group of kids from freshman year all the way through senior year. I'm debating about approaching the school and trying a small study on an "intervention" program, but due to the ages of these teenagers it may not be as beneficial.

Also, being a writer, I found an article that spoke of children's books that teach children about physical disabilities. I wrote a short one my senior year of high school. It was very short. However, I was wondering about adapting that idea and creating my own. I could then integrate it into my research paper as one of the multi genre sections that could also show an example of the ways an intervention program could be created for children to help them understand. I discovered that past research shows that most children begin discriminating against those who are physically handicap around the ages of 4 and 5. If there weren't so many legal restrictions I would love to work with a group of preschool age children and see if a difference in attitude could be created. But C'est la vive with all the sickos in the world...

Interview Report

On February 5, 2009, I interviewed A3. She spoke of her experiences of growing up in the Bronx.
A3 grew up in the Bronx in a Puerterican neighborhood. A3 said she had the "best of both worlds" living in the Bronx. She also grew up in a bilingual household with her grandmother who only spoke Spanish. She likes to kid around that she created Spanglish.
Growing up, it was her mother, her grandmother, and her older sister. They put a lot of focus on her culture and she enjoyed growing up in that atmosphere. She enjoys a campus such as STU where the population is very diverse. S. Florida is not the same as what she was used to in the Bronx. A3 referred to it as a “culture shock” when she moved to S. Florida.
One dynamic A3 misses is the metropolitan urban atmosphere that existed in the Bronx.
When I asked A3 how she liked living in South Florida now, she admitted that she missed New York. There were many false promises for Florida and the lack of reliable public transportation made her miss the Subway back home. She also wondered about strange questions fellow students would ask her about being a New Yorker.
I asked A3 about the Subway and she just loves it. However, with the debate going on about raising the price for ridership, she decided she might rather walk and be able to get a slice of pizza and a soda.
A3 described the Subway as a wonderful place to go and make observations. She told me how when she was living there full time she loved to just ride on the Subway with a notebook and make observations on what went on around her. She said the strangest experience she had was one night when she was out late, a man dressed as Cher came and sat down next to her. Her upbringing in New York, surrounded by such a diverse population let this event not even phase her.
A3 described times when she just rode the Subway just for the sake of riding on it. She even fell asleep on the train and ended up at the wrong stops on occasion. She also enjoyed the reliability of the Subway rather than the lousy transportation in S. Florida that A3 and a friend waiting for over an hour for a bus to come. She said coming from New York, where trains ran about every 4 minutes or so, she couldn’t understand how this system could be so slow.
As the interview came to an end, she said how she misses New York.

Feb. 3 2009 Update

I have been working on revising my proposal. For the most part it was stupid mistakes. However, I am trying to decide how to spruce up my observation. So far I have come up with "I may observe similar situations, such as comparable locations, to those who have spent a day in a wheelchair but are not physically handicap and compare them to my own. For example, I will take Samantha Jacobsen’s experience in a wheelchair at St. Thomas University and compare it to my own experience. There is bound to be some difference between my experience and Samantha’s. It will aid me in eluding unnecessary biases towards one side or another."

I'm not pleased with my idea or the portrayal of it. Any suggestions?

Thoughts on my proposal draft

I have gotten away from the accessibility issues, but as I sat down stumped about where to go and y current dislike for the proposal I have now, I realized a reason why I have been stumped. Although accessibility is not the main issue at hand now, it still plays such an important role. The accessibility of a facility determines how a handicap person can integrate with those who are not. When a facility is not equipped to include someone who is handicap, it creates a feeling of degradation. It stops a handicap person from having the same equal opportunities as anyone else. Even if its a little thing, it still inhibits the person in the wheelchair from going or doing something that a person that is not in a wheelchair could do. If a handicap person is not able to mingle with everyone else than a physical barrier is created that contributes to the cognitive and affective component of a person because it may make a person feel cut off from society. It could turn a physical barrier into a mental one because its another way of showing that society doesn't account for the "error" of a handicap because of reasons such as "it costs too much". But when society accounts for errors in computer systems by creating backups for machines that have no emotion it makes me see how skewed society has its priorities. It would rather disenfranchise a large majority of the population because of a price tag.

Jan 27- Revised Rough draft

I'm still having trouble getting my proposal to come out just right. For some reason I just can't get the words I want to say... However, here is my latest rough draft for the first portion of the proposal.

