I watched the film by Christine Sun Kim. What an inspiration piece about the fluidity of learning and the power of bigger picture. Struggling with my own disability and my acceptance in the society has been a long and difficult road. Watching the film has made me flip it on its head and look at it from both, left and right brain prospective. I’ve been diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD at 46 years old. Being brought up in a communist country where everyone was supposed be the same, everyone is in a uniform and needs to fit in the “acceptable” box. I wasn’t acceptable. I didn’t stand a chance. I was an outsider, stranger, weirdo, stupid. Finally getting some answers and piece of paper telling me that I’m not a weirdo, stupid was nice, but only nice. The help I’ve got from student services was, dare I say it, a bit pointless. Slow, not personalised and plainly waste of time. There is so much information on the https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/disability-and-dyslexia, but nothing happens. We are so good at writing policies and making sure the processes are there, but the help is slow and if the disability student doesn’t chase it, nothing happens.
#disabilitytoowhite created by Vilissa Thompson is a great reminder how we have failed as a community and a society to be inclusive and accepting. What it means to be of colour and disabled. The first step in creating a better community is knowledge and awareness and then acceptance. The evidence is there, in my 20 years working in the industry, hardly seeing any recognition for disability, let alone the disability from non-white employees. The time is now to raise the awareness and what a better way to do it, then through social media. The reach is huge and the impact is even bigger.
Reading the article by Khairani Barokka, “Deaf Accessibility for Spoonies: Lessons from Touring Eve and Mary Are Having Coffee” I came across a term spoonie for the first time. When we talk and think about disability, we hardly ever talk about the tiredness. That invisible element of disability and how we should all be aware of it and accommodate for it. Spoons being a metaphor for energy, it is so appropriate you use it to define people you have limited number of spoons each day. A key lesson I learned from Barokka is the importance of clear understanding of your audience. One size doesn’t fit all and we need to adaptable and flexible.
I’m an adult that has dealt with my inability to properly read and write for over 4 decades, but the 18 year olds today stand no chance. Some students wait for 6 months to be assessed, when they are well into their 1st year of studying with many assessments deadlines come and gone. 4 months after being diagnosed, I’m still waiting for the Study Needs Assessment from SFE. What hope there is for young students, who are not members of staff and studying on PgCert course. I’m very hyper and sometimes appear manic. I have spoken to my manager what things I need to be able to function in the working environment. This has been dealt with due to my own accord and confidence. When it comes to me being a student, nothing has been done apart from getting an ISA. Most of us don’t need more time, we are all individuals and need personal assessments. I’m still waiting for mine. I’ll probably finish my PgCert before I get one.
Reading the Journal from Shades of Noir (SoN) around Disability, the Academic Truth by Anonymous her/she struck me. The vulnerability the disability creates. More then anything this passage rung the truth and made me weep with sadness. Mine and everyone else who is in the same position. But what does it mean when my peers build walls and masks that means often we can’t rach each other with the one thing we are all supposed to have in common…. humanity? (considering) human being collectively (benevolence) (SoN, p.90)
Going back to the film. What a beautiful way to look at disability. If only we could use all the senses. To hear, see, smell. The bigger picture.
Bibliography
Selby, the (2011). Christine Sun Kim – 10min. Vimeo. Available at: https://vimeo.com/31083172
UAL (2020). Disability and dyslexia [online] UAL. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/disability-and-dyslexia [accessed 20 May 2023]
Shades on Noir, available at: https://issuu.com/shadesofnoir/docs/disabled_people [accessed 20 May 2023]
Vilissa Thompson (2017), #DisabilityTooWhite available at: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/confronting-the-whitewash_b_10574994?guccounter=1 [accessed 20 may 2023]
Khairani Barokka, ‘Deaf Accessibility for Spoonies: Lessons from Touring Eve and Mary Are HavingCoffee’ [accessed 20 may 2023]
A strong and emotional reflection on the power of Kim’s video and how it has changed our perspectives on our disabilities, I feel the same about the information and the backup of policies building that is more theories than evidence of physicality of helping this new generation through their education.
I have very ‘focused manic’ episodes that have caused me some outcasting with other staff members because I get extremely obsessed over processes and technical teachings that can come across as very different to the way my passion shows! It’s great to see that we are not alone in this struggle and that the university has a lot of work to do for the future cohorts!
I finally took a dyslexia screening test three weeks ago, so I really understand your condition. It’s quite a long way to go to complete the process. I also understand the learning support service.
Last week, after the screening, I was advised by the dyslexia department staff that I could have an English service and a tutorial. Then, on the tutorial, the tutor said how this tutorial is tailored for the student assessment, so originally student can bring the writing for their submission. So, my case is unique condition that staff took a tutorial. However, I told him about my situation and the need to improve my language skills in speaking and writing. Then he tried to contact his senior staff to arrange more English tutorial sessions (originally we can take 4 sessions per term). And yesterday, I had a message that I can have extra session if the slot is available. And I’m planning to ask for a review of my assessment in this unit. So you could also try to access your specific department more to improve the service.