Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Now that the session is coming to an end, I must say, I am very fortunate to have had the
chance to take this diversity class. It has helped shed light on many important topics I never
really thought about before. One particular topic we talked about was privilege. This topic was
one that was very complex to understand. Especially since privilege can be defined in more ways
than one. One particular topic we slightly touched upon in regards to privilege was students with
disabilities. That is why I have decided to become more familiar with the hardships disabled
students go through. I would specifically like to learn what it is like to be a disabled student who
Ive been working at Animal Behavior College for about three years now. Our student
population on campus has always been very diverse. I work with veterans, military spouses, and
many first generation students. The one population that seems to be growing though, are students
with disabilities. This is a population I am not too familiar with. Unfortunately, the college that I
work for does not have a center for students with disabilities. So, whenever I have a student with
a learning disability open up to me about an issue or difficulty they are having, I really do not
know how to help them out. I also dont have anyone knowledgeable in this areas to fall back to
for questions. Let alone, anywhere to send them to. The best thing I could do is speak from my
own personal experience, which isnt much to begin with. As a future Student Affairs
professional, I know this is something I have to change. That is why I knew that the first step was
to educate myself. That is why I have decided to do my action plan on this particular population.
After working on my action plan, I have brought more awareness to my campus. Since
my campus is considered a private vocational college, we are not required to have a disability
center. Which at first I did not see as a problem. However, now that our population is growing, I
feel things need to be changed. After bringing this topic up at one of our meetings, our president
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has really taken into consideration creating a new department for our growing population.
Although, I know this will take some time, I am glad things are going to change soon. The other
change the president has suggested is creating new workshops for our staff. One of the
workshops will focus on students with disabilities. These workshops will focus on different
populations on campus. We are scheduled to start these workshops in the summer. I am really
The first objective to my action plan was to develop an awareness of the hardships
students with disabilities go through. I knew with this objective the first thing I needed to do was
define what disability meant. Regardless of which perspectives one takes, the definition and
meaning of disability is wide and varied, and is best defined by and with people with disabilities.
As the text Readings for Diversity and Social Justice noted Disability is generally divided in the
following manner a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the
major life activities of such individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as
having such impairment. ( p. 320-331). Now that I have a better understanding of what
by the author Brown It involves the presence of negative attitudes, limited physical access,
limited access to communication and/or resources, and barriers to rights as individuals are some
examples of obstacles faced by people with disabilities obstructing fulfillment of their desired
roles in society (p.207-218) The disability oppression theory model seeks to combat the
stereotypes, misconceptions, and restrictive attitudes that are often internalized by individuals
with disabilities. These misconceptions can sometimes affect those with disabilities by inhibiting
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their access to and power within in structures that fulfill basic needs, like health care, housing,
Not only did I want to gain knowledge with this population, but I also wanted to get a
better understanding of them. I know that in order to become an ally for this population it will
take different steps. Ive learned that my priority should be to help my student succeed. Success
for these students requires a focus on individual achievement, individual progress, and individual
learning.
The two activities that I have decided to do are self-reflect and attend a Students with
Disabilities Center on a college campus. First and foremost, I decided to write down on my
journal my own biases and assumptions as they relate to disabled students. Here, I was able to
reflect on all of my thoughts and feelings. For example, when I think about students with
disabilities the first thing I think about is physical disability. Im sure a lot of people just focus on
this kind of disability as well. We become so in tone with the term physical disability that we
completely disregard mental disabilities. Yes, they both have a different meaning. However, they
both students will deal with oppression. I thought about all of the hardships they must encounter
in order to live a normal life. Which later brought me to focus on how I take many things for
granted, like walking, driving, and attending college. I talked a bit about my own privileges and
I also had a chance to visit the Disability Resource Center at Cal Poly Pomona. There
center caters to students with physical and mental disabilities. They offer counseling, mentors,
clubs, and study sessions. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) supports this commitment by
providing services and accommodations intended to facilitate equal access for students
disabilities. They even offer students Ability Allies. Ability Allies are a network of faculty, staff
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and students who take a visible role in promoting disability awareness, supporting persons with
disabilities, and maintaining resources for working and interacting with people with disabilities.
