The Lack of Progression by the Disabled Community
April 2009
By Ivy
Kennedy
A.
Diversity of Disabilities
B.
Utilization of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other Programs
C. Communication
and Networking within the Disabled Community
D.
Social Grouping and Upbringing
E.
Understanding Vs. Respect
__________________________
We who love democracy must
stop being spectators and start being leaders.
- Justin Dart, Father of the ADA
Let's see action
Let's see people
Let's see freedom
Let's see who cares
- The Who
_________________________
Often when I’m faced with a barrier due to my
disability I ask myself why am I having such a difficult time? I’m not the
first person with a disability. People with disabilities have been around since
the beginning of mankind.
As I read Tom Brokaw’s book Boom! Voices of the
Sixties, part of the answer slowly came into focus. In his book he writes a
brief summary of how groups organized themselves to fight for their rights,
African Americans and Women etc. These people became enlightened and pushed
forward in the time of the Sixties. There was a group Tom forgot to mention
though, people with disabilities. I’m sure there were many in the fight for
rights in the Disabled Community, but two names that come to mind are Ed
Roberts and Justin Dart. I was also inspired to write by a few chat discussions
on an online website, Disaboom.
A.
Diversity of Disabilities
I believe the reason the Disabled
Community is not as strongly united as it could be is that the group is large.
There’re over 50 million people with disabilities in the USA as of 2008. The
Disabled Community certainly has power by numbers, but the problem is that the
range of disabilities is too wide. Every disability is different and each
person has different needs. It’s hard to state a creed to cover it all when the
range of disabilities is so wide, even though I believe people with
disabilities can agree on a few things. For example; Equal access to public
buildings, equal job opportunities and public transportation access. I’ve heard
an interesting thought about the Disabled Community from somebody that was
alive during the Sixties. On the Disaboom.com chat board somebody mentioned in
the past when the fight was new, the focus was to tackle the big issues. Now, a
person with a disability may be only inclined to advocate if a barrier pertains
strictly to them. That isn’t productive. I urge the Disabled Community to come
together and decide on a basic idea of what they want to accomplish, so their
fight can be more unified.
The range of certain types of
disabilities is too vast and complex to list. One person can have multiple
disabilities. Some disabilities are so mild they can go undiagnosed. Or a
person with a disability can be misdiagnosed. There are a large number of
people, who’s disability is so mild it’s not noticed at all. It’s all very
complicated and I believe it plays a factor on the unity of the Disabled
Community. Some people may be so mentally disabled their voice is not or cannot
be heard. This group of people with severe mental disabilities may be lucky to
have another person or family member to be their advocate. I often wonder as
I’m writing my disability advocacy letters when I face a barrier, who speaks up
for the huge group that can’t speak at all? The Disabled Community is large,
but how many are secluded behind an invisible wall because they can’t
communicate? Is this group a weak link in the chain? How can people with severe
mental disabilities become more empowered?
B.
Utilization of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other Programs
When George H. Bush signed the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) into law in 1990 he said, “Let the shameful wall of
exclusion finally come tumbling down.” I gathered from the tone of his speech,
that the ADA wasn’t the solution to all of the Disabled Community’s problems,
but only a tool to be used to achieve equality. That day in July the ADA was
born, like a seed it would take time and need nurturing to grow. I believe the
Disabled Community needs to keep a vigil watch and see to it that the ADA
doesn’t crumble but strengthens over time. The ADA wasn’t given as a gift to
the Disabled Community, people fought hard for it. It was the result of long
and arduous struggle by people with disabilities who organized across the
nation. People with disabilities have a responsibility protect the ADA.
I believe everybody with a
disability should become knowledgeable about the ADA. My local Independent
Living Center has workshops regularly to teach people about the ADA. The
workshops are open to all the community, not just people with disabilities. The
first thing that goes through my mind when I face a barrier having to do with my
disability is, I wonder what the ADA has to say about this? Sometimes I know
how my problems pertain to the ADA, but sometimes I ask others because I’m not
an expert. The ADA is the most powerful tool when advocating, so it’s important
to know it well. In my opinion the ADA is not nearly as strong as it should be.
Also, I feel because there are constant changes to it the Disabled Community
needs to be better aware. News of changes trickle far too slowly out into the
Disabled Community. This is a problem. The ADA needs to be watched very closely
by whom it is attended to help. I hope the Disabled Community unities to create
a faster more efficient way of spreading news regarding the ever-changing ADA.
