Panel 6: Recreation, Education, and Dogs: Education and Disability from Varying Perspectives
Are you interested in recreation, education and dogs? Look no further! Learn how recreational activities, learning environments and (wo)man’s best friend interact with disability. We will explore how we utilize adaptation and assistive technology while working with children, adults, and dogs of all shapes and sizes in different educational settings. Tailoring education to disabled students of all kinds requires individualized instruction from staff of all (dis)ability identities and experiences. From accessible recreation and education to living medical equipment, we will explore interactions with disabilities from multiple perspectives.
Moderator: Kelley O’Carroll, Visiting Assistant Professor in Psychology and Education
Cross-Species Communication: Training Humans on Training Dogs
Journey Freedman ’25, Psychology major/Gender Studies minor
Facing 20 dogs and 10 people
Lux Ai ’26, Psychology major
The Blessings and Struggles of Teaching in the Modern World
Cal McGonagle ’25, Psych & Education major
The Power of Adaptation
Evi Ratner ’25, Biology & Culture, Health, and Science
Speaker name: Journey Freedman
Title: Cross-Species Communication: Training Humans on Training Dogs
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a conversation with your dog? While your labrador retriever or king charles cavalier spaniel will probably never learn to use spoken words, allow me to introduce you to the language that humans and dogs already share: body language and non-verbal communication. From learning the basics of sit and stay, tricks such as taking a bow, and tasks such as medical alerts, come along as I explain dog training from a teaching assistant’s perspective, and how working with humans to train these intelligent canine companions has given me insight into creating a world of more accessible education for all.
Speaker name: Evi Ratner
Title: The Power of Adaptation
Explore various case studies of adaptation at the National Ability Center in Park City, UT to see what is possible when you look past the limits and expectations set by society. This past summer, Evi worked as a camp counselor and recreation instructor supporting people of all ages and abilities in various outdoor activities. Evi learned adaptive teaching and behavioral intervention techniques as well as physical adaptations for cycling, rock climbing, archery, and more! Adaptation comes in all shapes and sizes, allowing improved accessibility in all facets of life. The capability of individuals with disabilities is wrongly underestimated, and most of the limitations they do face come not from their disability, but the inaccessibility of society. Both physical and methodological adaptations should become everyday practices in all interactions, but aren’t something that most people learn or think about.
Speaker name: Suyang Ai
Title: Facing 20 dogs and 10 people
Interested in a summer filled up with 20 dogs and no more than 10 people? Want to know how the dog training and human communication go in these interesting circumstances? Here I will talk about how individualized training programs are made according to individual dogs and how to put psychology knowledge into work. I will also explain why a service dog is an important tool for disabled people by showing you how they helped our clients. You will also hear about the uinique experience to work for a small non-profit orgnization and fun stroy of the whole summer.
Speaker name: Cal McGonagle
Title: The Blessings and Struggles of Teaching in the Modern World
Learn about how our education system is changing, and how its benefits can help our students thrive. Discuss the complexities of the modern day education system, and compare the positive aspects to the downfalls. We will explore how interactions with all different groups of students affect the modern teacher’s ability to educate a population of children that have such contrasting needs.