This activity did make me feel good about all of the resources this department offered at
Cal Poly Pomona. But it did make me question if all the other campuses offer the same
resources. Most public campuses offer a phenomenal resource center for students. Its the small
private colleges that tend to be more limited in staff and resources. For example, Woodbury
University in Burbank, CA only has one person on staff to deal with 200 students with
disabilities. I spoke to him via email in regards to his center. He told me due to budget they
cannot hire more staff. He said what is even tough is that he cant help all of his students like he
would like because he does not have the time. Again, things like this really frustrate me. It proves
to me that we still have a lot of changes to make in higher education. More people need to be
My second objective was to gain increased knowledge of the hardships disabled students
go through. There is so much I need to learn in order to better help out this population at work. I
need to learn everything from challenges and misconceptions. In my research I found out that
outcomes of students with disabilities are less positive when compared with students without
disabilities. As the author Horn and Berktold noted Students with disabilities are more likely to
be enrolled in 2-year institutions, less likely to transition successfully to 4-year institutions, and
less likely to earn a postsecondary degree or credential than their non-disabled peers (p.3-8).
In order for students with disabilities to succeed in postsecondary education they must
have equal access to course content and activities. Such access is mandated by federal legislation
at public institutions. The author Moore and Newlan stated Positive attitudes of instructors and
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their willingness and ability to provide accommodations have also been positively correlated
However, many faculty members, administrators have limited knowledge and training in
disability-related laws and accommodations for students with disabilities. The need for transition
services for students with exceptionalities is critical for their success after high school. It is
essential for school professionals, parents, and students to work collaboratively and consultively
to determine each student's future goals and develop an effective plan to meet those goals
successively. This is something I knew I could definitely relate to right now. That is why I felt it
was necessary to pick two activities that provided me with an insiders perspective and quality
knowledge.
The two activities I have decided to do consisted of reading the book Transition Planning
for Students with Disabilities and interviewing three college students with disabilities. Before
interviewing the three students, I decided to read the book first. That way, I could get a better
understanding of each student. The authors were very insightful in the way it focuses on all
aspects of that transition planning from school to post-school levels. It provided me with a
foundation of transition services and a historical overview of models and practices. It also
offered a critical look at transition with students from culturally and ethnically diverse
backgrounds.
In addition, the book presents an in-depth look at assistive technology to assist students in
fully participating in the planning for their future, it describes the process for planning and the
importance of family collaboration. This book really answered many questions I his book
focuses on all aspects of that transition planning from school to post-school levels. The book
provided me with a foundation of transition services and a historical overview of models and
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practices and offers a critical look at transition with students from culturally and ethnically
students in fully participating in the planning for their future and also describes the process for
planning and the importance of family collaboration had. It also prepared me for my interviews.
I interviewed three students for this activity. Two of the students were 2nd year students at
Long Beach Community College and one was a senior at Cal Poly Pomona. I asked each student
the same questions. The only thing that was different was there age and race. So, I thought that
maybe each would have a different experience. The first question I asked was: What are some
challenges you have in college? My first student went to a private high school. He struggled all
through high school. He was constantly being put on probation for his grades. He knew it wasnt
because he wasnt smart; he just couldnt manage to focus. No one ever brought the idea of a
learning disability to his attention. So, he didnt think much of it. Once he started college, he
noticed he was dealing with the same issues. Thats when he started to doubt himself.
He would talk to some of his professors and most of them acted like that was his own
personal problem. None of them offered a helping hand. That is when he felt hopeless and alone.
