For 15 years, faculty with NAU’s Minor in Disability Studies (DS) program have been dedicated to finding innovative methods to help students understand the lived experience of individuals with disabilities.
This semester, the DS Minor program welcomes an exciting new guest presenter to its Introduction to Disabilities (DIS 201) course, taught by senior academic program coordinator John Schaffer. Justice Armfield is a student with Down syndrome at Coconino High School. His role in the class is to share his lived experiences while also demonstrating to students that people with Down syndrome can be meaningfully engaged in leadership positions. In a profile of Justice recently published in the NAU Review, he stated, “I teach people about what it is like to live with Down syndrome. I want to help people see that a disability is a difference, but not a limitation to living a happy, healthy life with a purpose.”
Justice has become an integral member of the class. His participation not only builds his own career readiness skills, it also provides students real-life experience engaging with people with disabilities. As one student stated, “I really love having Justice in class because he is able to add a perspective I would’ve never been able to experience otherwise. He adds something to my education I didn’t even know I needed.”
With courses taught by IHD instructors, the DS Minor provides students with a solid foundation of knowledge in disability studies. The DS Minor has proven to be very popular and is currently declared by 80 undergraduates. Courses examine topics such as the historical and legal treatment of individuals with disabilities, the role of disability in contemporary society, and the concept of “normal” and how it influences our understanding of disability. The DS Minor strongly highlights disability pride and culture and views disability as a form of diversity that should be celebrated. For that reason, the minor promotes the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of community life, including school, work, and recreation.
If you are interested in learning more about the DS Minor, please visit the program webpage.