The justice system I’m told is
clogged with cases involving the ADA. In my opinion, few lawyers want to take
on ADA cases because there’s little money to be made. The ADA regulations are
not black and white. I feel there’s too much gray area in the ADA. This leads
people to make decisions as they see fit. When this happens, people will claim
to have followed the ADA. In some instances the ADA is followed, but problems
still arise because the ADA isn’t as strong is it should be. It makes me angry
to see these gray areas and loopholes abused. Rather then librating the
Disabled Community, the holes in the ADA hinders progress. Society will use
this weakness in the ADA to twist the law to their own benefit rather than help
people with disabilities.
New construction today is supposed
to include access for people with disabilities. There are guidelines to follow
to allow for access, so one would assume worries for people with disabilities
would be over. Sadly, they are not. Even with these new guidelines things are
not perfect. Often faults go unnoticed until construction is done and it’s not
until an actual person with a disability is on site that problems with access
surface. As I said before, the ADA is not perfect, there is much to be improved
upon. Then there’s an issue of access to older buildings. The owners may claim
the building falls under a Grandfather Clause as a quick way to skirt the cost
to make a building accessible to people with disabilities. But a Grandfather
Clause does not exist in the ADA.
I encourage people with disabilities
to get out of their homes to see and be seen by the able-bodied population. As
I’ve stated before, there’s power in numbers and the group of people with
disabilities is over 50 million. I feel people would become more aware of how
large the Disabled Community is if people with disabilities would get out of
their homes and into their community more frequently. However, some people with
disabilities stay home because there’s little or no access. I believe if more
of the Disabled Community were seen in public, the demand for access would
become more obvious and the needs for improvement would be more apparent. It’s
a type of chicken or the egg situation. What is causing the seclusion of people
with disabilities?
Just as there are problems with the ADA, there are problems
with services and programs people with disabilities depend on. There have been
many attempts to reform and improve these programs over the years. These
programs and services are meant to help, but actually leave minority groups in
a state of perpetual need.
It is obvious to me, employers do not want people
with disabilities working for them. The government has not adequately enforced
the hiring of people with disabilities. The consequences are that people with
disabilities who cannot get hired, file for SSI, SSDI, food stamps etc. The
government and taxpayers are paying for businesses that discriminate against
people with disabilities.
The majority of these services and
programs, such as Social Security, are often ran by people that lack professionalism,
manners, common sense etc. They are under trained and overwhelmed by their
caseloads. The person you speak to when you call in for help doesn’t know which
way is up. It seems no matter whom you talk to in the office, you get the
feeling that nobody knows what they are doing. How can somebody get the correct
information they need to become independent so they won’t need that service
anymore?
It is an endless cycle of failure. People who run
these services fail to be knowledgeable, which causes people who use the
service to fail. I’m glad the government has put these services and programs in
place to help, but due to incompetence, I feel that a lot of these services and
programs are hurting this country far more than helping. If the government wishes
these programs to succeed, they should improve their hiring standards and
improve training methods.
These problems I have mentioned can be paralleled to
events in the African American civil rights movement. In the Sixties the
government had to physically step in and force some places in the South to stop
segregation. It angers me because in my opinion the government needs to do the
same for the Disabled Community. But maybe the government doesn’t see a need to
because the Disabled Community is not coming together and demanding a change.
My next point has been noted many
times by many people. Many services and programs offered to the Disabled
Community are designed in a way that locks in a person and keeps them dependent
their entire life. The moment people who are on Social Security find a job;
their check is taken away. Why can’t Social Security lower their check over a
period of time after somebody is hired? In my opinion, this does not promote
employment but the opposite. People are afraid to job hunt in fear their Social
Security check will disappear. That is one example of perpetual poverty; there
are many others.
C.
Communication and Networking within the Disabled Community
I’m a person with a disability, but
that does not mean I’m not an expert on disabilities. I can’t point out which
disability a person has just by looking at them. That is another problem within
the Disabled Community. Each disability is different, so people with
disabilities need to communicate to know what each person strives for in life.
By knowing everybody’s story and goals, disability advocates can be stronger.
