The Physcially Disabled BSW Student

It has been over 100 years since the social work profession first demonstrated its commitment to physically disabled citizens. More recently our attention has been called to the apparent low priority this population has been accorded in social work education. In an effort to address another aspect of this concern, the field work component of the curriculum, a survey of Field Work Directors at 346 Council On Social Work Education accredited baccalaureate social work education programs was undertaken. A beginning attempt to investigate the involvement of physcially disabled students in BSW programs, focus was also on special field education problems and solutions, as well as the educational outcomes with regard to these students. Results seem to indicate that physically disabled students are involved in baccalaureate social work education and are able to follow professional career patterns in at least the same percentages as their non-disabled couterparts. The majority of problems appear to be an ecological nature and perhaps require a stronger social welfare policy commitment to the rights of the physically disabled.