Using Archival & Oral History Research in Disability Services

Adam Crawford & Katheryne Staeger-WilsonThe Ohio State University / Missouri State University

7/16/15

Introduction Importance of Diverse Histories DRC Archive/Oral History Research Project

o Project Designo Literature Reviewo Resultso Themeso Limitations

Application to Your Work Q&A

Adam Crawfordo Counselor, Student Life Disability Services, The

Ohio State Universityo M.S. Student Affairs in Higher Educationo B.S. Sociology

Katheryne Staeger-Wilsono Director, Disability Resource Center, Missouri

State Universityo Board Member:

• Society for Disability Studies• Association on Higher Education and Disability

(AHEAD)• Southwest Center for Independent Living

We are not professional researchers

This project is neither comprehensive nor complete

Interactional Model Approach

Participants will…

o Understand the value of archives and oral histories in preserving disability services history.

o Understand the research design and results of the MSU DRC Archive/Oral History Research Project.

o Learn strategies for implementing/utilizing archives and oral histories in their own work.

As we go through this presentation, reflect on the following:

How is history used at your institution to communicate culture, values, tradition, priorities, community, etc.?

How is disability represented in your organization’s espoused history?

If there is a lack of disability history at your institution, what are the effects of these gaps in knowledge?

Changing demographicsValue of diversityIncrease in HEGsIncrease is disabled students

Learn from our past to create changeWhat has worked or didn’t workAllies

Identity pride (student development)Building prideDisability studies

“Oral history is the collection and recording of personal memoirs as historical documentation.” (Texas Historical Commission)

discourse normally not documented

emphasizes significance of personal experience

Fosters appreciation for little-known lifeways and people

meant for meaning-finding

Began in Fall 2012 Realization that history of disability services/culture missing

Research Questions:

How has disability services and culture evolved at Missouri State University?

What were the experiences and perspectives of disability services professionals at MSU?

What were the experiences and perspectives of disabled students at MSU?

Literature Reviewo Disability services philosophyo Oral history examples

Special Collections & Archiveso MSU Student Newspaper - The Standardo Used to identify key events & potential interviewees

Oral History Interviews

o Past and present disability services providers

o Past and current students

o Followed Texas Historical Commission guidelines• Appx. 1 hour each• Semi-structured questions• Consent Forms• Tape recorded, transcribed

Professionals:How did you first become involved with disability-related job duties at Missouri State University? Had you planned to have a career in a disability-related field?What services or resources were provided? How were accommodations determined?How would you describe your professional philosophy while working on disability issues? The office’s philosophy?What were some challenges you faced in your work?Are there any events related to disability on campus that stick out in your memory?

Students:How would you characterize the philosophy and attitudes of the disability resource professionals you worked with? How did it compare to other schools?Did you feel that the accommodations you received through the DRC were satisfactory? Why or why not?What were some challenges you faced related to your disability at MSU? Was it resolved? If so, how?Did you feel that students with disabilities were a welcome part of the campus community?Are there any events related to the DRC or disability that stick out in your memory?

Fall 2012:o IRB Approvalo Literature Reviewo Start archive search

Spring 2013:o Continue archive searcho Conduct interviews

Fall 2013:o Interview transcripts completed

Spring 2014:o Data analysis

Medical vs. Interactional Model

Research on disabled students in higher education lagging o (Peña, 2014)

Students empowered by interactional model.

Important for DS offices undergoing paradigm shift to reflect on values, implementation, and connection to disability studies o (Thornton & Down, 2010)

“We must begin to apply the theories and knowledge emerging from disability studies to the way that universities frame and

respond to disability in academic, research, and service efforts. This is a necessary first step, if a university is truly to serve as a catalyst for social change, an engine of economic development, and remain

at the vanguard of inquiry and generation of knowledge.”

(Straus & Sales, 2010, p.80-81)

1973: o Rehabilitation Act of 1973 becomes law.o Todd Morris, Director of Student Financial Aid, serves as liaison for

disabled students for appx. 5-8 years

1974:o First disabled student organization founded, w/ Todd as Advisor

1976:o Front page issue on SMSU not meeting disabled students’ needs

1976-1979: o Linda Johnstone, first significantly disabled student (cerebral palsy) to

live on campus

1978:o First “Handicap Awareness Day” at MSU

• Brainchild of Marsha Reed

o PDF/audio/quote

o PDF/audio/quote

1980s:o Graduate assistantship created for disability serviceso SWS features several special interest pieces on disabled students

1984:o Learning Diagnostic Clinic founded by Dr. Virgil McCall and Dr. Sylvia

Buse (Psychology Department)

Late 1980s:o Dr. Chris Craig (currently Associate Provost, Faculty & Academic

Affairs) attends MSU as a grad student 1987:

o Handicapped Student Services Committee advocating for more campus accessibility

1989:o SWS op-ed chastises MSU for not doing more for accessibilityo Mike Jungers (Dean of Students, retired) takes over supervision of GA

for disability services

"I don't believe that our students with disabilities were being well served. I

don't believe that the University was being well served. And I am not alone in saying that, I know. I would say that students with disabilities were for the most part very marginalized, almost

invisible. There were some of us who, you know: They are students too! And

the obstacles were far greater than they are now."

Mike Jungers,Dean of Students, retired

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1990: o ADA becomes law.

