I certify that this assignment is my own work.

I have not plagiarized any of its contents, nor have

I collaborated with other students in writing this paper. [Elizabeth Pringle

Social Context

Transporting Outside

Wheelchair Simulation Paper

RPTM 277
October 11, 2016
Elizabeth Pringle

Recreation Activity
Transporting Inside

Introduction
Simulations play an integral role when learning about a topic as it helps a person to develop
personal awareness and sensitivity towards people they encounter who might be different from
them (Dattilo, 2012). I completed the wheelchair simulation on Thursday September 29 in the
afternoon after my classes. I picked up my wheelchair in Ford went to the Intramural Building
along Curtin Road where I participated in a recreation activity. It took about twenty-five minutes
to get from the Ford building to the IM building. My friend and I played basketball for about an
hour. Afterwards, it took about twenty minutes to get from the IM building to the Hub. Once
there I studied in a social setting for about forty minutes before heading back to my apartment to
make dinner.

Environmental Barriers
After completing this simulation, I realized how many barriers exist for people using wheelchairs
including both architectural and environmental barriers. Throughout campus, there are many
small hills from the landscape that go unnoticed when walking. Pushing the wheelchair over
these inclines made it harder to get from one location to the next, requiring a lot of upper body
strength. On campus, there are three main steep hills on Bigler Road, Shortlidge Road, and
Burrowes Street. For example, when I was going down Bigler Road from the IM building to the
Hub, I had to keep my hands on the wheels so that I would not go flying down the sidewalk and
crash. Although there were some environmental barriers, there were more architectural barriers,
barriers created by humans (Dattilo, 2012). For example, many of the problems associated with
architectural barriers were centered around the indents in the curbs, making the transition of

wheeling on the road to the sidewalk not as smooth. During the simulation, I was unable to
easily push myself back up onto the sidewalk and had to back up and thrust myself forward. At
my apartment building there are a lot of stairs that lead to the entrance of the building and it is
situated on top of a hill. In order to get to the door nearest the elevator, I had to go through the
garage on the ground floor or go up a steep incline over potholes in the sidewalk to get to the
door on the first floor. There was no automatic door opener so I had to open the heavy door
myself. In my apartment itself, I was unable to maneuver around due to the tight corners and the
narrow hallway. Lastly, an automatic water bottle fountain was up higher than expected and was
hard to see when it was full from the perspective of the chair until it was overflowing. It is easy
to incorporate accessible amenities that considers the needs of everyone. The University of
Wisconsin-Whitewater has received national recognition regarding its efforts at providing
services for students with disabilities. Some of the amenities it implemented include curb cuts,
ramps, elevators, automatic doors, lowered fountains, adapted lavatory facilities, and plenty of
designated parking stalls (Berger 2008, p. 651). This university made easy modifications in
order to make the campus inclusive and easily accessible for everyone.

Social Reactions
When a person who is different from the norm is encountered, the first instinct others have is to
stare at the difference (Dattilo, 2012). At the beginning of the simulation, I was consciously
aware of my surroundings and felt like the people passing by were staring at the wheelchair. As
I was going down the sidewalk, I sometimes would watch the eyes of the people and I noticed
how their eyes would linger a second long than usual. According to Berger (2008), Whereas
disabled men are often viewed as weak, vulnerable, and incomplete, athletic men are viewed as
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tough, competitive, and resolute (p. 649). Throughout the simulation, this quote was relatable
to my experiences. I noticed that the people who I interacted with seemed to be a little friendlier
than usual towards me and would be very willing to help. For example, soon after I received the
wheelchair, I was crossing the street and got stuck on one of the curb indents and was unable to
get myself back up onto the sidewalk. Two people who were standing at a bus stop noticed my
struggling and started to offer their assistance. It was nice knowing that the people were so
willing to help and were concerned about me, especially since I was still getting used to using the
chair. On the other hand, there were two instances where I was with my friend and older adults
asked if I needed any help. One of them even offered to push my chair. Although the help and
concern was appreciated, it made me feel like I was incapable of using the wheelchair myself.
One of the major interaction that stood out to me was when I was heading back to my apartment
with my friends walking behind me. I was going up the hill on Burrowes St. between College
Ave and Beaver Ave. Near the stoplight a group of college-aged guys in a car had their windows
rolled down and yelled out to my friends asking why they were not helping me. My one friend
yelled out that I was using the wheelchair as part of a simulation for one of my classes.