Previous research discovered non-handicapped individuals often have negative attitudes towards those who are. Attitudes such as these help contribute to the mental component of a physical disability that often go unseen. The research I will do will focus on this added emotional burden created by a society that lacks complete acceptance of those who are physically disabled. I will question society’s concept of “normal” and expand on how “normal’s” definition will change depending on the context and situation it is used in. I will search to discover why these negative attitudes exist and why they have throughout humankind’s existence. I will research with psychologists to discover whether intervention programs should be introduced to young children to help with the questions and misunderstandings they may develop as they grow and whether a greater rate of accessibility in public accommodations would help society to be more accepting of those who are physically disabled.
If the construction of accessible facilities was made a higher priority in society, enabling more disabled individuals to live just as anyone else does, would this help promote tolerance and understanding that will help decrease the negative attitudes sometimes presented towards those who are physically disabled by either accident or disease? The results of this research will enable more awareness towards this issue as well as a greater degree of thought for creating adaptive plans or the construction of equipment that will allow facilities to be more accessible. This could lead to a greater integration between those who are “normal” and those who are “handicap”, and in the end, help to lessen some of the emotional component a disability creates because it will show society how those who are handicap are just as “normal” as anyone else.



I also found some interesting information earlier today. It talked about how people with physical deformities and disabilities were treated throughout history. It focused mostly on the "freak shows" that were popluar for years that mocked these people. These people were limited in what they could do with their lives, so many ended up in these "freak shows". Back even to cavemen days, evidence showed that people may have sacrificed those that were physically disabled. How far has humanity come from this horrible past?

Jan 26 -- Proposal Rough draft

I have developed a decent portion of my proposal and have decided to post it in light of computer problems I'm having...


Handicap Accessibility in Local Catholic Institutes of Learning
The American Disability Act of 1990 was established to bring about equal opportunities to individuals with disabilities. The focus of this research will be on those with physical disabilities. Under this act, places of public accommodations are to be in compliance with certain guidelines that define what is “accessible”. Private schools fall under this category. However, many local private Catholic institutes of learning do not have all of the proper facilities to guarantee equal opportunity to those with physical disabilities. Although there are certain stipulations as to what constitutes an “accessible design”, these private schools manage to skirt this. Even if they are in full compliance with the American Disability Act legally, there are instances when equal opportunity cannot be granted. For example, many small catholic schools do not have elevators, yet there are second stories to buildings. How do they cope if a wheelchair bound person wishes to attend this school? This law clearly defines that no person can be discriminated against in the acceptance to a school based solely on disability. Do these schools have plans to adapt so that a physically disabled person will be able to have the same opportunity as another student? How can schools that don’t have a plan to adapt find ways to adapt?
Outside of the physical component of a disability, there is a strong mental factor. This research issue will focus on the actual accessibility of these private institutions as well as the emotional impact created by a society that lacks complete acceptance of those who have a physical disability. It will question the sometimes negative attitudes towards handicap people from those who are not. While discovering how accessible different schools are, it will question whether some kind of intervention program that aids in breaking down the barriers between “normal” and “handicap” should be introduced. With so many people, including children and young adults, facing physical handicaps, it seems vital that all schools are available to each person. An individual should have the opportunity to improve their level of education in the school of their choice and not face physical or mental discrimination. If schools begin to integrate more accessible facilities, there may be an increase in the amount of students that have a disability, and will this increase help promote tolerance and understanding that will it help decrease the negative attitudes sometimes presented towards those who are physically disabled by either accident or disease? With schools that seemingly lack proper facilities, it seems these questions I have raised are important to address as it appears that very few, if any, ask these questions. The results of this research could enable more awareness towards this issue as well as a greater degree of thought for creating adaptive plans or the construction of equipment that will allow the facility to be accessible, as well as a greater integration between those who are “normal” and those who are “handicap”, and in the end, help to lessen some of the emotional component a disability creates because it may show how society views those that are handicap as just as “normal” as anyone else. Perhaps if everyone were to spend a single day living in a wheelchair it would promote a greater understanding and a greater will to help those who must spend their entire life in one.
In my years attending Catholic schools I have seen both sides of the spectrum. At one point I was just as “normal” as all the other students who were walking around and oblivious to the needs of handicap individuals. Without the experience I have obtained, I was unable to fully understand the duress caused by facilities that aren’t properly constructed to accept handicap individuals. I believe this is the case in most instances because a lack of true understanding does not aid in tolerance. However in the last two years, my bouts of being in and out of a wheelchair caused me to realize how many public accommodations have trouble with accessibility and the issues it raises to someone who is disabled and wants equal opportunity as should be granted to them under the implementation of the American Disability Act. The experience I have gained has caused me to have a more accurate knowledge of what is necessary to integrate the “normal” and the “disabled.”

