Select and watch a movie that depicts difficult or different methods of communication between individuals with a disability or with other special needs.  An example of this would be the 2003 movie Radio with Cuba Gooding Jr. There are many ways to view this movie on Netflix, HBO, Amazon, etc.

First, provide a short summary of the movie, and include the background on the main characters. As discussed in the previous module, utilize person-first language to describe individuals from specialized populations (example: “child with autism,” rather than “autistic child”).

Discuss the communication difficulties or barriers between the individuals in the movie. What misunderstandings or obstacles did you observe that prevented clear communication between the characters?

Lastly, apply this information directly to healthcare. Why does communication often breakdown between healthcare providers, and patients with special needs? What circumstances from the movie could also be applied to healthcare provider and patients?

Some other movie suggestions are:

Rainman: When car dealer Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) learns that his estranged father has died, he returns home to Cincinnati, where he discovers that he has an older brother with autism named Raymond (Dustin Hoffman)  The brothers’ cross-country trip ends up changing both their lives.    The Intouchables:  After he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, an aristocrat hires a young man from the projects to be his caregiver.
As Good as It Gets:  A single mother/waitress, a author with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery.    I Am Sam:  A man with a developmental disability fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter, and in the process teaches his cold hearted lawyer the value of love and family.
Your assignment should be around 500 words, and you can submit it as a Microsoft Word document (file upload) or type directly into the assignment (text entry).