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1/36| fall2011 | careers. education. ideas. all of it
ArmedFor WorkTwo young Canadians have
invented a brain-controlled
prosthetic arm. What it
means for your career.
The LSATProbLem&
JobLifeThe Importance of
Showing Up
Universal Designfor Learning
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DisabilityAwards.ca
Canadas portal to awards
and scholarships for
students with disabilities
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4/362 (dis)ability| fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca
4 /Success StoryNelson Garcia discusses his career with Canadian Pacic. Brought
to you by Rogers Wireless.
8 /CareerCupidDriving positive change through disability. Christine Fader shares
her story of how her invisible disability was suddenly made visible.
11 /ReachingUpA new and innovative prosthetic option for amputees. Minus the
$300,000 price tag.
16 /MoreThanaTest:The LSATProblemTo accommodate or not? A look at some of the hurdles students
with disabilities face when writing the LSATs
22 /Oneonone:Dr.GregorWolbringYou have an obligation to keep ghting. Future generations
depend on it.
29 /FocalPointWhen it comes to a career in social work, is it better to have a
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32 /JobLife:ShowingUpisHalftheBattle
Show up early and stay late it leaves a lasting impression!
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rogers.com/careers/campuslife
Where did you go to School? What
program did you attend?
I took the Corporate Readiness TrainingProgram at Bow Valley College in Calgary,Alberta. And before that, I attended theUniversity Jose Maria Vargas in Venezu-ela, where I studied Business Administra-tion and General Management.
What drew you to your current
position?
I started out at CP Rail in customer ser-vice. My passion and love for the trans-portation industry, along with business
and logistics, led me to my current role asa shipment planning coordinator.
Tell us a bit about your
responsibilities:
I provide information and updates onemergent conditions on the railway. Ialso care for our strategic customers andurgent situations on the off shift. Main-taining direct communications withcustomers and field operations is alsovery important to ensure traffic moves
smoothly across the network.What is the most challenging as-
pect of your position?
Definitely the shifts. I work 12-hour shifts,that vary. Right now, I work seven dayshifts during the first two weeks of themonth, and seven night shifts after that.It can be difficult adjusting, becausesleep and eating patterns are affected,along with the time you get to spendwith your family.
What is the most rewarding part
of your job?
The job itself is very interesting. When Isee results delivered and difficult situ-ations solved, it feels very good. I loveit when I see my traffic moving overthe rails and arriving to its destinationsafely and quickly.
What accommodations do you
use to help you succeed on
the job?
Since I drive daily to work, the access to apermanent parking space is a huge bene-
fit. Especially in the winter! The building Iwork in is quite accessible, with automat-ic and accessible doors and an automaticadjustable desk.
Can you tell us about the history
of your disability and how it has
affected your career?
It was always my hobby to race bikes. Backin 2006, I was riding my Yamaha R1000(motorcycle) when I crashed and broke myback at a T10 level. This resulted in a per-
manent spinal cord injury, which left meparalyzed from the waist down. Before myaccident, I was a custom broker in Venezu-ela. But after, I wasnt able to return to myjob due to my physical limitations and thelack of accessibility at the sea docks. I hadto rethink my options and see what I hadto do to once again become independent.This was important not only for myself ormy family, but for society as well.
Is there one accomplishment you
are most proud of to date?
Yes! Actually, I have two. The first is that Ihave a full time professional job with CPRail. The second is that Im able to stand upon my own, with the help of my leg braces,for an hour every day after work. Whenyoure paralyzed from the waist down,standing up is pretty impossible. But thereare ways around it. You have to do your re-search and find out what works for you. Inmy case, carbon fibre braces helped, alongwith a daily commitment to exercise.
What advice do you have for
students looking to land their
first job?
Its important to be realistic when itcomes to expectations. Be strategic in
your job search, and pay close attention tothe type of organizational environmentand industry you would like to develop
your career in. Be honest with yourself,consistent, reliable and always look to addvalue to any process.
Company
Canadian Pacific
Position
Shipment PlanningCoordinator
Length of employment
14 monthsDegree
Bachelor in BusinessAdministration
Sponsored by
successstories
NelsonGarcia
4
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7/361 Extreme Text Messaging service is available to Rogers wireless prepaid and postpaid customers only as part of their wireless service. Visit rogers.com/extremetext for complete user details. Trademarks of or used under licensefrom Rogers Communications Inc. or an affiliate. 2011 Rogers Communications.
