The Inclusive Museum

In my last few posts I have discussed…what dyslexia is, how museums can be fantastic learning spaces for individuals with learning difficulties such as dyslexia, and today I am going to be exploring what museums can do to increase dyslexic access and inclusion.

Do I look like I’m surrounded in ambiguity and confusion?

Gavin Reid, celebrated educational psychologist, has suggested that the term dyslexia is “shrouded by ambiguity and confusion”, to me it’s simple… I’m exactly the same as you I just see things and process things slightly differently….

Obviously I’m taking what Reid is saying out of context… He is simply stating that Dyslexia is a difficult condition to define. Despite this some sort of definition can be sought:

Dyslexia should be viewed as a difference in how individuals process information, but it should be remember that dyslexia exists on a continuum and that not every individual should be viewed as the same.

Backward looking or forward thinking? Museums and dyslexia…

Museums and Galleries have an enormous potential with respects to playing a significant role in combating social exclusion…. but is this potential being realised with respects to dyslexic access? In short no!

Traditionally the focus has been on over coming the physical barriers that disabled individuals face when accessing museums and galleries. But, of the 87 million disabled individuals within Britain, 95% are not wheelchair users…. what about their access?

Why I’m proud to be Dyslexic

I’m proud to be Dyslexic!

So this week is Dyselxica Awareness Week, and rather than focusing on the issues and struggles I’ve had in relation to dyslexia, I’m going to list the reasons I’m proud to be dyslexic!

•  I have developed my own, and may I say very effective, ways of learning and remembering new information.
• I have developed a very think skin, and am able to bounce back from being called negative things such as “spastic” and “retard” (yes some very narrow minded people in my past have said those things to me)
• Can’t is no longer a word in my dictionary, if I want to do something I’ll do it – it might take me longer but I’ll do it.
• I feel having a “disability” has made me a more caring and considerate individual.
• I have those fantastic eureka moments when everything finally clicks and it all suddenly makes sense.
• I get to wear fantastic tinted glasses (see photo) – I recently had new ones, but my old ones were very ‘Bono like’!

And finally, and in my opinion, most importantly, the world would be such a dull place if we all thought, and looked that same! Thank goodness for diversity!

 

Show your proud and tweet a photo #DAW14

You may now refer to me as Anna Chrystal Master of the Arts (Dis)

I have done it! It may have taken years of education, tears, worries, panick attacks…. But I have finally been reward for my hard work! My dissertation, “to what extent do museums currently address dyslexic access and inclusion?” received a distinction!

“It’s a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word” Andrew Johnson

This week is Dyselxia Awarness week! I have not mentioned before in my blog, purely as it has thus far not been necessary, I am severely dyslexic.

The issues surround disabilities, learning difficulties (now more commonly referred to as ‘neuro-diversities’) and access have always interested me, and it is for this reason that they have formed the focus of my MA .