By Kathryn Green
Paralympian Keith Barney is adding a new dimension to the accessible recreation class, his colleagues say.
Barney, a first-year professor at BYU, said being a paraplegic brings to life the challenges people with disabilities face.
'A textbook can only go so far,' Barney said. 'Telling students about the social ramifications and the depression of having a disability is not so easy.'
Barney, who was accidentally shot in a hunting accident at age 14, said he teaches from life experiences. The accident left Barney unable to use his legs.
'You feel like you''re damaged goods,' Barney said. 'You think ''Why would anyone on BYU campus want to go out with me?'' and you feel socially isolated.'
Both students and faculty said Barney is an asset to the Recreation Management and Youth Leadership Department.
'Barney makes everything more real because he''s lived it,' said Benjamin Reynolds, 26, a junior from Visalia, Calif., majoring in recreation management.
'He can say ''Yeah, that happened to me one time'' when we learn about situations in our textbooks,' Reynolds said.
Reynolds said insight from Barney''s class is changing his relationship with his mother, who had an aneurysm when he was younger.
Reynolds said it is only now that he is beginning to understand the trials his mom has gone through over the years.
Reynolds said he would advocate the accessible recreation class to everyone, not just recreation management majors.
'Who knows -- tomorrow you might get hit by a car and have a disability,' he said. 'Barney''s class affects us all.'
Recreation Management and Youth Leadership faculty member Howard Gray helped recruit Barney as a teacher this year.
'He''s a miracle of a person,' Gray said. 'In college you''re lucky if you can take a class like Barney''s that will teach you not just theories and concepts but actually helps you to help and bless people''s lives.'
Barney''s students have the opportunity to take on an adoptive disability such as sight or hearing loss during the semester. But Barney said this activity does not always have the desired effect.
'Students said they''d rather be dead than have that disability,' Barney said. 'I want them to realize that they can cope and can make it work.'
Barney said he has also carved his own way in the Paralympic world, competing in cross country skiing and the biathlon events.
In Barney''s experience, if an event didn''t welcome wheelchairs, he said he would call and advocate change for them to become more inclusive.
'It''s taken a lot of determination,' Barney said.