More people than you might think live with a disability. According to Statistics Canada, 22% of the Canadian population has a disability.
On November 7-11, Booth UC hosted its second annual Disability Dialogue Week. The theme this year was “Flip the Script” as we sought to explore different ways people with disabilities perceive communication in their daily lives.
We posed the question: Have you ever wondered how people with disabilities experience communication in different ways?
- What does a person who uses a wheelchair think about posters that are pinned at “eye level”?
- How does a person who is deaf or hearing impaired appreciate a music concert?
- What does a person with dyslexia see when given a lengthy narrative to read?
- How does a person with colour blindness sort through a group of colour coded artifacts?
During the week, different perspectives concerning communication were shared through games, contests, news articles, and other resources. One such resource was a CBC interview with Booth UC student Jenna-Lee Irwin. Jenna-Lee talks about the unique nuances Deaf concertgoers experience when they attend concerts, particularly when there are ASL interpreters present,
“Having interpreters at concerts is amazing. I can see and feel the vibe of the music and the tone of what’s being presented, the emotion of it. It provides a parallel experience and is a fantastic benefit. I love music and look forward to more concerts having interpreters!”
Thank you to everyone who participated in Disability Dialogue Week and we look forward to next year’s events.
