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One of the great things about the Globetrotter World Tour is not only the many exciting places Trotter has been to, but some of the fascinating people I have met along the way, as I have organized Trotter's visit from one host to the next. One of these fascinating people is 8-year-old Isaiah Fulford Davis.

In early September 2008, Isaiah's uncle, known as Shawn Sr. in the retrogaming community, introduced many of us to Isaiah in the form of an online auction to raise money to get the boy his own Nintendo Wii and some games. The auction was for a homebrewed game called "TRAVI the Traveller". TRAVI is like Trotter, in that it is cart travelling the globe, except it plays on the Atari 7800 system. The game for auction sports a label colored and signed by Isaiah.

What makes this a special feat is that Isaiah lives with severe Cerebral Palsy. He gets around mostly by wheelchair and has limited use of his hands. This hasn't stopped him from enjoying videogames and other media, like other kids his age. With his limited mobility, he has come up with clever ways to use the controllers to move his game characters across the screen.

Coincidentally, I am attending a class as part of my Multimedia degree and we were given an assignment to interview a person living with a disability. This was in an effort to learn how to make websites and other multimedia more accessible and user-friendly to people like Isaiah as well as people from different cultures and so forth.

Isaiah lives in Ontario, Canada, but agreed to share some of his story with me. His uncle, Shawn Sr. acted as scribe and sent me Isaiah's responses to my questions below. Afterward, I have included some things I have learned from my chat with Isaiah.

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Weston Dean Hilton:
 Hi Isaiah! Thank you for agreeing to chat with me for this class project. My name is Weston Hilton. Your Uncle Shawn helped me last year with my Globetrotter Silver Edition game release by building the circuit board assembly for 26 cartridges. I understand you helped him in the design of a special "TRAVI the Traveller" unique cartridge for auction. Have you done artwork for other projects? If so, what do you like most about art? What do you like the least?

Isaiah Fulford Davis:
 Hello Mr. Hilton, I like doing a lot of art projects, but this was with first time I had done something for my Uncle Shawn, I liked doing what he does! I have not really done any other big projects, but I do love art in all forms. I love building things with Popsicle sticks with my cousin Jenny, and I love to draw, I am getting better and better at drawing people on skateboards. I don't like waiting for things to dry, I like them to be ready right away.

WDH:
 Tell me a little bit about your history and background:

 I understand you live with Cerebral Palsy. Me, I was born with a cleft palate and lip and I had 4 surgeries as a baby and 2 as an adult to fix my mouth so I could chew my food and that sort of thing. How many surgeries have you undergone? What has been your experience at the hospital and recovery time?

IFD:
 I have had three surgeries, one dental; because I can't keep my mouth open long enough for the dentist to go in. The other two were on my legs. The first one was in 2005, I had Botox injections, and it worked, but not as well as they wanted it too. It was in hope to not have surgery. In October 2007, I had what they call "Triple Release". This extended the muscles and tendons in the back on my knees and my groin area; I didn't have to have my heel cords done because they said they were okay.

  I loved CHEO. They were very nice, and I got to order what ever I wanted for every meal. I was in a really big reclining wheelchair, because I had full leg casts for two months. When they took the casts off it hurt a lot and I didn't sleep very well, but the surgery was very good and worked; now I just have to work on balance and standing on my feet better.

WDH:
 Do you attend school? If so, tell me a bit about what activities you do there? Do you interact with other kids with disabilities? What reactions do you get from other kids in your age group (with or without disabilities)?

IFD:
 I go to Vanier Public school in Brockville, On. I am in grade three. I do math, science, art, computers, French, reading and gym. I know a few kids with disabilities, but there is only one other older girl in my school with a wheelchair. A lot of kids ask why I can't walk and I talk different. I tell them I was born that way.

WDH:
 Briefly describe a typical day for you, from when you wake up until it is time for bed. Share as much or as little details as you are comfortable with.

IFD:
 My mom wakes me up at about 7:30, but I don't like it, I like to sleep. She stretches my legs, and then uses a urinal bottle so I can go to the bathroom, because it's very hard to lift me in the morning. She gets me dressed, I wear a "tummy brace" (abdominal binder), this helps me breath and talk easier. I also have feet braces (AFO's) this helps me stand with support. A lot of the time my Nana comes over to help my mom lift me out of bed, because I am very tall and heavy. She brushes my teeth and hair, and away I go on the para transit bus to school.

  At school I do everything everyone else does, but sometimes just a bit different. I go in a standing frame for about an hour to stretch me out and help to learn to bare weight on my feet. At Gym and some recesses I go in my walker (gait pacer). So I can kick around the balls and play with the other kids. I take the bus home.

