Accessibility and Identity Project
(300 points)

Report length 5-6 pages (any pictures or graphics will be additional)

Students will conduct an identity project according to the following UAE Federal Law of 2006 Concerning the Rights of People with Special Needs:

https://www.abudhabi.ae/portal/public/en/citizens/religion_and_community/special_needs/gen_info36;jsessionid=B6nTVdgfLQTv7gkrwnyNXq4mzv1y2Y8gpkx1RkSyQwhnMpQL5QB8!357259939!-804420591?docName=ADEGP_DF_231072_EN&_adf.ctrl-state=1a6tt2bt1g_4&_afrLoop=5896926953650642#%40%3FdocName%3DADEGP_DF_231072_EN%26_afrLoop%3D5896926953650642%26_adf.ctrl-state%3D3eiwf5f4j_4
 

This accessibility and identity fieldwork will target various aspects of the natural and constructed environments used by a person with special needs. For this project, you are to interview a person with special needs and explore all aspects of his/her daily live and routine. 

Expectations and grading:

Your project will be conducted in small groups (2-3 students). The objective of this project is to connect special needs to issues of identity and politics. Understanding special needs and how it shapes identity is key feature of your written report. Issues that impact not only the individual but also the community as it defines the individual politics of their identity. Your project is in two parts: 

1. Written report (150 points)
2. presentation* (150 points)

Steps to approaching your fieldwork:

1)    Pick a group leader. Assign responsibility to each group member. Divvy-up duties. 
2)    Get familiar with UAE Federal Laws of 2006 Concerning the Rights of People with Special Needs.
3)    Work on interview questions and the scope of your project (decide on your person; list guided qs to be asked; make initial contact with your chosen person; and try to shadow him/her for the day)
4)    Relate what we are studying in this course with your chosen person special needs and daily routine. (e. g. How they relate to wider community, what are their victories and struggles personal or otherwise, what suggestions they have to bring awareness to everyone, what is left to do community-wide regarding people with special needs, what are their hopes and dreams for themselves….etc).
5)    Analyze issues of identity in relation to your chosen person.
6)    If your person has physical special needs, you may want to include maneuvering around a building on campus, local restaurant, a park, government building, fitness facility, a transportation system (e.g., a bus stop; taxi), an entertainment venue (e.g., a movie theater; sporting arena), a mosque or a mall etc. 
7)    Make a checklist for you and your partner/s. The list will include responsibilities for each one of you regarding how you will tackle the project and this will be explained in your written report.

8) Each group will turn into a single report that summarizes their findings. For the group report, each member will contribute:
a) A summary of his / her responsibilities and findings (name each student and his / her responsibilities).
b) Use UAE Federal Guidelines to summarize the laws, barriers and discussion ideas for their removal. Consider the solutions, and add your own ideas. Ask your chosen interviewee about:   
 
I. Accessible entrance into the facility, elevators, interior space etc.
II. Access to goods and services
III. Access to restrooms

c) Explain how a person's special needs affect his / her social identity and daily routine and interactions with others. d) Feedback for each member of the groupaffects his /her social identity and daily routine and interactions with others.

* For your individual presentation for Politics of Identity at the end of the semester you need to present on this project. You can choose to speak of any of the following: special needs and how it shapes identity; challenges you encountered; surprises; what have you learned; and thoughts about working in a group setting.  
 

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