Acres of Ability

Last Friday, Kyra and I had the opportunity to converse with a group of designers and researchers from California State University working on the concept that people with special conditions (i.e. “disabilities”) more often than not possess abilities that “normal” people don’t have. For example, it is well-documented that blind people often develop superior hearing and tactile sensitivity, and people on the autism spectrum are often able to hyper-focus and solve problems with enhanced speed, creativity, and accuracy. These researchers and designers postulate that when we understand, expect, and encourage these special abilities, people that have previously been denied meaningful education or work because of a glaring “disability” suddenly become economically valuable in the eyes of a school or business. It’s a win-win situation long overdue. Kyra and I had so much fun answering questions about Kyra’s talents, gifts, and interests, and learning about the projects and r