This lesson provides tools for adult leaders of community programs as they plan and prepare for inclusion of children with disabilities in their programs. Likewise, the lesson provides tools for adult leaders of programs that were established primarily for children with disabilities as they broaden their services to include typically developing peers.
The learner will extrapolate from materials provided in this and prior lessons in order to develop a program-specific plan for inclusion of children with disabilities in programs that were originally established for typically developing children and/or the learner will develop a program specific plan for inclusion of typically developing children in services that were originally established for children with disabilities.
The learner will structure a program that is prepared and ready to include children with disabilities alongside their typically developing peers.
Many people who do not find racism, sexism or other forms of discrimination acceptable may still have unrealized discriminatory attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. These attitudes may be expressed in beliefs that persons with disabilities cannot be included in the mainstream of society. Such beliefs may take the form of statements like, "it costs too much," "it takes too much time," or "you have to change things too much." Many people who hold such beliefs have not had day-to-day opportunities to interact personally with a diverse community that includes persons with a variety of disabilities. We form our attitudes about what is "normal" by absorbing information from the world around us. If that world does not include people with disabilities, we inherently believe that people with disabilities don't belong in our community. If this is the case, we must actively change our attitudes about what is "normal."
When developing an inclusive community-based program or activity, it is essential to ensure that these attitudes are addressed from the onset. Children will naturally take on the attitudes they see in their adult leaders. They are especially sensitive to attitudes that convey disapproval, disgust, anger or condesention.
To eliminate these attitudinal barriers, you should bring all adult program leaders into a meeting for a frank discussion about plans to create an inclusive program, and what this means in terms of the behavior that you expect from these leaders. Children with disabilities should be included as an ordinary part of the program. They are not stereotypes, nor are they invisible. They are children, just like the other children, and you expect them to be treated as such.
The next step in building in inclusive program is developing a perception in the community that your program is open to all children. Take a look at the text and materials that are used to promote the activity to the community. Do these materials convey that children with disabilities are welcome? Alternatively, if the program was originally developed specifically for children with disabilities, how do the text and materials convey that the program is now open to all children, including typically developing children?
These messages do not have to be overt. It is fine to state in the literature that children with disabilities are welcome. It could be just as effective to include a photograph of a child with a visible disability participating in activities with other children.
Conduct a survey of the physical environment in which your activities are held. Are there physical barriers in the environment? Are there plenty of spaces for a wheelchair to turn around and navigate? Are there changes of elevation that might be difficult to navigate? Is the setting too crowded? Too noisy?
There are a number of ways in which you can simulate the experience of a child with a disability in order to gain some experience the environment from the child's perspective. You can borrow a wheelchair and navigate the environment using a wheelchair or walker. You can cover your eyes to simulate the experience of a child with limited or no vision. There are a number of websites that provide information about ADA accessibility standards, and ways to modify the environment to make it more disability-friendly.
Now is the time to look at the content and focus of your activities. While you may not yet be addressing the needs of a specific child, there are certain aspects of programs and activities that can be assessed with common functional needs in mind. Remember, it is not necessary to change the entire character of a program in order to accommodate a child with a disability. Most children with disabilities understand their limits, and they are willing to work with you to find ways to be reasonably involved. On the other hand, some children with disabilities want to push their limits. Can the activities be modified in order to offer enough challenge for these children? As covered in Lesson 3, there are a number of ways to make program accommodations for children with disabilities.
Are the adult leaders of your programs comfortable in working with children with disabilities? If not, help them gain the experience they need. Offer time and opportunity for them to participate in ongoing training. Suggest that they spend a day in another inclusive program where children have confident and effective leaders. Acknowledge their fears, but don't give in to them. Children with disabilities are just like other children in almost every way. Having the opportunity to enrich their lives is a genuinely rewarding experience.
Specific ways to accommodate children related to their functional needs are addressed in earlier lessons. There is one other critical factor in addressing the needs of the child with a disability in your program: Can you build on the child's strengths in order to find a challenging and fun way to include each child?
For example: A youth team member who loves football has cerebral palsy. He cannot run or block on the field, but he has a tremendous skill at analyzing play action. By the time he is in the eighth grade, he is hanging out with high school football players, giving them pointers. He becomes a team analyst, identifying what plays are working, and why other plays don't work. Before the season is over, the young team member is working with individual players on strategies to improve the game on key plays. This is a true story. The young man was Doug Blevins, who grew up to become the Kicking Coach for the Miami Dolphins.
This may be the most important lesson you teach through your actions and your attitude: It is everyone's responsibility to include children with disabilities. Every child in the community program should have an opportunity to interact with peers with disabilities. As they interact, they should learn how to make accommodations as a natural part of their interaction. Children are very observant, and it is possible to engage each child in recognizing opportunities to better engage their friends with disabilities. Without being condescending toward the child with a disability, their peers should be recognized and reinforced each time they make an appropriate accommodation or find a creative way to involve their peers with disabilities.
Never underestimate the value of being included. Having the opportunity to participate in community based programs and services could have life-changing implications for the child with a disability. Having the opportunity to interact with peers with disabilities could change the attitude of typically developing children for a lifetime. Making inclusive opportunities available to all children is critical to improving the way that all communities view their neighbors and friends. These are the first steps in changing the way society treats people with disabilities.
Conduct an interview with an adult with a disability. Ask these questions: What are the specific accommodations or activities that advanced your skills and abilities, especially in childhood? Who were the people who had the greatest influence on you, and what traits did they exhibit that helped you to grow? In what situations were/are you frustrated because accommodations were not made? How could these situations have been changed for the better? What are the common attitudes about disability that have presented barriers to you? Discuss the inclusion plan you have developed for your own organization and ask for recommendations about how to improve the plan.
This slide presentation provides guidance to community
programs in developing a plan to include children with disabilities in
their activities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZtqZvtJdYA
Ted Polito Jr.
An American Man
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/ted-polito-jr-an-american-man/3201001096
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=57727068
Walgreen Rocks
Walgreens hires a better workforce!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2akb4v2cUQ
Melissa Bodnar
2009 Arc Award Recipient
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3YAWKlAI3M
Clara's 8th Grade English Project
This I Believe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO911lWVGpQ
Screen Actors Guild
I AM PWD
http://vodpod.com/watch/1194775-i-am-pwd-awareness-press-release-screen-actors-guild
Including Children with Disabilities in Community Recreation
Activities
http://www.brookespublishing.com/email/archive/august02/august02D1.htm
Urban Institute Press
http://www.urban.org/books/childrenwithdisabilities/intro.cfm
PDF Including chidren with Developmental Delay in PreSchools
http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/childrensservices/files/links/link_63032.pdf