Learning the unexpected about disabilities

In June, Rosemary Saur and Susan Donovan presented papers at the Conference on Improving University Teaching in Vaxjo, Sweden, then stayed a few additional weeks for personal travel. They learned a lot, but not necessarily about what they expected.

In our work and in our families, we frequently interact with people with disabilities and considered ourselves fairly knowledgeable about disability accommodations. After all, Susan oversees the Disability Services Office, and Rosemary has worked with deaf students for 23 years.

Rosemary Saur and Susan Donovan

But on our trip to Sweden and Norway, we unexpectedly had to deal with disabilities first hand. Three weeks of problem-solving our way through an environment that was not prepared for us gave us an insider’s view of attitudes toward disabilities and a deeper understanding of what makes for truly effective accommodations.

Our experiences with mobility challenges began with a severe flare-up of Rosemary’s fibromyalgia and were complicated during our last week by a fall that broke her hip. Operating as a team, we tackled the obstacles of a foreign health care system, public transportation and heavy luggage.

We encountered a general spirit of good will from helpful strangers, but we also discerned three levels of awareness and sensitivity toward disabilities. With tongue in cheek, we call these the Clueless, the Reactors and the Scouts.

The Clueless had never given much thought to disabilities or planned for anyone who could not walk far or handle stairs. Our hotel had no interior ramp or elevator to the dining room—10 stairs up from the lobby. Our conference was at the university two miles away with no pre-arranged transportation. When we asked for a wheelchair, neither the hotel nor the university could find one right away. None of these actions were malicious—our able-bodied friends were genuinely surprised that we were simply not able to do the things they could.

The Reactors—the “coping with a crisis” people—stepped forward to respond to an evident need. Whenever we struggled to hoist our suitcases onto trains, willing hands reached out to pull them onboard. When the conference planners realized our transportation dilemma, they offered rides in taxis and cars. The desk clerk at our hotel volunteered to mail our postcards on her way home to save us a trip to the post office and located a wheelchair in a remote corner of the hotel basement.

The Scouts showed the highest level of sensitivity and awareness. And, in the true tradition of scouting, their motto could have been “Be Prepared.” They were always ready to act before being asked, proactively anticipating needs before they arose.

When Rosemary was admitted to the hospital, her Stockholm cousins checked her out of her hotel and housed us until we could travel home. The Copenhagen airport’s handicapped bathroom was actually large enough for a wheelchair and an escort and had facilities at the right height with sturdy safety bars in all the necessary places.

We have been forever changed by our journey into the world of disabilities. We know now about the vulnerability of being at the mercy of a situation beyond our control. We know about the power of a positive attitude to tackle a challenge and we’ve learned the importance of asking for help when it’s needed.

We also have a renewed respect for our RIT world, where disability awareness is part of our culture and where summer renovations have included the thoughtful addition of well-placed ramps. We hope we can play a part in RIT’s reach for the highest levels of sensitivity. Physical accommodations only go so far in easing access for the disabled. The real accommodations must occur in our hearts and minds in increased awareness and understanding.

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