My professor sat at the front of the class. She told us that, yes, she did have an impairment. Sometimes she needs to use a cane to make walking easier.

She told us that there have been times that she has needed to use a wheeled chair to help her get around as well.

She told us that in the setting of our class room, she did not feel the need to claim 'disability.'

Although she was comfortable enough to tell us of the impairments of her body.

She told us that, teaching a class and leading discussions did not necesarily have to be done from a standing position, or from a walkimg around the room position. On the contrary, many professors who claim no impairments feel the need to remain in one spot for a whole lesson.

Our professor told us that, in the class room she did not feel that the title, the descripor, disability would be necessary or useful.

She continued by saying that, if it is the students expectation that a professor be standing and walking for an entire lesson or for parts of a lesson, then it was the expectation of the student that would disable or be instrumental is labeling the professor with a disability.

Expectations.

What are the expectations, what are they presupposed on?

How does our culture work, within the public and the private spheres to disable the individual? Consider the forces of power at work in any given situations.

To play on the title used so effectively by Naomi Klien: How is modernity entrenched with fences and windows designed to keep people out, away, on the other side, out of sight of those in power.

A local question. How is anybody who wants to get into the Bay Street Film Festival in the Old Finlandia Hall who can't manouver up some steep stairs going to get in.

Does offering assistance mean that upon accepting, the person is still left with thier dignity.

A