Abram's experience is one of forced intimacy. Abrams was required to work together - in this case play together - with others in her piano class but it still was an independent exercise because students didn't know each other's needs. This forced intimacy made the environment intimidating, competitive, and humiliating rather than supportive. Students rather than being interdependent were held to rigid expectations of able-bodied and able-mindedness in front of each other which is isolating. Emily was denied the opportunity to exercise agency and learn in a way that was most effective for her, resulting in forced intimacy.