Whats your problem?

[PurplySparkleyJoey]

Did any one watch any of the programs on disablity last week? I didnt get to see all of them most but not all.
I thought they were well done actually ... got the point accress they needed .. and rather that writing *about* the disability ... they asked some one with the disability to talk about there lives .. much better way of doing it!
I wish there had been more really as there is still sooo much to learn in the world of disability.
I personally think they should talk about more disabilitys with a more *visual* impact too. 'The wheel ciar' has almost become 'asseptable' in this day and age ... but abled bodied people are still scared to talk to any one with a remotly *vistual* diability. EG ... some one who has had a sever head injury .. its likaly there disability is v. obvious ... and people are scared to aproch them because there not sure if this person will be able to hold a convsation on not.
It will take years and years before visual disabilitys are as acceptable as the wheel chair .. but we will get there ;D

[Steve Howton]

8-)Just a thought for getting the message across - a place I work at started a program with two of our CP guys - both in wheelchairs.

The boys prepared a presentation for primary, (junior), schools and go out once a week to schoold to interact with young students.

I think that's where your target should be. I know this when out with the boys, shopping or just getting out into the community, and a little herd of school children race up to them with hugs and chat.

Just a thought.

Love to all...

[PurplySparkleyJoey]

Your totoally right Steve .. its true .. kids need to be showen from a young age that disability shouldnt faze them. Sadly with the govement still making more disabled people go to 'special schools' younger kids are never faced with disability issues untill its too late!! We need to intergrate into schools more other wise the bussnessmen of tomorrow are going to be just as scared of disability as the bussnessmen of today eh!!

Rant over

[Steve Howton]

:)I must admit that I'm quite proud of Australia's policy of school intergration. ALL schools are now required to have wheelchair access and non-wheelchair disabilities, such as Downs Syndrome, are quite well catered for too.

;)One of my clients tells me that a problem he had in "Mainstream" high school was that, while he was "Intergrated", he did feel that he got too much special attention. For example, he never got sent to the Headmaster for failing to do homework. When he misbehaved, as he did and does regularly, (cute but evil), it was blamed on his disability.

:DHe feels that part of intergration should be that the same rules should apply, apart from obvious physical needs. He believes that he would have benefitted from the same discipline that applied to other kids.

;DHe is now at University studying writing, so I will ask for permission to post some of his published work.

:(I think we all know that some people simply cannot be intergrated in mainstream schools. But, they CAN be intergrated into the community - and I think we all have to be activists whenever we get a chance. I know that Mr X. and I love making life difficult for able-bodied, (but often pig-ignorant), people.

:PIt's interesting to note, when looking at "intergrated" schools, how protective and caring the kids get about "their" disabled mates. It really does warm the heart.

::)Take care and be well,

:-[Love,

8-)Steve.

[PurplySparkleyJoey]

firstly i would like to congratulate you on encoperating a huge number of smilys in that post!! and secondly i'l bang on about what you said

I think your totally right about intergrated school being all well and good, but they really shouldnt be 'intergrated' they should just be the same for every one. We had kids with disability who were never kept in detention or anything like that and it bugged the hell out of me!! But our school wasnt great at the whole intergrated stuff .. the staff didnt like abled bodied kids around the disabled ones and so on. I think there should be a lot of changes made but how would you even go about bringing them up let alone getting them implicated!!
As for looking after the hamster .. i would have considered that a blessing as its likely i would have killed it, but each to there own!!

- i have to go, but i'l be back! -

[Steve Howton]

:(Ok - I'm confused! Where did the Hampster fit into all this? Or is there some revolting sexual thing that you haven't told us about yet?

[Fraggle]

Great topic

At my school we had a "unit" for the visually impaired, and like you two have said they were treated differently than the rest of us, and never got into trouble no matter what they did.

And because when I first started school until the age of 7 I went to school without a unit I wasn't included in the unit though I'm severely partially sighted as apparently I managed too well . So even within a supposedly intergrated school the teachers are as clueless as anywhere else

And Joey what ARE you talking about regarding the hamster

[PurplySparkleyJoey]

Do you know what .. i have NO idea what i was talking about!!!!! I worry my self!!

Its really bad that disabled kids are treated diffrently .. i think that is the start of bullying too, i think abled bodied children dislike disabled kids purly because they are considered 'untouchable' by most of the staff .. i think the kids take it apon them selves to proove that actually they are touchable and go about taking the piss out of them!!

I dont have a clue how this could be delt with though, with out something being written in to the disabled education act? Any ideas?

[Airflare]