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8/366 (dis)ability| fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca
Published by Passion Inc.
25 Imperial Street, Suite 100
Toronto, ON M5P 1B9
jobpostings.ca1-877-900-5627 ext. 221
jobpostingspublishes disability
issues twice a year. Issue dates are
September and January. 20,000
copies are distributed to over 100universities and colleges. Available
by subscription: 2 issues for only
$8.00 (plus HST). Contents of
this publication are protected
by copyright and may not be
reprinted in whole or part without
permission of the publishers.
on the cover:
Ryerson University/James Kachan
pblhNathan Laurie
aapblhMark Laurie
dJason Rhyno
a dSonya van Heyningen
wb dSimone Castello
nbMelissa Bolton, Wade
Brown, Christine Fader, Ross
Harrhy, Brandon Miller,
Kevin Nelson, Andrew
Williams,
nanalanmanagSarah-Lyn Amaral,
Mary Vanderpas
nnVlad Omazic, Alyssa
Ouellette, Andrew Williams
jobpostings
There are many battles youll ght
throughout your life, and theyll range
in size, and importance. For students
with disabilities, life can be a
constant battle.
Sometimes its a battle to get
accommodations for a test, like in More
Than a Test: The LSAT Problem, or gure
out a solution to a problem, like Michal
Prywata and Thiago Caires are doing
with their robotic arm. Other times,
the battle is much larger and somewhat
invisible like societys view of
people with disabilities and what they
are capable of. (Although, if you askme, the latter is changing, slowly, but
in the right direction.) And more often
than not, youll lose those battles or
feel like you lost. You havent.
What you have done is laid groundwork
for the people that will come behind
you. For a more specic example of
what I am talking about, read the
interview with Dr. Gregor Wolbring
Jason Rhyno
on page 22, and our story on getting
accommodations for the LSAT.
If you put your heart, soul and all of
your intellect into your work, into the
accommodations you ght for, youll
have made it easier for the people
that come behind you. Your employers
and colleagues will notice and it
doesnt matter if you win or lose. What
matters is that you showed up, and
you gave it your all.
This is my last issue as editor of this
publication. I have thoroughly enjoyed
working on this publication, and I
couldnt have done it without thesupport of the following people:
Frank Smith and the team at NEADS,
Christine Fader, Nancy Moulday of TD,
and all the people that called us up or
wrote in to say positive things. Please
keep it coming. This type of magazine
is important, and we cant do it without
the support of the community. Best of
luck were cheering for you!
editors
noteThe Work You do and What You Leave Behind
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cAr
eercuPiddriving positive changethrough disability
Cant seem to
the interview?
We can help.
jobpostings.ca
make it past
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One minute it was there and
the next, it was gone.
Im talking about my drivers
license. And no, it wasnt just
lost in the bottomless pit I call
a purse. The card was still there,
nestled in my wallet, but its
power was truly gone. My doctor
and some government ofcials
had decided I couldnt legally
drive until I had been episode
free for at least a year.
It was a major bummer to be
banned from driving because
of my disability. But I guess
fainting a bunch of times a daycan make people a little nervous
when they think of you behind
the wheel of a car
My job, at the time, was working
with people, none of whom had
a drivers license of their own.
Approximately 40% of my job
required me to drive clients
around to doctors appointments,visits with their relatives and to
pick up groceries.
When I had begun my job, I had
a drivers license, and then, one
Thursday afternoon, I didnt.
My invisible disability had
suddenly become very visible.
When employers think of people
with disabilities, they oftenassume something that is
permanent and always the same.
They accommodate it and then
you get on with the work, right?
by Christine Fader
Christine Fader works as a career counsellor at Queens University and is the author of the book,
Career Cupid: Your Guide to Landing and Loving Your Dream Job. She was a member of the Ontario
Governments Employment Standards Development Committee which created new legislation to
increase accessibility in Ontario by 2025. Visit her at www.careercupid.com
Wrong.
In fact, many people with
disabilities may need
accommodations for a little
while, then cease needing
them (or need to change
them). Even in the case of a
more consistently-presenting
disability (think: visual disability,
deafness, mobility difference,
etc) accommodations often need
to change over time. Certainly,
they should be re-discussed with
changing work tasks and as the
person settles into a job or new
role and becomes more aware of
what would be helpful.