For instance, when a person with a disability only speaks out against a barrier
when it affects them, there’s a lack of progress to be made. I feel the speed and
quantity of changes can be increased if people with disabilities would come
together and communicate what barriers they face. Two of the many ways to do
this are by joining a chat board and attending a support group for people with
disabilities. Many Independent Living Centers offer support groups for people
with disabilities.
I believe attendants or family
members can be great advocates for a person with a disability who cannot
communicate. These people are in close contact with the person with a disability
and can attest to the barriers they face. When a person with a disability is
mentally capable of communicating their wishes and opinions, and is ignored,
that is a tremendous violation of their civil rights. I also believe a
violation is made when somebody speaks for a person with a disability who has
no connection to them. How can you assume what anybody’s opinion is without
asking that person? For example; President Obama made a remark about Special
Olympics when he was a guest on Jay Leno’s late night show. He and Jay were
talking about bowling. Obama laughed and compared himself to a Special Olympic
bowler because he scores low. I logged on to Disaboom’s chat board to read how
people with disabilities felt about the comment. Some saw it as a joke and
thought it was funny, others were deeply offended. Then I went over to a chat
board with able-bodied members, people were in an outrage on the behalf of the
Disabled Community. There was no indication that the people who were upset
actually knew a person with a disability. I quickly butted in and said a lot of
people over at a disability chat board were not bothered by Obama’s remarks.
Somebody replied by saying they try not to make any assumptions until they hear
from that group themselves. It’s almost comical to me when somebody will be
quick to defend somebody or something because it’s the PC thing to do. In my
opinion, this is one of the causes of lack of progression in the Disability
Community.
I believe decision makers often don’t ask for the opinion of a person with a disability when a change directly affects the Disabled Community. They will seek advice from so-called ‘expert’ committee that has nobody with a disability as a member. I’m slowly seeing an end to this discrepancy. Official committees are being formed for the sole purpose of being a resource to go to when questions arise about what people with disabilities need. The transaction works both ways. These committees can provide reports on what areas need improvement. I’m excited to see these committees form, but as I’ve stated previously, it’s important that the board members learn the different needs and goals within the entire Disabled Community.
When I was in my early twenties, I
tried unsuccessfully to find a job.
Rather than moping around feeling like I was a failure by society’s
standards, I turned my energy to being a disability advocate. A quote from
Justin Dart the father of the ADA sums it up perfectly.
‘Give up
life as usual -- escapist television and games, time consuming, expensive
travel and recreation, and devote the time to passionate advocacy for
individualized empowerment.’
I certainly identify with that quote and have time
to advocate. But what about people with disabilities that are busy with their
jobs and day-to-day life? Do they have time to advocate, or do they even see
the need to at all? Their disability may be so mild that they sail by fine with
no disability related barriers. They may fit in so well that they might not
associate themselves with the Disabled Community. Or a person may have a severe
mental disability and cannot advocate as I’ve mentioned before. This too I
believe is slowing the progression of the Disabled Community. In my opinion the
Disabled Community can’t be as strong if the entire group isn’t active in
disability advocacy. In my opinion, it’s about how a person with a disability
identifies with themselves and how and if they make disability advocacy one of
their top priorities.
I’ve wonder if some people with disabilities expect
barriers to disappear overnight and until then would they be content to just
sit and complain about them? Does society see the people with disabilities as
whiney charity cases? “Give me, give me, give me.” Does society think the
Disabled Community plays the role of the victim that asks and gives nothing in
return? I, myself, will never expect the able-bodied community to understand
what I need to feel like a part of society. I know and have shown I have
something to contribute to society. I also know I’ll always be fighting not to
be excluded and if I stop fighting I have nobody to blame but myself. But I
also believe if the Disabled Community was more unified in demolishing
barriers, my fighting on an individual level would be unquestionably easier and
more effective.
How can people with disabilities unify to broadcast
the ever-changing ADA and efficiently spread the word about resources that
people with disabilities can benefit from? Not everybody has access to the
Internet. I look to examples like AARP where senior citizens subscribe to and
pay a membership fee. They receive magazines updating them on issues that
matter to seniors. It would take a lot of work to round up all the current
disability advocacy issues and watch for updates on the ADA. I imagine a large
team would have to do it. I hope the Disabled Community finds a tool to keep an
eye on the ADA and can find an outlet/media to keep all people with
disabilities informed. There are many magazines that focus on disabilities, but
I’ve never seen one that educates about different types of disabilities and
writes about the changes of the ADA. I believe it’s important for a person with
a disability to learn about other disabilities and what they advocate for, as
well as keeping in tune with the ADA.
