Simulating disabilities as a tool for altering individual perceptions of working with children with special needs

Colwell, Cynthia M.

doi:10.1177/0255761411433725

Cited by 19 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 29 publications

(43 reference statements)

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“…Research suggests that DS can provide a false sense of "true insight" into disability and evoke sympathy rather than empathy (Nario-Redmond et al, 2017;Silverman, Gwinn, & Van Boven, 2015). Both participants and organizers question the role of DS in educational curricula, recognizing inaccuracies in attempted representations of disability experiences and calling into question their game-like rather than academic exercise execution (Colwell, 2012;Lalvani & Broderick, 2013;Silverman et al, 2015). In addition, critiques by disability communities see DS as not just ineffective but philosophically problematic.…”

Section: Disability Simulation (Ds)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiential Learning: Critical Analysis of Standardized Patient and Disability Simulation

VanPuymbrouck

Heffron

Sheth

et al. 2017

JOTE

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Current revisions to the accreditation standards for occupational therapy (OT) education include proposed changes to experiential learning. The AOTA Fieldwork/Experiential Learning Ad Hoc Committee recommends that fieldwork Level I experiences be replaced with a new model of experiential education that includes the use of standardized patients and simulation (AOTA, 2017). The purpose of this article is to present critical perspectives about standardized patient simulation and disability simulation to support informed decision-making about the integration of experiential learning in OT professional education. In standardized patient simulation, actors play the roles of clients and important others in therapeutic scenarios; in disability simulation, students act out impairments in a variety of settings. While these forms of simulation are commonly used within OT education, they are critiqued for failing to present participants with authentic lived experiences of disability. This paper presents alternative approaches that would more fully align the OT curriculum with perspectives and priorities of intersectional disability communities. Recommendations to be considered by educators and educational programs include becoming familiar with relevant literature across fields and communities; developing long-term partnerships with disability organizations and community members; involving people with disabilities in the development, implementation, and evaluation of experiential learning opportunities; and providing experiential learning opportunities that take place outside educational and clinical settings and that attend to multiple intersecting dimensions of people with disabilities' lived experiences. Together, these recommendations can help ensure that students have access to evidence-based educational approaches and best practices that accurately reflect the self-identified needs, concerns, and priorities of intersectional disability communities.ABSTRACT Current revisions to the accreditation standards for occupational therapy (OT) education include proposed changes to experiential learning. The AOTA Fieldwork/Experiential Learning Ad Hoc Committee recommends that fieldwork Level I experiences be replaced with a new model of experiential education that includes the use of standardized patients and simulation (AOTA, 2017). The purpose of this article is to present critical perspectives about standardized patient simulation and disability simulation to support informed decision-making about the integration of experiential learning in OT professional education. In standardized patient simulation, actors play the roles of clients and important others in therapeutic scenarios; in disability simulation, students act out impairments in a variety of settings. While these forms of simulation are commonly used within OT education, they are critiqued for failing to present participants with authentic lived experiences of disability. This paper presents alternative approaches that would more fully align the OT curriculum with pe...

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Section: Disability Simulation (Ds)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiential Learning: Critical Analysis of Standardized Patient and Disability Simulation

VanPuymbrouck

Heffron

Sheth

et al. 2017

JOTE

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“…In public schools, simulations have also been used to influence attitudes of students toward their peers with disabilities (Hallenback & McMaster, 1991). Although not as prevalent in the literature, disability simulations have been implemented in the music setting to alter the attitudes of music educators/ therapists (Colwell, 2003(Colwell, , 2010 and public school music students (Colwell et al, 2001). …”

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confidence: 99%

University Students’ Perceptions of an Inclusive Music Production

Cassidy

Colwell

2011

Journal of Music Teacher Education

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A total of 130 undergraduate and graduate music education and music therapy students watched a videotape of elementary children with cerebral palsy (CP) and typical peers preparing and performing in a musical production. The focus of the video was on preparation for inclusion, inclusive interactions, and the performance. Four questions addressing inclusion that required written responses from participants were posed. Responses were categorized for comparisons. Results indicated no significant difference due to training (music therapy majors, music education majors with and without class discussions on inclusion; p > .05). All groups focused on social more than academic benefits for all children. Participants noted the following: benefit of being in a musical play for the children with CP, that children without CP benefited from exposure to information about the disability, that children with CP gained from interacting with typical peers and from making a new friend, and many of the techniques teachers used to prepare students for successful inclusion. More than a third were concerned that their future students would not accept children with disabilities in the classroom or that children with disabilities would be incapable. There is an apparent inability to make the transfer of using the identified teaching techniques to enable their own future efforts at inclusion to be successful.

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“…Similarly for students who are intellectually disadvantaged encoding these benefits within a special education music curriculum remains a challenging area for music educators (VanWeelden 2007). The causation of such challenges may be many, but not least perhaps is the commonality amongst teachers and teacher trainers that we generally lack an understanding of what it is like to be a student required to learn through the veil of 'special needs' (Colwell 2013).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For children with learning difficulties, music has been shown to impact positively their tolerance, self-discipline and self-esteem (McCavera 1991), their development of communication skills (Leung and Leung 2012), social skills (Rickson 2012;Vega 2012) and cognitive processing (Portowitz and Klein 2007). Encoding these benefits within a special education music curriculum remains a challenging area for music educators (VanWeelden 2007) not least because teachers generally lack an understanding of what it is like to be a student with special needs (Colwell 2013). The absence of a shared perception of being a student with special needs has led to reported marginalisation (Jellison and Wolfe 1987), a narrow focus on music as a therapeutic medium (Patterson 2003) or ill-defined collaboration of both music specialists and special educators (McCord and Watts 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting the music curriculum for senior secondary students with intellectual disabilities in Hong Kong: content, pedagogy and mindsets

Wong

2014

Music Education Research

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Why should bringing the power of music into student learning be a challengeeven more so when the class comprises students deemed in need of 'special education'? To address this question, three case studies are presented of Hong Kong special schools music teachers experienced in teaching students with intellectual disabilities at senior secondary level. Findings suggest that behind individual teacher variations to the standardised music curriculum lie not only rigid pedagogies, but also limited implementation strategies and hence mindsets of low expectations of 'special education' students' music learning. This predictive and prescriptive approach to student learning is here challenged by an alternative view that, to successfully aid 'special education' students, it is helpful if teachers reflect first on what learning is like for these students.

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Simulating disabilities as a tool for altering individual perceptions of working with children with special needs

Cited by 19 publications

References 29 publications

Experiential Learning: Critical Analysis of Standardized Patient and Disability Simulation

Experiential Learning: Critical Analysis of Standardized Patient and Disability Simulation

University Students’ Perceptions of an Inclusive Music Production

Adapting the music curriculum for senior secondary students with intellectual disabilities in Hong Kong: content, pedagogy and mindsets

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