As a way to bring awareness to those who endure setbacks because of their disabilities, October is recognized as National Disability and Employment Awareness Month. At Auburn, there are many members of the community who contribute daily to the needs of the disabled in the community.
Within Auburn’s School of Kinesiology, Jamie Roper, assistant professor and director of the Locomotor and Movement Control Laboratory, and Melissa Pangelinan, associate professor and director of the Pediatric Movement and Physical Activity Lab and Abilities Unlimited, engage with this month of awareness.
Additionally, Lauren Ozment, the instructor coordinator of employment with the Auburn EAGLES program (short for Education to Accomplish Growth in Life Experiences for Success), shares her knowledge of those living with disabilities as part of her role with EAGLES.
“This month brings light to successes of individuals with disabilities in the workplace, as well as educates society on why it is important to provide meaningful employment to all,” Ozment said.
A time of awareness is important because it highlights the need to include the disabled in the workforce as efficiently as possible, focusing on their strengths instead of their weaknesses.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue meaningful work," Pangelinan said. "But often there are many barriers for people with disabilities to find and maintain meaningful job opportunities. So, it's critically important to be an advocate for all of the things people with disabilities can do."
Roper and Pangelinan face the effects of disabilities head-on in the School of Kinesiology. Those without disabilities often take for granted the ability to do activities of daily living (ADL).
In their labs, these doctors aide the disabled by fostering ADL skills, such as balance, coordination and physical stamina. In the process, participants have fun and build their confidence in accomplishing daily tasks.
“Our laboratory focuses on improving physical function and gait in populations with mobility disability," Roper said. "We try to understand mobility disability using biomechanics to better address challenges individuals face with movement problems."
Roper and Pangelinan mainly treat those with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Essential Tremor, people with lower-limb loss, older adults and people with traumatic brain injuries.
Ozment helps those with disabilities by working with the EAGLES program at Auburn. This program, she said, “is a comprehensive postsecondary transition opportunity for students with intellectual disabilities aged 18-26” and “[prepares students] to become contributing members of society.”
By providing support such as “job coaches, customized employment task charts, work-based training, job evaluations and feedback, task-analysis and on-the-job training,” this program cultivates independence and confidence for students with disabilities at Auburn.
When reminiscing on their favorite memories of working with the disabled, it was hard for Roper, Pangelinan and Ozment to name just one.
“I'm constantly inspired by the hard work, dedication and desire to do a good job of the people with disabilities we work with,” Pangelinan said. “I'm also always struck by their humor, love and the creative ways they accomplish different tasks.”
While Pangelinan admired the creativity of the disabled she works with, Roper touched on the endurance that comes with a chronic disability.
“I think what I have learned from working with our populations with a mobility disability is that every individual that shows up has this drive to succeed and a determination to never give up,” Roper said.
Because the EAGLES program supports disabled students, Ozment reflected on their accomplishments on the job site.
“It has been amazing to watch students start at a job site as a volunteer or intern and work their way up to paid employment with part-time hours,” Ozmwnr said. ”I am so proud of all of their accomplishments from fading job coach support to receiving raving reviews from their supervisor!”
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Emma Hall is a news writer for The Auburn Plainsman.