However, many peoples
disabilities are highly variable in
terms of their symptoms (think:
chronic illnesses such as Multiple
Sclerosis, Epilepsy, Colitis,
Macular Degeneration, etc) and
the environment theyre in (think:
learning differences, ADHD,
psychiatric and mental illness
etc). Often, the accommodations
that were initially discussed no
longer t the circumstances.
In my case, I had chosen not to
disclose a disability or discuss
accommodations when I rst
applied for and accepted the job
since my symptoms were not
going to affect my work (my bodyapparently had other ideas). My
employer didnt even know I had
a disability and then, suddenly,
I couldnt perform 40 percent of
my job!
What I soon realized was that I
wasnt completely correct. Yes,
I couldnt perform 40 percent of
my job the traditional way, but
I could perform it. My job was
to help people get to doctors
appointments, visits with relativesand to pick up groceries and thats
exactly what I continued to do.
In my case, and since it was such
a major chunk of my job, I chose
not to ask for accommodations
(although it was absolutely within
my rights to be accommodated
once I had disclosed that I had
a disability). Instead, I chose to
re-think how my job was done andproposed that to my employers.
I could accompany clients on the
bus, teaching them bus routes,
condence, money skills, and
behavioural skills along the way.
NOT having a drivers license
actually ended up making a huge,
positive difference in the lives
of my clients. People started
noticing and all of a sudden, the
phrase, drivers license required
was removed from all the job
postings in the agency.
Huh.
One minute it was there and the
next, it was gone. Just like my
license.
jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability
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Imag
e:RyersonUniversity/JamesKachan
r e A c
h i n g
u P
A Canadian-madebrain-controlled prosthetic
is in development and could
open up new career options
for people with amputations.
No invasive surgery, no
$300,000 price tag.
11jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability
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14/3612 (dis)ability| fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca
Michal Prywata was showing
a heart monitor device he
created at a Ryerson University
engineering open house in
2009, and one person in the
crowd stood out. A lot of
people were asking questions,Prywata says. But there
was this one guy asking very
specic questions that only
someone who knows what they
are talking about would ask.
That guy was Thiago Caires,
and the two started working
together shortly thereafter.
They founded BionikLaboratories housed at
Ryersons Digital Media Zone
in Toronto, a workplace for
young entrepreneurs and
have a number of projects
in the works, including the
Articial Muscle-Operated
Arm (AMO). While the AMO
Arm has already won a
number of awards, the OntarioEngineering Competition and
the Canadian Engineering
Competition being two
examples, it is not yet
available for purchase.
So whats all the
excitement about?
Currently, the only comparable
device that exists requires
invasive muscle re-innervation
surgery that is not performed
in Canada or covered by
provincial health plans. It also
reportedly costs $300,000,
though there is no set price.
The AMO Arms inventors are
hoping for something more
along the lines of $15,000,
which is at the upper endof the range for a simple
hook prosthesis covered by
insurance plans. What we
wanted to do is something
that is just as functional or
more functional as the arm
developed from the surgery,
says Prywata. But external.
Part of the appeal of the AMO
Arm is the fact that it might
be useful for those with full-
arm amputations in a way
that current articial limbs
are not. If you have a partial
arm amputation, you can still
send signals to the brain.
Finding a functional articial
limb is more difcult the
comPuTerS AregreAT equALize
by Brandon Miller
higher the amputation, says
Karen Valley, Director of the
National Amputee Centre with
The War Amps.
Valley says that shes interested
in the AMO Arm because it will
provide more options for those
with amputations. It might
also open new doors in the
workplace. Computers are the
great equalizers, she says. It
levels the playing eld
for (amputees).
The War Amps provides up-to-
date and accurate information
about prostheses to Canadianamputees, as well as nancial
assistance when it comes to
purchasing articial limbs.
Valley cant say for sure if
the AMO Arm would be a
limb they would cover, but
shes been following its
development and is hopeful.
I would be interested in
checking (the AMO Arm) out,
says Valley, an amputee who
currently uses a myoelectric
device. I would have to see
if it would benet me.
Giving more limb options to
an amputee means offering a
greater scope of career
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heS
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choice. Every job has different
requirements and environments,
and an amputee often has to
nd ways to adapt to those
environments. Valley thinks the
AMO Arm could have an impact
on the types of jobs many with
amputations are physically
capable of undertaking.