· How do private catholic schools cope if a wheelchair bound person wishes to attend a school that does not have the proper ADA compliant facilities?
o Do these schools have plans to adapt so that a physically disabled person will be able to have the same opportunity as another student?
o How can schools that don’t have a plan to adapt find ways to adapt?
· If schools begin to integrate more accessible facilities, there may be an increase in the amount of students that have a disability, and will this increase help promote tolerance and understanding that will it help decrease the negative attitudes sometimes presented towards those who are physically disabled by either accident or disease?

Potential Research Plan

Potential Multigenre Writings
In order to integrate a mutilgenre aspect to this paper I may introduce a log from a parent looking to place their child in a school of their choice but is either having difficulty finding a school that is either handicap accessible or willing to adapt, or has found one that is, and the ease of mind it has caused for the child to be accepted into society.
I may also include two different perspectives to help sway from a biased agenda. I may write either a play or a poem by one individual who faces a certain amount of discrimination because of the disability and the problems it causes both physically and mentally. It will help portray the image of what it is like to live as a “rejected” individual. But in order to show the difference an accepting situation can provide, I may also write a play or poem from the perspective of an individual that has been fully accepted into a social setting and the positive impact it has on that person’s life as they are viewed just the same as anyone else.

Jan 24-- Possible Issue Developed-- Finally!

My free write from yesterday and a comment from Leo has helped me to decide on an issue.

I have attended Catholic schools from elementary through college. Out of those three schools, provisions for the handicap have been limited to none. With the implementation of the American Disability Act I'm curious to see how they skirt the regulations that should be put in place. My research questions will consist of:

How accessible are Catholic Institutes of learning? Do they accept those who are handicap or discriminate and reject their application? How often do schools receive applications from someone with special needs? What can they do to be more accessible? These lead me to the second part. What psychological impact does this have on those who wish to receive private Catholic education but are unable to receive it do to the lack of provisions for those with special needs?

Secondary resources have been hard to come by. I plan to use information from the ADA to find out what the regulations are and how schools could implement this. I may go to catholic schools at different grade levels and interview administrators from these schools or find someone at the Archdiocese of Miami. I may also try and survey those with special needs and see if they would have liked to have attended a Catholic institution. I haven't finished developing the survey portion. The observation may simply be to see what provisions, if any, have been made for special needs students.

For the multi-genre writing I may create something along the lines of a diary or drama to show the effects this may have on a person.

I haven't fully developed my idea but I wrote what I had for now so I don't forget it. :-)

Jan 23, 2009 Research Progress

Zeroing in an exact issue is being problematic. I think it's time I take the book's advice and free write to see what I come up with.

I thought my legs were better now, but a sudden relapse on Christmas proved how wrong that thought was. It's caused me to re-evaluate my life and its focus.

Two years ago when I was disabled from the waist down I think I asked the question that almost anyone who has been disabled asks, "Why me...?" I began to struggle in a world that was completely new to me. The world of looking for everything that's labeled with the universal blue symbol showing what's handicap accessible and what isn't. i began to see the challenge that so many people face. The so called "handicap friendly" business is generally a joke. In high school my whole schedule and classes had to be moved because it wasn't accessible. Now at St. Thomas I see how inaccessible the place is. Build a brand-new building with doors that weigh a ton and not put in an automatic door opener? I suppose if I had spent my whole life like this I would have better techniques for getting around.

Anyways, this isn't supposed to be a rant. I've been reminded of something that disturbed me the most. I never thought this would happen to me. I never thought I wouldn't be able to walk around school again. I've seen both sides of the spectrum and I've seen all the issues that millions of people face everyday.

But how do people really understand? Why are negative attitudes sometimes presented by individuals who are not handicap? Is it a fear that creates this, or do we appear so different and outside of society's "normal" image that they can't figure out what's happened?

Its led me to wonder whether younger kids need some sort of "program" to learn how to socialize with people that are outside of "normal". Some people are extremely helpful, others just stare. Especially little kids. I can see the gears whirling in their heads as they did in mine. "How come that person can't walk and I can?"