He thought no one was trying to understand his concerns. He opened up to his buddy about his
issue. That is when buddy told him that he should get tested for ADD on campus. At first he
didnt think he had an issue. The thought of having a learning disability made him feel ashamed
and embarrassed. However, he was not ready to give up just yet. Thats when he decided to go to
the Disability Center. There they had him meet with a counselor. Right away, he felt that was
safe non-judgmental zone. He felt as though he was not alone. The counselor helped him come
up with strategies to help him study. He really took advantage of all the suggestions he was given
The second student I interviewed was born with leg paralysis. Ever since elementary
school she would see a counselor. Her counselor helped her with ways to dealing with her
disability. So, since she was young she has learned to be accepting of her disability. When she
attended high school she was put in a special class. There she was surrounded with lots of
support and students who shared a similar struggle. She considered her high school her safe
zone. So, its safe to say she was scared to start college. She knew she would not have the same
support as she did in high school. The thought of no having the same support scared her. It even
made her think twice about going to college. She knew she could not let her fear take the best of
her. Her high school counselor encouraged her to reach out to the Disability Center on camps
Her campus, for the most part is handicap accessible. However, a larger campus meant it
was going to be hard to get around. All of her classes were spread out. Another thing she noticed
is that she stood out in all her classes. That made her feel very uncomfortable. For some reason
she thought everyone was staring at her. That might have not been the case, but she couldnt help
to feel that way. This was definitely something she was not use to in high school. This is
something she has yet to get past. Meeting with her counselor on campus definitely helps out.
She hopes to gain that same courage and acceptance she once had.
The third student I interviewed attends Cal Poly Pomona. She is a first generation college
students from a Mexican background. At a young age she has been dealing with depression and
ADD. Her parents have always had a hard time understanding her situation. So, when she was
struggling in college with her grades. Her parents were not understanding. They thought that by
now they would get over her condition. She definitely reached out to her counselor for help.
However, her challenge was that she did not have the support of her family. She said they have
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always been in denial and that it was not an excuse for her to do bad in school. Although, she had
the support on campus, she lacked support at home. This made it hard for her to transition from
high school to college. She really was not experiencing the college life she expected. She
definitely has her ups and down. She is confident though that she will graduate. Her motivation
right now is herself. She wants to prove to herself that she can overcome all her doubts.
Interviewing these students really helped me get a better understanding of all the
challenges our students are going through. Most importantly, I now know that only because a
student does not look physically disabled, it does not mean they are not dealing with a mental
disability. What I learned is that a mental disability is just as tough to deal with as physical
disability. Therefore, educators should be sympathetic to both. Like the author in Readings for
Diversity and Social Justice stated Different conditions cause different types of functional
impairment. Deafness, mental retardation, paralysis, blindness, congenital limb deficiencies, and
epilepsy may pose common social problems of stigma, marginality, and discrimination, but they
also produce quit different functional difficulties. (p. 320-331). After hearing each one of my
students share their challenges, I stopped and questioned to see how I would deal with them.
Honestly, the thought of feeling unrepresented, alone, and misunderstood frustrated me. This
frustration has definitely encouraged me to do more for my students. The last thing I want is for
My third objective was to develop multicultural skills to work more effectively with
disabled students. I knew this was a vital part of my action plan because it would help test my
progress and understanding of students with disabilities. My first activity was to talk to the
director of the Student Disability Center who will help evaluate my skill level and development
in working with disabled students. For this activity I spoke to Dr.Borin, the Director of Students
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with Disabilities at Long Beach City College. I was able to meet him at the Student Affairs
Conference at UCLA. Luckily, I was able to connect with him after the conference via email. He
was very generous enough to help gather some students for me for the interview as well as
allowing me to participate in a focus group. I am very thankful to have been able to work with
him. Not only was I asking him some tough questions about his role but he also challenged me
back with some questions of my own. I was very confident in answering his questions. Thats
how I knew that I did a thorough job at understanding this particular population.
For my second activity I was able to attend the workshop that was being held on campus.
The workshop was titled Disability: A different Paradigm. The workshop was held by the
Rosalba Rios, the Director of Disability Services at Whittier College. Only four students attended
this workshop. So, we were able to have deep intimate conversations with Rosabla. Talking
about students with disabilities can sometimes be an uncomfortable topic. However, she made it
very comfortable for us to ask questions. She talked about a lot the challenges she deals with on
a daily with students. She even gave us tips on how to handle situations we would encounter in
Since this workshop felt so intimate I was able to ask a lot of questions. A lot of the
questions I asked were in regards to the issues I am dealing with on my campus. One struggle I
deal with is how to open up to this population without feeling like I will offend them. A great
suggestion she had was to see where they stand with as far as their identity goes. She said this
would help in regards to how deep I can get in a conversation. This is something I never thought
about before but made a lot of the sense. The more conformable a student is with their identity,
the easier it will be to talk to them about issues and concerns they are having. Another question I
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asked her was how I could become a better ally for this population. She suggested that by simply
listening to them and understanding them, I could make them feel comfortable opening up to me.
