Enforcing Accessibility
Ages: 9+ adaptable to various ages.
Time: 1 class period
Learning Objectives:
Students will think critically about society, the law, and what efforts should be made to make society more inclusive.
Curricular Connections:
Geography, Citizenship, History
Materials:
None. Discussion-based activity.
STEPS:
Activate: Ask students to discuss in pairs any of the following questions:
What happens if you aren’t allowed to try out for a team you want to be on?
What if a book you need for school isn’t available in a way that you are able to read?
What if you couldn’t hear the movie at the theater because it wasn’t loud enough?
What if you couldn’t use public transportation because you couldn’t manage to get up/down the stairs?
Share: Ask students to share. For younger students, focus on what they would feel. Older kids, focus on steps they might take when faced with the situation.
[Critical Thinking: The cases used in this activity are all real and involve a variety of disabilities]
What is the disabled person being stopped from doing or having?
Do you think the complaint of discrimination is justified? Why?
What do you think the solution should be? Do you agree with how it was worked out?
Scenario 1: A deaf person says that the department which is responsible for providing emergency services did not respond to calls made with a TTY (a telecommunication device for the deaf). Also, the department did not respond the right way to “silent/no voice contact” calls, which is when the call is answered but there is no one speaking on the line.
RESOLUTION:: The department took steps to ensure that the rules for responding to emergency calls were followed correctly.
(TapSOS is a messaging portal that people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can use to contact 999.)
Scenario 2: A patient who uses a service animal (guide dog) said that a doctor’s office wouldn’t let her service animal go into the examination room with her.
RESOLUTION: The doctor adopted a written policy welcoming people with disabilities who have service animals. He made sure that his staff followed the rules of this policy and placed a sticker on his office door welcoming service animals.
In the UK, registered service animals have their own rights under the Equality Act of 2010. People with registered service animals must be permitted to use the same facilities and services as anyone else.
Currently, emotional support animals do not have the same rights in the UK. This is not the case in countries like the United States. Do you think they should have the same rights as service animals such as guide dogs used by people who are bkind or visually impaired?
Scenario 3: An inmate who uses a wheelchair complained that people with mobility disabilities could not get into the shower stalls at a jail.
RESOLUTION:: The jail rebuilt five showers to make them accessible for prisoners in wheelchairs.
Scenario 4: A woman with Asperger’s Syndrome (a disorder related to autism) said that a symphony orchestra wouldn’t let her join because of her disability. Although she had already won her audition and earned a spot in the orchestra, her membership was revoked after they learned about her disability.
RESOLUTION:: The orchestra adopted a policy against disability discrimination and made modifications in their policies, practices, and procedures so that individuals with disabilities can participate. The orchestra also agreed to participate in a benefit concert and to pay a fine of $2,000.
Scenario 5: A person who is deaf complained that a doctor’s office did not provide a sign language interpreter for an appointment, making it difficult for the patient to communicate with the doctor and the office staff.
RESOLUTION:: The office agreed to provide qualified interpreters upon request, posted a sign in the office about the availability of interpreters, and trained all staff in complying with the Equality Act of 2010.
Scenario 6: A man with a wheelchair said that an accessible hotel guest room, which he had reserved in advance, was not given to him. Instead, the hotel put him in a standard room which meant he had to use the portable toilet in his van since he couldn’t get into the hotel room’s bathroom.
RESOLUTION:: The hotel installed two fully-accessible guest rooms, including one with a roll-in shower. The hotel also developed a reservation system to ensure that reservations for accessible rooms are held, and they trained their staff to make sure that guests’ accessibility requests are met. The owner of the hotel also apologized and refunded the night’s stay
Scenario 7: A blind woman reported that a taxi driver refused to allow her and her guide dog into a cab. The driver told her the car was not equipped for transporting animals.
RESOLUTION:: The cab company promised not to deny rides to customers with disabilities and their service animals. The company developed a Service Animal Policy and made sure everyone who worked for the company followed the rules. The cab company also paid the women a large fine and posted signs stating: “Persons with disabilities accompanied by service animals are welcome.”
Extension: Students can research the Equality Act of 2010 here, and discuss what changes have been made and what changes should still be made.