1. Empowering Yourself To Empower Your Students
Lance Alexis, Ed.D. Middle Tennessee State University
Ann Knettler-Smith, M.A. Drexel University

2. Overview Part I Part II Defining Success The Social Justice Movement
Our job as DS Professionals
Part II
The Power of Assumptions
Managing Expectations
Fostering an Environment for Empowerment

3. Learning Outcomes
Understand empowerment and success within our profession
Gain a multi layered view of what a dedication to access means
Strategies to create an environment for empowerment for our students

4. Part I

5. The Definitions of Empowerment and Success

6. Empowerment is a choice
We can disempower a person but we can only create an environment for empowerment.
Likelihood of empowerment depends on the environment a person is in
As DS professionals we can help create and control environment

7. Success For your students? For you professionally?
For your institution?
How Is Your Campus Currently Defining Success?
How Do Social and Access Models Fit Into that Definition?
Community
Social model
Independent Living Theory
Character building
Career success
Confidence
Environment for empowerment

8. Social Justice Movement

9. Social Justice Who believes in the Social Justice Movement?
How do you currently apply this to your work?
How do you see this (or not see this) lived out on your campus?

10. Looking Inward
Approaches to Meeting the Need
Personal
Professional

11. Important Roles Educators Not Accommodators
Important Players in the Disability Rights Movement

12. Simply Put

13. Our Job as DS Professionals

14. Our Job as DS Professionals
Know your environment
Know available resources, for all students, and make them available
Remove barriers for equal access
Create space for the student to engage and self-advocate
Student Feedback
Also focus on what out jobs are NOT

16. Olmstead v. L.C.
U.S. Supreme Court: “Integration Mandate” "A public entity shall administer services, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities." 28 CFR § (d) (1998). (emphasis added)
"a setting that enables individuals with disabilities to interact with non-disabled persons to the fullest extent possible." 28 CFR pt. 35, App. A, p. 450 (1998). Another regulation requires public entities to "make reasonable modifications" to avoid "discrimination on the basis of disability," unless those modifications would entail a "fundamenta[l] alter[ation]"; called here the "reasonable-modifications regulation,

17. Benefits Clearly defines the role of DS on campus
Encourages students to take an active role in their education and development
Embodies the Social Justice Movement
Empowers YOU to:
Set an example for your students and community
Spend time on professional and community development

18. Please take 5 minutes to refresh and recharge
**Short Break**
Please take 5 minutes to refresh and recharge

19. Part II

20. The Power of Assumptions

21. Reactive vs. Prescriptive
The power of the assumption
When working with students
When working with administrators
Medical vs. Social

22. Choi v. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, et
Choi v. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, et. al
Important to distinguish between knowing about a person’s disability and knowing about limitations experienced as a result of that disability.
Court explained the ADA required reasonable accommodation of limitations instead of disabilities.
(U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit. No /11/15)
The student must share THEIR experienced limitations and barriers. We then react to those limitations – not to any specific diagnosis.

23. Managing Expectations

24. Managing Expectations
What we do/don’t do – and why
504 and ADA define disability
We are Disability Services (DS) professionals
How can this approach be applied or enhanced at your institution?
Managing expectations of:
Your students
Your Administrators
Yourself

25. Environment for Empowerment

26. How to Guide our Institutions
Defining what the role of DS is and what it is not
What if we are expected to provide more than equal access?
Specialized Programs vs. Universal Design
How do we have these conversations?
You are the DS expert, they are not
Connecting with your students in a reasonable way
What is reasonable?
Don’t set an unreasonable precedent

27. The Framework for Student Empowerment
Reasonable Access
Freedom to make decisions
Responsibility and Accountability
Social Model themed environment
We can disempower a person but we can only create an environment for empowerment.

28. Overview of Learning Outcomes
Understand empowerment and success within our profession
Gain a multi layered view of what a dedication to access means
Strategies to create an environment for empowerment for our students

29. Questions?

30. Thank you so much!