1. Disability Awareness Unit
Lisa Dimling
Erika Kauffman
Leah Maxson

2. Disability Awareness: What is a disability?
This unit addresses the question of: “What is a disability?”
Through discussion and hands-on activities, students will become familiar with various types of disabilities (their positive and negative effects).
Students will brainstorm different ways to accommodate situations in which a disability becomes a handicap.
Students will also explore their own disability in terms of what it is, why they have it, its effects, and strategies for overcoming it.
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

3. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Purpose
Although many students recognize that they are “different” from their peers, they cannot explain what this difference is or why it exists. Students have no comprehension of their own disability and the implications involved.
This unit is intended to facilitate open discussion with students as to what it means to have a disability. After acquiring basic information about disabilities, it is anticipated that students begin to explore their own uniqueness so that they can better understand their academic, social, and transitional strengths and weaknesses.
It is only after one understands his/her own disability they s/he may develop self-efficacy and feel empowered to take control of his/her own life.
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

4. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Student Description
Students of this Northeastern Ohio middle school Language Arts classroom include both D/HH students, as well as hearing students with learning disabilities. Both groups of students are mainstreamed in all subject areas except Language Arts (where they are taught in a self-contained classroom). Students range from years old; grades 7-8.
A closer look at the students who are D/HH:
P-Levels: P-Levels range from 4-5. Students can talk about several different things at once and are able to relate separate topics together, but are not transitioning smoothly between the topics.
Reading: Students are in the developing literacy stage- they read at the 3-4 grade level. Among their strengths is their ability to use effective reading strategies such as rereading and asking questions. They are also able to retell stories accurately including the main characters and
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

5. Student Description (cont.)
events (most of the time). An area that they need improvement in though is their ability to relate English text with ASL. Although they understand both languages on a basic level, they are unable to translate English stories into ASL (when they read a story aloud, they sign English instead of ASL- this takes the overall meaning out of the story).
Writing: Students write primarily at level 6. Their writing is easily understood and they use a variety of sentence patterns (though the patterns are not always correct). Students have become good at including detail in their writing and are beginning to demonstrate simple story structure (beginning, problem, solution). However, students are struggling to include appropriate transitions between topics. Their various forms of writing include many details and different pieces of knowledge, but overall the writing does not flow as smoothly as it should.
World Knowledge: Overall, students are unaware of their disabilities. Although they recognize that they are in a “special classroom” for Language Arts, they do not necessarily understand why. In addition, students lack knowledge of what a disability is in general. Their understanding of disabilities is limited mostly to physical disabilities (those that can be seen).
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

6. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Design Process
Stage 1: Identifying Desired Results
The desired, overarching understandings of this unit include:
Determining what a disability is and what its implications are.
The overarching “essential” questions include:
What is a disability?
Are their different types of disabilities?
What causes disabilities?
How will understanding my own disability help me to achieve more in life?
What kinds of things can I learn from my disability?
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

7. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Design Process (cont.)
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence
What evidence will show that students know what “disability” means and can relate it to their own lives?
Independently, students will be able to express the meaning of “disability” through various ways
Verbal explanation
Pictures
What “disability” is and what it is not
Students will be able to explain their own disability to someone else
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

8. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Design Process (cont.)
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction (relating to six facets)
Facet
Description
Activity
Facet 1: Explanation
Sophisticated explanations and theories
Brainstorming Web- students contribute ideas as to what “disability” means (types, characteristics, implications, etc)
Facet 2: Interpretation
Interpretations, narratives and translations
Small Group Discussion- students split into groups and discuss their interpretations of various types of disabilities.
Facet 3: Application
Use knowledge in new situations and contexts
Facet 4: Perspective
Critical and insightful points of view
Facet 5: Empathy
Ability to get inside another person’s feelings
Disability Stations- students took turns rotating between 5 different disability stations. Each station simulated a different disability and students were to complete various tasks.
Facet 6: Self-knowledge
To know one’s ignorance, prejudice, and understanding
Reflection Papers- after completing each disability station, students reflected upon the activities as they recorded their insights about each activity (how they felt before, during, and after the activity; what was hard/easy about each activity).
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

9. Outcomes: Evaluation of facets
100% of the students contributed at least 3 ideas to brainstorming web.
100% of the students contributed at least 5 insights about various types of disabilities to their group discussion. All groups presented their ideas to the class.
100% of the students (except those absent) fully completed all 5 disability stations.
100% of the students completed the reflection papers
Facet
Facet 1: Explanation
Facet 2: Interpretation
Facet 3: Application
Facet 4: Perspective
Facet 5: Empathy
Facet 6: Self-knowledge
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

10. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Observations
Students talk more openly and freely about disabilities (and general differences in people)
Students are eager to learn more about their own specific disabilities
Multiple questions related to disabilities are asked daily
Students are beginning to “own” their disability
They share personal experiences with classmates and the teacher
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

11. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Pictures
Don’t Look Down: A Student participates in the “Mirror Maze” activity. This activity, which simulates dyslexia, requires students to complete a maze by only looking at the maze’s reflection in a mirror.
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

12. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Negotiating the Door: Students participate in the “Wheelchair Challenge” activity as they attempt to wheel around the classroom with a stack of books on their lap. Each time a book falls, students must pick it up without rising out of the chair or moving their feet.
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

