Diversability Day: Gaining Insight into New CWU Accessibility Studies Program

Sarah Bair is like most Central Washington University alum. She graduated in 2016 with a degree in early childhood education and works as a paraeducator for the Ellensburg School District. One of her distinguishing features is that Bair was born with a visual impairment and uses a service dog in her everyday life.

But she is not her disability.

Bair says it best when describing herself: “I am not just my visual impairment; I am a paraeducator, I am independent, I’m an adult, and I’m successful.”

Bair was a speaker at CWU’s Diversability Day, this past Monday, May 15. The event served both as a kickoff for the CWU Accessibility Studies program, as well as a celebration of those with differing abilities.

At the event, CWU Provost Katherine Frank explained that the day brought together people from across campus who share the commitment to increasing participation of people with all ability levels.

The event, held in Dean Hall's Museum of Culture and Environment, exemplified the importance of having a program aimed towards understanding and being able to accommodate to a range of abilities.

Attendees were encouraged to engage with assistive technology such as Smart Pens - valuable tools for students who may have a more difficult time taking notes than others, due to their recording capabilities.

Fidget toys and tactile graphics were available for people to engage with, and understand how helpful these can be for those with differences in ability in a social or academic setting. Other activities included a station on service and comfort animals and an American Sign Language demonstration.

CWU Accessibility Studies program is the first in the country, and place Central in a pioneer position. It is the only program dedicated to increasing accessibility by applying universal design principles to all fields of study and careers.

The Accessibility Studies minor and certificate intend to encourage people to look at how to work proactively to provide everyone with equal capability “to do”. Removing barriers to those with disabilities is the ultimate goal of educating people in accessibility studies--and it’s a program that is accessible to all.

The course of study can be completed within a year, or the certificate can be completed in 10 weeks entirely online during the summer.

“This is the practical application for every single career out there - because we want all careers to be accessible careers,” Accessibility Studies program lead Naomi Petersen said. “This applies to social services, but also health sciences, computer sciences, communication, English, business, construction, health and safety, even the arts.”

While Central's Disability Services are an important resource, having members of the CWU community who step up to the plate and make efforts to increase access to education and inclusion exemplifies Diversability Day’s purpose.

“There’s a lot of professors at Central who have gone above and beyond what the ADA requires them to do, and it’s really amazing,” Bair said. “I hope they (attendees) get to see and understand about people and their differences. We have our disability, but it doesn’t define us.”

For more information about the Accessibility Studies program, or to register for courses, visit the Accessibility Studies website or contact Naomi Petersen at Naomi.Petersen@cwu.edu, 509-963-1481.

For a video on Diversability Day, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN0RQrFXhXo.

Media contact: Hannah Cottle, public affairs intern, 509-963-1484.