01 November 2006

Disability Awareness Education

Children enjoy a Kids on the Block show. Each puppet’s story raises important issues with audiences. (The Kids On The Block)

The commitment to help all people with disabilities achieve as much as possible and participate fully in all aspects of U.S. society clearly includes roles for those with disabilities and for teachers, therapists, and other support personnel who work with people with disabilities. But for everyone else in society, there is also a responsibility to learn about disabilities and ways to support people who have them.

Sign language is used in many schools, not only schools for the deaf. (© AP Images)

Since the enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), more and more schools have programs that bring children with disabilities into regular classrooms for all or part of the day. Children with and without disabilities work and play together and form friendships that enrich both parties. Educators have discovered, however, that while children can be open to others, there are things adults can do to help them develop the comfort, understanding, and respect that makes these relationships possible.

A number of groups have developed teaching materials to help teachers and youth workers plan lessons to help children understand the challenges and perspectives of those with disabilities. A resource list that describes programs and gives contact information can be found at http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/bibliog/bib13txt.htm.

Programs range from groups such as Kids on the Block, which uses nearly life-size puppets and other materials to teach disability awareness and to present medical and educational differences and social concerns, to New Friends Curriculum, which uses dolls to create situations for children to discuss. Interactive programs allow able-bodied children to use blindfolds and other tools to experience what it would be like to lose some ability. Trying to tie shoes with a sock over each hand to reduce the functioning of the fingers or trying to eat while blindfolded helps children empathize with their classmates with disabilities. Learning what it feels like to walk blindfolded helps them better understand how to help a classmate or friend. Visit the Kids on the Block Web site at http://www.kotb.com.

U.S. classrooms and youth organizations have added these kinds of lessons because most Americans believe that understanding the challenges of others and how best to help them is as much a part of being a good citizen as any of the other social or civic lessons that are offered. And it’s not simply good for children. Businesses and other organizations have programs to help employees better understand how to work with colleagues or clients who have disabilities.