“There is something rarer than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability.” This quote from businessman Robert Half is fitting for October, Disability History and Awareness Month, as our state and school district focus on the abilities and contributions of people with disabilities.
On July 27, 2007, Governor Easley signed into law Senate Bill 753: Disability History and Awareness Month to increase public awareness and respect for people with disabilities. This bill was signed into law to ensure rich and meaningful learning opportunities were provided for all students about people with disabilities.
WCPSS serves more than 18,690 students with disabilities. To support our schools this month, Special Education Services has compiled an array of resources for teachers, media specialists, and administrators. In addition to facilitating a general awareness of disabilities, Special Education Services provides special focus on one area of disability yearly. In 2009 the additional focus is on autism.
The resources shared with schools include:
- Media center display ideas and information created in collaboration with WCPSS media specialists
- Book lists related to people with disabilities (fiction and non-fiction)
- Information about books about people with disabilities available at each school
- Several vignettes about people with disabilities sharing who the person is and how their disability affected their life
- Lesson plans developed for elementary-age students, easily adaptable to middle and high school student levels. These lesson plans provide objectives and explicit instructions for the “how-to” for each activity, including discussion, questions, observations to focus on, activities, and printer-ready materials for each activity
- PowerPoint presentation that can be shared with students and educators about people with disabilities and their contributions in our state and world
- Brochure sharing information specific to autism awareness
For more information, please call Special Education Services at 858-3141.