Wilbur Cross is the administrative hub of campus and contains many student services. This week, the CSD will have a three-panel banner display that exhibits a timeline showcasing the events and people that have led to a transformation of sports, recreation and events for people with disabilities. (Amar Batra/The Daily Campus)
Throughout the week, the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) will have a three-panel banner display that exhibits a timeline showcasing the events and people that have led to a transformation of sports, recreation and events for people with disabilities. The display shows the progression from the thought of sports and recreation as rehabilitation for disabled people to the inclusion of the many competitive organizations that exist today.
The three banners are lined up outside of the CSD office on the second floor of the Wilbur Cross building. The display, titled ‘In the Game: disABILITY & Sports’, includes an intro which reads: “The participation of individuals with disabilities in sports and recreation has a long history. At first, sports and recreation were seen as educational and rehabilitative tools. Competition was less of a factor than involvement. Later with the introduction of the Paralympic games, Special Olympics, and other organizations, more emphasis was placed on competition. Here is a timeline with some examples of the history of sports and individuals with disabilities.”
The banners also display a variety of visuals including images of people, documents and events. Text follows that explains each image in a timeline style. The timeline runs from 1840 to 2010. The display is visually pleasing, easy to follow and very informative.
People and events recognized on the timeline include Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, the first International Games for the Deaf in 1924, George T. Stafford, the foundation of the USA Deaf Sports Federation and the first Paralympics in 1960.
The exhibit has been provided by the Museum of disABILITY History in Buffalo, New York. The museum has several traveling exhibits, such as this one, as well as several permanent exhibits on display at the museum. It was founded by People.Inc, which exists to provide people with disabilities support to participate and succeed in society. Sports and activities are an integral part of this, and this particular display shows that.
Many people, especially those without disabilities, may be unaware of the limitations that disabled people has had with access to sports. We have grown up in a time where there have been a decent amount of activities disabled people can participate in, but it hasn’t always been this way and certainly has a long way to go. Access to sports and activities is something that can easily be taken for granted, and this display does an amazing job of highlighting the progress and informing students in a visually pleasing way.
The exhibit is open for anyone to view from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside of the CSD from Oct. 16 to Oct. 20. The CSD will also be displaying another exhibit titled ‘War and Disability’ from Nov. 6 to Nov. 10.
Melissa Scrivani is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at melissa.scrivani@uconn.edu.
