October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and Disability History Month in the state of Washington. As my journey with my own son with Down syndrome has evolved I realize that I want more than awareness. I’d love for our society to move from awareness and acceptance to true inclusion.
I think it’s important that we move past simple awareness campaigns to something that persuades actual action. But how? How do we raise awareness and persuade people to truly accept people with disabilities for who they are?
Outside of the classroom, there’s many small, yet powerful actions you can take. Advocating for laws that end sub minimum wages, and promote community inclusion can be as easy as sending a letter to your representative or showing up to a rally. Another powerful step towards equity is working with people with disabilities to understand how they want to be respected and supported. Always question yourself and others. Do you or people around you still harbor ableist feeling like pity or inferiority of people with disabilities? Learning from these moments and moving forward is an important first step towards acceptance, and something I still practice and struggle with sometimes. We should always invite people to change and evolve in their perspective; that’s what advocacy is about.
When and how should parents formally introduce their child in a classroom setting, and promote disability acceptance?
First, let’s talk about what NOT to do. You might have come across the use of disability simulations: marshmallows in the mouth to simulate low tone and lack of intelligibility, hands in mittens to simulate poor fine motor skills, blindfolds to simulate–well, being blind. Do you notice what all these simulations highlight?
What a person can’t do, rather than how individuals with disabilities successfully adapt to their environment with the right modifications and supports.
Instead of promoting empathy and awareness, research studies show disability simulations actually promote fear, apprehension, and pity towards their classmate with a disability. Also, because the simulation is only for a short time, it’s hard for typical students to truly experience the classmate’s limitations in a meaningful way.
Inclusion Activities in Grade School
Trying to promote acceptance will take more time and thought than awareness campaigns but they’re worth it. I invited a local self-advocate with a disability to come talk to our entire school body about acceptance. I hope that this will make a lasting impact.
During the COVID pandemic you can modify these assemblies by having local members of your community with disability submit recorded videos that you can then share during the school’s morning announcements. This month I organized a number of different videos for my son’s school, including one from our school’s Physical Therapist where he introduces his service dog and explains how the dog is used to help students with disabilities. My own children even asked to create a video to talk about inclusion.
You can also reach parents through your school’s newsletter. I’ve created a Parent-to-Parent Guide that talks to parents about disability rights, inclusion, and tips on how their child can be an ally to classmates with disabilities. You can use my guide with proper citations.
Supports for Teachers:
Many teachers and parents like to take a more broad approach to awareness of differences in lower grades. For instance, in kindergarten through 2nd grade you may not even mention the term “Down syndrome” or “Autism.” Many parents decide the discussion shouldn’t single their child out, but foster acceptance of all students. Children’s books are a great way to foster acceptance of people for who they are. Here’s some examples:
“What Happened To You?” by James Catchpole: A great book to introduce the idea of disability pride, and gently remind students that a person with a disability is not a lesson to be learned. The book reminds readers that people with disabilities want the same things as everyone else: belonging and inclusion. Pity has no place here.
“My Friend Isabelle” by Eliza Wilson: I love this book, because it starts with two friends that have so much in common, but also talks about differences. The reader only finds out that one character has Down syndrome by reading the jacket note at the end of the book. It also has a guide to help teachers and parents incorporate the book into a classroom lesson. Watch the YouTube click below for a video version of the book.
“Just Ask: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You” by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor: Did you know Justice Sotomayor lives with Type 1 Diabetes? She talks about her own life as well as the lives of other children with disabilities or health conditions in this beautiful children’s book. She uses the analogy of a garden to show how people’s differences can be their superpowers.
“King Louie and His Marshmallow Kingdom” by Louis Rotella: About a little king who rules over a kingdom where the sun always shines and every meal is a picnic. Louie explains to his friends that he loves to do kid-things, even though he’s different. This is one of my all-time favorites!
Awareness Activities with Older Students
Books can also be used with older students, and some may actually define a disability. But more hands-on or project-based activities are also fun at this age. Open discussions about what students already know about disabilities (or think they know) is imperative. Prior knowledge allows teachers and parents to assess where to start, as well as any preconceived notions students may have. Discussing inclusion is also important at this age. All kids want to be included.
“All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel: A phenomenal new book that looks at the Disability Rights Movement and the advocacy effort to get the Americans With Disabilities Act passed. It follows one young advocate that showed Congress how important access is for people with disabilities. This is a great book for 2nd or 3rd graders, who can start thinking about how they could advocate for people with disabilities in their own communities.
The Girl Who Thought In Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca: “If you’ve ever felt different, if you’ve ever been low,
if you don’t quite fit in, there’s a name you should know…Meet Dr. Temple Grandin—one of the world’s quirkiest science heroes!” When young Temple was diagnosed with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science. Yet, the determined visual thinker did just that.
Washington State Governor’s Office of the Education Ombuds (OEO) created the One Out of Five Project to promote disability pride and inclusion through simple lesson plans. You can get those here. The Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities also did a fabulous disability awareness campaign in Indiana and posted all of their lessons here. Some of their ideas include:
- Students create a class motto for inclusion
- Anonymously write questions students have about disability and difference, and have those questions read and answered as a class (or in private)
- Create a classroom mural that depicts what an inclusive class, school, and community looks like
- Perform a simple skit showing appropriate and inappropriate ways to interact with classmates with disabilities: people’s first language, asking before you help someone, inviting classmates to special occasions, treat your classmate the way you want to be treated
- Show a movie or show that depicts someone with a disability as the main character
- Evaluate their school or local business to see if they accessible for people with disabilities. If they’re not, come up with a plan to change that.
- Invite a sign language interpreter to teach students some simple signs.