But, even then, shes quick to
point out the resilience of the
community. Amputees seem to be
able to nd something to work for
them if they want to do a certain
activity, she says. If it is the
right (limb) for you, you will use
it, despite some of the limitations
aesthetics or weight.
The AMO Arm might not be theprettiest arm out there Valley
notes that the accompanying
headpiece might be a turn-off for
some but its functionality is
pretty inspiring. The technology
can allow the wearer to close the
hand, rotate the wrist, and lift
the arm up to shoulder level. It
can even lift 200 pounds, though
the inventors would recommend
sticking to around 50. It
will offer new options when
compared to the other devices in
its price range.
If someone needs their entire
arm and all they have is a hook,
how much can they do, no matter
what job it is? Prywata asks.
Maybe they can hold a notebook
with one hand and write with
the other, but thats about it.
Using the AMO Arm, a person
could easily handle fragile and
sensitive objects. Right now,
myoelectric arms allow people
to differentiate between grips,
but the technology does not.
Prywata and Caires have inventeda technology to sense different
materials that is designed for the
mechanical device itself. Lets
say you are about to pick up an
egg, it will sense what material
it is, Prywata says. It will set
a maximum pressure the arm
will exert on that object, so you
wont crush the egg.
Unless you want to a be baker
or a professional heckler, eggs
arent likely to t into your daily
work life, but it is easy to think
of other uses for an arm that cansense materials and adjust its grip
accordingly. Think of a scientist
trying to adjust glass slides on his
microscope, or an ofce manager
trying to screw in a light bulb
while holding the old bulb at the
same time. Those are not things a
person can do with one arm.
In addition to grip and therange of movement, the AMO
Arm also provides an added level
of efciency. Even if you are
working construction and you
want to drill something to a
wall, you could easily hold the
drill and adjust whatever you
need to on the wall, Prywata
says. You could hold the screw
and do whatever you need todo. Not only will the technology
benet employees, but it might
also decrease some of the
misconceptions that persist
about what an amputee can and
cannot accomplish at work.
The way we chose rehabilitation
(as our eld) was by looking
at gaps in technology, says
Prywata, who hopes the AMO
Arm will be available within the
next two years. Prosthetics had
the problem of being very simple
or very expensive. There was
nothing in between.
And while theres still nothing in
between, theres something on
the way.
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17/3615jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability
Businesssolutions
throughinformationtechnology
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18/3616 (dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca
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19/3617
T he Law School Admission Test
(LSAT), by its own nature as an
exam, is an obstacle that any
student must overcome if theywish to progress to a career in
the legal world. But for students
with disabilities, obtaining
the necessary accommodations
presents yet another hurdle for
them; something intended to
make the process accessible too
often becomes wrapped up in
bureaucracy, litigation, or short-
sightedness. There are various
accounts of students and the
Law School Admission Council(LSAC) having a courtroom
jousting competition when
Council administration fails
to accommodate a persons
disability. But lets not get too
hasty and make LSAC out to be
the Grinch who stole Christmas.
Accommodations are tools and
practises that allow persons
with disabilities to perform the
same tasks as everyone else.For the LSAT, these may include
extra time, large print or Braille
formats, a reader or assistant, a
separate room, and extra rest.
moreThAnA TeST
The LSAT Problem
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In some cases, students can
request to have food or drinks
depending on their needs. There
have been some requests that
were, lets say, more unusual.
Back in 2004, Brian Carlise
took LSAC before a BC tribunal,
citing that he was denied his
right to smoke marijuana during
the exam. The plaintiff had a
physical disability that required
him to take medicinal marijuana
for treatment. LSAC argued
that because they operate
outside the jurisdiction of theprovince, (they were based in
Delaware), the LSAT, a not-for-
prot property, isnt liable.
Nevertheless, the presiding
tribunal concluded that because
the LSAT is administered
within provincial jurisdiction,
provincial legislation still
applies. Nonetheless, Carlise had
to drop the case, but he stillmanaged to prove that provincial
jurisdiction applies to the LSAT.
This case was referred to when
Emma Arenson, a Masters
student at the University
of Western Ontario, had her
own run in with the Council.