Ethical Considerations
While conducting simulations, the ethics behind it must be considered. Using the wheelchair,
even though I was perfectly capable of walking, led to deception. When I encountered the social
reactions, I felt like I was misleading people with my capabilities. They were so willing to help
out when I was stuck. However, I could have just as easily got up out of my chair and walked
away. Before completing the simulation, I was worried about the process because I did not like
the idea of deceiving others. However, while I was in the chair, I was joking around with my
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friends, laughing and having a good time. In the end, I felt like the simulation was a good eye
opening experience. I learned what it was like to experience some of the reactions that come
along with being in a wheelchair. It was important to gain an understanding of what people with
disabilities go through on a daily basis. On the other hand, I was only in the wheelchair for four
hours for one day, so I did not get the full experience of being in wheelchair. A similar study
was conducted at the University of Cape Town in South America among medical students. The
students were to use the wheelchair for five days instead of a couple of hours. The goal of the
simulations was for the students to prevent the development of any negative attitudes and for
them to become more aware of the needs that people with disabilities may require (Amosun,
Volmink, & Rosin, 2005). Also, the students perceptions of low self-cognition and selfesteem, coupled with a sense of poor integration were similar to the perceptions of persons with
disability (Amosun, Volmink, & Rosin, 2005, p. 965). This shows that by completing a
simulation like this one, whether it be for four hours or five days, one starts to understand and
experience the daily struggles a person with disabilities might go through. Although it is still
deceiving those around you, it is for a good cause in gaining a better understanding.

Professional Implications
There are many resources available that provide employers ways and ideas of how to
accommodate an employee with a disability including the Job Accommodation Network (JAN).
This website provides ways to accommodate people with a variety of disabilities and can answer
basic questions regarding the American Disabilities act (Ready, Willing, & Available, 2000).
According to Ready, Willing, & Available (2000), In about 85 percent of cases handled, JAN
has helped employers find modifications that cost less than $1000, and often accommodations
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cost nothing at all (p. 10). This shows that it is very easy to accommodate all employees and
should be done in the workforce. After I graduate from Penn State, I plan on having a
management career working at a court club. After completing this simulation, I realized the
importance in providing access to a variety of people, including those who are in wheelchairs
and how these people still participate in every day activities. In my future career, I plan on
providing equal opportunity to everyone who comes through the door and will not be surprised
when they want to complete an activity that I did not think they would be able to complete. I
will make sure that the facility is easily accessible to everyone, including making sure the
sidewalks and parking lots have little to no cracks in the pavement and will utilize the use of
ramps in order to make it easy to get inside the facility.

Advocacy Implications
By participating in simulations such as the one that was completed and understanding some of
the studies conducted is a way for people to gain an idea of the importance of advocating for the
better quality of life for people in wheelchairs. For example, a study was completed that looked
at how often housing providers listened to modification requests. Testers using wheelchairs were
asked to visit different housing sites and they were asked to request up to three different
modifications. These modifications included installing a level handle on a door, installing an
interior ramp to make elevators and hallways accessible from a lobby, reversing the swing of the
entry door, lowering and removing the placement of the kitchen cabinets, and installing grab bars
around the toilet or in the shower. The results of the study showed that twenty-one percent of
housing providers failed to provide a clear response to why they would not accept these
modifications and seven percent of them explicitly denied them for more than one-fourth of the
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requests (Aranda, 2015). This study shows that even today there is still discrimination directed
towards people with disabilities. There are many ways college students, both with and without
disabilities, can advocate for the improvement in the quality of life for people with disabilities.
A petition can be created that is signed by students and sent to the school board in order to set
aside a budget to improve the areas that are not wheelchair friendly. These areas would include
reconstructing the indents in the curbs so that they are more smooth and eliminating some of the
stairs around campus or adding more ramps. A lot of the advocacy off campus should focus on
the improvement of the apartments and off-campus housing options. This would entail going to
the realtors explaining the importance of making the buildings wheelchair friendly and inclusive
to everyone.

Conclusion
After completing this simulation, I began to learn what it was like to be different and start to
grasp some of the daily struggles and obstacles some people have to go through. At the end of
the simulation, I was glad to be able to stand up and walk around instead of having to maneuver
around and try to find a way that would be accessible for me, yet I know that not everyone has
this ability. Inclusion plays an important role in a society. It means that people are a part from
the start and feel valued in their community no matter who they are. People should have the
freedom to make their own choices and have the support they need (Dattilo, 2012). I plan on
sharing what I have learned in this simulation with others and keep in mind my experiences in
my future endeavors. Everyone should have equal opportunities in life and it starts with just one
person setting an example.

References
Amousun, S.L., Volmink, L., & Rosin, R. (2005). Perceived images of disability: The reflections
of two undergraduate medical students in a university in South Africa on life in a wheelchair.
Disability & Rehabilitation, 27(16), 961-966. doi: 10.1080/09638280500030407

Aranda, C. L. (2015). Targeting disability discrimination: Findings and reflections from the
national study on housing discrimination against people who are deaf and people who use
wheelchairs. Cityscape, 17(3), 103.

Berger, R. J. (2008). Disability and the dedicated wheelchair athlete: Beyond the supercrip
critique. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 37(6), 647-678.
doi:10.1177/0891241607309892

Dattilo, J., (2012), Inclusive Leisure Services. State College, PA: Venture Publishing.

Ready, willing, & available: A business guide to improving your workforce by hiring people with
disabilities (2000). . United States