Disability Awareness Week Held At UNA Through Thursday

Apr. 26, 2011

FLORENCE, Ala. – To offer the University of North Alabama community information about disabilities and how they affect people at UNA and across the world, Disability Support Services (DSS) is sponsoring Disability Awareness Week today through Thursday, hosting a variety of events.

Information tables will be set up in the Guillot University Center Atrium each day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., where students, faculty and staff can stop by to learn more about disabilities. A showing of “Cody: The First Step” will take place April 26 at 6 p.m. in the GUC Banquet Hall A. The documentary film, produced by the Emmy Award-winning Christopher Production, is about a young woman’s experience with paralysis.

DSS will have an open house April 27 in GUC room 110 from 2-4 p.m., where the UNA community will be invited to see some of the new and innovative equipment that has helped to assist those with disabilities.

Darlene Crowden, administrative assistant, and Dr. Mary Bowers, disability support specialist, hope faculty and staff members will come by to learn more about what new technologies are available and how to better accommodate students in the classroom.

“A lot of people are unaware of the different types of disabilities our office accommodates and how they affect our students,” said UNA senior Liza Montgomery, a student worker with DSS. “We are bringing some of those things to light and hope to positively change attitudes on our campus.”

DSS will also show the 2010 film “Temple Grandin,” starring Claire Danes and Mick Jackson, April 28 at 6 p.m. in Wesleyan Auditorium. The film focuses on the life of American doctor and professor Temple Grandin, who has high-functioning autism and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the “heroes” category of the 2010 Time 100 list.

“As we learn about differences in other people, we learn so much more about ourselves,” Bowers said. “Part of the university experience is to stretch our minds and become more accepting. We work with phenomenal people who face challenges daily.”

For more information about the events, contact Disability Support Services at 256-765-4214.