Disability is Natural Free Press

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FEATURED ARTICLE:

Mainstreaming, Integration, Inclusion—Is There a Difference?

Our society is enriched by the diversity of its people. Individuals with disabilities can and should contribute to this richness, and inclusion is the way to make it happen.

Lots of words are bandied about to describe people with disabilities being “in,” or “part of” ordinary environments, such as school, community activities, work, etc. These words—mainstreaming, integration, and inclusion—are often used interchangeably. But do they mean the same thing? Let’s examine the issue and explore what difference it all makes . . . (Click here for the entire article.)

 

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VISIT DISABILITY IS NATURAL

The Disability is Natural Online Store includes one-of-a-kind products that focus on positive images, new attitudes, and effective strategies. Two life-changing books—Disability is Natural and 101 Reproducible Articles—and the Disability is Natural DVD are generating positive change in homes, schools, and communities across the country! Bright and colorful posters, bookmarks, magnets, note cards, and other goodies are great "attitude adjusters," and can enhance your efforts to ensure children and adults with disabilities live Real Lives, successfully included in all environments of the Real World!   Click here to browse the store!

A variety of thought-provoking articles are showcased on the Revolutionary Common Sense page. See the descriptions of the articles below and click here to visit the Revolutionary Common Sense page.

It's Time for Spring Cleaning!
It’s that time of year again: the grass is greening, buds are blooming, and everything looks new again. We’re inspired by nature. When springtime rolls around, we open the windows and let the fresh air in; do some heavy duty cleaning and scrubbing; and scour our closets and cupboards, getting rid of old, worn out things. What if we also performed these rites of spring cleaning in ourselves?

Beware the Retarding Environment
Many years ago, a group of experts wrote about "retarding environments." Who were these experts? Individuals with disabilities who had first-hand experience! We haven't heeded this wisdom, as "retarding environments" may still exist in our homes, schools, and other settings in our communities. But we can change this—do we have the will to do so?

Curriculum Modifications 105—Let's Read!
Children with disabilities who have difficulty with reading may be at risk of “punishment”—they’re given more labels, placed in a segregated classroom, or pulled out of regular ed classes for “remediation” in a resource room. Reading is an important skill, but the inability to read doesn’t mean a person can’t learn, and there are many ways to learn from written material—whether one reads it in large print, listens to it on tape, or by other means!

From Inconvenient to Ordinary
On a regular basis, we face change. We’re constantly having to adjust to new technology, new rules, or new situations. And the “new”—even though it may be good and/or helpful—may often be inconvenient initially, but it soon becomes ordinary.The same can be true about the inclusion of people with disabilities in schools, jobs, and ordinary community activities...But like other perceived inconveniences, once the “new” occurs on a regular basis, it becomes familiar and ordinary!

Spiderman, Star Wars, and Disability
Our family loves movies! We saw Spiderman and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones on the first day each was released, standing in long lines with other devotees. When we pause and reflect, many movies offer important themes and lessons which can be relevant to the lives of people with disabilities.

Shhhh....Someone's Listening; Watch Your Language
Somehow, many of us lose our sense of manners and develop our own “inappropriate behavior” when it comes to talking about individuals with disabilities. Isn’t it time to find our manners? Isn’t it time to remember that we always need to watch our language? Isn’t it time to remember that people have feelings? So, shhhh—

#5 Home, Sweet Home (and Other Friendly, Welcoming Environments): Vision Supports
Need some visual supports or accommodations? There are lots of great products on the market today, and others you can make at home!

Best Hopes; Worst Fears
In the Real World, children and adults face difficult circumstances on a daily basis—experiences that constitute being a human being in today’s world. In Disability World, however, children and adults with disabilities are “protected” and may not be allowed to take risks or experience normal activities and environments. And the real barrier isn't usually the person's disability condition, but our fears! The Best Hopes/Worst Fears exercise can help us move in a new direction.

From "Doing" to "Being"
We don't need to make children and adults "do" in traditional physical and occupational therapies. Instead, therapists can focus on ensuring a child or adult with a disability can "be" who he/she wants to be. It's a new way of doing things that works—as evidenced by this interview with extraordinary therapists—and this is a must read for parents, therapists, service providers, and others who are ready to move beyond "therapizing" a person's life!

Inclusive Education: A Principal's Perspective
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Testimonial on Inclusive Education (from a special ed teacher)
What does it take to create a school where children with disabilities are included in general ed classrooms all the time? Does inclusion work for all students and all teachers? Does it take more money, more training, more paraprofessionals, or more something? You'll be surprised and enlightened by the experiences of a principal and special ed teacher in these two articles.

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ET CETERA . . .

 

—WORDS OF WISDOM

How little do they see what is, who frame their hasty judgments upon that which seems.
Robert Southey

 

Things do not change, we do.

Henry David Thoreau

 

The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.

Coco Chanel

 

When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that in itself is a choice.
William James

 

Our destiny changes with our thought; we shall become what we wish to become, do what we wish to do, when our habitual thought corresponds with our desire.

John Patrick

 

—NEWS TO USE

My Child, My Gift: A Positive Response to Serious Prenatal Diagnosis is a wonderful new book by Madeline Nugent, and I was privileged to write the preface. This is an important book for parents and other family members, and it's especially important for physicians and others in the medical profession—they can learn much from the powerful, true stories included in this book. Visit www.mychildmygift.com to learn more.

 

The Autism Self-Advocate E-Store is launched! Per the information shared with me by William Stillman (www.williamstillman.com), "The store is a partnership with members of the self-advocacy community, and features exclusive products and original works created by individuals with autism. Visit the store at www.yapinc.org, and for information on having your products in the store (self-advocates only), contact bill@williamstillman.com.

 

Ray Kurzweil, a pioneer in assistive technology has designed yet another innovative product: the kReader Mobile, a pocket-sized device that takes a picture of and then reads most printed materials at the push of a button. According to the press info, "Users can hear documents, signs, menus, receipts, even currency—most printed text—read aloud in clear synthetic speech." Learn more at www.knfbreader.com.

 

Note: The inclusion of any websites, products, and/or organizations in this newsletter are for informational purposes only, and does not necessarily constitute endorsement.

 

—PRESENTATIONS

I'll be presenting in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota,Texas, and Washington in the coming months---visit the Presentations page for more details (and check back often for new dates/events that are added). Contact me (kathie@disabilityisnatural.com) if you'd like to know more about my presentations for your conference or organization, or click here for information about my teleseminars.

 

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Thanks for your interest in new ways of thinking! Please contact us with your comments and ideas about this E-Newsletter, the Disability is Natural website, or anything else of interest. If you received this E-Newsletter from a friend and would like to subscribe, visit www.disabilityisnatural.com and sign up at the bottom of any page, or send an Email to kathie@disabilityisnatural.com with your request.

And thanks for all you do to create an inclusive society where everyone belongs!