Arenson has dyslexia and an
auditory processing disorder,
and among the things she
requested for her exam were
a computer, extra time, and
a reader. However, she wasnt
granted all the accommodations
she needed. It s like if youre
eating spaghetti and they
give you a spoon but no
fork, she illustrates. Partial
accommodations arent actually
accommodations, just an extra
thing to carry around in your
hands. After numerous attempts
of trying to learn from LSAC
why she was denied and whatshe could do to obtain her
accommodations, it became
clear that she wouldnt be given
the assistance she needed.
Eventually, she decided to get
an Ontario human rights tribunal
involved. Using tactic after
tactic and much negotiation
with LSAC, Arenson eventually
chose not to rewrite the LSATwith full accommodations,
but instead used the results
she already attained with
partial accommodations that,
thankfully, still allowed her to
get into Law school.
iTS Like iF youSPAgheTTi AndSPoon buT no
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One concern is how
accommodations on a
standardized test can translate
into the eld. When students
with disabilities enter their
careers and are faced with real
life scenarios in their profession,
they may not always be permitted
the extra time or more breaks
in, say, a court room setting.
However, in many industries,
including for legal professionals,
accommodations dont need to be
that big an issue. The real worldis the world you make it, says
Arenson, and law is such a wide
eld. Not everybody chooses
to be a litigator, not everybody
chooses to work in a court room.
Some people are mediators,
some people work in [other legal
elds]. When it comes to the
court system she explains that,
depending on how understanding
the judge is and the time
sensitivity of case, there is some
exibility; the LSAT, as far as
shes concerned, doesnt have
that same exibility.
Michelle Morgan-Coole, a lawyer
and advocate for people with
disabilities, adds that although
she may not personally know
anyone in the legal eld with a
learning disability, it may well be
simply because shes not aware
that the person has one. She
explains that much of it is about
e eATinghey give you A
ork... learning strategies for yourselfthat allow you to do what youdo. I think when you get to the
point where youre practicing
law, she says, you know the
accommodations that you need,
you may not even consider them
accommodations anymore; its
just the way you do things
what you need to do to make it
work. Once you learn how to
cope with it, a disability isnt
something you need to publicise.
Standardized exams like the GRE
and SAT dont ag test results,
meaning they dont indicate
when a test was written with
accommodations. However,
the LSAT remains among the
few that still do. This doesnt
sit too well many students
with disabilities. According
to Arenson, it was decided
around the early 2000s that
agging doesnt allow a better
interpretation of test results.
[] if you received extra timeon your test and its agged, its
not put in with the standard
pool, and as such you dont
receive a percentile score, says
Arenson. It doesnt allow you to
see where you sat; it singles you
out and forces you to disclose
your disability. Your test scores
are taken out of the average and
treated differently. Youre made
to feel negatively special.
At least when it comes to
employment you shouldnt have
to disclose whether or not you
have a disability. But Morgan-Coole points out that this
presents a bit of a conundrum.
If you dont disclose,
how are you going to get
accommodations, and if you do
disclose (maybe not so much in
the context of the LSAT), youre
always concerned that its going
to have a backlash against you.
Its sort of like being between arock and hard place.
So what accounts for some of
the challenges that people with
disabilities are facing. Law is
a very conservative eld, says
Morgan-Coole. We look back to
19
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the 1800s and England to tell us
what to do in many ways. But on
the other side theres the fact
that this is the legal eld. You
should be very aware youre not
discriminating against people.
She explains that the problem
that students with disabilities
face with the LSAT goes beyond
the institution. I would say
theres this attitude that weve
always done things a certain way,
therefore thats the only way
it can be done, and thats the
end of the story without beingable to look beyond that. We
see that whether were [dealing
with] elementary schools, and
to reach out to students by
improving the understanding
of how the accommodation
process works and making
the test more accessible.
Not only does LSAC provide
a section on their website
with resources such as videos,
forms, and demonstrations for
accommodated testing, they
also have a full team dedicated
to LSAT accommodations. They
have also done round tables with
students with disabilities as well.
