HARRISBURG, Oct. 7, 2014 – State lawmakers and Capitol visitors had the opportunity today to experience how people live with disabilities during Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione’s annual Disability Awareness Day.

People without disabilities were able to experience “blindness” or what it is like to move around in a wheelchair during the three-hour event.

“I present this important day because personal experiences can have a bigger impact on our decision makers,” Tartaglione said. “People with disabilities face real challenges many times a day, all of the time. Experiencing what they experience helps us as a commonwealth improve services and be more thoughtful when budgeting decisions need to be made.”

Wheelchairs, walkers, vision-distorting goggles, magnifiers, arm restraints and noise-canceling headphones helped volunteers simulate life with a disability.

Informational hand-outs and service dog demonstrations emphasized the available services that make a difference in the lives of Pennsylvanians who do live with disabilities every day.

The following organizations participated today in the senator’s Disability Awareness Day at the Capitol:

  • PA Initiative on Assistive Technology at the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University
  • Magee Rehabilitation Hospital
  • PA Statewide Independent Living Council
  • PA Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services
  • Susquehanna Service Dogs
  • UniqueSource
  • United Cerebral Palsy of Central PA

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