Dr. Kathryn Crowther’s Disability, Access and Inclusion lab has closed another semester, comprised of an ever-growing stable of student-run project groups.
In addition to learning the core principles of disability studies, students in Katy’s lab have created their own studies: one, which connects autism with feelings of isolation, has won the Perimeter College STAR Award this year. Others are artistic studies, like the class website and filmmaking group that made a video discussing signs of ADHD.
The most important lesson from her class? Katy says it’s that “there’s no such thing as being not disabled.” Once students realize that disability affects everyone, they “start rethinking the way we design things, the world we’re building.”
“Just to know that […] we’re doing something to help other people, you know, it’s exciting,” said one student in a project working to make an accessibility map for GSU’s Clarkston Campus, where the lab is held. The opportunity for positive impact was a common reason why students said they enjoyed the class.
Another reason was connecting with other students. “I’ve made my strongest connections in this class,” said a student working with the class magazine. “In my other classes, I can probably go the entire semester not talking to someone, but in this class you have to talk to somebody.”
We wish all Project Lab students a good summer and hope to welcome some of them back for more in the fall!