Arenson advises that studentsshould make preparations two
to three years in advance of the
LSAT. That way youll have enough
time to obtain and organize up
to date psychiatric evaluations,
assessments, and any other
medical documents needed to
submit for accommodations. Keep
in mind that backlogs can and do
happen, and could be up to three
years deep, so arranging all
your materials certainly
isnt something to be done
over the weekend.
keep it quiet. She admits she
might be cynical but she dislikes
it when another person comes
along only to ght the same
battle over again. One person
may get accommodations but the
next person who comes along is
denied. And thats part of the
reason why I like going public,
because when you accomplish
something for one person,
youre accomplishing it for
someone else as well. Arenson
was one of those people; she
managed to create a consentorder which mandates LSAC to
consider a students previous
accommodation records and
medical documentation, as
long as said documents arent
misrepresented.
Nevertheless, responsibility
shouldnt be placed solely
on organizations like LSAC.
Though Arenson and Sherman
may disagree, the Council may
sincerely be trying to help their
applicants. There should be an
equal amount of attention from
(and given to) law schools, Bar
societies, and the legal eld as
a whole, to better accommodate
individuals. Indeed, its a long
arduous process, but its all
about treading through the
ankle-deep snow. That way, those
who follow may have an easier
time on the path you cut.
by Andrew Williams
whether were dealing with
public community services to get
someone appropriate residential
housing as opposed to being
stuck in a nursing home.
Although LSAC declined to
speak with us, it must be said
that they have made efforts
No one ever desires for a
situation to escalate to the point
where it has to be brought before
a court or tribunal. But for
Morgan-Coole, she believes that
public pressure can sometimes
be the most effective method.
I see too much of [when] they
give something to one person
essentially to shut them up and
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24/3622
interviewed by Melissa Bolton and Wade Brown
the variations ofDr. Gregor WolbringDr. Gregor Wolbring is a prominent
academic, biochemist, bioethicist,
health policy researcher, ability
scholar and assistant professor
in the University of Calgarys
Faculty of Medicine, Programme of
Community Rehabilititation and
Disability Studies. This interview
has been re-printed and edited
for length with the permission
of NEADS. For the full, unedited
interview, visit neads.ca
one
onone
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Q: What kind of disability do
you identify as having?
A: None. Well again, you have
to differentiate what you
mean by disability. You are
thinking of disability in terms
of impairment, and I dont I
have no legs, but I dont seethat as an impairment, but
rather as a variation.
Q: Thats a very good point.
Can you speak a little bit more
to that?
A: Well, I am very particular
about language, and I think
there is a problem that we use
the term disability for twodifferent discourses. One is
a body image discourse, and
one is for the social treatment
discourse. Normally when
people use the term disability,
they mean to identify a body
structure or function that is
labelled as an impairment
in relation to expected
body structures and ability
functioning. I do not identify my
body with this use of the term. I
might have no legs, but I do not
see this as leading to a mobility
impairment, but a mobility
variation. However if disability
is used with the second meaning
that highlights the social
discrimination one experiences
due to ones non-mainstream
body structure/functioning, I
see myself as disabled as many
places are still inaccessible for
wheelchair users.
Q: During your undergraduate
and graduate studies, did you
face any discrimination?
A: Sure, mostly building-wise,
where there were not a lot of
accommodations. You just had to
accommodate yourself, which I
could do. I am one of the lucky
guys. I can use a wheelchair, I can
use legs (prosthetics). There are
always tools. And I love to crawl.
Q: What kinds of things did
you do to advocate for those
accommodations?
A: I didnt. There was no time
for that. If you want to make a
career, you dont have time to try
to get people to change things,
because you will miss so muchtime. There is no time to sue
you just suck it up and do things.
And I was in a lucky position that
I could do things, modify myself
with all these different tools.
Q: How would you describe your
experience in getting to where
you are today, as a biochemist
and a professor?
A: Well, I think its as it is with
everyone. You have to work hard.
Its not like you are going to get
any slack. You have to work hard.
You have to perform, and you
have to get your results. If you
dont, then you dont make it.
Q: Is there any piece of advice
that you wish you had when
If people treat yoIts not because ofbecause they arignorant or stu
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you were a student going
through this process?
A: Well I think, rst, dont
take any rejection personally.
Second, perseverance. And just
work hard. As I switch between
different tools, in this way I
am in a much better positionthan most people. I nd ways of
doing things. But not everyone
of course can do it like I did. So
everyone has to nd their own
solutions. And again, it depends
on where you go, different
faculties, different departments
will have totally different
willingness to adapt things. And
even if they do want to adaptthey often have trouble with
administration; even if professors
who run a biochemistry research
lab want to adapt the lab, they
very likely have no money to do
so. No one is really paying for
making a research lab accessible
in many countries.
