Fortesa Latifi writes for Teen Vogue about the difficulties of being young and sick with an invisible illness or disability. Read more
children
Birth & Betrayal: ‘A price tag on my son’s life’
Watch the story that was awarded the 2022 Collier Prize for State Government Accountability.
The Many Flavors of Disability Bullying
To fight disability bullying, people of all backgrounds and roles need to not only refrain from these bullying behaviors, but also engage with and refute the kinds of thinking and assumptions that prompt them. Read more here.
When Schools Call Police on Kids
A Center for Public Integrity analysis of U.S. Department of Education data found that school policing disproportionately affects students with disabilities, among other minority groups. Read the full story here.
Holiday hackathon makes toys accessible for children with disabilities
Local roboticist teams adapt interactive toys for easier manipulation
By: ASU Now
Two local robotics teams just made the holidays more accessible for 20 local children who face challenges manipulating interactive toys.
Arizona State University’s Desert WAVE and a high school team from Chandler, Arizona, called Degrees of Freedom, joined forces last weekend at CREATE at the Arizona Science Center, to “hack” toys for children with disabilities. Both teams were founded by the local Si Se Puede Foundation.
“When I look at the kids that we are able to help, I see just that: kids,” said Desert WAVE member Jessica Dirks, an ASU sophomore with a double major in human systems engineering and robotics. “They have hopes and dreams and love toys just as much as I do. The only thing separating us is the size of a switch — and that is something I am confident and capable of changing for these fellow dreamers.”
While commercially adapted toys exist for children with physical limitations, they can cost up to four times the retail cost of similar, off-the-shelf toys. The adaptations made during the event cost less than $5 in parts and required basic electrical skills, like soldering, provided by the two teams.
The modified toys help children develop functional skills like problem-solving, offer a foundation for socialization, and perhaps most importantly, have fun with toys.
“My favorite moment of this event was right after I finished adapting my first toy,” said Khushi Parikh, a sophomore at Gilbert Classical Academy and part of the Degrees of Freedom team.
Read the full article here:https://bit.ly/2M8fII7
Navigating education options when your kid has a disability
The New York Times Parenting section recently featured an essay by NCDJ Board member and journalist Amy Silverman, who elucidates the challenges parents face when it comes to choosing the right school for kids with disabilities. Silverman discusses what it was like to transition her daughter Sophie, who has Down syndrome, into a local elementary school and describes navigating red tape and school administrators to ensure Sophie would receive support services suited to her needs.
The article also mentions that it is important for parents of children with disabilities to understand the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and provides a link to an overview of the federal law.
You can read Silverman’s essay in the New York Times online by clicking here.
Blind students perform tap routine with professional ballet troupe in Pennsylvania
A group of students from the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia recently treated audiences to a tap dance alongside members of the Pennsylvania Ballet’s youth troupe. The performance was part of the ceremony for Art-Reach’s 2018 Cultural Access Awards which aim to promote participation in the arts amongst people with disabilities. Journalist Monica Marie Zorrilla documented the emotional performance for local outlet ‘BillyPenn.‘
Easter activities for kids with disabilities
Local CBS station in Dallas/ Fort Worth visited a festive Easter egg hunt designed specifically for kids with disabilities. The video report, posted to YouTube, describes how the eggs make loud beeps so that people with sensory disabilities can find them. The event was organized by local community members and many parents appreciated how the overall tone of the festivities was tailored to accommodate kids with high anxiety.
‘The Silent Child’ about deaf girl wins 2018 Oscar for Best Short Film
A short film about a 4-year-old deaf girl called “The Silent Child” won the 2018 Academy Award for Best Short Film (Live Action). The film’s title character is played by Maisie Sly who is deaf in real life. The film was written by UK actress Rachel Shenton and directed by her fiancé Chris Overton. During the awards ceremony Shenton used American Sign Language to translate her acceptance speech, which doubled as a passionate description of communication challenges faced by children with disabilities.
“Our movie is about a deaf child being born into a world of silence,” said Shenton. “It’s not exaggerated or sensationalized for the movie. This is happening, millions of children all over the world live in silence and face communication barriers, and particularly access to education. Deafness is a silent disability. You can’t see it and it’s not life-threatening, so I want to say the biggest of ‘Thank yous’ to the Academy for allowing us to put this in front of a mainstream audience. ”
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for “The Silent Child”. CLICK BELOW to watch Shenton and Overton’s acceptance speech.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=8BbjIrt_VcQ
Schneider Family Book Awards honor authors of kids books with disability themes
Fiction is an engaging way to introduce children to the topic of disability. The annual Schneider Family Book Awards are chosen by the American Library Association and honor exceptional books about disabilities targeted at kids and teens. This year’s award-winning books include characters who are deaf, have autism and use sign language. Check out the full list by clicking here to read Disability Scoop’s report.