Oral defense

Student A, how did the group decide to include Student B’s perspective/lens/conclusions into the overall presentation? (B=Harshini)

We decided to incorporate harshini’s lens into our presentation by focusing on the economic impact of disability in the workplace and highlighting how economic barriers contribute to the difficulty PWD face in finding and maintaining jobs.

Student A, how did the group decide to include Student B’s perspective/lens/conclusions into the overall presentation? (B=Tiffany)

We decided to incorporate tiffany’s lens into the overall presentation because a good amount of her lens overlapped with the political lens,and we chose to integrate her lens by having her list the current issues with laws in place while I talked about what laws are in place.

Student A, how did the group decide to include Student B’s perspective/lens/conclusions into the overall presentation? (B=Grace)

We decided to incorporate Grace’s lens about the critical role that societal stigma plays in the issue, demonstrating how biases impact career opportunities for PWD. This perspective added depth to our solution by addressing the need for cultural and attitudinal reform in addition to structural reforms.

Student A, give one specific way that your thinking changed as a result of learning about Student B’s findings. (B=Harshini)

Harshini’s research about economic disparities revealed how even small barriers could result in significant unemployment and financial difficulties for PWD. This made me realize the direct economic cost of societal neglect, which I hadn’t considered in-depth before.

Student A, give one specific way that your thinking changed as a result of learning about Student B’s findings. (B=Tiffany)

Learning about how laws like the ADA are ethically insufficient even when enforced changed my understanding. It showed me that legislative action needs to be paired with cultural change for real impact, which shifted my view on the power of policies.

Student A, give one specific way that your thinking changed as a result of learning about Student B’s findings. (B=Grace)

Grace’s exploration of the social and cultural stigmas around disability really shifted my perspective. I hadn't fully considered how deeply ingrained societal biases limit opportunities for PWD. Her findings made me realize that political challenges can't be tackled effectively without addressing these pervasive attitudes.

Reflecting on your colleagues’ work, which one had the greatest impact on your overall understanding of the problem your group identified?

Grace’s research into social and cultural stigma profoundly impacted my understanding of the issue. It revealed how deeply ingrained societal views about disability limit opportunities for PWD. This gave me a more holistic view of the problem that goes beyond just laws and economics.

What is an example of a compelling argument from one of your peer’s individual reports that you decided to exclude from your team presentation and why?

We had to exclude the argument from Tiffany’s report on the CRPD (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)and how it was enforced. While it applied to national laws for disabled people, it was only relevant to the political lens, which is why we decided to omit it and keep only the ADA because it applied across many other lenses.

What is a way in which your team’s resolution makes you think differently about your own individual research?

My team’s resolution made me realize that many aspects and lenses are often interconnected. For example, the ethical lens was connected to both the social and political lenses. A problem oftentimes has more problems that are connected to it and requires a comprehensive, complex solution with many perspectives, which is what our resolution helped me realize. 

Describe an argument from one of your peer’s individual reports that made you think differently about your team’s solution or conclusion?

Grace’s argument about social discrimination and its impactful effects career success made me think differently about how disabled individuals are treated and how there needs to be reform not only in the political sense, but also in culture and society.

If you had another team member, what other perspectives or limitations could they have researched that would have made a useful contribution to the project?

If we had another team member, it would have been most valuable if they researched the scientific lens. This is because some of the barriers to our solutions included technology or medical gaps, and having someone research on medical advances and technology in place would have helped create a more thorough solution .