Each state has differences in issues pertaining to
people with disabilities. There are disability related issues on a national
level as well. This can make it even more tricky keeping up with the news that
affects the Disabled Community. Some websites do an excellent job of updating
these issues. But I can’t help but feel I’m not getting the entire picture just
by looking at one website.
How a person advocates is important. Sometimes an
email asking for help to advocate will trickle down, and by the time it gets to
me the time for action has expired. Or when I follow directions/links on these
emails to advocate, I get lost in cyberspace. The links lead me on a wild goose
chase and will leave me confused as what to do. These types of emails are good
tools to advocate, but you must check them before you forward them. Keep them
simple with not much clicking from page to page, and whenever possible, try to
attach a Bill number and/or the official title to the email. At times there is
no need to list all the delegates, when a person can look up which delegate
represents them and write to them. It depends on if you anticipate a person to
know their delegate, or if they will bother to look them up. I prefer to look
up my delegate online, rather than scroll through a list of delegates to get to
the subject of the email.
Thanks to the Internet, it is now extremely easy to find resources that are helpful to people with disabilities. There are many organizations that help people with disabilities all over the country, whether it is finding affordable housing or organizing home care. Resources and services are available, but the trouble is not everybody has access to the Internet. So how can the Disabled Community reach members that don’t have access to the Internet?
The Internet can be a tool to build a strong network. I’ve noticed many missing links in the Disabled Community’s chain of strength due to lack of networking. It aggravates me because it seems to me, more progress could be made if all organizations that associate with people with disabilities would form one network. I have witnessed one group struggling with a problem when another group right around the corner (literally) has the resource to solve their problem. This is a perfect example of what I mentioned previously. The Disabled Community has to be aware of what other people with disabilities are doing. When one small group is acting alone it’s not going to get much accomplished as if they had reached out to see what other groups are doing or ask what’s already been done. This is an example of researching before advocating. Also while research is vital to a strong advocate, it’s important not to become overwhelmed by it and lose site of your goal.
I was a member of a disability advocacy group that was trying to set up a school program to help educate children about people with disabilities. It wasn’t until midway through our organizing efforts until we realized another local group had done what we wanted to accomplish. They had set up a puppet show that displayed key disability issues that was geared toward elementary age children. My group had wasted time and energy by researching alone. We also could’ve gotten advice from them on how to approach school board to get approval.
There is little to no media coverage on the
injustices people with disabilities face. It infuriates me when news broadcasts
run out of things to report on and start filling in with celebrity gossip or
new discoveries, (which aren’t new at all). In the 60’s the civil rights
movement got plenty of press. Is it because the Disabled Community isn’t
raising a ruckus in the street? Are disability rights not as important as Women
and African American rights? I don’t think so, but by the media ignoring the
Disabled Community that’s the message they are sending.
Practically every minority group has someone well
known advocating for them on a large scale. There are a few celebrities who
have become disabled later in life. They are already in the spotlight, so that
helps shed awareness on their disability also. I feel this can be beneficial to
raise awareness about disabilities. But it seems to me these newly disabled
celebrities are more focused on finding cures and not spending a lot of time
advocating for the present needs of the Disabled Community. While I’m excited
by recent scientific discoveries, I believe the lack of news coverage on the
barriers the Disabled Community faces could be improved.
In congress, lobbyists groups get attention by throwing money around to promote their cause. They try to increase attention to their cause by giving money to a campaign or directly to a Congressperson. The Disabled Community it seems, do not have the means to form a lobby group that is able to advocate in this way. Government claims lobbying is not in the best interest of everybody, but seems to be doing little to stop it. In some instances, because the Disabled Community isn’t lobbying in Washington, policies pertaining to people with disabilities are the first on the chopping block. How can the Disabled Community which is over 50 million large, organize and flex some political/economic/social muscle?
D.
Social Grouping and Upbringing
In Tom Brokaw’s book, Voices of the Sixties,
one of the things he focused on was how people in the same social group
striving for civil rights were often on opposite extremes of their group’s
spectrum. Even if the two shared the same skin color or were the same sex,
their feelings towards the fight for equality could be totally different. These
differences caused delays and conflicts within the group and made it difficult
to reach their goal of equality.
