Integrating disability studies concepts into occupational therapy education using service learning

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy education
• Healthcare curriculum development
• Disability studies

Background:

• Service-learning courses can foster deeper understanding of complex social issues.
• Occupational therapy education requires students to grasp disability beyond a medical model.
• Faculty reflection is crucial for effective curriculum design in healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of service-learning on occupational therapy students' understanding of disability.
• To explore faculty perspectives on teaching disability as a human experience.
• To assess the effectiveness of a multi-method assessment matrix for service-learning evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of service-learning courses within an occupational therapy program.
• Faculty reflective practice on disability and human experience.
• Multi-method student assessment including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and journal entries.
• Community-based participatory research focusing on arts venue accessibility for people with disabilities.

Main Results:

• Service-learning significantly enhanced students' appreciation of disability as an individual, environmental, and societal construct.
• Student feedback indicated a multidimensional understanding of disability emerged through community engagement.
• Faculty identified key considerations for integrating disability as a human experience in curriculum.

Conclusions:

• Service-learning is an effective pedagogical approach for occupational therapy students to learn about disability.
• Curriculum design in healthcare education should prioritize experiential learning and faculty reflection on disability.
• Addressing accessibility in community settings provides valuable learning opportunities for future healthcare professionals.