When past research, although a majority of the little I have found is fairly outdated, shows how people do have negative attitudes towards individuals who are handicap I begin to wonder why. if I research something like this, and I going to have a biased agenda from the beginning?

Society's idea of "normalcy" is a load of BS. Normal to millions of people is spending everyday stuck in a chair. But why does society rarely show that? Why are so many things so difficult to access for someone who is stuck in a chair? Aren't they just as deserving as those so called "normal" people? Do all of these issues make it even harder for a handicap person to have self-approval?

There is more than the physical aspect to a disability. There is a mental part that plays a great deal. In a world created for those who can just get up and walk, for those who can't, it isn't easy. It leads me to wonder how the world can better integrate the handicap and non-handicap.

This is a very broad subject, but its a topic that not too many people appear to even think about. I know I didn't at one time.

Research Progress

I found an interesting study that was done on the attitude non-handicap people have of a disabled person. It was a fairly limited study. However, it raises interesting questions. How do people view each other? How does one disabled person view another? Is there differences in the attitudes and why does this happen?

Results from studies like this can help form intervention programs that help promote the well-being of any disabled person in society.

An abstract form the summary says this, "Many researchers wish for continued study on attitudes of individuals toward persons with handicaps so that doctors can develop intervention programs to change the negative attitudes, to improve training of personnel, and to remove any barriers to services that may exist (Sable, 1995). The purpose of this study was to determine if non-disabled persons have differing attitudes toward handicapped and non-handicapped individuals and if the cause of the disability (accident vs. disease) has an effect on these attitudes."
http://clearinghouse.missouriwestern.edu/manuscripts/110.asp

For completing interviews and surveys I wonder if I could work in conjunction with the psychology department to find those who would be willing to participate in research such as this.

Research progress

This weekend I sat down and thought long and hard and debated about subjects that are really important to me. I'm beginning to zero in on two broad subjects: the well-being of children and the life for those who are handicap.

With the well-being of children I debate how should the government be able to intervene in a family? It seems they should be able to in some cases, right? If a child is being abused, it seems there should be someone that has the power to remove that child. But when does the government step over that delicate boundary and impose on a parent's right to raise their children as they see fit? Should the government be able to step in and tell parents what they must do and not do, and how they must raise their child? How can they decide which to intervene in and which not? Criminals are able to hide behind laws and get away with hideous acts because someone cannot intervene because of some law. Then who does the law protect, the child or the criminal?

My biggest interest however, moves to the second subject; the people in the world who live with a handicap. I have seen what's its like to live on both sides of the spectrum. I grew up as a child who could run and jump, but ended my last several teen years mostly wheelchair bound. It left me unable to participate in a great deal of activities I was interested in. If I let myself, its easy to focus on the negative side of this. I'm handicap, what am I supposed to do? Accept sympathy from people who go about saying, "oh you poor thing." I don't think so. People can keep their sympathy and give it to someone else. It leads me to a question somewhere along these lines," Is a handicap really a disability in the negative sense people think of it? Rather, is it some special gift from nature that we may be unable to comprehend fully? Perhaps it can be a gift because I live a life that is outside of the normalcy that everyone else lives. I get to be different! When I see how "normal" people live, it doesn't always seem so bad to be a bit different from them. Perhaps my gift is to teach them some of the beautiful blessings they have but don't realize.

I think in the end however, I am going to somehow focus in on child abuse. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I will zero in on it somehow.

Research Progress

So far I am still coming up blank for an idea that I can practically research. My own personal enigma is distracting me too much...

Nelson Reaction

Often an instructor assigns a specific topic a student must research. The teacher believes a terrific paper will be submitted with a great amount of research done. Also, a great deal of time is given for the research to be done. However, in this amount of time students can lose in terest or become preoccupied with other classes. The expectations a instructor puts on a student quickly diminishes when students find research and quickly use the information they find. When old information is used, no new research is done. It becomes a rehash of old information that is once again regurgitated.

The expectations a instructor has quickly dies when a student links together quotes from some other sourse.

Research is such an important component. Research is the way many new discoveries have occured. This spewing of the same old information lends no help to the discovery of a new point of view. It only provides the same information people have already used. A higher importance level should be put on a research paper; but a real research project. A research paper should require a certain amount of new information to be found.