Disability is Natural Newsletter

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Order your new badges or key rings today! Give them to every member of the IEP or other planning team, wear them when visiting legislators, buy some for yourself to share your message, or give them to others who need a new perspective about children and adults with disabilities!

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REVOLUTIONARY COMMON SENSE NEWSLETTER

Have you ever wondered why the inclusion of children with disabilities in regular ed classrooms is so hard to achieve? There are many factors involved, but one of the barriers lies at the beginning of the whole IEP process: special ed evaluations and assessments.

In the April-May REVOLUTIONARY COMMON SENSE (RCS) subscription newsletter, you'll learn why children with disabilities seldom "pass go" after being subjected to formal assessments. Problems with these traditional methods of evaluation include: children being assessed with the wrong test, lack of accommodation for a child's disability, and many other issues. When children do "poorly" on these assessments, chances for their inclusion in the regular ed environment are slim to none. The solution to this dilemma is to use informal, non-traditional assessments which evaluate a child relative to his participation and progress in the general curriculum (as prescribed by federal special ed law, IDEA). Strategies for creating and implementing informal assessments are described in the RCS newsletter.

Other articles in the current RCS newsletter include:

---THE NEW (AND IMPROVED) THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPE -- It's happening all across the country: parents, therapists, and others are embracing a new way of thinking about therapy and therapists. More and more, therapists are moving away from being providers of direct services in a clinical setting to becoming consultants who ensure children with disabilities receive the assistance they need in more natural ways, in typical settings. In this new therapeutic landscape, parents, caregivers, educators, and others in a child's life are seen as valuable participants in helping a child benefit from "therapeutic-like" activities that are both enjoyable and relevant. Perhaps most importantly, the harmful "not-OK" message of traditional therapy is eliminated once and for all. Has this paradigm shift happened in your neck of the woods?

---INCLUSIVE RECREATION: A TICKET TO REAL LIFE -- RCS interviewed Mark Ohrenberg, coordinator of an inclusive recreation project in Missouri. In Part I of a two-part interview, Mark details how inclusive recreation can occur in schools and in the community. The real-life examples Mark shares prove that having a disability does not need to be a barrier to participation in inclusive recreational activities. And the benefits of inclusive rec are numerous for everyone involved, including the person with a disability, family members, other participants, and the community as a whole!

---REINVENTING DD AGENCIES -- In pockets here and there, state-funded agencies which serve people with developmental disabilities are reinventing themselves. Staff members are freeing themselves from the traditional ways of doing things, which leads to collaborating with businesses and organizations in the community, discovering new ways of helping children and adults get what they need, and ensuring community inclusion along the way. Visionary leaders and creative thinking make it possible!

---ON BECOMING A BUSINESS OWNER --- Self-employment of individuals with disabilities is a reality! In Part II of a three-part interview, employment guru Cary Griffin shares the key that opens the door to self-employment for teens and adults with disabilities. It's not as hard as some people think. And Cary has specific advice for parents of children with disabilities on planning for the future! Future issues of the RCS newsletter will include strategies for inclusive education, more on reinventing DD agencies, and a variety of articles that push the envelope!

The REVOLUTIONARY COMMON SENSE newsletter ($16.95/year, published bi-monthly) can be ordered from the web site www.disabilityisnatural.com, by calling toll-free 1-866-948-2222, by fax at 1-719-687-8114, or by mail (BraveHeart Press, PO Box 7245, Woodland Park CO 80863).

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---VISION OF A PERFECT WORLD In March, while presenting at Kansas Partners in Policymaking, I met many wonderful new leaders, including 21-year-old Jason Gallagher. A few days ago, Jason sent me the following poem. I thought you might enjoy it, as I did, and Jason graciously gave his permission to share it in this Email newsletter.

Vision of a Perfect World

By Jason Gallagher

In a perfect world, I will be judged not by the function of my muscles, But by the strength of my heart, And I will be happy knowing that I can walk among All persons, black or white, poor or rich, God or no God, Disability or no disability, who share a common goal Of love and understanding.

In a perfect world, Stereotype will be a printing tool used To share all ideas and experiences, And everyone will understand because We will read with clear minds and full hearts. In a perfect world,

I will walk through a valley That has no concept of good and evil, And emerge in a field of Six billion different religions, None right, and none wrong.

In a perfect world, The color of money is transparent, While individual character remains solid, And a rainbow will lead to a Pot full of dreams.

In a perfect world, I will walk to the top of every mountain, Where I will fulfill my dream, The dream of helping every person Reach the pinnacle of their aspirations, And when you and I can embrace freely, Like Twin Towers standing strong, I will be content to sit in my wheelchair For I know that we live In a perfect world.

Jason can be contacted at jason@ibelievedesign.com And thanks, Jason, for sharing your vision!

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IN MEMORY OF JOE

Joe Schiappacasse, who was interviewed in the October-November 2001 and December 2001-January 2002 issues of the REVOLUTIONARY COMMON SENSE newsletter, passed away in March, after complications from a heart attack. Joe will be sorely missed; he was a dear friend, an inspiring mentor, a loving husband and father, and a happy, funny, caring man who loved to fish and enjoy a good cigar now and then.

As many of you may know, Joe was an extraordinarily insightful person. One of the leading behavior specialists in the country, Joe's compassion and understanding were legendary. Unlike many other "behaviorists," Joe did not believe in "programming" people, "managing" their behavior, or using any other methods which relied primarily on "fixing" the person or the "problem behavior."

Instead, Joe's focus was on understanding the person, seeing behavior as communication, examining the person's environment, and identifying the unique needs of the individual. Once a person's needs were met, Joe often found, the behaviors which others found "challenging" often disappeared.

As the parent and the brother of individuals with disabilities, Joe believed in the inherent value of all people. His wisdom and gentle methods opened the door to new ways of thinking. His wife, Barb, and son, Tony, along with thousands of others (including me) are better people because of Joe.

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Please feel free to share this Email with others, and invite your friends, family, and coworkers to visit www.disabilityisnatural.com and check out what's new! While you're there, take a moment to share your comments, suggestions, questions, and ideas.
Lead with a brave heart,
Kathie Snow

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