Q: What advice would you give
those students who might not
be able to navigate around the
actual physical setting?
A: I would say you have to
change your expectations. You
have to know what you will face.
You can complain all you wantbut, as unfair as it is, you still
have to perform. Because later
on you may have gotten the
degree, but you are so old that
no one will hire you anymore.
So you have to be aware of the
barriers that exist in different
settings at different universities,
in different faculties, in different
departments. So, you should berealistic with what you will face.
Even if you think that everything
needs to be adapted for you,
what you want and what you get
are a whole different story. And
I dont think it does any good to
come in with the mentality that
they have to adapt everything,
knowing that you wont get
everything. That might be good
for activism, but it doesnt do
you any good for your career as a
biochemist. If activism leads to
changes, you can do more things;
indeed disabled people can do
more now in university than
they could do 40 years ago. Butthe ones who fought for it very
likely did not directly benet.
You dont have the time to wait
to win a lawsuit before you
actually change things. I do a lot
of disability activism so disabled
people have it easier, but for
myself I simply had to adapt.
It never occurred to me that I
couldnt do what I wanted to do.But I am in a position where I
can adapt myself. If people are
not able to do so, then they have
to do more research and they
have to be much more realistic of
what they can do and what kind
of adaptations, accommodations
you get, within a given system.
Buildings do not change fast.
Q: Do you have anything else
that you think is important
for students with disabilities
within the science and
technology felds?
A: Never take anything personal.
If people treat you badly, its not
because of you, its because they
are bad or ignorant or stupid
badly,you,itsbad or
id people.
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people. They just dont get it and
they will do the same to others.
If someone treats you badly
because they are a bully, they
will also bully other people. So
never take it personal. Because
then you just become bitter and
then you are cutting into your
enjoyment of life.
Q: How did you manage to cope
with that?
A: My parents gave me this
message: You follow your dreams
and dont take anything personal.
Focus on the good people. My
parents are wonderful, what
can I say. You just have to step
back and not take things too
personally. All the time I say that
my wheelchair is a pretty good
pre-screening tool. People who
cant cope with me wont treat
me as an equal in the wheelchair,
so people who can see beyond
the wheelchair are normally less
prejudiced. Stay loyal to those
who are good and just ignore the
others. You cant do anythingabout them anyway. I do a lot of
activism work, but you can never
take it as a personal thing. You
do it for the group, especially if
you have certain abilities that the
group doesnt have, you can add
to the capacity. But if you do it as
a personal vendetta, then you are
I benefItedfrom otherswho wantedto help make a
dIfference, so IthInki have anobligation tohelp others.
just hurting yourself. I think that,
because I made it in the system,
I have an obligation to do stuff
for those who did not make it
into the system, or who are yet to
come. I beneted from others who
wanted to help make a difference,
so I think I have an obligation
to help others. We often have a
problem with those who make itinto the system who disengage
from the movement. And I
absolutely do not agree with that.
There are enough people who did
not make it into the system and
need help, and I think that if you
make it into the system you have
an obligation to give back.
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At some universities, however,
its not necessary to have a
Bachelors in Social Work to enter
the masters program. A lot of
people come from psychology,
political science or womens
studies backgrounds, or even
other professions, such as law,
nursing or teaching,observesAndrea Litvack, Director of the
Masters of Social Work program
at the University of Toronto. The
rst year of our two year masters
program is generic, introducing
students to various subjects that
are important. By the end of the
rst year, however, the playing
eld is pretty level. Those with
a Bachelors in Social Work enter
the second year of the program.
One of the differences between
obtaining a masters and a
bachelors in social work is
the question of focus. The
bachelors is a generalist degree
that prepares students to work
in a variety of settings, while
the masters is characterizedby particular areas of
specialization, says Sandys.
The masters curriculum includes
theories, policies and practices
relevant to a students major area
of social work practice. This is
also the case at the University
of Toronto. Our masters offers
a specialized understanding of
social work, explains Litvack.
For example, if you choose to
pursue a specialization in mental
health, youll have a much
better grasp of issues, work and
research in that area. Its not
all theory, however, as Social
Work is one of the more applied
areas of the social sciences. AtRyerson, our masters program
includes 450 hours of eld
experience, conrms Sandys.
