Yale University will host a forum and information fair, “Open Doors: The Diverse Paths of Disabilities,” on April 13 and 14 in the Sterling Memorial Library Lecture Hall and Memorabilia Room.
The program, which is free and open to the public, aims to increase awareness of and educate the community about disability issues through film, video, discussions and presentations.
An opening reception at 6 p.m. on April 13 will be followed by a screening of “The Station Agent,” a prize-winning feature film written and directed by Yale alumnus Tom McCarthy that presents with humor and empathy the friendship that develops among three loners, one of whom is a dwarf.
The program on April 14 will begin at 10 a.m. with remarks by Deputy Provost Stephanie Spangler and Roman Kuc, chair of the Provost’s Advisory Committee on Resources for Students and Employees with Disabilities. Following that, a panel discussion will focus on the history of disability services at Yale, presented by alumnus Matan Koch, and on the laws pertaining to disability in education and employment — the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act — presented by Caroline Hendel, Yale associate general counsel.
From noon to 6:30 p.m., products, services and information related to supporting disabilities will be on exhibit in the Memorabilia Room.
At 1 p.m., Yale senior Sabrina Sadique, president of Yale’s peer-assistance student organization SNAPS (Special Needs and Peer Services), will discuss how able-bodied students help students with physical limitations and injuries. Lloyd Suttle, deputy provost, will give an overview of the physical changes that have been made to campus buildings to improve access for wheelchair use.
Following that, at 2:30 p.m., Enrico Melchiorri of EM Enterprises will demonstrate computer-based voice recognition technology, an exciting development with ramifications beyond the area of disability.
To explore questions of what is or is not appropriate behavior in relating to people who have disabilities, a candid panel on “Disability Etiquette” will begin at 3:30 p.m. The panel will include people with disabilities who will share their personal experiences.
A Public Broadcasting System (PBS) program of a workshop that simulates the experience of having learning disabilities will be shown at 5 p.m. “How Difficult Can This Be: Understanding Learning Disabilities” will be especially informative for members of the faculty and future teachers.
The program concludes with a presentation of the film, Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” in American Sign Language, moderated by its producer, Peter Novak, former dean of Trumbull College.
This event is sponsored by Yale University Provost’s Advisory Committee on Resources for Students and Employees with Disabilities, with support from the City of New Haven’s Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities and Yale’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety and Yale’s Media Services. Assistance toward this event has been given by Yale’s SNAPS and Quota International, Inc. 5th District.
