Disability and Communication

Curricular Issues/Perspectives on Disability Communication

Dr Mira K. DesaiReader in Communication TechnologyCoordinator- PGD Communication &

MediaS.N.D.T. Women’s University

Juhu Campus, Mumbai

6th March 2009 Disability Communication 2

Course in disability communication: Some ??s

Why do we need a course like this?No existing course deals with itNo existing media knows how to handle itWe recognize the need for such course

What will this course do?Sensitize, Train, Educate all of US…..about how to handle disability issues for/in/with media and society


What must have been discussed…

‘Disability’ and issues related to condition Media and matters related to media Media content about/by disabled and disability Ability to critically view existing ‘handling’ of

disability issues by local/global media Skills to write/report/see/listen to

disability issues ‘in’ media and ‘for’ media Ability to see one’s own bias/prejudice

towards disabled and environment to handle that bias/prejudice


What I am going to discuss…

Construction of “disability” Scope of the term Disability in India/Indian media Mass media and disability Curriculum of disability

communication Curricular challenges


NORMAL (Standard/Norm)

Not So-NORMAL(Away from the standard/Norm)

What are our definitions??


Not-so-normal..in what sense?

Differently abled people People with Special needs

• Mobility• Labour• Resources• Fertility• Sexuality

Able-Bodied VERSUS Dis-abled


Disability Versus Ability Disability and ability are temporary state

of mind within the individual/collective space

Disability is a condition not a disease Ability is advantage not privilege Disability demands understanding not

sympathy Ability needs to be handled not taken for

granted


Why is ‘disability’ an issue?

Disability is a lack of ability relative to a personal/ group standard or norm.

In reality there is often simply a spectrum of ability.

It may involve physical impairment such as sensory impairment, cognitive or intellectual impairment, mental disorder (also known as psychiatric or psychosocial disability), or various types of chronic disease.

A disability may occur during a person's lifetime or may be present from birth.


Disability encompasses…. Body functions and structure Activities (related to tasks and actions by

an individual) and participation (involvement in a life situation)

Contextuality of condition: Information on severity and environmental factors (Education, Employment, the benefit system, support services, the built environment, the leisure industry, and politics)


We are referring to all…..as ‘1’

Austism Deaf Blindness Developmental

Delay Hearing Impaired Learning Disabilities Mental Retardation Multiple Disabilities Traumatic Brain

Injury

Orthopedic Impairments

Other Health Impairments

Speech and Language Impaired

Visual Impairment may be more……


Communication Challenges

“Disabled” as diverse group Communication ‘reach’ would vary for

each The means of communication can’t be

standardized Perception of receivers about disabled is a

challenging area Media deal with disabled as ‘one’ group


Disability in India 2.19 crore persons with disabilities in India They are 2.13 % of the total population. This includes persons with visual, hearing,

speech,locomotor and mental disabilities. 75 % of them live in rural areas 49 % of them are literate 34 % of them are employed

Source: Census 2001, GOI, New Delhi


“Disability”…in Indian Media??

Hindi Films: Dosti (1964), Koshish (1972), Sparsh(1980), Sadma(1983), Khamoshi - The Musical (1996), Lagaan (2001), Aankhen (2002), Koi Mil Gaya(2004), 15 Park Avenue(2005), Black(2005), Iqbal (2005), Tare Zameen Par(2007)…..

Advertising:…… Print: Books, magazines probably newspaper

columns but low visibility Television: DD news bulletins, Ba Bahu Baby… Theatre: Lot of work (not documented though) Internet………..


Google*…gives the picture!!

Search Term Pages on the World Wide Web

Pages from India

Disability 53,9,00,00052,3,00,000

3,93,0003,90,000

Disability Communication

20,8,00,00020,3,00,000

92,000 86,900

Disability Curriculum

4,6,80,000 4,3,50,000

16,100 15,100 * As per the search carried out on Feb 19 and March 5, 2009


Mass Media and Disabled-1

Commonly recurring disabling stereotypes: the disabled person as pitiable and pathetic object of curiosity or violence sinister or evil the super cripple laughable her/his own worst enemy a burden non-sexual being unable to participate in daily life


Mass Media and Disabled-2

Disabled are not so visible group in media By Hiding them we deny of disabled people's

role as consumers/members of society Some social advertisements present

distorted view of ‘disability and disabled people’ to raise money

Some glorify them to simplify the reality of their life


Disability Communication

Unit No.1: Sociology of Disabilities : Understanding Disabilities. Causes of Disability. Disability issues in the ancient world. Media and Disabilities.

Unit No.2 : Social ethics and Disability : Principles of Social ethics, Human Rights and Social Justice in the context -of disabilities.

Unit No.3 : Communication for the disabled : Formulation of messages for the disabled, Messages for the blind, Communication through sign language for the hearing impaired persons, Counselling.

Unit No.4 : Role Playing: Art of Communication for the retarded children and spastic children through drama and song. (Source: www.rehabcouncil.nic.in)


‘rehabcouncil.nic.in’ module Assumption that ‘disabled’ are silent and the

communication has to be ‘for’ them and not ‘by’ them

Assumption that ‘we’ ‘normal’ people want to communicate with them and not the other way round

Assumption that children with disability and adult with disability can be handled in the same manner

What about diverse needs of ‘different’ disabled people?


Curricular Challenge- Essential Interdisciplinarity

Special Education

Media & Communication

Studies

Medicine & Engineering

Social Work

Many be more…

SociologyPsychology


Disability communication Course Scope and scale of course Curriculum Learners- profile,

Needs/expectations, Abilities/skills, Motivations….

Expected outcome/opportunities


Basic curricular components

Learning objectives Learning content- Scope, Rationale Learning organisation- Duration, Sequencing Teaching/Learning methods Place of learning- Internship, exposure visits Teaching media and materials Assessment (exams) Certification


Possibilities….by each of us Understanding about terms like Impairment,

Handicapped, Disability Basic knowledge about medical, legal and

social aspects of disability Recognition of interplay of individual factors

(impairment, motivation and self-esteem) with external factors (the barriers, oppression and expectations and attitudes of other people)

Understanding & empathy with experiences of disabled and Expansion of that to others

Sensitization of others through media content


Lets hope…..to see Change in perspective rather than either

becoming protective, defensive or sympathetic Visibility/mainstreaming of disability issues ‘Disabled’ people as ‘message creators’ rather

than passive recipients of media Recognition of care takers/givers of ‘disabled’

and communication about/support for them Recognition of disabled as diverse group Assistive technology for disabled media users


Take a look….. Kamlesh Patel’s 6th February 2009

Ahmedabad audition of Dance India Dance

Patel has polio since age of five http://danceindiadance.in/videos/

contestants/2009/kamlesh-patel-ahmedabad-auditions-6th-feb/….To See how we treat disabled in our society

And how disabled want to be treated…….


“For the able-bodied, normal world we are representatives of many of the things they

most fear-tragedy, loss, dark and the unknown.…If everyone were disabled as we are, there would be no special situation to

consider” Paul Hunt, Disabled Britain writer and activistHunt, P. (ed.) 1966: Stigma: The Experience of Disability, London:

Geoffrey Chapman


Few Pointers…..>>> http://www.disabilityhistory.org http://www.solutionexchange-un.net.in http://socialjustice.nic.in/disabled www.rehabcouncil.nic.in http://specialed.about.com/od/disabilities http://www.dnis.org/ http://www.wid.org/ www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies

Thank you very much for your time and patience

I can be reached @ [email protected]