13. Transition Services Preparation & Training
“Blindfolded Ice Cream”:
Students try eating ice cream blindfolded.
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Transition Services Preparation & Training

14. Disability Awareness Unit
Sample Lesson Plans

15. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Day one
Students will record what they want to learn about disabilities (“W” part of KWL chart).
Fun Facts: The teacher will show the students three pictures of famous people. One of the celebrities will have a disability, and the other two will not. After looking at each picture, students will guess which person may have a disability. The teacher will then reveal the person who has the disability and share the celebrity’s story about their disability to the class. (This activity will happen throughout the unit at the end of each lesson).
Materials:
Overhead
Large piece of bulletin board paper
Markers
Celebrity pictures
Story of celebrity with disability
Objective:
Students will describe what they know about disabilities and what they want to learn about disabilities in the form of a KWL chart.
Procedures:
Concept Diagram: The teacher will write the word “Disability” on the board and ask students what it means. The teacher will record all student responses on board. (“K” part of KWL Chart)
The teacher will ask probing questions to facilitate discussion:
Can a person have a disability if they are not in a wheelchair?
What does a person with a disability look like?
Do you know anyone with a disability? What can/can’t they do?
Do people with disabilities have jobs?
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

16. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Day two
Station #3: Dyslexia “Mirror Maze”
Students will complete a written maze by only looking at the maze’s reflection in a mirror
Station #4: Deafness “Stop and Go”
Students will alternate wearing ear plugs while playing the “stop and go music game”
Station #5: Physical Disability “Wheelchair Challenge”
Students will attempt to wheel around the classroom with a stack of books on their lap. Each time a book falls, the student must attempt to pick it up without rising out of the chair or moving their feet.
Objectives:
Students will complete the simulated station activities and the “How I felt” chart.
Procedures:
Five stations will be setup throughout the classroom. Each station will host a different activity simulating what it’s like to have various disabilities.
Station #1: Learning Disability “Z-A activity”
Students will be instructed to write the alphabet backwards in under 45 seconds
Station #2: Blindness “Blindfolded ice cream”
Students will be instructed to eat ice cream with a spoon while blindfolded
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

17. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Day two (cont.)
The Teacher will end the lesson by presenting students with the day’s “Fun Facts”.
Materials:
“How I felt” handouts
KWL chart from previous day
Timer (for Z-A activity)
Blindfolds
Ice cream
Bowls
Spoons
Maze handouts
Mirror
Radio
Earplugs (cotton)
Celebrity pictures
Story of celebrity with disability
1-2 Wheelchairs
Stack of books from classroom
Procedures (cont.):
After being divided into groups, students will rotate around the stations and complete each activity.
After each activity, the students will reflect upon their experiences by filling out the “How I felt” chart (specifically, students will complete the following statements: "The most frustrating thing about this activity was…” and “The easiest thing about this activity was…”)
Students will share their reflections with the class and engage in open discussion.
Students will revisit their KWL charts by writing what they have learned about disabilities so far. (The first part of “L” part of the KWL chart)
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

18. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Day three
For the cards that say “yes”, students will read a short narrative about the person. Each narrative will briefly describe the person’s disability and their experiences related to it.
During the activity, students will have a checklist handout (“What do you think?”) that they will use to record their guesses and findings on.
After students have completed the activity, the teacher will facilitate class discussion about their reactions to their findings.
Finally, students will be instructed to think about which person from the cards they most relate to and why. Students will use this information the following day to write short narratives describing how they relate to the person they chose and why.
Materials:
16 pictures
“What do you think?” checklist
Objective:
Students will complete a checklist form (“What do you think?”) by independently making predictions based on prior knowledge, determining if their predictions are correct, and comparing their overall findings.
Procedures:
A series of about 16 pictures will be posted in the front of the classroom on the board. Each card will have a picture of a random person who either has or does not have a disability.
The teacher will begin by telling students that some of the people on the cards have disabilities and some do not. Their task will be to go through each card and guess if the person in the picture has a disability or not. After making their guess, students will flip the card over and see if they were right. The backs of the cards will either say “yes” or “no”.
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

19. Transition Services Preparation & Training
Day four
Objective:
Students will compose a one-page narrative comparing how they relate to the person they chose (from previous day). Students will follow the guidelines on a provided rubric.
Procedures:
Students will complete a Venn diagram to brainstorm the similarities and differences between themselves and the person they chose from the day before.
Students will use the Venn diagram to help guide them in writing a one-page narrative describing how their chosen disability relates/does not relate to their life.
During writing workshop, students will exchange papers and use appropriate editing marks to correct errors.
After the papers are completed (typed and printed), students will divide into small groups and will share and discuss their papers with each other.
Materials:
Venn diagram handouts
Picture cards (from day before)
Editing marks transparency (displayed on overhead)
Writing paper
“How I Relate” Rubric
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training

20. “What do you think?” Chart
Directions: First, look at each picture on the board and guess if you think the person in the picture has a disability or not. Mark either “Yes” or “No” in the boxes below. Next, read each card to find out if your guess was correct. Now mark whether your guess was right or wrong by marking either “Yes” or “No” in the boxes below. Finally, in the “Your reaction” box, explain why you thought the person either had or did not have a disability.
Picture #
Your guess (Yes or No)
Were you right? (Yes or No)
Your reaction 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Fall 2003
Transition Services Preparation & Training