University recognizes disability awareness
Dylan Schnake
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: News
Western Illinois University held its annual Disability Awareness Week begining with a reception at 11:30 a.m. in the University Union Capital Room on Tuesday, March 31. Events will conclude Saturday, April 4.
Ron Williams, assistant vice president to the provost gave the opening statements. During the kick-off reception audience members had the opportunity to ask questions about disabilities or submit topics for the panel to discuss.
On Wednesday, April 1, several activities were held in the Donald S. Spencer Recreation Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Many students, faculty members and community residents attended the event.
Rachel Smith, a Western Illinois alumnus and an instructor in the recreation, park, and tourism administration department, led her students in making displays for Disability Awareness Day.
"We split up into 12 groups and they picked their own topics and found the information for their topic," Smith said about her students.
The displays featured a variety of topics, all based upon Disability Awareness. Some told the history of sports for those with disabilities, along with the opportunity for those attending to try the sports. Other displays gave information such as advancements in technology that provide assistance to the disabled, or proper etiquette when speaking to those with disabilities. The university and other vendors also had displays at the event.
Kathy Morse, a Western Illinois University graduate student, presented a display with the McDonough County Special Recreation Association and the Macomb Park District.
"People are people. Everybody has their own uniqueness," Morse said.
Disability Awareness Day ended with an accessible climbing wall demonstration at 3:30 p.m. at Horn Field Campus. The Student Therapeutic Recreation Society demonstrated techniques to remove the barriers of disability and discussed adaptive equipment and safety.
On Thursday at 4:30 p.m., Ato Quayson, director of the Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies at University of Toronto, Canada presented, "The Autistic Dynamic in Samuel Buckett and J.M. Coetzee," about autism and its representation in the media.
Ron Williams, assistant vice president to the provost gave the opening statements. During the kick-off reception audience members had the opportunity to ask questions about disabilities or submit topics for the panel to discuss.
On Wednesday, April 1, several activities were held in the Donald S. Spencer Recreation Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Many students, faculty members and community residents attended the event.
Rachel Smith, a Western Illinois alumnus and an instructor in the recreation, park, and tourism administration department, led her students in making displays for Disability Awareness Day.
"We split up into 12 groups and they picked their own topics and found the information for their topic," Smith said about her students.
The displays featured a variety of topics, all based upon Disability Awareness. Some told the history of sports for those with disabilities, along with the opportunity for those attending to try the sports. Other displays gave information such as advancements in technology that provide assistance to the disabled, or proper etiquette when speaking to those with disabilities. The university and other vendors also had displays at the event.
Kathy Morse, a Western Illinois University graduate student, presented a display with the McDonough County Special Recreation Association and the Macomb Park District.
"People are people. Everybody has their own uniqueness," Morse said.
Disability Awareness Day ended with an accessible climbing wall demonstration at 3:30 p.m. at Horn Field Campus. The Student Therapeutic Recreation Society demonstrated techniques to remove the barriers of disability and discussed adaptive equipment and safety.
On Thursday at 4:30 p.m., Ato Quayson, director of the Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies at University of Toronto, Canada presented, "The Autistic Dynamic in Samuel Buckett and J.M. Coetzee," about autism and its representation in the media.
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