As far as preparing to undertake
a masters, there are some
important things to keep in
mind. Its an intellectually
demanding degree, so the best
way to prepare is through diligentwork at the undergrad level,
Sandys advises. Students should
develop skills in critical analysis
and reective practice, and good,
clear writing skills are a major
asset. Also, experience working
with diverse populations is a
must the more, the better.
A masters degree can be
a valuable asset for recent
graduates and experienced social
workers alike. It enhances ones
employability in the short run,
says Sandys, and increases
the likelihood of moving into
supervisory roles in the future.
Of course, the decision to pursue
further education should always
be subject to a persons view
by Kevin Nelson
of the big picture. I think
its important to have a clear
understanding of what social
work is, and why a student is
choosing social work as a career,
as opposed to law, sociology
or another related eld, says
Litvack. A persons academic
and practical background shouldalso factor into the decision.
Consider whether youve had
a solid enough experiential
background to get the benet
from advanced study, cautions
Sandys. Students need to have
a solid understanding of the
societal factors that lead to
the marginalization of certain
groups within society, and be
deeply committed to issues of
social justice and equity. This
commitment is important, as the
stakes are high and the road is
long. I would urge prospective
students to consider whether
theyre up to the difcult but
rewarding task of working to
promote change, continuesSandys, even it requires years of
dedicated effort.
V
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YOURDOG
thanMOREFOLLOW
ERS
careers. education. ideas. all of it
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with Ross Harrhy
If my dad taught me one thing
over the years, its always been
that you have to work hard for
success. When I was a kid it
seemed like my dad was always
working he made time for us
kids, no worries there, we just
went to work with or for him
but he was ALWAYS working. He
would get calls late at night that
would drag him out to a work
site and he wouldnt return until
early the next morning, crash on
the couch fully dressed, and wake
up again a couple hours later to
shower, change, and head back
out. He still does that now, even
though hes getting older and
the kids have all (but one) moved
out. Hes still out and moving,
now in charge of the company
hes helped build to what it is
today. Hes smart, hes got the
skills, but the biggest reason
I think hes found success in
his own way is the fact that he
shows up! He always shows up.
Ive taken this to heart with each
and every job or position Ive
taken. For me, its imperative that
if you want the job, and you want
the people who count to see you
mean it, you show up, you staylate, you do whatever it takes to
get the job done. Often, its the
time you put in during the rst
few months that count the most:
youre learning the basics of your
new job, the type of working
environment that you are in, and
proving that you should stay past
the probation period.
Show up early, and staylate. This is crucial for makinga good impression; it shows that
you want to be there getting
your work done. You may not
be able to do it all the time,
but I think you should never
let your boss be in the ofce
before you, and if you can help
it, you should rarely leave beforehe or she does. When your boss
walks in and sees you sitting
at your desk already knee deep
in the days projects, they are
bound to notice. When they
sign off for the night and you
are just nishing up another
project, they will know that
you are serious about what you
do. Of course, you shouldnt be
staying late because youve been
dawdling all day on your regular
tasks, but this is a great time to
go the extra mile. Try it, youll
be surprised how many of your
colleagues dont use this simple
practice to their advantage.
Show up for EVERYTHING.
When I started my current
position, I was showing up early,
leaving late, sweating streams
at my desk as I pumped through
project after work project and
tried to overcome what I didnt
know and make better what Idid, and if I was invited into a
meeting or presentation I made
sure I was there, and if I needed
to make up the time afterwards
at my desk, I did. Then the
annual dinner came up where
all of our customers attended
as well as staff. It was a big
to-do where relationships could
be grown from formal meetings
into casual conversations and
friendships. And I got sick. Now,
I know what I said a minute
ago, but at the time everybody
was scared of Swine Flu and
so nobody wanted me around
them let alone eating dinner
and drinking wine with them. I
can understand that but themissed opportunity came up all
the time at meetings only letting
up once I was able to attend the
following year. So for an entire
year I was null on conversations
about the dinner, how good it
was, funny things that happened,
and of course everybody seemed
to forget I was sick; in fact, I
felt people just thought I didntshow up because I must not have
felt like it. It just took that much
longer to build and work on my
relationships both within the
company and out. So Im telling
you, you have to work hard, but
showing up is half the battle.
show-ing up ishalf the
battle
*jobLife
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