# Personal Experiences Part of the Disabilities Awareness Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/disabilities-awareness/guide/index.md) *3. Learning from Others* > **3.** Do TWO of the following: This requirement gives you five options for learning directly from people with disabilities or experiencing what they experience. You will choose **two** of them. Each option teaches something different — some involve one-on-one conversations, others involve research or hands-on activities. Read through all five options below, then pick the two that interest you most and that you can realistically complete in your community. --- ## Option 3a — Talk with a Scout Who Has a Disability **What to do:** Find a Scout (in your troop, district, or council) who has a disability and have a conversation about their experience in Scouting. What merit badges have they earned? What activities do they enjoy most? What challenges have they faced, and how did they overcome them? **How to prepare:** Ask your Scoutmaster or council office to help you connect with a Scout who is willing to share their experience. Have questions ready, but let the conversation flow naturally. This is not an interview — it is a chance to listen and learn. > **Tip** > > Focus on what the Scout has accomplished, not on their limitations. Ask about their favorite camping trip, their toughest merit badge, or the rank advancement they are most proud of. You will probably discover you have more in common than you expected. **Key question to explore:** How has Scouting adapted to include this Scout? Were any accommodations made, and did they work well? --- ## Option 3b — Talk with a Person Who Has a Disability **What to do:** Have a conversation with someone who has a disability — a family member, neighbor, teacher, coach, or someone you met through the agency visit in [Req 2](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/disabilities-awareness/guide/req2/). Learn about their daily life, their interests, and the activities they enjoy. **How to prepare:** Approach this conversation with genuine curiosity and the etiquette you learned in [Req 1b](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/disabilities-awareness/guide/req1b/). Ask about their life — not just their disability. People with disabilities are whole people with hobbies, careers, families, and dreams. **Suggested conversation starters:** - "What do you enjoy doing in your free time?" - "What is something most people do not understand about living with your disability?" - "What accommodations make the biggest difference in your daily life?" - "What would you want people my age to know?" > **Safety First!** > > Remember: it is never okay to ask someone about their disability unless they volunteer the information or you have a trusted relationship. If you are reaching out to someone you do not know well, explain your merit badge project first and let them decide if they want to participate. --- ## Option 3c — Learn About Adaptive Sports **What to do:** Research how people with disabilities participate in a specific adaptive sport or recreational activity. Learn about the rules, the equipment modifications, and the organizations that support it. People with disabilities compete at the highest levels of athletic performance. Adaptive sports are not watered-down versions of "real" sports — they are fierce, demanding, and inspiring. ### Adaptive Sports to Explore | Sport | Adaptation | Organization | |---|---|---| | Wheelchair basketball | Played in sport wheelchairs; same court, same hoop height | National Wheelchair Basketball Association | | Sled hockey | Players sit on sleds with two short sticks instead of one | USA Hockey Sled Program | | Goalball | Designed for athletes with visual impairments; players wear blackout goggles and track a ball by sound | USA Goalball | | Adaptive rock climbing | Modified harnesses, prosthetic grips, route setting for various disabilities | Paradox Sports | | Sit-skiing | Athletes sit in a mono-ski or bi-ski frame attached to a single ski or pair of skis | Move United | | Wheelchair rugby | Also called "murderball" — full contact in reinforced chairs | USA Wheelchair Rugby | > **Did You Know?** > > The Paralympic Games feature over 500 events across 22 sports. At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, over 4,400 athletes from more than 180 countries competed. Athletes use racing wheelchairs, running blades, tandem bicycles, and other specialized equipment designed for peak performance. ![A wheelchair basketball game in action, with athletes in sport wheelchairs racing down the court showing intense competitive focus](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/disabilities-awareness/guide/adaptive-sports-montage?v=15c7381b) --- ## Option 3d — Learn About Independent Living Aids **What to do:** Research assistive technologies and independent living aids that help people with disabilities navigate daily life. Learn how these tools work and how they promote independence. ### Categories of Assistive Technology **Mobility aids:** - Manual and power wheelchairs - Walkers, canes, and crutches - Prosthetic limbs — from basic models to microprocessor-controlled knees and bionic hands **Communication aids:** - Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices — from simple picture boards to sophisticated speech-generating computers - Captioned telephones and video relay services for people who are deaf - Text-to-speech and speech-to-text software **Service animals:** - Guide dogs for people who are blind - Hearing dogs that alert their handlers to sounds like doorbells, alarms, and approaching vehicles - Psychiatric service dogs trained to recognize and respond to anxiety attacks, PTSD episodes, or seizures - Service miniature horses (yes, really — the ADA recognizes them as service animals) **Daily living aids:** - Braille displays and refreshable braille keyboards - Screen readers that convert text to speech - One-handed kitchen tools, button hooks, and adaptive utensils - Smart home technology — voice-controlled lights, locks, and appliances > **Tip** > > If you choose this option, try to go beyond just listing aids. Learn how specific technologies have changed someone's life. A power wheelchair is not just a chair — it is freedom. A communication device is not just a tablet — it is a voice. [AbleData — Assistive Technology Database](https://abledata.acl.gov/): A comprehensive database of assistive technology products maintained by the U.S. Administration for Community Living. Search by disability type or activity to find specific devices. --- ## Option 3e — Plan or Participate in an Awareness Activity **What to do:** Plan or take part in an activity that helps other people understand what it is like to live with a disability. This could be a simulation, a presentation, a community event, or something you design yourself. ### Activity Ideas **Simulation experiences** (use with caution — see safety note below): - Navigate your school or Scout meeting place in a wheelchair and note every barrier you encounter - Wear earplugs during a meeting and try to follow the conversation - Wear simulation goggles that mimic visual impairments while trying to read or pour a glass of water **Educational presentations:** - Create a presentation for your troop about person-first language - Lead a discussion about invisible disabilities using the myths and facts you will research in [Req 5](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/disabilities-awareness/guide/req5/) - Invite a speaker with a disability to share their story with your troop or pack > **Safety First!** > > Disability simulations can be powerful learning tools, but they must be handled with care. A five-minute wheelchair ride does not replicate the lifelong experience of a disability — and poorly designed simulations can actually reinforce negative stereotypes (like the idea that disability is tragic or limiting). Always pair a simulation with a conversation with someone who actually has the disability. Focus on environmental barriers, not on how "hard" it is to be disabled. ![A Scout presenting about disability awareness to an engaged group of fellow Scouts at a troop meeting using a poster board](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/disabilities-awareness/guide/awareness-activity-troop?v=9e1a1020) --- Remember: you need to complete **two** of these five options. Choose the two that you find most interesting and that you can access in your community. Discuss what you learned from each with your counselor. --- - Previous: [Visiting an Agency](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/disabilities-awareness/guide/req2/index.md) - Next: [Accessibility Observations](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/disabilities-awareness/guide/req4/index.md)