Each sub-population has its own politics and interests, which can dilute the movement’s collective power. In addition, most people with disabilities do not actually self-identify as experiencing a disability, and just a fraction of the total disabled population show real interest or are activists in the disability rights movement. – The State of Disability on America by UCP
Some people with disabilities see their troubles as
their burden to bear. Their disability is the sole reason why they struggle.
They don’t see the need and don’t want to advocate. They will go it alone! They
don’t see societal barriers as their problem, but their disability as the
problem. Other people with disabilities see barriers put in place by society
and advocate for change. They feel their disability is a part of who they are
and see no reason for society not to accept them and thus remove barriers.
I’ve noticed, the Disabled Community
will sometimes segregate within themselves, particularly young people. I
believe this behavior is a survival mechanism of sorts. In my opinion, it’s a
human characteristic to break off into groups. It makes people feel comfortable.
It’s when walls go up between these groups that little interaction will take
place, is when problems arise.
All disabilities are different and I feel at times some people with disabilities judge other people with disabilities. Some will not want to be associated with a person they see as having a worse disability than themselves, and will distance themselves from that those individuals. I believe this happens because society does not have a positive image of disability. In doing so, the people distancing themselves may feel they have a better chance of being accepted by society. Some may feel they stand out too much already in public, and by being surrounded by a group of people with disabilities will multiply this feeling. Or some feel they have nothing in common with ‘those’ people, so they don’t bother socializing with them.
I feel some of what determines how a
person with a disability reacts to others with a disability will depend on how
they were raised. I have a few friends with disabilities and I’ve witnessed
certain situations that have led me to believe their family never fully
accepted their disability The family might not come right out and admit that
they don’t accept them, but the person with a disability will feel like an
outsider wherever he or she goes and probably will feel like an outsider within
their family. There is damage to their self-esteem and because of this he or
she may accept barriers rather than challenge them.
On the other hand, if a child is accepted by their family and does well to fit in at their school and is given the same opportunities as their peers until they graduate and then hit a wall of barriers when they go out into society, then that person will think society is the problem. These people with disabilities may feel they faced no true barriers until they tried to make it on their own in the world.
It’s another chicken or the egg situation. What
comes first? If people with disabilities were better accepted in society, would
families be less likely to shun that child, or…? If families with a child with
a disability accepted them, then would society as a whole also be more willing
to accept that child?
There are people that are not born with a disability but become disabled later in life. I feel the strength of this group within the Disabled Community depends on how well somebody mentally adjusts to their new disability. I have no idea what a person goes through when they’re newly injured, but I imagine it’s a horrendous adjustment. I spent some time in a rehabilitation hospital and made friends with people with new spinal cord injuries. They attended therapy around the clock. Mental and physical therapy, both are essential to a persons’ survival. I wonder how a person with a new disability places themselves in society? Will they accept that they’re now a member of the Disabled Community and lend their time to advocating or will they be ashamed to be disabled and be caught up with daydreaming about how life once was?
Some disabilities are invisible or not easily noticed. In my opinion, these people have hidden their disability in order to better fit in with society. I’ve heard stories of people hiding their disability during a job interview. The interviewer is limited by law on how much information can be asked about that person’s disability. The law states if a person is able to do what is required by that particular job safely, that is all the information the interviewer needs. On the other hand, people are curious about disabilities, so how can an interviewer better understand a disability if they aren’t allowed to ask about it? It reminds me of the ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy for gays in the military. These type of policies don’t work in my opinion.
People with disabilities are wise to the potential for discrimination, so he or she with an invisible disability probably won’t mention it during the interview. Very few people want a person with a disability working for them, in my opinion. Society’s negative image of people with disabilities implies to employers that people with disabilities are damaged, so they can’t possibly be useful in the workforce. This is an example of when people with invisible disabilities will use their ability to ‘hide’ a disability to their advantage. While I understand why some people ‘hide’ their disabilities, I also hope they will join the fight for Disabled Community’s equality, because if society had a positive outlook and better understanding, there’d be no need to ‘hide’ a disability.
In my opinion people who hide their disability cause
a huge setback in the progression of the Disabled Community. It’s true the
range of disability is large, but the community cannot afford to pick and
choose who’s a part of the group. There is power in numbers. When it boils down
to it the Disabled Community shares the same basic goals. No matter what your
disability is, I urge you to come together with other people with disabilities
to create a powerful force.
E.
