U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Far East District employees participate in “The Stimulation Zone” station, which mirrors some of the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Oct. 17, 2024, at Camp Humphreys, South Korea. This condition has a broad range of behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the CDC, “Those with ASD may “behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people.” Attendees wore headphones listening to audio of a loud, overcrowded room as a diffuser emitted a strong scent in their face. (pPhoto by Monique Freemon)
USAG HUMPHREYS, South Korea – To walk a mile in one’s shoes requires empathy and action. In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Tracy Aristide, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Far East District, coordinated a “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes” event Oct. 17, 2024, at Camp Humphreys, South Korea.
The event included two senior leaders sharing their experience simulating a disability for a day, discussions about visible and invisible disabilities and attendees participating in four simulations of disabilities.
Walk a Mile in Their Shoes
The district’s event challenged employees with daily tasks that are seemingly straightforward to a non-disabled person but can be complex or confusing to a disabled person.
“This event significantly shifted my perspective,” said Sarah Woo, Engineering Division chief. “It reinforced the need for a disability-inclusive culture in our workplace. I now recognize the importance of actively seeking input from individuals with disabilities to create an environment that is truly accommodating.”
Aristide desires all employees to “challenge conventional notions of disability.”
The CDC reported 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. have disability–both visible and invisible. According to the 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22.5 percent of people with disabilities were employed. This is the highest rate since 2008. In a 2023 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the number of disabled individuals in the federal workforce doubled from 2011 to 2021.
Aristide created this event to bring disability awareness to USACE Far East District and to “get people to think outside of the box of how [they would] want to be treated if they were to have a particular disability.”
While she understands the simulations are not exact scenarios, she wanted the activities to bring awareness to workplace accommodations and “what [employees] would need in the workplace as an accommodation.”
The Simulations
As attendees walked into the room, they noticed four stations displayed. Each station provided a brief glimpse into how disabled people experience various disabilities.
Vision Quest: Through the Hazy Lens
Participants chose a pair of glasses that simulated a vision impairment and tested their ability to navigate the room. Additionally, they were tasked to complete a word search in 5-minutes. Many attendees had difficulty completing the word search and some even moved closer until the paper touched their nose.
This disability can result from various conditions like cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration; all three of which were reflected at the vision impairment station.
Participants at the station discussed additional assistance for visual impairments such as text-to-speech software, braille, large print materials, brighter lighting in their work area, a qualified reader, and/or allowing the use of a guide dog in their realm of employment.
Can You Trace a Star?
Reading a sentence such as this one can be a simple task for some. Aristide’s station challenged participants to think about if it isn’t. By altering the participants’ perception, they saw a glimpse into what dyslexic individuals experience.
The participants experienced laughter and frustration as they utilized a mirror’s reflection to trace a star, while remaining in the lines and covering their hand with a sheet of paper. Employees agreed that this simulation was the most difficult.
Aristide led attendees in a discussion about accommodations like extra time to complete tasks, oral rather than written directions to complete tasks and/or text-to-speech software.
Fingers in Motion: Navigating Dexterity
During the event, attendees wrapped their thumbs and forefingers on their dominant hand as well as three fingers of the other hand to experience dexterity challenges. While immobilized, they wrote on a white board and sheets of paper, opened a lock and picked items up.
Participants discussed ways to support people experiencing dexterity challenges including text-to-speech software or alternative computer control, ergonomic keyboards and mice, positioning devices (i.e., equipment used to assist individuals in various positions such as sitting or standing) and other modifications.
The Stimulation Zone
The fourth station overstimulated participants as if they had autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Attendees wore over the ear headphones while listening to a track mimicking a crowded room of people and having a diffuser puff smoke in their faces.
Participants then completed the Junior TOEFL test: an eight-question exam designed for students who are learning English as a foreign language in middle and high school. Their task was to complete the exam and see how many questions they could correctly answer.
Aristide explained that people with ASD may experience sensory overload when exposed to loud noises, bright lights, textures, smells, crowds or other environments. To mitigate this overload, she told participating employees that individuals may require changing the office lighting; noise-canceling earbuds or headphones to block distractions; times, alarms, reminders to track deadlines; and other modifications.
Recollections & Action
Aristide expressed she wanted management to “think outside the box” on how and what they can provide individuals with disabilities through the event.
To get more leaders involved, she enlisted David Chai, Deputy District Engineer and Chief of Programs and Project Management Division (DPM), and Sarah Woo to adopt a disability for a day. Then both shared their experience the day of the event.
“They can’t escape it”
Chai experienced dexterity challenges for a day. He recalled a sense of anxiousness with having his fingers bound since he frequently uses his hands to do tasks. He stated receiving an email from senior leadership asking what the steps are for a specific task. Chai stated with a deep sign, “Man…this is going to be a long email,” due to his fingers being bound, not the length of the email. Chai realized this task that could be completed in a matter of minutes would require more time and attention to complete.
While lifting his bounded hands and examining them, he discussed the frustration he experiences for just a day. Chai stated he even ate with his hands because his usual utensil–chopsticks–was vexing to use.
Chai revealed his mother had arthritis while sharing his experience. He recalled thinking about what his mother goes through doing a simple task such as opening a jar.
“Folks with disabilities deal with it every day, they can’t escape it,” he said and reiterated during a later meeting that while the stations were difficult, they provided insight to having a disability.
“I felt like I was under the water”
Going into the event, Woo was determined to “fully immerse” herself in each simulation. She desired to understand what do disabled employees experience in the workplace.
“It was important for me to not only participate but to reflect on how these experiences relate to our work environment,” she said. “It was a real eye-opener regarding the importance of inclusive communication strategies.”
Woo volunteered to simulate a hearing impairment for an entire day. The aim was to demonstrate what could occur if a disability was not properly accommodated and how this could impact employee performance. While sharing her experience, she stated, “I felt like I was under the water.”
Woo explained challenges interacting with her colleagues or listening to instructions without a visual reference. “Experiencing deafness felt like being submerged in water—there was a sense of isolation and a struggle to connect with my surroundings,” she said.
Woo, like Chai, revealed her mother has a physical disability due to a past surgery.
“What bothers me when I take out with my mom is people,” she said while discussing people staring at her mom in public.
Impact in the Workplace
“I think that disability is kind of in the back of people’s mind,” Aristide said. “I don’t think people really realize that they can be impacted.”
As the Disability Program Manager, she created the event to encourage FED’s employees to think of reasonable accommodations the district could provide. “ I want people to realize that just because you have a disability does not mean you can’t work,” she said.
“Events like these are vital as they foster empathy and understanding,” Woo said. “They encourage participants to step outside their comfort zones and gain a deeper appreciation for the diverse experiences of others. They [these events] encourage dialogue about disability and accessibility, ultimately leading to a more supportive work environment.”
Visit the CDC and/or NIH for more information about each disability featured in the article.