Listening to the smallest details can make a difference in helping them feel included and
understood.
My last activity consisted of putting together a focus group at Long Beach City College. I
had four students attend this focus group. Two of them were the students that I previously
interviewed. Our focus group was very intimate that everyone spoke about the issues they deal
with on a daily basis. I really enjoyed that everyone was comfortable enough to share some
personal issues they have encountered. Many of them shared things they hadnt shared with
anyone before. Main reason for that is that they never thought anyone would understand them. I
asked them how their college experience has affected them because of their disability. What I
learned is that although they each share a different disability, they each experienced similar
challenges. The one issue that was very popular amongst the group was not being understood by
I definitely learned that it is not okay to have improperly trained staff members deal with
diverse students. I strongly feel that faculty should also participate in these multicultural classes
and workshops. College campuses are becoming more and more diverse. There is no excuse for a
student to feel misunderstood and unwanted just because they are a little different to their peers.
As educators we have the obligation to make each student feel like they belong there.
The most valuable thing I learned after putting together this action plan is that one should
be familiar with all the different student populations. I know that sounds hard and very complex,
but it shouldnt be. I know that I am in graduate school to better prepare myself for my career.
However, research papers and presentations are not enough. It is very important that I expose
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myself to different student populations. That is why I plan to attend more workshops on campus
and off campus this year. Last year I can honestly say I did not make an effort to attend many of
the ones they offered. Mainly because I did not think they would really benefit me. After
attending two workshops this year, I can say otherwise. I think a well-rounded Student Affairs
professional is more valuable than one that just focuses on one particular thing. As generations
change, so do students. Student Affair professionals should be able to keep up with all the
changes. Attending workshops, conferences, and events will definitely help with the growth that
As I mentioned in the beginning of this paper. I do plan on helping my campus with the
development of Students with Disabilities Center. I know that as of right now only an idea has
been presented. However, I plan on moving this forward with the help of my team. I feel that it is
more than necessary to have a department on campus. This population is only growing, which
means the demand will too. Not having a center on campus will make these students feel
unrepresented and unwanted. That is something I would never want a student to feel. I also plan
to assist my supervisor with our monthly workshops. I know that if Im feeling like I cant
support my students with disabilities, I am sure my fellow coworkers are feeling the same way.
The beauty about life is that all humans were created different. Therefore, we all have
different needs and wants. That is why every student should be seen in a holistic manner. I know
that sometimes that can be rather difficult for an educator to do, however, that is the only way
one can help the student out. I believe that one of the enduring challenges in higher education is
learning how to accommodate the increasing demand for education from populations that have
been excluded from pursuing a college degree in the past. I know that it is 2016 and one would
think that such problems no longer exist. However, this is something I am experiencing first hand
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on my campus. It amazes me that they are now just considering creating a department for
students with disabilities. What amazes me more is that I just started to see this as a problem as
well. If it wasnt for this program, I am pretty sure I would still be naive about the problem.
I think a good solution for this problem is requiring that every college student take a
multicultural class. As educators we can no longer be content with hoping that our students hear
guest speakers and attend multicultural events and somehow become culturally competent
citizens. If we want students to build tolerance, acceptance and respect we must be able to teach
them no only the positive attributes but also presenting students with all the human flaws and
group conflicts. I think this will help students see the achievements diverse groups.
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Resources
Berktold, Jennifer, Horn, Laura. (1999, June). Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary
Education: A Profile of Preparation, Participation, and outcomes, 3-8.
Brown, S. E. (1995). Disability culture/rights/pride paradigm. Las Cruces, NM: Institute on
Disability Culture.
Gilson, S. F., & Depoy, E. (2000). Multiculturalism and disability: A critical perspective.
Disability & Society, 15(2), 207-218.
Moore, C.J., Newlon, B.J., & Nye, N. (1986). Faculty awareness of the needs of physically
disabled students in the college classroom. AHSSPPE, 4, 137-145.
M, Adams. (2000). Readings for diversity and social justice. New York:Rotledge, 320-331.