Ural Federal University: University Students Learned More About the Difficulties of People with Disabilities

On October 8, the UrFU Center for Inclusive Education with the participation of the Department of Service and Wellness Technologies held a master class on supporting people with visual and locomotor disabilities, which was timed to coincide with the Mental Health Day. The event for students and teachers of the university was held in the multifunctional resource center of educational activities, and some of the listeners connected online.

The master class consisted of two parts. First, participants were given a theoretical basis of how to competently accompany people in wheelchairs and people with visual impairments on the street. After that, the participants simulated situations of limitation. Divided into pairs, they tried themselves in the role of both those who help and those who have difficulties in moving: someone sat in a wheelchair, and someone closed his eyes with a blindfold.

“The workshop aims to build an inclusive culture among a group of students, teachers, and professionals who can work with them. Often we don’t understand what people’s peculiarities are, we don’t understand what the specifics are. And this event helps to simulate situations of different limitations. We hope that through the simulation, people can better understand the difficulties faced by people with disabilities,” said Victoria Dikhor, teacher-psychologist of the Center for Inclusive Education.

The Center for Inclusive Education holds such open events regularly for both teachers and students.