On March 28, students and ETSU Disability Services faculty members gathered together for the third annual Accessibility Walk, to promote awareness of ETSU’s accessibility features and resources.
“We really want to include everyone,” said Laurel Singleton, associate director of ETSU Disability Services. “I think the first way to do that is by understanding maybe how people are excluded and eliminating those barriers.”
Students who participate in an accessibility walk are led around campus in groups. The goal is to only take the path that is accessible– meaning no stairs or rugged terrain.
Throughout the process students are encouraged to ask questions about existing accessibility features or point out areas that might not be fully accessible to someone with a disability.
Matthew Gilbert, accessibility coordinator for ETSU Disability Services, used to participate in accessibility walks as a student; this year, however, he joined Singleton in leading the event.
“Before my first Accessibility Walk, I would not think of all these [accessibility] features, because they’re not things that impact me,” Gilbert said. “It’s very eye opening to start thinking about what other people are experiencing.”
Both Singleton and Gilbert prefaced the group by changing the way they think about disability. They encouraged students to have a more broad-spectrum approach to disability, by emphasizing that someone doesn’t have to use a wheelchair to have accessibility issues when on campus.
“We also want to help destigmatize what perspectives people have on disability,” Gilbert said.
Another goal of the Accessibility Walks is ensuring the ETSU campus knows about disability services and what support it can offer students, faculty and staff.
“We like to think that everyone knows where disability services is, but [we have] these types of events to just say ‘hey, we are a part of this community and we’re here to assist you,” Gilbert said.
Disability services plans to host another Accessibility Walk next year, but in the meantime, they encourage students to continue thinking about how their campus could be more accessible.
“No matter what field, access always matters in life,” Singleton said. “There’s always room to grow.”
For more information on disability services at ETSU, visit their website at etsu.edu/students/ds/.
ETSU students, faculty and staff who spot an accessibility issue on campus can also visit the ETSU Disability Services website to submit a confidential accessibility concern.
