Did you know
that there are many Ewha students who have disorders? “Class Guide” is a helper
who helps a handicapped student take courses and catch up with classes. Those
helpers offer different services depending on the types of disorder each
student has.
We
investigated the service that Ewha has and focused on the problems and
solutions by interviewing a service administrator, a disabled student and a
volunteer. However, in order for you to understand these problems and
solutions, our report begins with a background to the service.
Background
Types of Disability
We can divide
the handicapped students into three groups depending on the type of disability.
According to
the type, the method of helping is also different.
1. Hearing-impaired Students
These students
cannot hear almost 90% of the class. Therefore, the helpers type the professor’s
words during class and change vocal information into visual information. Also, because
hearing impaired students have bad pronunciation when they speak, sometimes
helpers ask questions instead of them.
2. Visual-impaired Students
These students
have very poor eyesight or even cannot see completely. The helpers know
beforehand about the visual-impaired students’ class and take notes. Next, the
helpers make letters bigger or change letters into Braille.
3. Physically-impaired Students
Physically-impaired
students are in wheelchairs because of physical problems and their movements
are difficult when they have obstacles like stairs. Therefore, the helpers help
them to move so students can arrive at the classroom on time.
Benefits for the volunteers
There are
also benefits for the class guides.
1.
Guides can be offered either a
scholarship for voluntary work or earn 3 school credits.
2.
Guides can get admission for their
volunteer work.
3.
Guides can get a qualification for their
volunteer work.
4.
Guides can get a certificate for the
campus activity.
Ko Yun-ja (A service administrator in ‘Support Center for Students with Disabilities’)
Problem1
In the center,
the administrators have to educate and manage helpers to help the handicapped
students well.
“However,
sometimes there are some conflicts between the handicapped student and the
helper,” Ko said.
For example,
helpers sometimes do not come to class on time. As a result, the handicapped
student cannot take the class well and has a problem.
Solution1
Ko said, “we
have to inform this system to the students. Also, even if students help the
handicapped student’s class, we want these students to consider handicapped
students.”
In order to
recommend this system to students, administrators need to give more benefits to
the helpers so that the helpers can be proud of themselves. Also, administrators
in the center have a plan to make this voluntary work into a continuous club activity
in the future.
Ahn Sea-eun (’09, French Language &
Literature)
Problem 1
Ahn had
helped 2 hearing-impaired students during 2 semesters.
“I think the
biggest problem is that most professors in Ewha don’t have any background
information about these students,” Ahn said. “I had to explain my role as a
helper as well as the disabled student’s condition.”
Solution1
As for the
professor’s lack of knowledge about this system, Ahn insisted “Ewha Womans
University needs to educate professors in charge of disabled students prior to
the beginning of semester.”
Problem2
There are
many disabled students in Ewha, and ‘Support Center for Students with
Disabilities’ also exists for those students. However, most of students don’t
seem to recognize this.
Soultion2
Ahn suggested
this system for disabled students should be publicized more.
“Most students
get information from ad posters on bulletin boards. So the center also needs to
make posters about this system.”
Furthermore,
students need to be considerate and care for handicapped students.
“Before
I met a disabled student in the club activity, I didn’t know that there are
handicapped students in Ewha. I just thought that all students would be normal
just like me,” Ahn said.
Yang Ji (’10 Economics, a hearing-impaired student
Yang can
understand a professor’s message with his or her lips. She is getting some help
from the helpers to understand the lectures.
Problem1
She thought
one of the problems was something related to her major, such as Economics and
Mathematics. It was difficult for the helpers to understand technical terms
that they had never learned about and to type mathematical formulas. She said
“When I studied Economic Statistics, the helper was helpless since the subject
was taught in English and she had no knowledge about Economic Statistics.”
Solution1
She said
“Support Center for Student with Disabilities should hire the shorthand typist
as well as volunteer students in Ewha. In this manner, disabled students can
get more specialized benefits.”
Conclusion
Because
it is hard for handicapped students to follow up the class, they need more
extra study after the class.
“Now
I know they try harder than any other students. They taught me a lot about my attitude
to life. I became thankful for my body, and also determined that I would try my
best in everyday life,” Ahn said.
She
recommended Ewha students to participate in this system and be helpers. If you
help handicapped students, you will have one chance to care about them in
person, as well as develop a mature and respectful mind!