  Jenny is usually there because my mom is still at school for a while, I do my homework and have a snack, my mom cooks dinner and then I have a shower with my special shower chair. She gets me dressed in my PJ's and does some other stretches. We read a book and then I sleep. Sometimes I get out of school early to go to Physio or appointments at CHEO in Ottawa. I like eating Taco Bell when I am there.

WDH:
 I had pneumonia when I was about 11 years old and it left me with hearing loss in my left ear. I remember I would get frustrated sometimes when I couldn't hear or understand what other people were saying to me. Living with Cerebral Palsy, do you become frustrated trying to do things sometimes? If so, what kind of activities do you do to feel better?

IFD:
 I get frustrated when people don't understand what I am saying, but I try my best to make them understand. I don't like it when people think I can't do anything, especially walk, because I CAN walk in my walker. My PS2 always makes me feel better, because I play it like everyone else. People look at me like I am not "normal". I can do everything other kids can, most of the time better!

WDH:
 Is there something about your condition you would like other people to understand better that they may not be aware of because they don't face that same challenge? Put another way, If you could live without Cerebral Palsy for one full day, what would you miss the least about your condition?

IFD:
 If I didn't have CP for a day I would not miss my tummy brace, it annoys me. I would not miss my braces either, because I would get to run and walk.

WDH:
 We are learning about Assistive Technologies in our class that are being/have been designed to help improve the lives of people with different conditions. For example:

  How long have you had your wheelchair? What do you like most about it? Is there anything about your wheelchair you wish worked better? Are there other machines or devices you use often in your day? If so, what do they do and what would you change about it if you could?

IFD:
 I had a special stroller from 2-4 years old, and then I got my wheelchair. I like that I always have a table to write, play and eat on. My front wheels don't spin right sometimes, and sometimes I can't get over big bumps. I use my standing frame, walker, shower/commode chair, and my new power wheelchair. In my power chair I can get over BIG bumps and go really fast. Mom doesn't like it when I run over her toes!

WDH:
 I understand you have found clever ways to play with your toys and games. Also, you enjoy playing with Uncle Shawn's Nintendo Wii. What do like best about the Wii controller and nunchuck? If you could change the design, what would you like to see added or changed( if anything ) to make it easier for you to play games?

IFD:
 I like that the Wii controller does not have wires, but I wish it was just like the PS2 controller. Because I have my way of playing with that one. But I'm getting used to the Wii. I would like one someday.

WDH:
 Besides videogames, what kind of hobbies or interests do you have and that you like to do?

IFD:
 I like to draw, watch movies, listen to music, and do crafts. I am starting swimming lessons and karate with Uncle Shawn this week. Just like Kung Fu Panda.

WDH:
 Who are the people in your life that have helped you the most?

IFD:
 Everyone around me helps. But Uncle Shawn, Mom and Jenny are good. Aunt Judy, Josh, Nana, Grandpa Donnie, Grannie and my helper at school help too. When everyone works together I like that the most, because they all love me.

WDH:
 Thank you, Isaiah, for taking the time to be interviewed. I appreciate your help with this. You are an inspiring young man to all who are reading this and I wish you and your family the best!

IFD:
 I hope you are good, and that you do good on your project. Let me know if you pass.

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One of the things I was most curious to find out was how Isaiah sees himself. I was glad to learn, based on his responses and his happy demeanor in the photos, that he hasn't let his disability define who he is. While it is true it has a large impact on his life, he is a kid first. He can do lots of things other kids his age can do (and some things better), he just has to work a bit harder at it.

Isaiah takes pride in being able to walk and interact with the other kids around him, something many of us able-bodied people take for granted. He wants to be treated "normal" because he doesn't see himself as different, even if he may appear different initially.

It is important to remember that Isaiah and others with diasbilities are still human, and want to be treated with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, there is a small percentage of persons out there who may claim to have an ilness or disability and end up leeching off of the government or the generosity of others. This sets up suspicion of all who may claim to be disabled, especially where it may not be evident( such as internal injuries ) and can cause animosity between those with afflictions and those who are considered "normal" by society. Disabilities come in a variety of forms and severities. It's important for everybody to be open-minded to what the other person is feeling and try to "walk in their shoes" so to speak.

I may not ever understand fully what is like to live Isaiah's life with Cerebral Palsy, and he likely won't know what it is like to be partially deaf, but I can appreciate that he is doing the best he can and I admire him for that. In designing multimedia projects, I am more aware of some of the design needs that may be on the horizon already, or may need somebody such as myself to start working on in order to improve the quality of life for people like Isaiah. Necessity can also be the mother of invention so new technologies of the future rely on understanding the needs of those living in the now, whether they live with a disability or not. -Weston