1994:o Mike Jungers becomes first full-time DS coordinator

1995:o MSU fails to meet ADA deadlineo Joe Ryan (student) threatens to sue university

1996:o Dr. Steve Capps hired as Assistant Director of LDC

1997: o Access in Motion (student org) advocates for snow removal policy,

kneeling buses, etc.o Jana Estergard hired as DS coordinator

1998:o Dr. Capps hired as LDC Director

Late 90s:o Web access becoming prominent issueo MSU gaining reputation as good place for blind students

o PDF/audio/quote

"When I started we didn't have a graduate assistant; I had a few student workers. Our office was actually in what at the time was called New Hall—I think it's called

Hutchens House now—because they were renovating the union. So we ran Disability Services out of, basically, a dorm room. Just a room in-- and I'll never forget, in the bathtub, because we had a bathroom in this -- it was just a guest

room. We were working out of 108 in Hutchens House, and we had boxes and stuff. They turned the water off to the bathtub so we wouldn't get things- (laughter)-

destroy things. The bathroom was basically our storage room. And everything was in one room.”

Jana Estergard,Former Director, DS

2001:o Katheryne Staeger-Wilson hired as Director of DSo Megan Shadrick begins attending MSU

2006:o First “SUCCESSability Award” awarded at MSU

2007:o Delta Alpha Pi foundedo DS & KSW win Inclusive Business of the Year Award from SCIL

2008:o ADA Amendments expand definition of disability for more inclusion

2009: o “Disability Services” → “Disability Resource Center”o Department of Residence Life embraces universal design principles

“Through my work with the universal design leadership programs and AHEAD that I was doing, it really reinforced my feelings about disability culture, reframing

disability and how we think about it. And of course being from a Master’s in Social Work program, social justice is always in my mind. I am always thinking about it. So I saw disability as an integral part of our diversity on campus. It should be valued. It should be an identity group that’s recognized, valued, and wanted; not necessarily

disability as an individual problem that somebody has.”

Katheryne Staeger-Wilson,Director, DRC

"I want to reiterate the fact that I think that MSU has a great culture for supporting people with disabilities. They’ve always supported me. I mean, I've worked through the system. I've gone from assistant professor to associate provost here with some pretty amazing support. I've never been - to my knowledge- held back in any way

because of my disability. I also think that this place has supported some innovative programs, so I'm grateful to faculty, staff, and administration for all they've done.”

Dr. Chris Craig, Associate Provost

2011:o SGA resolution passes supporting UD principleso Megan Shadrick hired as Associate Director DRC-ATC

2012:o Foster Recreation Center opens with many UD features

2014:o Disability Studies minor approved at MSU

Current Student Roundtable (2013):

o MSU better than a lot of other schools for disability services

o DRC uses mostly social model; MSU & policies still mostly medical

o Problems were with individual faculty

o TRIO a vital resource

o Internalized stigma still a struggle

o Some accommodations stick out like a sore thumb; UD is better

o Thankful for DRC

"But the main thing I really wanted to revamp was how we were perceived on campus, and the philosophy of the office. I really wanted to move away from the

'we're here to serve you and provide you assistance' because, you know, it doesn't teach anybody any kind of lifetime skills when you just assist them. So I really wanted

to move toward that model of being a resource and providing those skills that they can use now and take with them when they're gone. I wanted us to be perceived as

that for both faculty and students - more of a resource, not a service provider."

Megan Shadrick,Associate Director

DRC-ATC

“I know for me at least, I’m uncomfortable at times facing disabilities because of my fight against my own and whatnot, and so while there’s, you know, a general acceptance of disability with just the general population on campus, it’s the individuals within this own community accepting their own things that I think [is] a big contributor to [low participation] in those disability pride groups. It was a big question whether or not I could bring myself to come to this today; [I] forced myself to come.”

Current MSU Student

Disability services/culture impacted by national trends and developing models of disability

SGA, Recreation Department have always been strong allies Self-advocacy consistently a vital skill for students Students appreciate social model and UD DRC is a leader in social model paradigm shift Students’ identity struggles Consistent challenges:

o Resourceso Staffingo Spaceo Snow Removal

Lack of expertize in archiving/oral history research

Limited scope/resources

Some interviewees still employed by MSU

Break into groups and discuss:

What benefits can history research and preservation bring to our work?

What are some challenges with implementing these practices into our work?

What are some strategies for overcoming these barriers?

Better understand how disability culture and history has shaped your office and institution

Identify origins, patterns, and/or themes in your worko Helpful in developing strategy

Discover points of prideo Testimonials for marketing materials

Partner with university/local library for archiving

Include students with disabilities in process

Use resources/guides available online

Incorporate into existing office processeso Staff exit interviewo Annual student roundtable (assessment)

Partner with faculty

Oral History Guidelines (Texas Historical Commission):o http://ftp.thc.state.tx.us/publications/guidelines/OralHistory.pdf

The Standard Archives:o http://digitalcollections.missouristate.edu/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=/Standard

DRC Philosophy:o http://www.missouristate.edu/disability/Philosophy.htm

Disability Oral History Toolkit:o http://cilt.ca/toolkit.aspx

Literature Review:o Guzman, A. & Balcazar, F. E. (2010). Disability services’ standards and the worldviews

guiding their implementation. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability. 23(1). o Peña, E. V. (2014). Marginalization of published scholarship on students with disabilities

in higher education journals. Journal of College Student Development. 55(1).o Strauss, A. L. & Sales, A. (2010). Bridging the gap between disability studies and

disability services in higher education: A model center on disability. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability. 23(1).

o Thornton, M. & Downs, S. (2010). Walking the walk: Social model and universal design in the disabilities office. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability. 23(1).