Understanding Vs. Respect
Many people with disabilities feel
that lack of understanding is part of why the Disabled Community hasn’t made
much progress. People fear what they don’t understand. Not every family has a
person with a disability. Some families do have a member with a disability, but
because the range of varying disabilities is so large, I feel these families
may be seeing only a tiny piece of the Disabled Community. People with
disabilities may hope for more understanding from the able-bodied community,
but I feel that is a type of waiting game where there are no winners. Society
may better accept us if they understood what it means to be a person with a
disability, but there is no guarantee.
I think understanding a disability is important to
acceptance is a valid argument, especially when it comes to young children.
After young children have their curiosity quenched they seem to have no problem
accepting a person with a disability. Because children are so open to
acceptance, I encourage them to ask questions and I root for their parents to
answer these questions to the best of their knowledge. Their answers don’t need
to be out of a medical terminology book, but I do expect the answers to convey
compassion and respect towards the Disabled Community.
Many schools have implemented disability awareness
programs into their curriculum. It’s exciting to imagine younger generations
may be more open towards people with disabilities because of new education
standards. It’s important to learn about the history of people with
disabilities for the same reasons why students learn about the civil rights
fight of African Americans etc, women and other minorities. Students who study
these subjects are more likely to build strong communities by accepting a
diversity of people.
There is a flipside to the need for understanding in my opinion. I would expect everybody to treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect regardless if they knew the ins and outs of each and every disability. While I think understanding helps bridge the gap between the disabled and able-bodied communities, it is not necessary for equality. Again, using the example of the Civil Rights movement of the Sixties, these strong organized groups didn’t ask for understanding, they demanded equal rights. Hoping for understanding does not empower the Disabled Community. In the meantime, the Disabled Community needs to come together to exercise and strengthen the ADA, putting the law to work for people with disabilities!
__________________________
This is my view on a few weaknesses in the Disabled Community
and what can be done to strengthen it. Although I’m disabled my days are not
fully occupied with advocacy. I’m sure every person with a disability is busy
living their life to the fullest. I don’t expect people with disabilities to
become hard-core disability advocates after reading this. But I do hope readers
will ask themselves what small tiny change they can make to see that the
Disabled Community moves forward. I feel the Disabled Community is inching
along when it easily could be making leaps and bounds.
….and
it still bugs me Tom Brokaw left the 60’s disability civil rights activists out
his book! I wish he could read this.
About
the author:
Ivy
Kennedy was born in 1979 and has Cerebral Palsy. She was mainstreamed in the
Williamsburg Virginia public school system with the help of an aide to write
for her in class. It still lives in the Hampton Roads area. Ivy attends a local
disability advocacy group monthly. She also volunteers at a home for disabled
children. Her website is www.ivykennedy.com
Thanks
to: Ruth Ann Kennedy, Kristie Lynn, Jeanne Nordstrom
Sent
to:
(addresses/email
removed)
|
Kimberley
Barreda - Managing Editor Chloe Magazine Disaboom
Online New
Mobility Magazine Tom
Brokaw C/O
Random House, Inc., Lisbet
Dula - Virginia Board for People with Disabilities Maggie
Clower - Principal of Vocational
Training Woodrow
Wilson Rehab Center The
Virginian-Pilot The
Nth Degree - Disability Culture Magazine Center
For Disability Rights American
Association for People with Disabilities Therese
Grayson Connecting
Communities Coalition of Portland |
National
Organization on Disability Kareem
Dale or Lisa Brown Presidential
Transition Team Michael
Morris Burton
Blatt Institute National
Coalition for Disability Rights The
How's Your News? Team C/O
MTV United
States International Council on Disabilities UN
Enable |
More of these same issues are discussed in a report by the UCP: The State of Disability in America Click here
I didn't mention employment in this paper because there's much to be said. Read my blog about it Click here
Another great resource that answers the question in detail... people with disabilities have been around since mankind, why is it such a struggle?
Disability is Natural by Kathie Snow
Responses/Results:
A
form postcard from the Michael J Fox Foundation.
Paul
Longmore and Therese Grayson replied back with an email thanking me.
Mike
and Colleen from Disability Resources on the Internet replied with an email.
12/14/09
Connecting Communities featured this paper on their site! Click here
12/28/10
Down Syndrome Association of Hampton Roads featured this paper in their January 2011 newsletter! Click here